India Slams Pakistan At UN, Says ‘Heinous Acts’ No Surprise From Country Bombing Its Own People
New Age Islam News Bureau
21 May 2026
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, said it was “ironic” that Pakistan, with long-tainted record of genocidal acts”, had sought to comment on matters that were internal to India.Photo | X
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· India slams Pakistan at UN, says ‘heinous acts’ no surprise from country bombing its own people
· This hard-line Iranian general is a major player in talks with US over war
· Gazans barred from Hajj, animal sacrifice as Eid Al-Adha nears
· Russia detains Muslim religious officials in multiple cities
· CAIR-Texas, Commissioner McCoy, Community Leaders, and Elected Officials to Host Public Safety Press Conference in Response to Rising Anti-Muslim Incidents
· The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Destroys Terrorist Hideouts In Borno Mountains, Tumbuns
· In Eid al-Adhaa message, Selangor Sultan says Malay unity should not be misconstrued, mutual respect strengthens national stability
· Russia, China Call Terrorism Major Threat from Afghanistan
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India
· Drones, CCTV, 1,500 police personnel deployed ahead of Friday prayers at MP’s Bhojshala
· If appeasement politics continues, SP will be wiped out in UP like Didi in Bengal: Sanjay Nishad
· Sambhal mosque panel seeks ASI nod for repair works; other side opposes move
· Bail matters: Editorial on Supreme Court's stance on relief to undertrial UAPA prisoners
· ‘Road namaz not prayer but disturbance’: VHP seeks nationwide ban
· Second day of drive: Clashes break out at Bandra demolition drive as two mosques razed
· Mehbooba backs Rahul amid ‘traitor’ remark storm, blames BJP’s past rhetoric
· Union MoS Bittu calls Punjab CM Mann 'ISI agent', says CM hindering India's growth
· J&K names school after Pahalgam ponywallah who took on terrorist
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Mideast
· Trump administration pressures Palestinian UN envoy to drop General Assembly vice presidency bid
· Demand soars for Israel’s battle-tested weapons tech despite global criticism of its wartime conduct
· US lifts sanctions on Francesca Albanese, UN expert on Palestinians
· How Jordan, Syria are closing in on multibillion-dollar Captagon network
· Turkiye’s Erdogan tells Trump issues with Iran can be resolved, Ankara says
· Syrian army, NATO forces take part in Turkiye military drills
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Arab World
· Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region emerges as key livestock hub amid food security push
· Saudi interior minister meets Hajj officials from Iran, Indonesia and Egypt as pilgrim arrivals accelerate
· How centuries of Hajj journeys were written into memory
· Saudi ambassador brings Saudi Coffee Day to life in Tokyo
· Saudi Arabia through the royal lens
· Hajj symposium in Jeddah explores AI, healthcare and pilgrim services
· Saudi governor, ambassador hold meetings with Chinese and Dutch officials
· Saudi FM praises Trump for giving ‘diplomacy a chance’ to end Iran war
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Europe
· Uzbek Senator takes part in KazanForum 2026 on Russia-Islamic world cooperation
· When Muslims are attacked there is a muted reponse
· Tommy Robinson Oxford Union visit slammed by Bishop and Imam
· UK agrees £3.7bn trade deal with six Gulf states
· Austrian ex-intelligence officer found guilty of Russia spying charges
· Germany considering paying Syrians $9,300 to return home – media
· Employee sues Google over ‘unfair’ dismissal linked to anti-Israel protest – Guardian
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North America
· CAIR-LA Warns UCLA’s New Framework Could Chill Free Speech, Calls on Univ. to Equally Protect Muslim and Palestinian Students
· CAIR-CT Welcomes Hate Crime Charge for Threats Targeting State’s First Sikh Mayor
· US doesn’t owe Israel anything – Tucker Carlson to Israeli TV
· CAIR-MI Files Civil Rights Complaint Alleging Anti-Muslim Harassment, Retaliation Within Eastpointe Police Dept.
· CAIR-LA, Partners to Host Interfaith Vigil for Victims of San Diego Mosque Shooting
· Trump exerts iron grip on Republican Party with Massie defeated
· US charges Cuba's Raúl Castro with murder over 1996 downing of two planes
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Africa
· US Plans Massive Deployment Of Wireless Technology In Nigeria, Others
· Nigeria ex-minister on the run arrested after jail sentence
· Three injured as section of Zaria Central Mosque under reconstruction collapses
· ‘Buhari, Tinubu Govt Enabled Fulani Terrorists To Overtake Nigeria’ – Farotimi
· Eid-el-Kabir: Kano Announces Sallah Holiday For Schools
· Kenya transport strike paused after deadly protests
· M23 plays down Ebola fears as WHO visits treatment centres in eastern DRC
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Southeast Asia
· More than 260,000 prayer spaces available at mosques and other venues during Hari Raya Haji
· Global community urged to intensify pressure for detained GSF 2.0 activists
· US denies triggering Norway’s export halt, says it helped integrate missile components for Malaysia
· PM Anwar pledges commitment to secure release of Gaza flotilla activists, says SNCC
· Johor PAS dismisses claims it will give way to BN in state election, says party will contest state polls
· Johor Royal Press Office urges stern action against fake TikTok account insulting King
· Your next AI app could come with a ‘nutrition label’ — at least in Singapore
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South Asia
· Khalid Hanafi Calls for Continued Efforts Toward Implementation of Islamic Sharia
· Islamic Emirate Prioritizing Infrastructure, Urban Development Initiatives, Beradar Says
· Govt in talks with IMF for fresh $5b loan
· CSTO, SCO to Discuss Afghanistan and Central Asia Security
· Islamic Emirate Committed to Providing Permanent Housing for Returning Citizens, Minister
· Uzbek Delegation in Kabul for Trade Talks
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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India slams Pakistan at UN, says ‘heinous acts’ no surprise from country bombing its own people
21 May 2026
India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, said it was “ironic” that Pakistan, with long-tainted record of genocidal acts”, had sought to comment on matters that were internal to India.Photo | X
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India on Wednesday slammed Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council, accusing it of carrying out cross-border attacks on Afghan civilians and describing such actions as consistent with a country that “bombs its own people” and engages in “systematic genocide”.
The remarks came after Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, raised the issue of Jammu and Kashmir during the annual open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, held under China’s presidency of the Council for May.
Responding strongly, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Harish Parvathaneni, said it was “ironic” that Pakistan, with long-tainted record of genocidal acts”, had sought to comment on matters that were internal to India.
Parvathaneni referred to estimates by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which documented around 750 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan during the first three months of 2026 due to cross-border violence allegedly involving Pakistani military forces.
According to UNAMA estimates cited by India, 94 of 95 civilian casualty incidents were attributed to Pakistani security personnel.
The Indian envoy also referred to an alleged air strike in Kabul during Ramzan, claiming that Pakistan had targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in March, resulting in civilian casualties.
Quoting UN estimates, he said the strike killed 269 civilians and injured 122 others, adding that the facility could not have been considered a legitimate military target.
“It is hypocritical to espouse high principles of international law while targeting innocent civilians in the dark,” Parvathaneni said, adding that the strikes had taken place after evening tarawih prayers.
He further cited UN estimates indicating that more than 94,000 people had been displaced by cross-border violence in Afghanistan, and said such actions reflected Pakistan’s repeated attempts to “externalise internal failures”.
Drawing a historical parallel, Parvathaneni referred to Operation Searchlight in 1971, accusing Pakistan of carrying out systematic violence in former East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
India also reiterated concerns over cross-border terrorism, asserting that countries sponsoring or sheltering terror groups must be held accountable. “No cause or grievance can justify deliberate attacks against civilians,” Parvathaneni said, while underscoring the need to regulate the use of drones, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems in conflict situations in accordance with international law.
He also said civilian protection could not rely solely on humanitarian responses and called for a comprehensive approach to addressing violence aimed at achieving political objectives, including terrorism.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/May/21/india-slams-pakistan-at-un-says-heinous-acts-no-surprise-from-country-bombing-its-own-people
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This hard-line Iranian general is a major player in talks with US over war
May 21, 2026
Iranians wave national flags as they attend the funerals of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) commanders killed by US and Israeli airstrikes, at Enghelab Square in Tehran, Iran. (AFP)
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DUBAI: As negotiations with the United States hang in the balance, a hard-line Iranian general linked to notorious attacks at home and abroad over the past decades is believed to have seized a place near the center of power.
Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who heads Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, has become a major player in formulating Iran’s tough stance in negotiating a possible end to the war with the United States, experts say. He is believed to be part of a small clique in direct contact with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khameini, who remains in hiding after being reportedly wounded in the Feb. 28 Israeli strikes that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Like everything in Iran since the war began, who ultimately controls decision-making remains uncertain. As people within the upper ranks of Iran’s theocracy vie for power, they can gain or lose favor quickly. Vahidi himself wasn’t seen publicly for months after Feb. 8, weeks before the war began, until Thursday, when Iranian newspapers carried images of the general meeting with Pakistan’s interior minister in Tehran, who carried a message regarding negotiations with the US
A longtime veteran of the ruling system, Vahidi helped shape Iran’s support of militant groups across the region, is accused of a role in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center in Argentina, and in 2022 led domestic security forces in a bloody crackdown on protesters.
Elevated to Guard commander this year after his predecessor was killed early in the war, he leads the most powerful force in Iran, with its arsenal of ballistic missiles and its fleet of small boats threatening Arabian Gulf shipping.
“Vahidi and members of his inner circle have likely consolidated control over not only Iran’s military response in the conflict but also Iran’s negotiations policy,” the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said.
Iran’s war strategy has been to keep a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, blocking oil and gas exports and causing a global energy crisis. At the same time, it has struck hard against oil facilities, hotels and infrastructure in Gulf Arab nations.
In negotiations, it has held out against US demands that it surrender its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, betting that it can outlast the US in the ongoing standoff and that President Donald Trump will be reluctant to resume outright war that could bring greater damage to America’s Gulf allies.
That likely reflects Vahidi’s confrontational style. “He comes from that mindset of unending revolution, unending resistance,” said Kenneth Katzman, a senior fellow at the The Soufan Group, a New York-based think tank. Vahidi believes “the US needs to be challenged at every turn,” said Katzman, a senior Iran expert who advised the US Congress for over 30 years.
Vahidi boasted in January that Iran’s defense power has developed to make it a “high risk for any military action by an enemy.”
Vahidi now a focal point in talks
Pakistan hosted talks in April between an Iranian delegation led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and an American one headed by US Vice President JD Vance. But it ended without any deal.
Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi returned home to face criticism from inside the theocracy suggesting they were too willing to make concessions. Qalibaf had to insist publicly that the talks had the support of the supreme leader.
Since then, Vahidi has become the main point of contact for those negotiating with Iran, said a regional official with direct knowledge of the mediation. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive diplomacy.
The extreme seclusion and unknown condition of the supreme leader have fueled speculation about jockeying among leaders for access to Khamenei and influence over him. In early May, President Masoud Pezeshkian, who many see as sidelined from influence by the Guard, went out of his way to say he “got to see our dear leader” and spoke to him for around two hours.
But Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said it’s likely the new supreme leader “is in lockstep with a more hard-line (Guard) — similar to his father, but in a more emboldened and uncompromising form.”
Analyst Kamran Bokhari wrote that figures like Vahidi “are not just managing war — they are actively reshaping succession, consolidating authority around a weakened supreme leader, and effectively ‘capturing’ the state through crisis governance.”
Vahidi forged by years leading Quds Force
Born Ahmad Shahcheraghi in Iran’s southern city of Shiraz in 1958, Vahidi like many young men after the 1979 revolution joined the Revolutionary Guard and fought against the invasion by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein that sparked a bloody, eight-year war.
Vahidi entered the Guard’s nascent intelligence arm and soon was overseeing operations outside Iran. He gained the favor of powerful patrons, including Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a later president. Rafsanjani said in his autobiography that Vahidi was involved in the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal, in which the Reagan administration sold weapons to Tehran in an effort to free hostages held by Iranian-backed militants in Lebanon. The US later used the money from those sales to fund Contra rebels in Nicaragua.
Rafsanjani later intervened to protect Vahidi when then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini sought to prosecute members of the Guard who failed to stop an incursion by armed fighters from an Iranian exile group in the late 1980s during the war.
Around this time, Vahidi took over the newly formed Quds, or Jerusalem, Force. Over decades, the Quds Force helped create a network of proxy militant groups and allied governments around the Middle East. The Quds Force under Vahidi helped mastermind the 1994 bombing targeting Argentina’s largest Jewish community center, killing 85 people and wounding 300 others, prosecutors say. Iran has denied involvement.
American investigators also believe that under Vahidi, Iran organized the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, killing 19 US service members and wounding hundreds. Tehran has denied being involved in that attack as well.
Vahidi left the Quds Force in 1998. In 2010, while he was defense minister, the United States imposed sanctions on him over alleged involvement in Iran’s nuclear program and its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction.
More recently, as interior minister, Vahidi oversaw police units involved in a bloody, monthslong crackdown on protests over the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for not properly wearing the mandated headscarf to the liking of authorities.
An Iranian newspaper later published a classified document that showed Vahidi’s Interior Ministry ordered security agencies to monitor and photograph women not wearing the hijab, something he had denied was taking place.
At around that time, Vahidi said in public comments that calls to remove the hijab were a “colonial plan” by Iran’s enemies trying to undermine the Islamic Republic. “The hijab has been a big barrier against the progress of effete Western culture,” he said.
Vahidi’s role makes reaching an accord with Iran that much more difficult for the US — as does the continued obscurity over Iran’s leadership.
Trump wants a single interlocutor in Iran for negotiations, but “the whole system has changed,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an Iran expert at the Middle East Institute.
“It is not a one-man show. Vahidi is one alongside others,” Azizi said. “Some we know and some we don’t know.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644412/middle-east
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Gazans barred from Hajj, animal sacrifice as Eid Al-Adha nears
May 20, 2026
Palestinian Najia Abu Lehia sits outside her tent in Gaza as she speaks about her wish to perform Hajj amid Israeli travel restrictions. (Reuters)
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GAZA/CAIRO: In a tent in southern Gaza, Najia Abu Lehia mourns not only her husband but also their failure to make the pilgrimage to Makkah, or Hajj, together before he died a year ago because of war and border closures.
Before the war between Israel and Hamas erupted in 2023, at least 3,000 Gazan pilgrims made the Hajj every year.
The signing of a ceasefire in October that halted major fighting raised Palestinian hopes for renewed travel but they have been dashed by continued heavy restrictions on movement.
“We registered and our names got selected for the Hajj before the war. Then the war broke out here and it became a barrier ...,” said 64-year-old Abu Lehia, who now lives in a tent encampment in Khan Younis.
“I am worried I’ll follow him (die) while I’m longing to perform Hajj. But God willing, we hope to perform Hajj despite the constraints, despite the siege,” she said.
Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Israel in February allowed a partial reopening of the Rafah crossing to Egypt, Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world.
However, only a few hundred people have been permitted to pass through each week, mostly the sick and a small number of escorts.
“The border crossing is closed. Why is this happening to pilgrims? They want to fulfill their Hajj obligation, they do not want to do anything else,” Abu Lehia said.
“We were supposed to be there, we were supposed to be there in these holy days,” she added as she watched footage of pilgrims in Makkah on her phone.
COGAT, the Israeli military agency overseeing access to Gaza, said the Rafah agreement allows passage only for humanitarian cases, with traveler lists determined by Egyptian authorities and approved by Israeli security services.
Gaza’s Hamas-run government media office said only 5,304 people had traveled in and out of Gaza since February, less than a third of the numbers expected.
Gazans will mark Eid Al-Adha on May 27 without sacrificial animals for a third straight year due to Israeli restrictions, Gaza’s Agriculture Ministry said.
The ministry said Israel’s military campaign since October 2023 had led to the “systematic destruction of the livestock sector,” with farms, barns, veterinary facilities and feed warehouses hit.
Before the war, Gaza imported 10,000 to 20,000 calves and 30,000 to 40,000 sheep annually for the Eid season.
COGAT says it facilitates imports of meat, poultry, eggs and dairy, with nearly 8,000 tonnes delivered in the past month, though no livestock.
Hamas said aid deliveries had dropped to around a quarter of what was expected so far in May, despite calls from UN officials for unhindered access for aid and goods.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644369/middle-east
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Russia detains Muslim religious officials in multiple cities
20 May 2026
Russian security forces have carried out operations targeting representatives of Muslim religious administrations across multiple cities, detaining several officials including a regional mufti, according to Russian media reports.
Muftis among those detained
The operations took place in Moscow, Saransk, St. Petersburg, and Saratov. Among those detained is Mordovia’s Mufti Abdulmalik (Rail) Asainov, as well as Visam Ali Bardvil, the former mufti of Karelia. All of the detained individuals reportedly serve under the Religious Administration of Muslims of Russia. No official statement has yet been issued by Russian security agencies or the religious administration’s leadership regarding the legal grounds for the detentions.
Türkiye’s position
Türkiye has consistently advocated for the protection of religious freedoms and the rights of Muslim communities worldwide. Ankara is closely monitoring the situation and expects Russian authorities to respect the rule of law and the rights of detained individuals. No further details about the number of detainees or the specific allegations against them have been made public at this stage.
Source: yenisafak.com
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https://en.yenisafak.com/world/russia-detains-muslim-religious-officials-in-multiple-cities-3718492
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CAIR-Texas, Commissioner McCoy, Community Leaders, and Elected Officials to Host Public Safety Press Conference in Response to Rising Anti-Muslim Incidents
May 20, 2026
On Thursday, May 21, at 11:15 AM, the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) and Fort Bend County Commissioner Dexter L. McCoy will host a joint public safety press conference at the Commissioner’s Richmond office.
The press conference is being held to address the deeply concerning national and local rise in anti-Muslim hate incidents. In the wake of recent tragic events, including the shooting in San Diego and a recent incident at a Muslim place of worship in Houston, community leaders and law enforcement are coming together to express solidarity with the Muslim community, urge increased vigilance, and discuss the collective responsibility of ensuring that houses of worship and neighborhoods remain safe sanctuaries, free from fear and hate.
WHAT: Public Safety Press Conference on Rising Anti-Muslim Hate & Community Security
WHEN: Thursday, May 21, 2026, at 11:15 AM
WHERE: Precinct 4 Annex (1517 Eugene Heimann Circle), Suite 200, Richmond, TX 77469
WHO:
Commissioner Dexter L. McCoy, Fort Bend County Precinct 4
Assistant Chief Becker, Precinct 4 Constable’s Office (Representing Constable Patrick Quincy)
Emran Gazi, Islamic Society of Greater Houston President
Abrahim Javed, Community Leader
CAIR-Texas Representative
Additional community leaders and officials to be announced.
NOTE TO MEDIA: Camera setup should be completed by 11:10 AM. Media representatives are requested to RSVP by emailing info@cairhouston.com or contacting 512-893-1371.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-texas-commissioner-mccoy-community-leaders-and-elected-officials-to-host-public-safety-press-conference-in-response-to-rising-anti-muslim-incidents/
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The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Destroys Terrorist Hideouts In Borno Mountains, Tumbuns
May 20, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says its air component under Operation Hadin Kai has destroyed terrorist strongholds in the Southern Tumbuns and Mandara Mountains along the Nigeria-Cameroon border.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ejodame said the precision airstrikes were conducted on May 19 at Bukar Meram in the Southern Tumbuns and Chikide in the Mandara Mountains.
According to him, the strikes targeted key terrorist enclaves based on credible intelligence and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions.
He said the operations led to the destruction of terrorist logistics hubs, structures and assembly areas hidden within the locations.
Ejodame added that several terrorists were neutralised during the strikes, while planned attacks were disrupted.
The NAF spokesman said the Air Force would continue sustained air offensives against terrorist groups.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains resolute in sustaining ongoing air offensives to degrade terrorist capabilities and deny them freedom of action,” he said.
Ejodame said the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, reaffirmed the service’s commitment to coordinated joint operations with sister services and allied partners.
He said the air chief emphasised that intelligence-driven operations would be sustained to identify and eliminate terrorist hideouts, logistics networks and operational bases across the country.
Ejodame added that the continued offensive formed part of broader efforts to restore peace and stability in the North-East and other affected regions.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/20/naf-destroys-terrorist-hideouts/
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In Eid al-Adhaa message, Selangor Sultan says Malay unity should not be misconstrued, mutual respect strengthens national stability
21 May 2026
SHAH ALAM, May 21 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has stressed that calls for Malay unity should not be misconstrued as hostility towards other races in Malaysia.
Instead, His Royal Highness said united communities would contribute to a more peaceful and stable nation, while fostering mutual respect among the people.
“In conjunction with the upcoming Eid al-Adhaa, I also hope that all races and religions in this country will respect one another’s sensitivities and live together in peace and harmony.
“History has shown that Islamic civilisation flourished during the Ottoman Empire when multi-ethnic communities coexisted harmoniously under Islamic rule,” the ruler said in his Eid al-Adhaa 2026 message today.
Sultan Sharafuddin said Eid al-Adhaa teaches Muslims the values of sacrifice, sincerity and unity of the ummah, as millions of Muslims gather in the Holy Land regardless of rank, race or status, demonstrating a form of unity of immense significance to the Islamic world.
Drawing lessons from this, His Royal Highness also expressed hope that Malays and Muslims in the country would remain united, from political leaders to ordinary citizens.
“If we continue to be divided and quarrel among ourselves, we will only weaken and disadvantage ourselves.
“I have also observed an increasing number of disputes and disagreements among politicians lately, which could cause public unease.
“All quarters should learn from history, where divisions among Malay Muslims created opportunities for external forces to exploit and weaken the power and position of the Malays in their own homeland,” he said.
In the royal message, Sultan Sharafuddin and the Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, also extended Eid al-Adhaa greetings to Muslims nationwide, especially those in Selangor.
The royal couple also prayed for Malaysian haj pilgrims to be granted ease in performing their pilgrimage, good health, a safe return home and a ‘mabrur’ haj. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/21/in-aidiladha-message-selangor-sultan-says-malay-unity-should-not-be-misconstrued-mutual-respect-strengthens-national-stability/220808
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Russia, China Call Terrorism Major Threat From Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
May 21, 2026
Russia and China said terrorism remains a serious threat to Afghanistan, the region and global security, calling for stronger international counterterrorism cooperation involving Afghanistan.
The statement was issued after talks between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping in Beijing.
According to the joint statement, both countries support efforts by Afghanistan to combat terrorism and prevent the use of Afghanistan territory against neighboring countries and regional security.
The statement comes as Pakistan continues to accuse the current Taliban administratoin of failing to stop Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan fighters from using Afghanistan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban administration has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Russia and China also said they would expand bilateral and multilateral coordination on Afghanistan and support efforts aimed at achieving long-term stability and security in the country.
Officials from the Collective Security Treaty Organization have recently warned that security threats from Afghanistan remain a major concern for Central Asia, citing militant activity and cross-border risks.
Russian security officials have claimed that between 18,000 and 23,000 militants, including members of Islamic State Khorasan Province and other extremist groups, are currently active inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan has repeatedly claimed that TTP militants are operating from Afghanistan territory and carrying out attacks in Pakistani border regions, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Regional countries including Russia, China and Central Asian states have increasingly focused on Afghanistan’s security situation amid concerns over terrorism, border instability and the potential expansion of extremist groups across the region.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/russia-china-call-terrorism-major-threat-from-afghanistan/
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India
Drones, CCTV, 1,500 police personnel deployed ahead of Friday prayers at MP’s Bhojshala
May 21, 2026
More than 1,500 police personnel, supported by drones and CCTV surveillance, have been deployed around the Bhojshala in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district ahead of the first Friday since a high court ruling declared the site a Vagdevi temple, officials said on Thursday.
The Bhoj Utsav Samiti has called upon members of the Hindu community to assemble for a collective "akhand puja" at the 11th-century Bhojshala complex on Friday, claiming it would mark the first such occasion in 721 years.
The district administration has appealed for peace and strict adherence to court orders.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on May 15 ruled that the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque complex was a temple dedicated to Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati) and quashed an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order that had allowed Muslims to offer namaz at the site on Fridays.
Before the verdict, Hindus were allowed to worship at the medieval monument only on Tuesdays, while Muslims had been offering Friday prayers there for years. Both communities had laid claim to the structure.
Dhar Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma told PTI that a nine-layer security, including vehicle checks, mobile patrolling, CCTV surveillance and drone monitoring, has been put in place in and around the complex.
Following the court verdict, Hindu organisations held a "victory celebration", including prayers and fireworks, at the complex on Tuesday.
A peace committee meeting was held on Wednesday in the presence of Collector Rajiv Ranjan Meena and SP Sharma.
Officials have said that the high court's directions would be implemented "in letter and spirit" and appealed to people not to pay heed to rumours or provocative social media posts.
Authorities would ensure that no new religious activity or tradition, which had not been permitted earlier, is started at the site, he said.
Bhoj Utsav Samiti patron Ashok Jain said members of the Hindu community would gather at Dhan Mandi square on Friday noon and later proceed in a procession to Bhojshala for a "maha aarti".
"This Friday has come after 721 years and is linked to our self-respect. The entire Hindu community will offer prayers at Bhojshala," Jain said.
He claimed Hindus had faced restrictions and conflicts over worship at the site for decades, especially when Basant Panchami fell on a Friday.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/drones-cctv-1-500-police-personnel-deployed-ahead-of-friday-prayers-at-mp-s-bhojshala-101779345070073.html
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If appeasement politics continues, SP will be wiped out in UP like Didi in Bengal: Sanjay Nishad
May 20, 2026
Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and NISHAD Party President Sanjay Nishad criticised Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav over the issue of reservation. He alleged that Yadav wants to snatch the rights of backward classes and grant reservation based on the religion brought by the Mughals. He emphasized that the Constituent Assembly had rejected such a provision.
Sanjay Nishad said here on Wednesday that Akhilesh Yadav’s press conference exposed the PDA alliance’s agenda. He alleged that attempts were made to usurp the rights of backward classes.
“When the Constituent Assembly met and discussions on reservation took place, granting reservation on the basis of religion was prohibited because Indian religions and Indian civilization were attacked by the Mughals. The British also invaded India. Therefore, reservation cannot be granted on the basis of the religion brought by the Mughals. Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar had also opposed this,” he added.
Targeting the Samajwadi Party and the INDIA bloc, Nishad said, “These people had formed the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission and attempted to carve out a share of OBC reservation for Muslims. In Andhra Pradesh, their ally Congress granted OBC reservation to Muslims. In Karnataka, Muslim communities were included in the OBC category, weakening the rights of backward classes.”
Referring to West Bengal, Nishad said, “In West Bengal, 118 Muslim communities were included in the OBC category, and for years the rights of backward classes were looted. The Kolkata High Court struck down this unconstitutional step. The way the rights of backward classes were taken away and their reservation was given to Muslims, people there united and removed that government.”
Nishad further said, “Here in Uttar Pradesh too, the INDI alliance raises its voice for Muslims, but not for the backward and deprived communities that contributed to India’s freedom struggle. If the Samajwadi Party continues with this approach, then just as Didi was wiped out in Bengal, SP too will face complete political defeat.”
Sanjay Nishad also said that leaders of other castes should reflect on what they received during the Samajwadi Party’s tenure. “The moment Phoolan Devi raised the issue of reservation and farmers’ rights, she was expelled from the party. Later, she was also killed. You can understand this injustice. No OBC community will face injustice, this is the resolve of our NDA alliance,” he added.
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/if-appeasement-politics-continues-sp-will-be-wiped-out-in-up-like-didi-in-bengal-sanjay-nishad-1503596324.html
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Sambhal mosque panel seeks ASI nod for repair works; other side opposes move
May 21, 2026
Harsh Yadav
The managing committee of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal that is the subject of an ongoing litigation in the Supreme Court has sought urgent permission from ASI to repair a damaged boundary wall and a deteriorating main gate.
The move has been opposed by Hindu petitioners who claim it is an attempt to destroy evidence of a temple that they believe lies beneath the structure.
Committee president Zafar Ali, in his letter to the Superintending Archaeologist of ASI’s Meerut division, said that on February 11, monkeys dislodged a section of the wall near the police guard post adjacent to the main gate. The letter warned that the remaining portion could collapse at any time, endangering worshippers and police personnel posted at the site. The committee added that the main gate was also in an advanced state of deterioration, posing a daily risk to the large number of people passing through it, and sought immediate intervention to repair both.
The request found no takers on the other side of the dispute. “This permission should be absolutely denied. We will make sure that it is denied. It is an attempt to cover Hindu artefacts in this temple in the name of restoration,” said Hari Shankar Jain, lawyer and lead plaintiff in the civil suit pending before the Civil Judge (Senior Division), Sambhal. Jain specifically alleged that the main gate contained significant archaeological evidence that any repair work would permanently obliterate. He added that the petitioners would approach the relevant courts to block the permission.
ASI counsel Vishnu Sharma, who had earlier opposed the committee’s request for whitewashing ahead of Ramadan in February, stated that the mosque’s legal status was pending before the Supreme Court. He indicated that any structural or maintenance decision would have to follow the apex court’s directions.
Last year, the committee moved the Allahabad high court seeking permission for whitewashing the structure. The court granted it conditional to an ASI inspection; ASI’s report filed before the high court found the mosque structurally sound. The report also flagged that the committee had over the years replaced the original flooring entirely with tiles and coated interior surfaces with thick layers of coloured enamel paint, concealing the monument’s original fabric.
Adding to the legal complexity is a 1927 agreement between the mosque’s administrators and the secretary of the State of India Council, which barred the committee from undertaking any repair or alteration without prior written consent from the district magistrate. ASI and the Uttar Pradesh government have consistently cited this agreement to block independent maintenance work by the committee.
The Shahi Jama Masjid, one of three mosques built during Mughal emperor Babur’s reign between 1526 and 1530, has been a centrally protected monument under ASI since 1920 under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act, 1904 (which became the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958). Interestingly, AMASR was recently in the news after the Madhya Pradesh high court said the fact that the Bhojshala in Dhar came under its purview as a protected monument, meant that the Places of Worship Act , 1911, would not apply to it. The court then went on to declare Bhojshala a temple to Goddess Saraswati.
The present legal dispute in Sambhal dates to November 19, 2024, when a civil suit was filed claiming the mosque was constructed after demolishing a Harihar temple dedicated to Kalki. A court-ordered survey conducted on November 24 that year set off violent clashes in which four people were killed and 30 police personnel were injured. A three-member judicial commission was subsequently constituted to probe whether the violence was spontaneous or premeditated. Twelve related criminal cases remain pending before the courts, and the title dispute is now also before the Supreme Court.
With the apex court seized of the matter, any permission for repair — however structurally urgent the committee’s case may be — remains contingent on judicial clearance, leaving both the crumbling wall and the broader dispute unresolved.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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Bail matters: Editorial on Supreme Court's stance on relief to undertrial UAPA prisoners
21.05.26
On Tuesday, the Delhi Police made a request to the Supreme Court: it stated that a larger bench must address the question whether prolonged incarceration and a delay in trial can override the statutory restrictions on bail even under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The reason for the request was, the Delhi Police made it clear, the confusion that had arisen in light of conflicting judgments. The reference point was obvious. In an unusual but important step, a two-member bench, while granting bail in a separate case involving narco-terrorism, recently expressed “serious reservations” about the reasons cited by another two-member bench of the highest court that had, in contravention of the principles established by a larger bench in the K.A. Najeeb case, denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in January. The two have been under prolonged detention under UAPA. Incidentally, the Najeeb case, a landmark verdict by the enlightened court, had upheld that bail is the rule, not the exception, even in case of stringent legislations. Mr Khalid and Mr Imam have been held since 2020 without trial. Their right to seek bail had been foreclosed for a year, another facet of the January judgment that was criticised by this other bench.
That subordinate courts are conservative when it comes to bail is an established fact. But the inconsistency of the Supreme Court on the same matter is troubling. This is especially so because the presumption of innocence of the accused is — should be — an integral feature of modern jurisprudence. It applies, as the judgment in the Najeeb case underlined, even in the case of legislations armed with limited bail conditions. It is strange for two benches of the top court to speak in two voices on the matter of individual liberty. Whether proceedings in the trial involving Mr Khalid and Mr Imam take a different — heartening — turn remains to be seen. But there is a case for the Supreme Court to act on the wicked but common practice of denying liberty by incarcerating dissenters — activists, journalists, scholars and others — without trial for long periods of time. There has been a lot of encouraging talk about decolonising Indian law. Such reformatory instincts must explore ways of keeping rigorous legislations receptive to bail stipulations.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/bail-matters-editorial-on-supreme-courts-stance-on-relief-to-undertrial-uapa-prisoners-prnt/cid/2161586#goog_rewarded
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‘Road namaz not prayer but disturbance’: VHP seeks nationwide ban
May 20, 2026
NEW DELHI: Vishva Hindu Parishad on Wednesday appealed to all state governments to strictly prohibit offering namaz on roads and ensure compliance with the Constitution and judicial directions, while also urging clerics and religious leaders to encourage Muslims to follow the law instead of “pushing them towards another path of terrorism”.
The remarks came amid heightened political and administrative focus on public prayers ahead of Eid, particularly after recent measures announced in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The newly elected BJP government in West Bengal has indicated that namaz on roads and public thoroughfares would not be permitted during Eid gatherings, stressing that traffic movement and public convenience must not be disrupted. Uttar Pradesh authorities too have repeatedly enforced restrictions on offering prayers on roads and open public spaces over the past few years, with police issuing advisories and taking action in several districts.
VHP central joint general secretary Surendra Jain alleged that offering namaz on roads was “not prayer but disturbance” and claimed the practice violated constitutional norms as well as judicial orders. He referred to earlier court observations and orders by multiple high courts against blocking public roads for prayers.
Jain alleged that in places such as Gurugram, large gatherings for Friday prayers had earlier caused massive traffic jams and inconvenience to commuters, schoolchildren and ambulance services. He also claimed that several Muslim-majority countries restricted prayers on roads.
The VHP leader alleged that such gatherings were often used as “shows of strength” rather than arising from lack of space in mosques.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/road-namaz-not-prayer-but-disturbance-vhp-seeks-nationwide-ban/articleshowprint/131227019.cms
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Second day of drive: Clashes break out at Bandra demolition drive as two mosques razed
Ishika Gupta
May 21, 2026
Clashes broke out at Garib Nagar in Bandra East on Wednesday during the second day of Western Railway’s anti-encroachment drive, after authorities demolished two mosques in the area along with other structures including houses that have been termed as encroachment. Police resorted to a lathi charge after protests escalated into stone pelting, leaving several residents and police personnel injured.
Trouble began when residents gathered to oppose the demolition of the first mosque in the area. Protestors allegedly hurled water and pillows at officials before the confrontation intensified into stone pelting. Police then carried out a lathi charge to disperse the crowd and clear the way for demolition teams.
A total of 10 persons including six police officers and four protesters were injured in the stone-pelting incident. Of these, six were admitted to the KB Bhabha General Hospital, where five people were discharged after treatment, while 49-year-old protestor Ansar Ali Baig remains in the hospital in stable condition. The remaining four police officers were treated at the V.N. Desai Hospital, with all but one being discharged.
“My 65-year-old mother suffered a cut below her eye after being attacked by the police,” alleged a resident, who was hurriedly shifting his belongings away from the demolition site as bulldozers continued operations nearby.
Termed as Western Railway’s biggest eviction drive so far, the demolition began on May 19 and aims to clear 5,200 square metres of encroached railway land near Bandra East railway station.
More than 1,200 personnel including 500 Mumbai Police officers, 200 Government Railway Police officials and 250 Railway Protection Force personnel along with technical staff and heavy machinery have been deployed for the operation.
Western Railway officials said nearly 60 per cent of around 500 illegal huts had been demolished as of Wednesday.
Following the clashes, police cordoned off the station road adjoining the demolition site, forcing passengers travelling to Bandra Terminus to walk with their luggage after being dropped at a distance by auto-rickshaws. Traffic congestion was also reported in the area.
Later in the day, authorities moved towards the Sunni Faizane Garib Nawaz Masjid, where residents again resisted demolition efforts. As bulldozers began razing portions of the structure, protestors raised slogans and allegedly hurled stones at officials and security personnel.
Police initially attempted to disperse the crowd, but the confrontation escalated further, with officials and protestors both reporting injuries. Ten police personnel reportedly sustained injuries, while several residents were hurt as well.
“Today some anti-social elements tried to indulge in stone pelting at the Garib Nagar demolition drive, prompting the police to use appropriate force to disperse them from the area. Accordingly, seven suspects have been taken into custody for fronting this violence and FIRs are being registered against them” said Abhinav Deshmukh, Additional Commissioner of Police (South region).
The unrest spilled over into adjoining Behrampada, where several Garib Nagar residents had temporarily shifted. Protestors, commuters and bystanders were caught in the chaos as police attempted to clear the streets.
“I was walking in my neighbourhood when the police suddenly began beating everyone in sight. I picked up a two-year-old child abandoned nearby and brought him to safety,” said 55-year-old Hassan Quereshi, a retired factory worker, alleging indiscriminate use of force by police. In the area, fabric shop owner Shamsuddin said panic spread rapidly as residents rushed into shops seeking shelter from the police action unfolding outside.
Meanwhile, railway authorities maintained that adequate precautions had been taken before carrying out the demolition.
“We conducted a detailed assessment of multiple scenarios that could arise during the exercise, and manpower was deployed accordingly. Western Railway is ensuring that the operation is carried out with due consideration to all humanitarian concerns,” said Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway.
The land being cleared is earmarked for the proposed Integrated Bandra Railway Complex project, which railway authorities said would augment capacity at Bandra Terminus .
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bandra-east-anti-encroachment-drive-clashes-mosques-demolished-10700171/
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Mehbooba backs Rahul amid ‘traitor’ remark storm, blames BJP’s past rhetoric
May 20, 2026
PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that the BJP was reaping what it sowed after years of labelling Muslims and secular people as traitors.
Mehbooba was responding to a question about Rahul calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah “traitors”, who “worked to sell India” — remarks that have stirred a political storm.
Speaking to reporters in south Kashmir’s Shopian, Mehbooba brushed aside the controversy over Rahul’s remark. “Why is there so much hue and cry if Rahul Gandhi has said something? It was the BJP which started calling Muslims and secular persons as traitors,” she said.
“Since 2014, the BJP has labelled every individual here a ‘traitor’ or a ‘turncoat.’ Yet, back then, none of you raised an outcry. On the contrary, that period was marked by the hurling of abuses; Muslims were subjected to threats, and their homes were bulldozed. At that time, no one raised a voice of protest. So, why is there such an uproar now that Rahul has merely made a statement? This is, in fact, the consequence of the BJP’s own actions — labelling every Muslim and secular individual a ‘traitor’ and telling them to ‘go to Pakistan.’
Now, they even tell them to ‘go to Iran.’ Therefore, I feel that the very seeds the BJP sowed within this country are now bearing fruit. Those same seeds are yielding their harvest, and the party has begun to reap what it sowed.”
Speaking at a rally in Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli, Rahul is reported to have said that the Modi government’s policies damaged India’s economy.
Source: thestatesman.com
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Union MoS Bittu calls Punjab CM Mann 'ISI agent', says CM hindering India's growth
Harpreet Bajwa
20 May 2026
CHANDIGARH: Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann of trying to create obstacles in the functioning of the country and called him an 'ISI agent'.
Bittu, while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Road Under Bridge (RUB) near Ambala–Chandigarh rail section in Zirakpur, alleged that Mann's actions could endanger national interests.
He further claimed people should closely monitor the Punjab chief minister’s activities.
"Do you (Mann) compare yourself to the Prime Minister? Will you be able to do as much work as the PM? He is the country's PM, and he has to visit the world. If he does not go out, how could he resolve the oil and gas issue?," he said.
Bittu further alleged, "What does Mann know about? It is a serious matter. I want to say that this man is an ISI agent, and he wants to put our country in danger at the behest of the ISI. He wants to create obstacles in the PM's work. I want to ask people to keep an eye on him."
The remarks came after CM Mann reportedly mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his recent foreign visits. Mann had slammed Modi over his appeal to people to postpone foreign travel and said he himself has not stopped going abroad.
"First, the prime minister should stop his foreign visits. Where is he now? He has gone to the Netherlands. He will visit 3-4 more countries. He has asked people to avoid, but he still went (on foreign visits)," Mann had stared.
Defending the Prime Minister’s foreign engagements, Bittu said Modi travels abroad to address important national matters, including issues related to oil and gas supplies. He said that the Prime Minister’s recent visit to the United Arab Emirates was aimed at resolving energy-related concerns for the country.
On Tuesday, Mann again attacked the Centre over fuel price hike, saying the Union government would now pin the blame for all its 'failures' on the West Asia conflict to ''hide'' the ''collapse'' of its foreign and economic policies.
Reacting to these controversial remarks, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring asked Bittu to take action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann if he really is an ISI agent.
"Why don’t you ask the union Home Minister to institute an inquiry if you have any information that Mann is an ISI agent?" he asked the Union Minister, adding, "otherwise stop playing these friendly matches with the Punjab Chief Minister."
Reiterating that there was a secret understanding between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party, Warring said, they were resorting to “friendly fire” against each other to remain in the limelight and divert attention from pressing issues for which both the governments are accountable. He pointed out, earlier Mann accused the BJP of being involved in the bomb blasts, which took place in Punjab and now Bittu is accusing Mann of being an ISI agent.
He pointed out, even then the Congress had asked Mann why he was not taking any action against the BJP if he had information about its involvement in the bomb blasts in the state. But nothing happened, he remarked, adding, that this only reinforced the public perception that the AAP and the BJP leaders were playing friendly matches with each other.
"They are mutually trying to provide cover to each other from public scrutiny and criticism over their respective failures at the centre and in the state," Warring remarked about the AAP and the BJP leaders leveling serious allegations against each other without any follow up action.
Providing details regarding the Road Under Bridge project, Bittu informed that this project—located at Level Crossing No. 123—is being constructed at a cost of Rs 12,80,36,866 (Rupees twelve crore, eighty lakh, thirty-six thousand, eight hundred and sixty-six only). This project is being executed on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis between Indian Railways and the Chandigarh Administration.
Currently, the Baltana Level Crossing witnesses a traffic volume exceeding 900,000 Traffic Vehicle Units (TVUs), making it one of the busiest and most critical railway crossings in the region.
Upon the completion of this project, residents of Baltana and the surrounding areas will benefit from safe, convenient, and uninterrupted connectivity. Bittu also highlighted a significant policy shift introduced by Indian Railways regarding the elimination of level crossings.
He remarked, "Previously, whenever a Railway Over Bridge (ROB) was constructed at a specific location, the corresponding level crossing was automatically closed down. This caused considerable inconvenience to nearby shopkeepers, local residents, and small-scale traders."
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/May/20/union-mos-bittu-calls-punjab-cm-mann-isi-agent-says-cm-hindering-indias-growth
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J&K names school after Pahalgam ponywallah who took on terrorist
Fayaz Wani
21 May 2026
SRINAGAR: A year after the Pahalgam terror attack claimed 26 lives, the Jammu and Kashmir government has named a school in Anantnag district after Adil Hussain Shah, the ponywallah who was killed by terrorists.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday announced that Government High School, Hapatnard, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, has been renamed by the government after the late Adil Hussain Shah.
The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister Abdullah. Adil was among the 26 victims of the terror attack at Pahalgam on April 22, 2025. The terrorists had attacked a group of tourists at Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam, killing 25 tourists and Adil, who was present at the scene and attempted to snatch the weapon of one of the attackers to save tourists.
The renaming ceremony of Government High School Hapatnar to Shaheed Adil Memorial High School Hapatnar was presided over by Education Minister Sakeena Itoo along with Adil’s family.
The education minister said the renaming of the educational institute was a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of Shah, who laid down his life while saving several tourists.
“Adil through his sacrifice, has brought pride to Kashmir. His actions had brought pride to Kashmir and demonstrated Kashmiriyat in its purest form,” she said.
Adil, she said, belonged to a very humble family and did not run away when bullets were being fired and people killed. “Instead he tried to save the lives of tourists,” she said.
“His sacrifice has made the people of Kashmir proud,” Itoo said, adding the government’s decision was aimed at ensuring that future generations remember his courage and selflessness. Adil’s brother Syed Naushad thanked the government and said today is a very proud moment for the family.
“The naming of the school after Adil would ensure his sacrifice is remembered not only in Kashmir but across the country and the world,” he said.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/May/21/jk-names-school-after-pahalgam-ponywallah-who-took-on-terrorist
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Mideast
Trump administration pressures Palestinian UN envoy to drop General Assembly vice presidency bid
May 21, 2026
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump’s administration threatened to revoke the visas of the Palestinian delegation to the United Nations if the Palestinian ambassador refuses to end his candidacy for the vice presidency of the UN General Assembly, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters.
In a cable dated Wednesday, US diplomats in its embassy in Jerusalem are instructed to deliver the message that Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour’s general assembly bid “fuels tensions,” risks to undermine Trump’s Gaza peace plan and would therefore face consequences from Washington if it went ahead.
“To be clear, we will hold the PA responsible if the Palestinian delegation does not withdraw its VPGA candidacy,” the cable, marked sensitive but unclassified, said, referring to the Palestinian Authority which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank.
Among the talking points provided in the cable to US diplomats, the State Department’s September 2025 decision to waive visa sanctions for Palestinian officials assigned to the Palestinian UN mission in New York was noted.
“It would be unfortunate to have to revisit any available options,” the cable, which was first reported by NPR, said.
The Palestinian mission at UN did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“We take seriously our obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement,” a State Department spokesperson said. “Due to visa record confidentiality, we have no comment on Department actions with respect to specific cases.”
Trump’s plan for Gaza, shattered after more than two years of war, has been held up by a refusal by Hamas to lay down their weapons and by continued Israeli attacks in Gaza that have undermined an October ceasefire.
Israeli forces still occupy more than half of Gaza’s territory, where they have demolished most remaining buildings and ordered all residents out.
Mansour had already withdrawn his candidacy for the presidency of the General Assembly as a result of US lobbying in February, the cable said, but added that if elected to the lower-profile vice presidency, he could still get to preside over General Assembly sessions.
“Therefore, there is still a risk that the Palestinians could preside over GA sessions during UNGA81 unless they withdraw from the race,” the cable said, referring to the UN General Assembly’s 81st annual high-level week due to be convened in September.
“In a worst-case scenario, the next PGA might assist the Palestinians in presiding over high-profile sessions related to the Middle East or during UNGA81 high-level week,” it said.
The election of the UN General Assembly president and the 16 delegations that will serve as vice presidents will be held on June 2.
The Palestinian Authority, which represents the Palestinian people at the United Nations, where the delegation is officially known as the State of Palestine, is not a full member and has no vote in the 193-member General Assembly. They are an observer state, holding the same status as the Holy See (Vatican).
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644405/middle-east
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Demand soars for Israel’s battle-tested weapons tech despite global criticism of its wartime conduct
May 21, 2026
TEL AVIV, Israel: When Israeli defense officials approached Massivit last year about using its unique 3D printers to make military drone parts, CEO Yossi Azarzar jumped at the chance.
Although the Israeli company had been producing large set pieces and other designs for the likes of Disney, DreamWorks and Netflix, the opportunity to instead quickly churn out large drone parts for the military was too good to ignore.
“I stopped thinking about Hollywood sets,” Azarzar said. “The entertainment industry is a nice customer — defense is a necessity.”
Business has been booming for the Israeli arms sector, despite widespread criticism of the country’s conduct in its wars in Gaza, with Hezbollah and with Iran. Countries that have vowed to shun Israeli weapons makers are nonetheless quietly placing orders, according to industry officials. And manufacturers, including some like Massivit with no previous military know-how, can show that their innovations are being continually combat-tested and improved.
According to Israel’s Defense Ministry, Israeli weapons sales have more than doubled over the past five years, with a record high of nearly $15 billion in 2024. While the ministry hasn’t released overall 2025 figures, leading Israeli weapons makers, including Elbit and Israel Aerospace Industries, both reported double-digit sales growth last year.
More than half of the Israeli arms industry’s sales are for missiles, rockets and air-defense systems. For the first time, Israel has surpassed the United Kingdom in its share of global arms exports, making it the world’s seventh-biggest supplier, according to a March report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
“This tremendous achievement is a direct result of the successes of the (army) and defense industries. ... The world sees Israeli strength and seeks to be a partner in it,” said Israel’s defense minister, Israel Katz.
Solid sales, despite public criticism
This year’s Defense Tech Expo in Tel Aviv reflected the growing international interest in Israeli weapons, with manufacturers promoting arms and other equipment shaped by the country’s recent conflicts. But it also highlighted the tension between showcasing the military technology and the political debate surrounding its use, with event protesters decrying the widespread destruction of Gaza as a testing lab for Israeli weapons.
Last year, Spain canceled a deal for anti-tank missile systems sold by an Israeli company’s subsidiary. Slovenia, meanwhile, announced it would ban the import, export and transit of all weapons to and from Israel in response to the country’s actions in Gaza. After Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 others hostage, Israel retaliated, killing more than 72,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between fighters and civilians. Some countries and human rights groups have accused Israel of war crimes.
Israel’s Defense Ministry says it uses its equipment to defend the country and its people, and denies that it uses battlefields as testing grounds.
Human rights advocates, though, say Israel has deployed new weapons and technology during the war in Gaza, including in AI, big data and targeting.
“The regional war has drawn heavily on Israel’s deadly playbook and provided a boon to Israeli and other defense and technology companies able to parlay the use of their products in Gaza to attract more business,” said Omar Shakir, the executive director of DAWN, a US-based group founded by murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi that pushes for human rights in the Middle East.
Despite criticism that Israel’s weapons sector is profiting off technologies being used and improved on the battlefield, it’s hardly alone, according to experts.
“Countries have had to dramatically increase defenses because of the proliferation of global conflicts and they need systems that will work. And most countries don’t have the time right now to build their own defense systems locally and quickly,” said Seth J. Frantzman, an adjunct fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies who has covered Israel’s arms industry for a decade and wrote the book “Drone Wars.”
A lot of countries are looking to Israel because they’re seeing in real time that these are munitions and systems that work, he said.
High interest in Israeli technology
For Massivit, sales have soared since it pivoted to making drone parts for the military, including a 200 percent rise in inquiries from interested buyers since Israel and the US attacked Iran at the end of February, according to Azarzar.
The company’s unique 3D printing technology allows it to make large parts for military drones within days instead of weeks. In addition to selling to the Israeli military, the company’s technology has drawn interest from the defense and aeronautical sectors in Europe, the US, Southeast Asia and India, he said.
Business has also been good for other defense contractors.
Tomer Malchi, co-founder and CEO of ASIO, said Israeli army orders for the company’s rugged smartphone unit, the Orion, have surged by 400 percent since the war in Gaza started.
The phones use maps, augmentation and artificial intelligence to help soldiers plan missions, navigate and respond to real-time battlefield threats. ASIO recently signed a deal with a major US defense company and is in talks with about 20 other countries, Malchi said.
One area Israel’s Defense Ministry says will be a future priority for innovation is taking down drones, which has proven challenging during the war with Iran. Drones are hard to pinpoint on radar systems calibrated for spotting high-speed missiles and can be mistaken for birds or planes.
Israel Weapon Industries, a local weapons maker, has developed a system to help soldiers more accurately shoot down tactical drones. At a shooting range in central Israel, an IWI instructor fired rounds at a makeshift drone to show how the system works. A computer chip embeds into a soldier’s rifle, providing more accuracy and efficiency and significantly reducing the influence of fatigue and other factors by allowing the trigger to remain pressed.
The system, known as Arbel, came to market in 2024 and now has more than two dozen countries using it, said Semion Dukhan, head of Europe for IWI.
Among IWI’s buyers are countries that have said publicly that they won’t do deals with Israel, Dukhan said, though he wouldn’t name them.
“People and politicians say things they need to say ... what they say is not necessarily what is going on underneath the surface,” he said, noting that at the end of the day, countries want to equip their people with the best gear.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2644397/middle-east
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US lifts sanctions on Francesca Albanese, UN expert on Palestinians
May 20, 2026
WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday removed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, a UN expert on the Palestinian territories who has harshly criticized Israel, following a court order.
A notice on the Treasury Department’s website showed that it had removed a sanctions designation on Albanese that had blacklisted her globally, making it impossible for her to use major credit cards or carry out bank transactions.
Albanese is an Italian lawyer who is UN special rapporteur on the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories.
In that role, she had recommended the International Criminal Court pursue war-crimes prosecutions against Israeli and American nationals.
She also authored a report accusing major US companies of complicity in what she called Israel’s “ongoing genocidal campaign in Gaza.”
The US imposed sanctions on Albanese in July 2025 over what it said were her efforts to prompt the International Criminal Court to take action against US and Israeli officials, companies, and executives.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announcing sanctions against Albanese in July last year, said she has “spewed unabashed antisemitism, expressed support for terrorism and open contempt for the United States, Israel and the West.”
Albanese denies allegations of antisemitism, which have also been made by Israel.
The sanctions had barred her from entering the US and banking there.
Albanese’s husband and daughter, who is a US citizen, sued the Trump administration in February.
US District Judge Richard Leon on May 13 granted a preliminary injunction against the sanctions.
“Protecting the freedom of speech is ‘always’ in the public interest,” Leon wrote in an opinion accompanying the order.
The judge also rule found that Albanese’s residency outside the US does not undercut her protections under the First Amendment of the US Constitution and that the Trump administration sought to regulate her speech because of the “idea or message expressed.”
Following the ruling, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control said it would not implement or enforce the sanctions against Albanese while the order remained in effect.
The US State Department and White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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How Jordan, Syria are closing in on multibillion-dollar Captagon network
ANAN TELLO
May 20, 2026
LONDON: More than a year after Syrian rebels swept longtime ruler Bashar Assad from power, the Captagon empire that underpinned his regime has survived his fall. It has mutated into trafficking networks that stretch across a landscape of porous borders and fragmented authority.
Determined to dismantle that infrastructure, Jordan and Syria’s interim government, led by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, have intensified efforts against Captagon trafficking, targeting networks that have adapted to the power vacuum left by Assad’s fall.
In early May, Jordan’s air force carried out what it called a “deterrence operation” targeting sites “belonging to arms and drug traffickers along the kingdom’s northern border.”
The army said on May 3 it had “identified, based on intelligence and operational information, the locations of factories, laboratories, and warehouses used by these groups as launchpads for operations into Jordanian territory, which were subsequently targeted and destroyed.”
Syria’s state TV reported that the strikes hit a drugs and weapons cache in the southern Suweida governorate, parts of which remain outside the interim authorities’ control and under de facto armed faction rule.
Local sources cited by the broadcaster said the strikes appeared to target sites in the city of Shahba, which is controlled by the paramilitary National Guard — a unified force established in the summer of 2025 amid clashes and instability in the south.
The May 3 operation was reportedly Jordan’s fifth military strike in Syria since Assad’s removal in December 2024, and the third since July 2025, when local militia groups reportedly consolidated control over the area, which was once a flashpoint of rights violations involving Druze and Bedouin communities.
Jordan’s air force has carried out pre-emptive strikes in Syria since late 2023, reportedly targeting militia infrastructure linked to the drug trade. Western counternarcotics officials say Captagon is mass-produced in Syria and that Jordan is a key transit route to lucrative Gulf markets.
The strikes signify a broader shift in the trade’s dynamics. Although Captagon smuggling has declined over the past year — Syria’s interior ministry said domestic production had been virtually eradicated by late 2025 after intensive raids on facilities once run by Assad’s regime — the industry is far from collapsed.
“Smuggling has evolved quite significantly over the past year,” Benjamin Feve, senior research analyst at Karam Shaar Advisory, told Arab News.
“Under Assad, the model was more centralized and industrial, with large-scale production networks linked to regime and militia structures,” he said. “Following the collapse of his regime, we saw these large factories being raided by the new authorities, dismantled, and their capital goods and products destroyed.”
Since then, he added, “the trade appears to have become more fragmented and adaptive, with traffickers using drones, balloons, terrain, smaller cells, and mixed drug-and-arms routes to bypass tighter border controls.”
While the Captagon trade was long associated with Iran-aligned networks and allied smugglers in the southern governorate of Deraa, several recent media reports claim Suweida is emerging as an increasingly important hub, aided by weak and fractured state control.
The province grew more isolated in the spring and summer of 2025 amid clashes between Syrian forces and local militias, with the National Guard entrenching its dominance there.
Suweida forms part of the historic Hauran region and is considered the natural extension of Jabal Hauran. It borders Deraa to the west, Rif Dimashq to the north and northeast, Jordan to the south and southeast, and the Syrian Desert to the east, with no access to the Mediterranean Sea.
Jordan-based political economist Sanad El-Naser said that in conflict-affected areas such as Suweida, the illicit drug trade “has evolved into a parallel war economy that finances the operations of armed networks and sustains informal power structures.”
Continued production in southern Syria after Assad’s fall “indicates that the issue is no longer exclusively linked to a single political leadership,” he told Arab News,
“Criminal networks are capable of relocating, reorganizing, and integrating into local power dynamics,” he said.
He added: “During the early stages of the Syrian conflict, parts of the Captagon trade were centralized and linked to regime-affiliated groups. After Assad’s fall and regional fragmentation, trafficking has become more dispersed and adaptable.”
Supply may be dwindling, but demand is still largely at Assad-era levels, according to a report by the Damascus-based Etana Center for Research and Documentation.
The think tank recorded a 60 percent reduction in cross-border smuggling attempts in the first two months after Assad fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2023, compared with the same period in the previous smuggling season.
Even so, it warned that the root causes driving the trade are entrenched in southern Syria’s border communities.
That contraction in supply has pushed prices, and therefore profits, higher.
Caroline Rose, a Captagon expert at New Lines Institute, said that “while there is a clear supply shortage overall imposed by the fall of the Assad regime, there are still continued Captagon smuggling operations that prove demand levels have remained largely the same.”
Rose told Arab News that “the reduction in supply has increased the profitability of Captagon, with pills now priced higher. This is a major incentive for criminal actors and a reason why this trade will never completely disappear in the region without proactive measures to reduce demand levels.”
Indeed, on May 14, Syrian authorities said they thwarted an attempt to smuggle 142,000 Captagon pills into Jordan, with traffickers using GPS-equipped balloons and remote-control systems to ferry drugs across the border, according to state news agency SANA.
Nearly two days later, Indian authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle 227.7 kilograms of Captagon and arrested a Syrian citizen. Officials said the shipment originated in Syria and was bound for Gulf markets.
Feve said: “Captagon is no longer just a cross-border smuggling problem — it is quite embedded in the political economy of the Syrian conflict, involving producers, transport networks, armed actors, corrupt officials, and cross-border facilitators.
“These networks, while they may have decreased in size following the collapse of the Assad regime, are still very much present — and there is a lot of money to be made,” he said.
“Even if the fall of the Assad regime disrupted parts of the old system, it did not automatically remove the networks or the incentives behind the trade.
“Jordan’s reported Captagon seizures and joint operations in early 2026 suggest that the flow is still substantial, but the model is becoming more flexible and harder to disrupt through conventional border patrols alone.”
Feve also noted that Captagon tends to be more prevalent in poor areas of southern Syria.
“You also have to look at influential political and religious actors in southern Syria who are known to be involved in these networks,” he said. “Trying to curtail the Captagon trade is much more than just a security issue.
“Border enforcement can disrupt shipments, but it cannot dismantle the ecosystem behind it.”
Feve added: “To really stop the Captagon trade and address all of its harmful effects, you would need financial investigation, local security reform, judicial cooperation, pressure on production networks, and some form of economic alternative for areas where smuggling has become a livelihood.”
El-Naser, the Jordanian political economist, echoed that assessment, arguing that cross-border strikes — while necessary — address only one dimension of a structural problem.
“Any long-term strategy to dismantle the Captagon economy must integrate security operations with broader state-building initiatives,” he said.
Achieving this, however, will be very difficult given the reality of Syria’s fragile transition, which is characterized by weakened institutions inherited from the ousted regime, a war-ravaged infrastructure, sectarian and revenge killings, unrest in several regions, and the resurgence of the Daesh terrorist group.
“The new Syrian administration is just over a year old,” said New Lines Institute’s Rose. “Its institutions, particularly its counternarcotics and police force, are just building capacity.
“The central government is also handling a wide spectrum of priorities across its security, legal, economic, and political sectors that can deprioritize any sort of sustained counternarcotics campaign.”
While the ministry of interior “has conducted some major interdictions across the country and has built out a more expansive network of informants on the ground,” Rose said, “its blind spot is southern Syria — a haven for drug smuggling activity into Jordan.”
She added: “The July 2025 clashes and lingering political tensions between Druze factions and the central government have further prevented the Ministry of Interior’s ability to conduct any sort of serious investigation and raid against local criminal syndicates.”
The new Syrian authorities have circulated videos of warehouse discoveries and drug seizures on social media, showing progress in their fight against Captagon.
But experts argue that such measures fall short of addressing the systemic problem. Governance gaps in Syria, analysts say, have driven Jordan to take largely unilateral action to confront what it sees as a national security threat.
Feve, the senior research analyst, stressed that even where political will exists in Syria and Jordan, implementation remains the deeper challenge.
“Even if Jordan and Syria agree politically to cooperate, implementation depends on weak local institutions, fragmented armed actors, limited enforcement capacity, and corruption or collusion within some border and security networks,” he said.
“A security committee between Jordan and Syria was announced in 2025, and while that is a valuable step, it cannot substitute for effective control on the ground — and that is a prerequisite for everything else.”
That committee — agreed upon in January 2025 to secure the shared border, combat arms and drug smuggling and prevent the resurgence of extremist groups — is the most concrete expression of bilateral cooperation to date.
“Greater cooperation is clearly required — and that is, in fact, what we are seeing today,” Feve said. “But the fact that Syrian authorities do not yet fully control the southern part of the country makes it difficult to collaborate effectively in combating smuggling.”
In retrospect, more than a year after Assad’s fall, the Captagon trade has proved more resilient than the regime that once industrialized it. Factories may have been dismantled and routes disrupted, but weak institutions, fractured authority and enduring regional demand continue to sustain a shadow economy that has adapted to the chaos left behind.
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Turkiye’s Erdogan tells Trump issues with Iran can be resolved, Ankara says
May 20, 2026
ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told US President Donald Trump in a call on Wednesday he welcomed the extension of a ceasefire between the US and Iran, adding he believed contested issues between the sides could be resolved, according to the Turkish presidency.
NATO member Turkiye, which neighbors Iran, has been in close contact with Washington, Tehran, and mediators Pakistan to seek an end to the war. It has called for an end to the conflict and passed messages between the sides.
Trump said earlier that negotiations with Iran were “in the final stages,” while warning of further attacks unless Tehran agrees to a peace deal.
“During the meeting, our President stated that he viewed the decision to extend the ceasefire in the conflict zone in our region as a positive development (and) that he believed a reasonable solution to the disputed issues was possible,” the presidency said in a statement.
It added that Erdogan called renewed stability in Syria an “important gain” for the region, adding that he urged for steps to prevent the situation in Lebanon worsening amid the continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Erdogan also told Trump preparations for the NATO Summit, to be held in Ankara in July, were continuing and that Turkiye was working for the meeting to be “a success in every aspect,” the presidency said.
The two also discussed bilateral ties, it added.
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Syrian army, NATO forces take part in Turkiye military drills
May 20, 2026
LONDON: The Syrian Arab Army took part in the Efes 2026 land, naval and air forces drills in Turkiye alongside 50 countries from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Efes 2026 has been taking place since April 20 in the western Izmir province on the Aegean Sea and will conclude tomorrow. It featured advanced military technologies, including unmanned combat systems, drone operations and layered air defense systems.
On Wednesday, Syrian military officials took part in an observer day, joining defense ministers and military chiefs to witness live-fire maneuvers. Military units also conducted field maneuvers, amphibious operations and live-fire drills, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Syria’s participation aims to enhance professional training and operational capabilities by exposing soldiers to a multi-domain combat environment designed to simulate conditions of modern warfare, SANA added.
The Syrian army’s participation in the military drills alongside NATO members is the first time since the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in December 2024.
About 10,388 Turkish army personnel took part in the biennial drills alongside 1,305 from other countries, including the US, Germany, France, the UK, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Sweden, Somalia, Libya and Rwanda.
Turkiye deployed its military capabilities during the drills, including the TCG Anadolu, the navy’s flagship, and the unmanned Bayraktar TB3 combat aerial vehicle.
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Arab World
Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region emerges as key livestock hub amid food security push
May 21, 2026
RAFHA: Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region has emerged as a key pillar of the Kingdom’s food security and rural development strategy, with livestock numbers surpassing 7.5 million head, according to a report carried by the Saudi Press Agency.
The report, released by the regional branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), highlighted the region’s growing role in domestic animal husbandry, particularly sheep breeding.
The province’s livestock population stands at 7,551,997 head, including 7,258,950 sheep, 235,814 goats, 56,925 camels and 308 cattle.
Local breeders said government support programs for small livestock farmers have improved production and breeding efficiency through veterinary services, vaccination campaigns, and technical advisory programs.
Officials and agricultural experts said herding remains central to sustainable rural development despite mounting climate pressures affecting natural pastures and water resources. They said sustainable grazing and rangeland management are critical to preserving biodiversity and limiting vegetation degradation.
The regional growth reflects Saudi Arabia’s broader push under Vision 2030 to strengthen food security, modernize agriculture and reduce reliance on imported meat.
Ruminant-heavy landscape
The Northern Borders region mirrors Saudi Arabia’s wider livestock economy, where sheep remain the dominant sector. Data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) and MEWA place the Kingdom’s national sheep population at around 22.1 million head.
Goats number about 7.3 million nationwide, while Saudi Arabia’s camel herd stands at 2.24 million head, according to official data. The national cattle population totals about 516,000 head, including around 233,000 commercial dairy cows concentrated in large-scale operations in Riyadh and the Eastern Province.
These dairy farms produce an estimated 2.7 billion liters of raw milk annually, underscoring the contrast between industrial agriculture and traditional pastoralism in the Kingdom’s northern rangelands.
Climate and ecological pressures
Despite the sector’s growth, livestock producers face long-term challenges linked to climate change, desertification and groundwater depletion across the Arabian Peninsula.
To address these pressures, MEWA, in coordination with the Food and Agriculture Organization, has introduced programs aimed at promoting sustainable grazing and modern rangeland management practices.
Environmental specialists say preserving vegetation cover and regulating grazing patterns will be essential to sustaining Saudi Arabia’s livestock sector while protecting fragile desert ecosystems.
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Saudi interior minister meets Hajj officials from Iran, Indonesia and Egypt as pilgrim arrivals accelerate
May 21, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Interior Minister and Supreme Hajj Committee Chairman Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif held separate meetings with senior Iranian and Indonesian Hajj officials in Jeddah as the Kingdom intensifies preparations for the annual pilgrimage, according to reports by the Saudi Press Agency.
In separate talks on Thursday, Prince Abdulaziz received Head of Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization Alireza Rashidian and Indonesia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf.
The Saudi minister reaffirmed the commitment of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to serving pilgrims from around the world and ensuring they perform Hajj rituals with ease, safety and peace of mind.
During the meeting with the Indonesian minister, the two sides reviewed cooperation and coordination related to Hajj operations and discussed issues of mutual interest, SPA reported. Several Saudi officials also attended the talks.
Prince Abdulaziz also received Ashraf Abdel Muti, head of Egypt’s Hajj Affairs Office. The minister welcomed Egyptian pilgrims and affirmed the commitment of Saudi leaders in leveraging human and technical resources to serve pilgrims.
Muti expressed appreciation for the Kingdom's efforts and preparations to serve pilgrims, praising the level of care and services provided to them from their arrival in the Kingdom until their departure.
For the current 2026 Hajj season, Egypt has been allocated an official national quota of 90,000 pilgrims by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
Indonesia continues to hold the world’s largest national Hajj quota, with allocations totaling around 221,000 pilgrims, including more than 203,000 regular pilgrims and nearly 18,000 special-category slots, according to figures published through the Saudi Ministry of Hajj’s Nusuk Masar platform. Indonesia’s Hajj airlift this season has involved roughly 548 dedicated flights transporting pilgrims to the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, Iran’s official Hajj quota stands at 87,550 pilgrims, although official dispatches and arrivals data indicate that only about one-third of the allocation is being utilized this year. Around 30,000 Iranian pilgrims are expected to arrive in the Kingdom on direct flights following the restoration of air access under Saudi crowd-management regulations.
SPA reported last year that around 76,000 Iranian pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj.
Rashidian expressed appreciation for the Kingdom’s preparations and services for pilgrims, praising the level of organization provided during this year’s Hajj season, SPA said.
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How centuries of Hajj journeys were written into memory
TAREQ AL-THAQAFI
May 20, 2026
MAKKAH: For centuries, the Hajj pilgrimage has been a journey unlike any other, one in which the punishing demands of the road have been inseparable from the spiritual weight of the destination.
The pilgrim caravans of the past paint a human and devotional canvas without parallel, faithfully chronicled by travelers and historians whose books and manuscripts now rank among the most valuable historical witnesses to how this sacred rite evolved.
From sea passages to long stretches of desert and grueling overland tracks, these accounts have preserved the journey to the Kaaba in remarkable detail, bequeathing to later generations a living picture of the grandeur of the rituals and of Muslim unity across the centuries.
In earlier ages, reaching the holy land was no simple matter.
The journey could consume months — even an entire year — exposing pilgrims to the hardships of the road, the unpredictability of the elements, and the perils of both desert and sea.
Speaking to Arab News, Dr. Fawaz Al-Dahas, director of the Makkah History Center, described how rulers and sultans shaped the pilgrimage routes.
Chief among them was Caliph Harun Al-Rashid, famed for his repeated pilgrimages from Baghdad, and Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars, who established supply posts and security details to safeguard the pilgrim caravans on routes from Damascus and Cairo.
This pattern, Al-Dahas said, reveals how early Islamic states grasped the importance of organizing and protecting the sacred journey.
The historic pilgrimage routes including Darb Zubaydah from Iraq and the Egyptian Road, were, in Al-Dahas’ view, pivotal to the rise of the towns and waystations that sprang up along the trails.
They also served as arteries of commerce and culture, knitting the various corners of the Islamic world together through trade and exchange.
These journeys, he added, also lay bare the scale of the care that successive Islamic civilizations lavished on the pilgrims.
Reservoirs and wells were dug, caravanserais and rest houses built, security details deployed, and medical services made available — an early blueprint, in effect, for the organized management of large crowds.
The literature of pilgrim travel, Al-Dahas argued, amounts to a civilizational archive in its own right.
He pointed to the writings of Abd Al-Ghani Al-Nabulsi, who recorded the encounters and cultural exchanges between pilgrims, gatherings that, in concept, anticipated the international conferences of the modern era by several centuries.
The literary legacy of the Hajj also boasts a number of landmark works, among them “Fi Manzil Al-Waḥy” (In the House of Revelation), “The Road to Makkah”, and “To the Land of Prophethood,” texts that distilled the spiritual and human experience of the pilgrimage through varying literary and intellectual lenses.
For all the centuries that separate them, and despite the diversity of the tongues in which they were written, these accounts remain, in the view of researchers, a living register tracing the evolution of the Hajj.
Researcher and historian Saad Al-Joudi spoke to Arab News about how Hajj was a complete civilizational event, one that helped document Muslim life and track the shifting fortunes of societies across the ages.
Many of the pilgrim travelogues, he observed, now stand as indispensable historical sources for understanding the texture of Islamic societies in their respective eras.
Ibn Jubayr, Al-Joudi noted, left an exceptionally precise account of his journey from Andalusia to the Hijaz, recording his sea voyage to Alexandria and his onward overland trek to Makkah.
He captured the scenes of Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, the standing at Arafat, and the stoning of the Jamarat — a narrative that wove historical accuracy together with deep spiritual reflection.
Ibn Battuta’s writings, Al-Joudi added, opened yet another window onto the journey: the supply stations, the makeshift markets, the physicians’ tents pitched along the pilgrim roads, as well as the scenes of Islamic unity in which he found himself shoulder to shoulder with pilgrims of every ethnicity and tongue.
It is in such passages, he said, that the human and social dimensions of the pilgrimage come most fully into view.
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Saudi ambassador brings Saudi Coffee Day to life in Tokyo
May 20, 2026
TOKYO: Saudi Ambassador Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzaqr turned the Tokyo embassy into a lively celebration of the Kingdom’s culture for “Saudi Coffee Day,” welcoming Japanese guests to experience the warmth and flavor of the country’s coffee and dates.
“Today, the embassy welcomed a distinguished gathering. The event demonstrated that traditions such as coffee serve as important instruments for dialogue and fostering international friendship,” the ambassador said in his welcoming remarks.
In an interview with Arab News Japan, Binzaqr praised the Saudi embassy staff for their hospitality, noting that they greeted guests with smiles, poured fragrant Saudi coffee, offered sweet dates, and transported everyone into the heart of Saudi Arabia in a traditional tent.
“By sharing core elements of our heritage, we observed enthusiastic responses from guests who experienced authentic Saudi generosity and hospitality,” Binzagr said.
“This event underscores the role of diplomacy in promoting rapprochement and mutual understanding at the grassroots level,” he said. “We hope this gathering will inspire future embassy initiatives.”
A traditional Saudi tent was set up in the embassy’s courtyard, giving guests a break from the busy city life of Tokyo. Inside, visitors sipped coffee and enjoyed dates, expressing gratitude for the chance to experience Saudi culture.
A Japanese guest shared with Arab News Japan that while Saudi Arabia was often viewed as a petroleum powerhouse, this event unveiled the deeper cultural story behind Saudi coffee and dates.
The distinctive, refreshing taste of the coffee, served unsweetened, left a lasting impression and showcased flavors that could stand alongside those of major coffee chains, she said. The gathering highlighted how Saudi coffee and dates could serve as a bridge, deepening the bonds between the two nations.
“The Saudi representative served the coffee in traditional attire, combined with a warm greeting, I felt like receiving a genuine gift. I thank the embassy for the invitation,” she said.
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Saudi Arabia through the royal lens
NADA HAMEED
May 20, 2026
JEDDAH: “For 35 years, I’ve been photographing in black and white analog. And this is my whole career.”
With these words, Princess Reem Al-Faisal reflects on a lifetime devoted to the art of image-making, a journey that has evolved from shadow and light to a profound exploration of color, identity and belonging.
Her latest exhibition, held at Wasl Art Space in Jeddah until May 30, marks a new chapter in that journey.
Titled “Land of Pilgrims and Poets,” the exhibition brings together decades of artistic inquiry, travel and contemplation, weaving together themes of faith, culture and the spirit of place.
Her documentation of Hajj is one of the most significant bodies of work in her career, because she was the first female photographer to document the pilgrimage. Rather than approaching Hajj as a spectacle, she frames it as a civilizational encounter.
Princess Reem’s new book, “Status of Light,” was published on May 7 and gives readers a small sample of her work.
The princess explained to Arab News that the new book is not about nostalgia. “My work is about the present. Trying to find the spirit of the place that has lasted over centuries talking about the presence of the divine, it’s really the presence of the infinite. But the whole line between them is light.”
Light, in her philosophy, is a metaphysical element binding time, faith and geography.
“We say in Arabic, altadabur, it is the deep, mindful reflection upon the verses of the Quran, moving beyond mere recitation to understand and apply the divine messages to daily life, and my basic inspiration is the Quranic verse, God is the light of the heavens and the earth. And that’s why I call it the states of light.”
Her early black-and-white period sharpened her sensitivity to tone and composition. But it was her work in Saudi Arabia and her attempt to capture it that sparked a transformation in her method.
“When I started photographing Saudi Arabia, for some reason, and I have no idea why, every time I take a picture and it comes out in black and white, it was as if it wasn’t me.
“It just didn’t speak. It didn’t express what I was looking for. So I shifted to photographing in color.”
The shift was more philosophical than just technical. In black and white, she explained, form and presence dominate. In color, something else emerges.
“When in black and white, mostly, the subject was the place, and the human being. And through the shadow and light.
“When I started photographing color, the color became its subject. So, if you look at my work, it’s really more than the place as a construction of color.”
Her lens turned toward the vastness of the Kingdom, its deserts, mountains and coastlines, searching for a unifying identity within diversity.
Reflecting on the Kingdom’s vast geography and cultural diversity, she noted that despite differences in landscape, traditions and appearance between regions, a unifying thread binds Saudi Arabia, and even the wider Arabian Peninsula rooted in a shared history of movement, trade and Bedouin heritage that has shaped its identity across centuries, leaving traces from Africa to China and Europe.
Raised in a family deeply rooted in culture and intellectual life, she is the granddaughter of Saudi Arabia’s King Faisal. Princess Reem studied Arabic literature at King Abdulaziz University before continuing her photographic training at Speos Institute in Paris.
Her career has included several publications and international exhibitions, yet her focus remains inward on meaning rather than acclaim.
“I worked for several years before I even did this exhibition with the printer to get the color I wanted. It’s a much higher understanding of the higher status of a state and intellectuality.”
In “Land of Pilgrims and Poets,” the viewer is invited not only to see Saudi Arabia through the princess’s creative lens, but to contemplate it through light, through language and decades of devotion.
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Hajj symposium in Jeddah explores AI, healthcare and pilgrim services
SALEH FAREED
May 20, 2026
JEDDAH: The 50th Grand Hajj Symposium, held under the patronage of Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, commenced in Jeddah on Wednesday.
The event, organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in cooperation with the Council of Senior Scholars, was attended by dignitaries, academics, and Islamic thinkers from around the world.
In his speech, Al-Rabiah said the Saudi leadership is committed to serving pilgrims at the highest standards, adding that the Kingdom has developed a pioneering model in crowd management through technology.
On behalf of Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan, Secretary-General of the Council of Senior Scholars Fahd Al-Majed said: “The directives of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have enabled the guests of Allah to perform their rituals in comfort and tranquility.”
Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Abdul Fattah Mashat said the symposium serves as an intellectual workshop bringing together scholars and experts from around the world to support Hajj operations.
Discussions focused on Saudi Arabia’s efforts to develop pilgrim services over the decades, awareness programs and their role in guiding pilgrims’ behavior and enhancing their experience, as well as the use of knowledge, innovation, data, and modern technologies to improve operational efficiency and shape the future of Hajj services.
Speaking during a session titled “Regulations and Instructions of the Healthcare System,” Mohammed Al-Abdulaali, assistant minister of health for health services, underscored the Kingdom’s commitment to safeguarding pilgrims’ well-being during Hajj through advanced healthcare systems and preventive strategies.
He highlighted the importance of health readiness in enabling pilgrims to perform their rituals safely and confidently.
Al-Abdulaali said health readiness is not merely a requirement, but a cornerstone of the Kingdom’s vision to enhance pilgrims’ experiences.
The symposium also featured scientific sessions and discussions on modernizing the Hajj experience through technology and artificial intelligence to improve services and ensure a safer, more efficient pilgrimage for all.
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Saudi governor, ambassador hold meetings with Chinese and Dutch officials
May 20, 2026
Taif Gov. Prince Fawaz bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz received the Consul General of China in Jeddah Yang Yi in Taif on Wednesday.
During the meeting, they held friendly talks and discussed various topics of common interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Meanwhile, Saudi Ambassador to the Netherlands Shahir Al-Khaniny met Cmdr. Wolter Sillevis Smitt, director of military strategy at the Netherlands Ministry of Defense. They discussed bilateral relations, the Saudi Embassy said in a statement on X.
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Saudi FM praises Trump for giving ‘diplomacy a chance’ to end Iran war
May 20, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia highly appreciates US President Donald Trump’s decision to give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war on Iran, the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister said on Wednesday.
In a post on X, Prince Faisal bin Farhan said: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia highly appreciates the US President Donald Trump’s decision to give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war, restore the security and freedom of maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz to its state prior to February 28th 2026, and address all points of contention in a way that serves the security and stability of the region.”
The minister’s comments came after Trump said on Monday he was holding off a military attack on Iran planned for Tuesday at the request of Gulf states as “serious negotiations are now taking place.”
In a post on Truth Social, he said he had been asked to do so by the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
The minister added that the Kingdom “looks forward to Iran seizing the opportunity to avoid the dangerous implications of escalation.”
He also urged the country to respond to efforts to advance negotiations “leading up to a comprehensive agreement to achieve lasting peace in the region and the world.”
Prince Faisal also expressed the Kingdom’s appreciation for Pakistan’s efforts to mediate in the conflict.
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Europe
Uzbek Senator takes part in KazanForum 2026 on Russia-Islamic world cooperation
20 May 2026
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 20. Kobul Tursunov, Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Budget and Economic Issues of Uzbekistan’s Oliy Majlis, took part in the 17th International Economic Forum “Russia–Islamic World: KazanForum 2026” held in the Russian city of Kazan, Trend reports via the Senate Committee of Uzbekistan Oliy Majlis.
The 17th International Economic Forum brought together representatives from nearly 100 countries, international organizations, businesses, and expert communities.
The attendants discussed economic cooperation, investment partnerships, transport and logistics connectivity, and digital economy development.
Alongside economic cooperation, investment partnerships, transport and logistics connectivity, and digital economy development the participants discussed industrial cooperation, green energy, innovative technologies, and Islamic finance development across Eurasia.
The forum also focused on strengthening regional ties and promoting joint investment and trade projects.
KazanForum has become a major platform for dialogue between Islamic countries and Eurasian states on transport, investment, and technology cooperation.
Source: trend.az
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https://www.trend.az/business/4188885.html
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When Muslims are attacked there is a muted reponse
20TH MAY
By Hameeda Khan
Many Muslims will recognise the uncomfortable feeling that when the victims are Muslim, the public reaction often feels quieter, slower and far less urgent.
Last week, masked men allegedly hurled incendiary devices into a Muslim prayer room in Blackburn. And yet nationally, the silence felt deafening.
Even former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn publicly questioned why the attack had not generated greater national outrage, raising concerns about the inconsistent response to anti Muslim hatred.
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His comments reflected what many Muslims across the country were already feeling: that attacks targeting Muslim spaces rarely seem to provoke the same level of public alarm, political urgency or media attention.
Outside of local coverage, a handful of online outlets and some faith media, the story barely seemed to cut through.
That should concern all of us.
Because if masked men targeting a prayer room with incendiary devices does not provoke widespread national alarm, then we have to ask ourselves a difficult question: whose fear matters in Britain today?
Let me be clear. Any attack against any faith community deserves condemnation. Whether it is a synagogue, church, temple or mosque, hatred should never be tolerated or minimised.
Earlier this year, attacks against Jewish institutions rightly generated national outrage, political condemnation and widespread public discussion around extremism and community safety. That response was absolutely correct and necessary.
So why does it feel different when Muslims are attacked?
Not from the police and the authorities but from the wider media.
Why does anti Muslim hatred still struggle to command the same national attention unless the scale of violence becomes impossible to ignore?
Even the language around the Blackburn attack reflected this caution. Several reports quickly stressed there was “no suggestion” the incident was racially or religiously motivated.
Of course investigations must follow evidence. Nobody is arguing otherwise.
But many Muslims will understandably question how masked individuals allegedly targeting a visible prayer room with incendiary devices does not immediately raise serious concerns around Islamophobia. Reports stated prayer mats and Arabic verses could be seen clearly from outside the building. The space was recognisably Islamic.
And this is the wider issue Britain still refuses to confront honestly.
Anti Muslim hatred has become so normalised that hostility towards Muslims often generates less shock than it should. Muslims are constantly expected to prove they belong, explain themselves, condemn extremism, defend their faith and tolerate endless scrutiny around integration, identity and loyalty. Yet when Muslims themselves become the victims of hate, the same level of solidarity often feels absent.
Many Muslims are exhausted by constantly being told Islamophobia is exaggerated while simultaneously watching attacks on mosques, prayer spaces and visibly Muslim communities continue to rise.
What makes this even harder is the feeling that Muslim pain rarely receives the same urgency unless the situation becomes nationally unavoidable.
That perception is dangerous because selective outrage creates resentment, mistrust and division. It sends a message, whether intentional or not, that some communities receive immediate protection and empathy while others are expected to quietly absorb hostility as part of modern British life.
Blackburn MP Adnan Hussain rightly condemned the attack as “shocking and distressing” and stated that incidents of this nature had “no place in our community”. But beyond local solidarity and statements of support, the wider national reaction still felt muted. That silence is what many Muslims are struggling to ignore.
Blackburn deserves better than that.
This is one of the most diverse towns in the country. Communities here live alongside one another every day, raise families together, build businesses together and contribute enormously to the identity of the town. That is why incidents like this feel so deeply unsettling.
They are not simply attacks on property. They are attacks on people’s sense of safety, belonging and dignity.
Most people in Blackburn completely reject hatred and division. The solidarity shown locally after the attack proves that.
But solidarity alone is not enough if nationally we continue avoiding the deeper conversation.
Because the normalisation of anti Muslim hatred does not begin with violence. It begins with silence. With selective outrage. With deciding which communities trigger national sympathy and which ones are expected to carry on quietly after the headlines fade.
And if we genuinely believe every community deserves equal protection and equal dignity, then attacks on Muslim spaces should never struggle to command national attention in the first place.
Source: asianimage.co.uk
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https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/26124950.muslims-attacked-muted-reponse/
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Tommy Robinson Oxford Union visit slammed by Bishop and Imam
20TH MAY
The upcoming Tommy Robinson visit to the Oxford Union has been slammed by a Bishop and Imam who have made a strong appeal for the invitation to be reconsidered.
Bishop of Oxford Dr Steven Croft and Imam Monawar Hussain have written a joint letter in which they say they are “disturbed and saddened” that the far-right leader is scheduled to appear at the debating society which is more than 200 years old.
The controversial figure, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is to debate at the Oxford Union on Thursday, May 28.
The debate is entitled ‘this house believes the West is right to be suspicious of Islam’.
Mr Yaxley-Lennon has been jailed multiple times for a variety of offences including in October 2024 for contempt of court.
He has organised multiple marches in London including a ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protest on Saturday, May 16.
Citing the recent rally as well as a shooting at the mosque in San Diego on May 18, the faith leaders said that this is a “a time of rising tensions between communities”.
They added: “The Muslim community is acknowledging a rise in Islamophobia.
“The Jewish communities have seen antisemitic rhetoric which has had tragic consequences in terms of attacks on people and property.
“As faith leaders across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley we stand together against hatred, racism and those who would divide our communities.”
The Bishop and the Imam are co-chairs of the Oxfordshire Faith and Civic Leaders Forum and the Thames Valley Faith and Civic Leaders Forum, with this interjection coming just months before Dr Croft is due to retire.
The pair said that everyone needs to play their part in resisting division and racism and, as such, termed the Union’s invitation “untimely and divisive”.
“We understand, of course, that the Oxford Union is outside the direct control of the University of Oxford,” they said.
The Bishop and Imam added: “We understand the need to protect freedom of speech and the right to protest.
“But these rights sit alongside the rights of every citizen and their children to go about their daily lives free of hatred and physical danger.”
Dr Croft and Imam Hussain explained that the city has a long history of hospitality to migrants and the poorest members of society and that the Oxford Union leaders need to be mindful of the city they reside in.
The duo added: “Those who are temporary residents in our world leading university and who lead the Oxford Union have a duty of care to the many thousands of Muslims, Jews and others of different faiths in the city.
“We make a strong appeal in these weeks and months of global tension that this invitation should be reconsidered and withdrawn for the sake of this city and its peace.”
Others have also condemned the visit of Mr Yaxley-Lennon, including local councillors and MP Anneliese Dodds.
The Labour politician said: "The hatred promoted by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, has no place in our great city.”
Source: thisisoxfordshire.co.uk
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https://www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk/news/26125390.tommy-robinson-oxford-union-visit-slammed-bishop-imam/
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UK agrees £3.7bn trade deal with six Gulf states
21 May 2026
The UK has struck a trade deal with a group of six Gulf states which it says will be worth £3.7bn to the economy.
The government said the deal with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) would remove an estimated £580m a year in tariffs from British exports to the region once fully implemented.
It also said it would make it easier for British firms to expand and partner in the Gulf, which will support jobs.
Activist groups have criticised the lack of detail on human rights and labour protections in the deal.
The deal was welcomed by Chris Southworth, secretary general of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) UK, as a "boost to business confidence".
The Conservatives, who began the negotiations for the deal when in government, said it was "another major Brexit opportunity" which Labour risked "throwing away" because of what it saw as Labour's pro-EU stance.
British products that will have tariffs removed include cheddar cheese, butter and chocolate.
The trade deal between the UK and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) is the third struck by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's government, after those with India and South Korea.
It is also the first deal between a G7 country and the GCC.
The government has also reached trade agreements with the US and EU.
Sir Keir said the GCC deal was a "huge win" for British workers and businesses.
Working people "will feel the benefits in the years ahead through higher wages and more opportunities".
Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said: "At a time of increased instability, today's announcement sends a clear signal of confidence – giving UK exporters the certainty they need to plan ahead."
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the deal was "proof we are backing British firms to compete and win globally".
"This agreement is good for jobs, good for industry and ultimately good for consumers."
Speaking to BBC News, ICC UK's Chris Southworth said: "This is guaranteed market access, free flow of data, increased mobility.
"This is good for growth, good for jobs, good for investment and excellent news for the UK economy."
However, rights group Trade Justice Movement has said the deal "poses serious risks to human rights, labour protections, and climate action".
It has raised concerns about the GCC's record of restricting press freedom, using the death penalty, and being high producers of greenhouse gas emissions because of their six countries' oil industries.
It said on Wednesday the deal "locks the UK into deeper commercial ties with some of the most repressive governments in the world, for economic gains so marginal they barely register".
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g85dryv24o
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Austrian ex-intelligence officer found guilty of Russia spying charges
21 May 2026
Bethany Bell
Former intelligence official Egisto Ott has been found guilty of spying for Russia, in what has been dubbed Austria's biggest spy trial in years.
A jury in Vienna found Ott, 63, guilty of having handed over information to Russian intelligence officers and to Jan Marsalek, the fugitive executive of collapsed German payments firm Wirecard.
Ott, who denies the charges, was sentenced to four years and one month in prison. His lawyer has appealed against the verdict.
The spy scandal has revived fears that Austria remains a hotbed of Russian espionage activity.
In addition to spying, Ott was found guilty of misuse of office, bribery, aggravated fraud and breach of trust.
The court heard how he had supported "a secret intelligence service of the Russian Federation to the detriment of the Republic of Austria" by collecting secret facts and a large amount of personal data from police databases from 2015 to 2020.
Prosecutors said Ott gave this information to Marsalek and unknown representatives of the Russian intelligence service, and received payment in return.
Marsalek, who is also an Austrian citizen, is wanted by German police for alleged fraud and is currently believed to be in the Russian capital, Moscow, having fled via Austria in 2020.
Alleged to be a Russian intelligence asset, Marsalek is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice and, as such, could be arrested if found in the territory of any of the countries belonging to the 196-member international police organisation.
Prosecutors told the court that Marsalek commissioned Ott to obtain a laptop containing secret electronic security hardware used by EU states for secure electronic communication. The laptop, they said, was handed over to the Russian intelligence service.
Ott was also found guilty of having passed phone data from senior Austrian interior ministry officials to Russia. He obtained the work phones after they accidentally fell into the River Danube on an interior ministry boating trip.
The court heard how he copied their contents and passed them on to Marsalek, and Moscow.
The prosecution told the court that Ott was "not romantic about Russia", but had acted out of financial motives and frustration with work.
Ott denied the accusations in court. He said that he had not worked for Moscow, but had carried out a covert operation in collaboration with a Western intelligence service.
The case has shed light on more of the alleged activities of Marselek, who has since been charged with fraud and embezzlement, suspected of having inflated Wirecard's balance sheet total and sales volume.
Marsalek is also believed to have been the controller of a group of Bulgarians who were convicted in London in 2025 of spying for Russia.
When Ott was arrested in 2024, Austria's then Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, described the case as "a threat to democracy and our country's national security".
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy21541dz4o
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Germany considering paying Syrians $9,300 to return home – media
21 May, 2026
The German Interior Ministry is considering offering Syrian refugees up to €8,000 ($9,300) to return home voluntarily, Focus magazine reports, citing government sources. The proposal comes as support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has been campaigning heavily on migration concerns, reaches record highs.
Germany was one of the main destinations for Syrians fleeing the civil war during the 2014-2015 migrant crisis, after then-Chancellor Angela Merkel adopted an open-door migration policy.
More than 951,000 Syrians were living in Germany as of August 2025, according to the Interior Ministry’s data. Over 500,000 hold temporary residence permits tied to refugee or subsidiary protection status, while the number voluntarily returning to Syria remains relatively low, Focus reported on Wednesday.
Roman Poseck, the interior minister of the central German state of Hesse, argued that even tens of thousands of euros given to each refugee to go home would be worth it in the long run since otherwise, much more would have to be spent on accommodation in Germany. Under the current system, voluntary return payments average around €1,000 ($1,163).
“Support payments in the four-figure range or sometimes even in the lower five-figure range would often still be a gain for the state when measured against the long-term costs of social benefits,” he told Focus.
Berlin is now rejecting 95% of all new asylum applications by Syrians, German media reported last month. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in March that up to 80% of Syrians living in Germany could return home over the next three years, later attributing the claim to Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, who denied making the statement, calling the figure exaggerated.
Merz, who was recently rated Europe’s most unpopular leader, is facing growing pressure from the right. The AfD has emerged as Germany’s most popular party, surpassing the chancellor’s Christian Democratic Union in terms of public support, according to a poll last month. The right-wing party came out on top despite a boycott by all mainstream parties and accusations of extremism by its critics.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640316-germany-pay-syrians-return-home/
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Employee sues Google over ‘unfair’ dismissal linked to anti-Israel protest – Guardian
20 May, 2026
A former AI engineer at Google DeepMind has accused the US tech giant of unfairly dismissing him over protests against the company’s deals with Israel, The Guardian reported on Wednesday. The man described the decision to fire him as discriminatory and filed a claim with a British employment tribunal.
Google’s ties with the Israeli government, including a $1.2 billion AI and cloud computing contract signed jointly with Amazon, have repeatedly sparked employee protests. In 2024 alone, the company fired dozens of dissenting staff members.
According to the engineer, he was called into a meeting with a manager that led to his dismissal after distributing flyers around DeepMind’s London office reading: “Google provides military AI to forces committing genocide” and “Is your paycheck worth this?” He also reportedly sent emails to his colleagues and called on them to unionize.
The former employee, who is of Palestinian origin, alleged in his lawsuit that Google discriminated against his belief that no one should be complicit in war crimes and claimed he was acting as a whistleblower, according to The Guardian. The US tech giant insisted that the employee’s version of events “does not accurately reflect the facts” and said that he had resigned.
In October, several media outlets reported that the 2021 agreement Google and Amazon signed with Israel barred the companies from restricting West Jerusalem’s access to their services even in cases it violated their terms of use. The deal also reportedly included clauses explicitly preventing the two tech giants from breaking ties with Israel under pressure from employees, shareholders and activists.
Israel’s contracts with US tech companies have come under increased scrutiny amid accusations that its military campaign in Gaza following the 2023 Hamas attack amounts to genocide. In 2024, Gaby Portnoy, head of Israel’s National Cyber Directorate, credited the Google-Amazon Nimbus Project with enabling “phenomenal things” in combat that he said “constitute a significant part of victory.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640299-google-sue-dismissal-israel-protest/
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North America
CAIR-LA Warns UCLA’s New Framework Could Chill Free Speech, Calls on Univ. to Equally Protect Muslim and Palestinian Students
May 20, 2026
The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) today warned that new recommendations from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)’s “Initiative to Combat Antisemitism Action Group Report” risk further chilling free speech and advocacy on campus.
CAIR-LA also reiterated its call on the university to equally implement recommendations by UCLA’s Taskforce on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, & Anti-Muslim Racism to protect Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students and faculty and their allies.
The new report recommends the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s definition of antisemitism, which has been widely criticized, including by its own author, for its misuse in academic settings to conflate legitimate criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism and silence free speech and expression on college campuses.
The report also encourages instructors to “avoid intrusive political, religious, personal, or other material unrelated to course learning objectives.” As written, the initiative could impose vague and subjective standards on which topics can be discussed in the classroom, risking chilling speech by inviting politicized complaints.
In a statement, CAIR-LA Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said:
“No student should face discrimination because of their religion or background, and we wholeheartedly support increased efforts to protect all students, including Jewish students, on campus. At the same time, UCLA must not use a flawed antisemitism framework as a vehicle to suppress constitutionally protected activity or speech—including legitimate criticism of the state of Israel and its ongoing genocide in Gaza.
“UCLA has a long history of targeting lawful student speech and activism on campus. It has failed time and again to take actionable steps to protect its Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students and faculty. It has also largely ignored the findings of its own Taskforce on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, & Anti-Muslim Racism, which documents discrimination and violence directed at anyone—including Jewish students—who expresses anti-genocide viewpoints. The endorsement of one group’s recommendations over the other further signals to Muslim and Palestinian students that their safety on campus is not a priority to university leadership.
“We strongly urge UCLA to implement policies that protect the safety of all its students equally, while also ensuring that such policies do not erode their constitutionally protected free speech rights.”
The UCLA Taskforce on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, & Anti-Muslim Racism has issued three reports outlining the pattern of targeted discrimination and harassment of UCLA students and faculty speaking on Palestine. It offered several recommendations, which UCLA has reportedly ignored.
In August 2024, CAIR and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee designated UCLA as an “institution of particular concern” due to its complicity in the creation of a hostile campus environment for Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, and Jewish students, staff, and faculty opposing Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Last year, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, which reveals that Islamophobia continues to be at an all-time high across the country. CAIR said viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-la-warns-uclas-new-framework-could-chill-free-speech-calls-on-univ-to-equally-protect-muslim-and-palestinian-students/
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CAIR-CT Welcomes Hate Crime Charge for Threats Targeting State’s First Sikh Mayor
May 20, 2026
The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the filing of a hate crime charge against a Connecticut man accused of threatening the family of the state’s first Sikh mayor.
According to reports, the accused allegedly made threatening and bias-motivated remarks directed at the mayor and his family. Authorities have charged the suspect with intimidation based on bigotry or bias in addition to other offenses.
In a statement, CAIR-CT Chairman Farhan Memon said:
“We welcome the decision to pursue a hate crime charge in this disturbing case and commend law enforcement authorities for recognizing the serious nature of these alleged threats. Public officials and their families should never face intimidation or violence because of their faith, ethnicity, or background. At a time when bias incidents targeting minority communities continue to rise nationwide, it is critical that acts motivated by hate are investigated thoroughly and prosecuted appropriately.”
He said CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging systemic anti-Black racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR-CT is the Connecticut chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ct-welcomes-hate-crime-charge-for-threats-targeting-states-first-sikh-mayor/
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US doesn’t owe Israel anything – Tucker Carlson to Israeli TV
20 May, 2026
The US has no obligation to give Israel anything and should cut off all aid, conservative American journalist Tucker Carlson has said. America’s association with Israel’s “many crimes” has damaged its global reputation, he argued.
Speaking to Israeli Channel 13 in an interview aired on Tuesday, Carlson said he is “disgusted by the way that Israel treats Arabs, like animals or subhumans,” and argued that the Jewish state has “lost its morality.”
“I think we should stop all aid to Israel, all special deals for Israel. Tomorrow,” he said, adding that the US has no obligation “to lend its moral authority” to Israel.
Because of the US-Israeli war against Iran, Washington’s relationship with West Jerusalem, while well-intentioned, “is hurting the US very badly,” Carlson said.
“We can’t afford it, and our standing in the world has declined, and we’re implicated in some of the many crimes Israel has committed,” he said.
Carlson added that he blames President Donald Trump for “folding under pressure from [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu” and pulling the US into a war with Iran “that is bad for the United States.”
Carlson previously described the president’s true religion as “Israelism,” after Trump released a series of controversial religion-themed social media posts and feuded with Pope Leo XIV over the war against Iran.
Despite being a staunch Trump supporter during his reelection campaign, the prominent conservative commentator has increasingly criticized the president on foreign policy. He has joined a growing list of disillusioned MAGA supporters such as ex-congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, commentator Candace Owens, and radio show host Alex Jones.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640304-us-end-aid-israel-carlson/
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CAIR-MI Files Civil Rights Complaint Alleging Anti-Muslim Harassment, Retaliation Within Eastpointe Police Dept.
May 20, 2026
The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today filed a civil rights complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights on behalf of a Muslim and Arab-American police officer working with the East Pointe Michigan Police Department, alleging religious discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment within the Eastpointe Police Department.
The complaint alleges that the officer was subjected to anti-Muslim harassment after overhearing a fellow officer state “F*** all Muslims” while on duty and in the presence of supervisory personnel. According to the complaint, despite immediate reporting of the incident, supervisory staff failed to properly report or address the conduct until outside attention was brought to the matter. After this initial incident, CAIR-MI was notified by an anonymous concerned co-worker of the Complainant and reached out to the Chief of Police who indicated that he was following up on the matter. However, no further communication has been forthcoming, and the issues remain unresolved.
The filing further alleges that after reporting the discriminatory conduct, the officer experienced retaliation, including false accusations, discriminatory comments, damage to his professional reputation, and disparate disciplinary treatment.
The complaint also details allegations that a supervising officer visited the complainant’s wife’s business while in uniform, made disturbing and inappropriate comments, referenced the department’s distrust of the complainant, and engaged in intimidating conduct that extended the hostile environment beyond the workplace.
“This complaint raises deeply troubling allegations of anti-Muslim bias, retaliation, and a failure of leadership within a law enforcement agency,” said Lead Staff Attorney for CAIR-MI, Amy V. Doukoure, Esq.. “When law enforcement officers express overt religious animus, the concern is greater than a hostile work environment. Communities cannot trust officers who hold these views to fairly uphold the law or protect the safety of all people they are sworn to serve. No officer should face retaliation for reporting discrimination, and no police department should tolerate conduct that undermines public trust in equal protection under the law.”
“Allegations of openly anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hostility within a law enforcement agency are especially alarming at a time when ethnic and religious minorities across the United States are experiencing heightened fear, polarization, and dehumanizing rhetoric,” said Executive Director of CAIR Michigan, Dawud Walid. “When public officials and institutions fail to firmly confront religious animus, it normalizes discrimination and erodes public trust in the very systems charged with protecting civil rights and public safety. Muslim, Arab, and other minority communities should not have to question whether those sworn to serve them view them with hostility because of their faith or identity.”
The complaint alleges violations of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including claims for religious discrimination, hostile work environment, retaliation, and disparate treatment.
CAIR-MI is calling for a full investigation into the allegations and appropriate corrective action to ensure accountability and equal treatment within the department.
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
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-mi-files-civil-rights-complaint-alleging-anti-muslim-harassment-retaliation-within-eastpointe-police-dept/
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CAIR-LA, Partners to Host Interfaith Vigil for Victims of San Diego Mosque Shooting
May 20, 2026
On Thursday, May 21, the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), along with the Islamic Society of Orange County (ISOC) and the Islamic Shura Council of California, will host an interfaith vigil in honor of the three victims of the deadly Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD) shooting, Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad.
On Monday, May 18, two radicalized teenagers opened fire at ICSD, San Diego County’s largest mosque, killing the three men and then themselves. Investigators reportedly recovered anti-Islam writings in the suspects’ car, and the San Diego Police Department confirmed that the attack is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
The vigil will bring together faith leaders, elected officials, and community members of all faiths to honor the three victims, show support to their families, stand in solidarity with the San Diego Muslim community, and emphasize the connection between widespread anti-Muslim rhetoric and targeted acts of violence.
Media will have the opportunity to interview speakers following the vigil.
CAIR-LA is Southern California’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-la-partners-to-host-interfaith-vigil-for-victims-of-san-diego-mosque-shooting/
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Trump exerts iron grip on Republican Party with Massie defeated
Anthony Zurcher
May 21, 2026
Another one bites the dust.
The past few weeks had been billed as a retribution tour for Donald Trump, as he settles old scores with his critics within the Republican party.
Call it what you will, but the evidence is now overwhelming that the Republican party is Trump's party and nothing - not an unpopular war in Iran, not sagging poll numbers among the general public, not rising consumer prices, not concerns about billion-dollar White House ballrooms - has changed that.
Thomas Massie, the independent-minded congressman from Kentucky, was comfortably defeated on Tuesday in the Republican primary race to decide who goes forward to take on the Democrats in November's midterms. The Trump-backed candidate Ed Gallrein is heading towards a 55% share of the vote.
Republican rebel Massie, a constant thorn in Trump's side, is just the latest in a political casualty count that is now stretching into double figures. His transgressions were multitude.
He opposed Trump's tax-and-spending budget package last year because he said it drove up the federal deficit. He voted to curtail the president's military operations in Venezuela and Iran. And, perhaps most notably, he was the driving force behind efforts in the House of Representatives to force the release of Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and sex offender with ties to the rich and powerful.
All this put Massie front and centre on Trump's enemies list – and led to a $20m effort to oust him from the congressional perch he had occupied for more than a decade.
"Trump once again proved his power in the Republican party," said Trey Grayson, a two-time Republican secretary of state in Kentucky.
He added that Massie had his enemies in the state politics – acquired by not playing nice with local business leaders and disregarding the everyday work of legislating in favour of high-publicity efforts. But in the end, he said, it came down to yet another simple display of Trump's iron grip on the Republican party.
Gallrien, Massie's handpicked Trump opponent, barely campaigned. He declined most debate and public forum invitations. He instead relied on the president's endorsement and millions of dollars of support it generated.
That proved to be enough – and it wasn't all that close, as the challenger coasted to what appears to be a double-digit victory.
Massie now joins Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, who lost to a Trump-endorsed rival in a Republican primary on Saturday, and five of seven Indiana state legislators opposed by the president last week among the ranks of the soon-to-be-unemployed politicians.
Next Tuesday, another incumbent senator, John Cornyn of Texas, may join them. Earlier on Tuesday, as Kentucky Republicans were still casting ballots, Trump endorsed his opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, in next week's runoff election.
Unlike Massie, on Epstein and Iran, and Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial, Cornyn never clearly broke with Trump. Just last week, he proposed a bill that would name a Texas highway after him.
It didn't matter. Trump, instead, opted for the man he called a "true MAGA warrior", while dismissing Cornyn as a "good man" who was not sufficiently supportive when "times were tough".
Trump's last-minute Paxton endorsement caught Republican senators by surprise – and prompted flashes of anger. Unlike Massie, who had few allies in Congress, Cornyn was a former member of his party's Senate leadership team. He was a prolific fundraiser for his fellow Republicans. Having spent more than two decades in the chamber, he has friendships that run deep.
"I don't understand it," said Senator Susan Collins of Maine. "John Cornyn is an outstanding senator and deserved, in my judgement, the president's support."
Trump's willingness to target Republican incumbents may come at a cost. His polling numbers continue to show deep dissatisfaction with his performance on the economy, especially among independent voters. The loyal Republicans he has helped to victory may not be the best candidates in November to convince a wider electorate.
There is also the question of what these defeated Republicans do now in their final months.
Earlier on Tuesday, Cassidy voted for the first time to support a resolution limiting Trump's authority to conduct the Iran war. He also expressed his opposition to providing a billion dollars in security funding for Trump's proposed White House ballroom.
There are a growing number of Senate Republicans who are leaving the chamber at the end of this year – either willingly or because they lost to Trump-backed opponents. They could make life difficult for the president in the coming months, as he tries to push through new spending package or seeks to get administration nominees approved.
Their opposition could put the loyalty of rank-and-file Republicans in stark relief, handing a campaign advantage to Democrats looking to tie their general election opponents to an increasingly unpopular president.
Trump is steadily removing his critics from within the Republican Party, but they may have a few parting gifts for the president on their way out.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdjpng88d2vo
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US charges Cuba's Raúl Castro with murder over 1996 downing of two planes
May 21, 2026
Kayla Epstein
The US has charged former Cuban leader Raúl Castro with conspiracy to kill US nationals and other crimes over the 1996 downing of two planes between Cuba and Florida.
The case unveiled on Wednesday accuses Castro and five others in the shooting down of the aircraft belonging to Cuban-American group Brothers to the Rescue and killing four people, including three Americans.
Castro, now 94, was then head of the country's armed forces and faced international condemnation over the crash.
As the US seeks to exert increasing pressure on Cuba's communist rule, President Miguel Díaz-Canel called the charges "a political manoeuvre, devoid of any legal foundation".
Speaking at Freedom Tower in Miami, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the US would also charge Castro with destruction of aircraft, and four individual counts of murder over the deaths of Armando Alejandre Jr, Carlos Alberto Costa, Mario Manuel de la Peña, and Pablo Morales.
"The United States, and President Trump, does not, and will not, forget its citizens," Blanche said.
The charges must be argued in a US court, with some carrying the possibility life terms. The murder charges each carry a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.
The justice department's new charges take aim at a key figurehead of Cuba's communist leadership when it is facing intense US pressure to make significant political and economic reforms to its one-party rule there.
"I think the strategy is to increase the pressure gradually to the point where the Cuban government will give in and surrender at the bargaining table," said Wiliam LeoGrand, a expert on Latin American politics at American University.
The US has issued sanctions on the country and imposed a blockade on oil to Cuba that has resulted in blackouts and food shortages.
Earlier on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a message to the Cuban people timed to the country's independence day.
"President Trump is offering a new path between the US and a new Cuba," Rubio said.
Rubio told citizens of the island that a Cuban military run conglomerate known as GAESA is primarily responsible for the blackouts and food shortages that the country continues to endure.
GAESA owns or operates most of the lucrative parts of the Cuban economy from the ports to the petrol pumps to five-star hotels.
In response to Rubio's message, Díaz-Canel accused the US of lying and imposing a collective punishment on the Cuban people.
Díaz-Canel also said that the indictment of Castro was being used to "justify the folly of a military aggression against Cuba" and accused the US of distorting the facts around the downing of the plane.
He claimed that Cuba acted in "legitimate self-defence within its jurisdictional waters".
Asked by reporters about the prospects of bringing Castro to the US to face charges, Blanche responded that there was a warrant for his arrest.
He did not confirm whether the US would try to capture Castro, but said, "we expect he will show up here, by his own will or another way".
American University's LeoGrande said he believes the US is ready to capture the former Cuban leader "if the Cubans don't surrender at the bargaining table".
In January, the US staged a military operation to seize former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and bring him to the US, after the justice department indicted him.
It transformed Venezuela's relationship with Washington, something LeoGrande cautioned would be unlikely to have the same effect in Cuba, noting Castro retired almost a decade ago.
Nearly 95 years old, Castro, the brother of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, remains an influential figure, acknowledged on the island as the surviving "leader of the Cuban Revolution".
He has relinquished his active government and party roles, but during his 2008-2018 presidency, he and former US president Barack Obama presided over a short-lived thaw in Washington-Havana relations.
Blanche said he would "not compare cases" between Castro's and that of Maduro.
President Donald Trump was asked about the political aspect of Wednesday's indictment.
"A lot of those people are related to me in the sense that I've had such a great relationship with Cuban-Americans," Trump said. "On a humanitarian basis, we're here to help."
While Castro is not expected to be extradited or to appear in the case, all options appear to be on the table, says attorney Lindsey Lazopoulos Friedman, who served as a prosecutor in the US attorney's office in Miami.
"If he did appear in the case, he would be afforded the same legal rights as any other defendant," Friedman said, adding that would ultimately include a trial by jury.
"No one expects that the case will follow this typical path... but the indictment is compelling and is supported by significant evidence," she told the BBC.
The Miami centre where US officials announced the indictment of Raúl Castro was full of Cuban Americans, mostly representing Cuban exile organisations that have for decades led opposition of the Cuban government from within the United States.
Surrounded by pictures of the four people who died in the 1996 crashes, many at the Miami event described being thrilled by the news.
"It was time, 67 years of that murderous regime," said Isela Fiterre. "Raúl Castro did not merely kill four individuals. Over the course of many years, he has killed countless people," Fiterre said.
She said it is never too late for justice and that she is grateful to the Trump administration for taking this step.
Another attendee, Mercedes Puid-Soto, echoed those sentiments.
"I feel very happy. Justice has been served," she said. "It's very important that the families can close that chapter, and we Cubans too."
Still looming over Blanche's announcement was the answer to "whether the Trump administration will use this indictment in a similar way that it used the indictment against Maduro, as a justification to carry out a military operation under the cover of a law enforcement action," said Roxanna Vigil, an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
"It's unlikely that the Cuban regime will surrender to the United States without a fight," Vigil noted. "And any move that includes working with the Cuban regime would be very difficult for the Cuban diaspora in the United States to accept."
US and Cuban representatives, including Raúl Castro's grandson Raúl Guillermo Rodriguez Castro, have held "conversations" in recent months, but US charges against the former president are unlikely to smooth these contacts.
On the contrary, the Cuban side showed signs of further entrenching into its "no surrender, no concessions" position against US pressure, with Cuban state media outlets blasting what they called the "false accusations".
Source: bbc.com
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Africa
US Plans Massive Deployment Of Wireless Technology In Nigeria, Others
By Richard Ogunsile
May 20, 2026
The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has concluded arrangements to support the deployment of American-made wireless infrastructure in Nigeria and three other West African countries.
The project is aimed at connecting off-grid communities and improving mobile access in underserved areas across the region.
According to a statement made available by the United States Embassy in Abuja, the USTDA announced funding for a feasibility study to install about 1,500 turnkey mobile communications base stations across Nigeria, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.
The agency said the planned deployment would help close the connectivity gap between urban and rural communities in West Africa.
It added that the project would provide millions of people with faster and more reliable mobile access, especially in communities that have long been offline or dependent on outdated 2G and 3G networks.
The statement read, “USTDA announced funding for a feasibility study to install approximately 1,500 turnkey mobile communications base stations from Massachusetts-based company Vanu Inc. across Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.”
According to the agency, the deployment of American-made mobile base stations will support economic activities in rural and hard-to-reach areas by improving access to digital services.
USTDA Deputy Director, Thomas R. Hardy, said the initiative was designed to bring private sector solutions to underserved communities in West Africa.
He said the project would also create opportunities for American companies while supporting trusted digital infrastructure in the region.
“USTDA is bringing private sector solutions to unlock widespread, affordable, trusted internet access in off-grid communities across West Africa,” Hardy said.
“By helping American companies compete in these critical markets, we are offering an alternative to insecure infrastructure while creating export opportunities that make America more prosperous.”
The USTDA said its assistance would fund a study for Vanu Côte d’Ivoire.
The company has selected Georgia-based Vernonburg Group LLC to provide American expertise for the assessment of the commercial viability of large-scale deployment and support efforts to mobilise financing for implementation.
The study will evaluate existing network infrastructure, analyse market conditions across the four countries, assess legal and regulatory frameworks, and develop a comprehensive financing plan.
According to the statement, the project is expected to generate major opportunities for the deployment of trusted United States wireless solutions, network management systems and other digital infrastructure during implementation.
The agency noted that the deployment of the mobile base stations would help address West Africa’s urban-rural connectivity gap.
It said the project would provide millions of people with better mobile access and support economic activities in communities that had been historically excluded from reliable digital connectivity.
“The deployment of American-made mobile base stations will address West Africa’s urban-rural connectivity gap and provide millions of West Africans with faster, more reliable mobile access, supporting economic activity in areas that have historically been offline or limited to outdated 2G and 3G networks,” the statement added.
Naija News reports that the Chief Executive Officer of Vanu Inc., Andrew Beard, said the company was proud to partner with USTDA on the project.
He said the initiative would demonstrate how mobile network operators in West Africa could deliver broadband internet and voice services in difficult markets.
“Vanu is proud to partner with USTDA to demonstrate how our systems enable mobile network operators in West Africa to deliver broadband Internet and voice services in some of the most economically and operationally challenging markets and prove that connectivity in these markets can be profitable, sustainable and scalable,” Beard said.
He added that Vanu had developed a network of American companies to deliver cost-effective systems based on open interfaces and architectures.
“Building on our pioneering world-first Federal Communications Commission certification of a software radio product, Vanu has developed an ecosystem of American companies to deliver cost-effective systems based on open interfaces and architectures.
“The USTDA study will help catalyze new investment, expand U.S. exports, and accelerate deployment of trusted, secure digital infrastructure to connect billions of people worldwide,” he added.
The planned deployment is expected to strengthen digital inclusion efforts in Nigeria and the other beneficiary countries.
If implemented, the project could improve access to mobile services in rural communities, support small businesses, strengthen communication links and expand opportunities in education, healthcare, agriculture and commerce.
The USTDA said the feasibility study would guide financing and implementation plans for the large-scale deployment across the four West African countries.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/20/us-wireless-technology-nigeria/
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Nigeria ex-minister on the run arrested after jail sentence
May 21, 2026
Former Nigerian power minister Saleh Mamman has been arrested a week after he was sentenced to 75 years in prison for corruption, the country’s anti-graft agency said.
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was detained early Tuesday in Kaduna state following weeks of surveillance and intelligence operations.
According to the agency, the former minister went into hiding after a court in Abuja convicted him earlier this month on corruption-related charges linked to two hydroelectric power projects.
The court found him guilty on 12 counts involving the diversion of public funds and ruled that prosecutors had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear for the judgment.
EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said authorities were determined to ensure Mamman served his sentence, describing the case as part of broader efforts to crack down on corruption.
During the trial, the judge said evidence presented by prosecutors showed that Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22 billion naira ($14 million) earmarked for major electricity projects. The court also said proxy companies and associates were used to siphon funds.
The prison terms attached to the different charges are to run consecutively, bringing the total sentence to 75 years.
Mamman is also facing a separate corruption case in Abuja over allegations involving 31 billion naira. Earlier this month, another court issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in that trial.
He served as Nigeria’s power minister from 2019 to 2021 under former president Muhammadu Buhari.
The case has renewed public anger over Nigeria’s long-running electricity crisis. Despite being one of Africa’s largest energy producers, the country continues to suffer from frequent power outages, forcing many households and businesses to rely on costly fuel generators.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/05/20/nigeria-ex-minister-on-the-run-arrested-after-jail-sentence/
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Three injured as section of Zaria Central Mosque under reconstruction collapses
MAY 20, 2026
About three persons sustained injuries on Wednesday when a section of the Zaria Central Mosque under reconstruction collapsed during casting work in Zaria.
The decking of the second floor beside the southern minaret caved in while workers were carrying out casting on the structure.
Witnesses said the injured persons, believed to be construction workers, were immediately evacuated to a hospital in Zaria for treatment.
No life was lost in the incident.
The construction site was subsequently cordoned off, while labourers were seen clearing debris from the collapsed section.
Efforts to obtain comments from the site engineer did not yield results as sources at the site said he had accompanied the injured persons to the hospital.
However, the spokesman for the Zazzau Emirate Council, Abdullahi Kwarbai, who did not deny the incident declined to comment.
Mr Kwarbai simply said the reconstruction project had earlier been handed over to a technical committee, which subsequently transferred the site to the construction company handling the work.
He added that a formal groundbreaking ceremony was conducted before commencement of the reconstruction project.
“As such the emirate council will not comment on the matter at the moment,” Mr Kwarbai said.
Source: gazettengr.com
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‘Buhari, Tinubu Govt Enabled Fulani Terrorists To Overtake Nigeria’ – Farotimi
May 20, 2026
Nigerian activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has accused the administration of late Muhammadu Buhari and the current government of President Bola Tinubu of enabling Fulani terrorists to overtake Nigeria.
Naija News reports that Farotimi made this known in an interview on State Affairs, a podcast hosted by Edmund Obilo.
Speaking on the worsening security bedevilling the country, Farotimi faulted the government, stressing that the impunity that has extended to the Fulanis has made it impossible to deal decisively with the situation.
He said, “It is Buhari, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Tinubu’s government that enabled Fulani terrorists to overtake Nigeria.
“The Nigerian state is so useless that at one time, an Assistant Commissioner of Police was murdered by a Fulani terrorist.
“The terrorist removed the uniform of the murdered senior police officer, wore it and sat on the table with the government at a peace negotiation.
“It is the impunity that has extended to the Fulanis that has made it impossible to deal decisively with the madness that has overtaken us.”
Meanwhile, Farotimi recently raised concerns over how Godswill Akpabio became the Senate President, saying the process that led to his emergence is questionable.
Speaking during an interview on News Central, Farotimi said Akpabio’s rise to the top seat in the Senate points to deeper problems within Nigeria’s political and electoral system.
He argued that the system allows people, he believes, who do not meet the required standards to occupy important public offices.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/20/buhari-tinubu-govt-enabled-fulani-terrorists-to-overtake-nigeria-farotimi/
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Eid-el-Kabir: Kano Announces Sallah Holiday For Schools
May 20, 2026
By Richard Ogunsile
The Kano State Ministry of Education has announced the Eid-el-Kabir holiday for all public and private primary and secondary schools across the state.
Naija News reports that the directive was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Public Enlightenment of the ministry, Misbahu Yakasai.
According to the statement, the holiday applies to both boarding and day schools in the state.
The ministry directed all boarding schools to proceed on holiday from Saturday, May 23, 2026.
It added that students in boarding schools are expected to resume on Sunday, May 31, 2026.
The government urged parents and guardians to make proper arrangements to pick up their children on the approved closing date.
“Parents and guardians of students in boarding schools are advised to pick up their children on the approved closing date, Saturday, May 23, 2026 and ensure their timely return on the resumption date,” the statement said.
Similarly, the ministry directed all-day schools to begin their Sallah break from Friday, May 22, 2026.
The schools are expected to resume academic activities on Monday, June 1, 2026.
The ministry appealed to school authorities, parents and guardians to comply with the approved holiday schedule.
It also stressed the need for students to return on time after the break to avoid disruption to the academic calendar.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr Ali Makoda, wished students, teachers, parents and the entire education community a peaceful celebration.
Makoda urged members of the school community to use the festive period to promote peace, discipline and good conduct.
The statement, however, referred to the holiday as Eid al-Kabir while also quoting the commissioner as wishing the education community a joyous Eid al-Fitr celebration.
Academic activities are expected to resume fully after the approved holiday dates.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/20/eid-el-kabir-kano-sallah-holiday/
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Kenya transport strike paused after deadly protests
May 21, 2026
In Kenya, public transport operators have suspended a nationwide strike for one week, opening the door to fresh talks with the government. The decision follows two days of protests that turned deadly, leaving at least four people dead and over 30 injured, while residents report major disruption to daily life and business activity.
The strike had paralysed transport across the country, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for a second consecutive day as operators kept their vehicles off the roads. In the capital, Nairobi, major highways were blocked as protesters clashed with police and set tyres on fire, making key routes impassable.
Residents described widespread disruption and economic strain. “There was no usual activity within the central business district,” said Nairobi resident Benard Onyango, calling for lower fuel prices to ease pressure on households.
Public transport worker Emily Otuoma said the strike had affected her livelihood and prevented children from attending school due to lack of transport.
Another resident, Julian Achola, described chaotic scenes, saying his children were heavily affected by blocked roads and movement restrictions.
Talks between operators and the government collapsed after transport unions demanded reductions in fuel prices to offset rising costs. The government attributed the increase to global energy disruptions linked to the Iran conflict, while the opposition blamed local corruption and profiteering.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/05/20/deadly-transport-strike-in-kenya-suspended-after-talks-collapse/
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M23 plays down Ebola fears as WHO visits treatment centres in eastern DRC
May 21, 2026
A M23 rebel group spokesperson downplayed concerns about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a team from the World Health Organization visited a treatment center in Nyiragongo on Tuesday.
The WHO team also went to a public health laboratory in Goma, which is under occupation by the M23 rebel group.
The World Health Organization team did not speak to the media, but M23 rebel spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said that "there was a total of 27 samples, all of which had tested negative."
“This major centre operates 24 hours a day and has the capacity to process samples from more than five provinces”, he added.
In Goma, a city of over two million people that has been under the control of M23 rebels since January 2025, concern is growing.
Amid insecurity, economic hardship and shortages, many residents fear that a new outbreak will further worsen their daily lives and are calling on the authorities to step up protective measures.
“I am asking the authorities to help us find a way to put an end to this Ebola virus,” said Innocent Bonane, a local resident.
The World Health Organization director-general openly worried Tuesday over the “scale and speed” of an outbreak of a rare type of Ebola in the country's east, where authorities reported a sharp increase in suspected deaths — to at least 131 — and over 500 suspected cases.
The virus spread undetected for weeks after the first known death as authorities tested for a more common type of Ebola and came up negative, health experts and aid workers said.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/05/20/m23-plays-down-ebola-fears-as-who-visits-treatment-centres-in-eastern-drc/
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Southeast Asia
More than 260,000 prayer spaces available at mosques and other venues during Hari Raya Haji
May 20, 2026
BYSEAN LER
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has taken "comprehensive steps" to provide sufficient prayers spaces for the community when Muslims here observe Hari Raya Haji.
This year, Hari Raya Haji, also known as Aidiladha, will be observed on May 27.
Aidiladha commemorates the completion of the haj pilgrimage and honours Prophet Ibrahim's sacrifice, often referred to as the "day of sacrifice".
In an announcement on Wednesday (May 20), a week ahead of Aidiladha, Muis said that mosques will provide approximately 240,000 prayer spaces across up to three prayer sessions, including dedicated spaces available for female congregants.
Booking is not required for prayer spaces, except for the first session at Darul Ghufran mosque, where congregants can book their places from 10am on May 22 via a prayer bookings website.
Those who have young children, the elderly, and congregants who require easier access to mosque facilities, may wish to consider the second and third prayer sessions as they are generally less crowded, Muis said.
An additional 20,300 prayer spaces will also be available at up to 44 supplementary venues.
According to Muis, this is an increase of almost 10 per cent from last year.
"These supplementary venues will cater to elderly congregants and those with mobility needs providing convenient access to prayer spaces closer to their homes," Muis said.
Muslims can find out more information on Aidiladha prayer arrangements at mosques, including timings on Muis' website.
Information on the supplementary venues and other convenient venues can also be found there.
The council also sought Muslims' support to remain socially responsible during the occasion.
It noted that illegal parking may not only obstruct emergency vehicles, but may also cause inconvenience to residents in surrounding neighbourhoods.
Source: asiaone.com
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https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/hari-raya-aidiladha-2026-prayer-arrangements-muis
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Global community urged to intensify pressure for detained GSF 2.0 activists
21 May 2026
The global community must continue to condemn and demand the release of Global Sumud Flotilla activists detained by Israel, says the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre director-general
SEPANG: The global community must continue to condemn and demand the release of Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian activists who are now being detained after being abducted by Israel, said Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby.
He said the situation is currently volatile, as GSF 2.0 activists, including Malaysians, are expected to face prolonged detention by the Zionist regime, especially if they are taken to Ketziot Prison.
“The volatile situation I mentioned earlier involves three scenarios, including the release of first-time detainees who have been detained and abducted.
“The second scenario involves those who have entered Israeli detention for a second time and are likely to face longer imprisonment and detention,” he said, adding that the most critical scenario involves the third group, whose actions are seen as a challenge to Israel, with the regime threatening to detain them for a prolonged period at Ketziot Prison.
He spoke to reporters at a press conference on the progress of the GSF 2.0 mission here today.
Viral social media footage posted by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir shows activists with their hands tied and forced to kneel after being detained by Israeli forces in international waters.
Sani Araby said the video that Ben-Gvir posted shows the regime’s arrogance and their deliberate attempt to show the world their inhumane treatment of unarmed humanitarian activists.
He said Ben-Gvir, in the video, brazenly and arrogantly told the world that they are the ones in control.
“However, the video also shows behind-the-scenes footage which suggests that what is seen may represent only a small part of the full situation, not just provocation but clear acts of abuse that, as I have said, are in clear violation of the law,” he said.
Sani Araby called on Malaysians to pray for the GSF 2.0 humanitarian activists, saying their courage has helped open the world’s eyes to the suffering caused by Israel and the efforts to liberate Gaza.
“Continue supporting the activists. At this moment, Haroqs (Muhammad Hareez Adzrami), Captain Siva (S. Patmanathan), Zainal Rashid Ahmad and Miss Chin hope their courage will be matched by the courage of Malaysians back home.
“They are on a hunger strike in the hope that the world will continue to push for an end to what they describe as unjust and oppressive laws,” he said.
Yesterday, SNCC confirmed that all 50 vessels from the GSF 2.0 mission, carrying 428 humanitarian activists from 40 countries, were intercepted by Israeli naval forces in international waters, about 80 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/global-community-urged-to-intensify-pressure-for-detained-gsf-2-0-activists/
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US denies triggering Norway’s export halt, says it helped integrate missile components for Malaysia
21 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — The United States has denied any involvement in Norway’s decision to revoke export approval for a naval strike missile system ordered by Malaysia.
The clarification came after reports by Free Malaysia Today and other outlets highlighted Norway’s move to cancel the export permit for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) system supplied by Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace under a 2018 contract.
Norway had earlier announced that it would limit defence exports to its “allies and closest partners,” prompting speculation that US‑made components embedded in the NSM, including advanced guidance gyroscopes, may have triggered American export controls.
US embassy chargé d’affaires David H Gamble Jr said Washington supported Malaysia’s efforts to strengthen its maritime defence, adding that the US backed Malaysia’s acquisition of a naval strike capability to respond to regional threats and to protect its sovereignty.
“The US remains committed to our robust defence and security relationship with Malaysia and further advancing it through our memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation, 14 regular bilateral and multilateral exercises, professional development, and maritime security assistance,” said Gamble.
He said the US had even facilitated the integration of restricted guidance components for the NSM in 2024 to ensure the system could be delivered to Malaysia.
The US Naval Institute reported that the missiles were initially scheduled for delivery to Malaysia in early March but that Malaysian officials were later “notified of unspecified delays.”
Defence minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin said Malaysia was seeking more than RM1 billion in compensation from Kongsberg for direct and indirect costs arising from the cancellation.
He said Malaysia had already paid 95 per cent of the RM634 million procurement value and that indirect costs included removing installed missile mounting systems and integrating replacement systems from other suppliers.
Prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also criticised Norway’s decision, saying it was unacceptable and that Malaysia had “faithfully honoured every obligation under the contract since 2018.”
He said Norway had not shown the same level of good faith in fulfilling its commitments.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/21/us-denies-triggering-norways-export-halt-says-it-helped-integrate-missile-components-for-malaysia/220853
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PM Anwar pledges commitment to secure release of Gaza flotilla activists, says SNCC
21 May 2026
SEPANG, May 21 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has given his assurance and full commitment to lead efforts through bilateral ties to secure the immediate release of Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) 2.0 humanitarian activists detained by Israel.
Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) director-general Datuk Sani Araby Abdul Alim Araby said the commitment was conveyed by the prime minister to SNCC during a telephone conversation today.
“The prime minister is leading all efforts together with the Malaysian government by leveraging close bilateral relations and has been in close contact with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to press for the immediate release of all detained activists, ensure their safety and prevent them from being imprisoned at Ketziot Prison,” he said.
Speaking at a press conference on developments involving the GSF 2.0 mission here today, Sani Araby said SNCC was also informed by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan that Wisma Putra had intensified diplomatic efforts with Turkiye and several other countries.
He said preparations had also been made involving Malaysian embassy representatives in Istanbul, Amman and Cairo to ensure the safety and release of Malaysians involved in the humanitarian flotilla mission.
Sani Araby said the incident had sparked international outrage and condemnation, including statements and demonstrations in Italy, Turkiye, Spain, France, Belgium, Ireland, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, Australia and Portugal, as well as by international organisations.
“They also condemned the interception and detention of humanitarian flotilla activists in international waters,” he said.
He said SNCC called on Malaysians to continue strengthening solidarity through special prayers, Qunut Nazilah, national prayer gatherings, as well as sustained diplomatic pressure and advocacy until all humanitarian delegates are released.
Yesterday, SNCC confirmed that all 50 vessels under the GSF 2.0 mission carrying 428 humanitarian activists from 40 countries were intercepted by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in international waters, about 80 nautical miles from the Gaza coast. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/21/pm-anwar-pledges-commitment-to-secure-release-of-gaza-flotilla-activists-says-sncc/220848
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Johor PAS dismisses claims it will give way to BN in state election, says party will contest state polls
By Ben Tan
21 May 2026
JOHOR BAHRU, May 21 — Johor PAS today clarified that it is prepared to contest in the coming state election, contrary to a social media post claiming that it will withdraw to make way for Barisan Nasional (BN).
Johor PAS information chief Mohd Firdaus Jaffar said the viral social media post was made by irresponsible parties to create a negative perception and weaken the party’s machinery.
He clarified that there was no such instruction from the PAS leadership to withdraw from the coming state polls.
“In fact, both PAS and the Perikatan Nasional (PN) leadership have repeatedly stressed that the machinery in Johor is prepared to face the state election at any time,” he said on his official Facebook page today.
Mohd Firdaus was responding to recent social media claims saying Johor PAS is prepared to fully give way to BN’s linchpin Umno to contest in the coming state elections.
The claims have since triggered rumours among grassroots supporters that pointed to secret negotiations between the two largest Malay-Muslim parties.
The rumours also triggered scenarios suggesting that the Islamist party’s withdrawal was part of the political cooperation for BN and Umno to secure Johor.
Following that, the cooperation was believed to be linked to Johor’s recent controversial appointment of unelected state assemblymen, where PAS would allegedly be rewarded with posts for participation in the state administration.
Despite the rumours, he said Johor PAS was not easily manipulated by such misleading political perceptions.
He also called on all PAS members not to be easily influenced and to remain focused on the ground.
Source: malaymail.com
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Johor Royal Press Office urges stern action against fake TikTok account insulting King
21 May 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — The Johor Royal Press Office has called for stern action to be taken against those responsible for creating a fake TikTok account to slander and insult His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
According to a post on the King’s official Facebook page, the Royal Press Office said the account, using the name “Sultan Ibrahim Ismail”, was found to be using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to spread insulting content against His Majesty.
Among the uploaded content was a video containing allegations that the King of Malaysia enjoyed eating pork, a post that it described as untrue and touching on sensitivities, given that His Majesty was a Malay Ruler and the Muslim Head of State.
“The Royal Press Office also expresses regret over another image in the account which depicted His Majesty’s face superimposed onto the body of an animal, which was clearly insulting and irresponsible,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the act constituted a very serious and malicious insult against the royal institution.
“In this regard, the Royal Press Office hopes that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission will take stern action against those involved,” it said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Your next AI app could come with a ‘nutrition label’ — at least in Singapore
21 May 2026
SINGAPORE, May 21 — Singapore is in talks with technology companies about attaching “nutrition labels” to AI products, designating their intended uses and limitations, a senior minister said yesterday.
“We may start with a voluntary framework, and then in time ... we’ll see how effective these kinds of labels are before deciding to take the next step,” digital development and information minister Josephine Teo told Reuters in an interview.
The labels, which would be a global first, would apply to consumer applications with AI features, similar to food or medicine labels. She said they would indicate the “right ways” and “not-so-correct ways” of using AI.
The minister, who was speaking on the sidelines of the Asia Tech x Singapore Summit, said Singapore is also developing testing frameworks and accrediting organisations to evaluate AI products.
The country has emerged as a neutral ground for the AI sector, popular with both US and Chinese startups.
Singapore announced yesterday that it would host OpenAI’s first Applied AI Lab outside the United States, with an investment of more than US$234 million (RM928.8 million).
At the same time, Google DeepMind announced a partnership with Singapore covering education, healthcare and scientific research after opening a new AI lab in the country in November.
Teo said at the ATX summit that Singapore wants to support 10,000 firms with AI adoption and expand usage across the manufacturing, healthcare and finance sectors.
She identified the city-state’s semiconductor equipment manufacturing, which accounts for 20 per cent of global supply, as a key asset to build an AI hub.
She said Singapore is also investing in energy-efficient AI research at the chip and algorithm level to address power constraints.
Teo was speaking ahead of talks she and digital ministers from other Asean member states will hold with US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.
Representatives from China are also attending the summit, which has become a rare forum where policymakers from both the United States and China regularly meet. — Reuters
Source: malaymail.com
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South Asia
Khalid Hanafi Calls for Continued Efforts Toward Implementation of Islamic Sharia
May 21, 2026
KABUL: Shaikh Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has said that Afghans achieved victory through sacrifice and are now collectively responsible for implementing Islamic Sharia across the country.
The remarks were made during a meeting with a number of tribal elders, where Hanafi stated that the Afghan people made significant sacrifices during years of conflict and occupation to achieve their primary goals, according to a statement from the ministry on Wednesday.
He emphasized that all citizens now have a duty to contribute toward strengthening Islamic values and supporting the implementation of Sharia in society.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Islamic Emirate Prioritizing Infrastructure, Urban Development Initiatives, Beradar Says
May 21, 2026
KABUL: Mullah Abdul Ghani Beradar Akhund, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, said that the Islamic Emirate is placing special focus on infrastructure projects, investment expansion, and urban development initiatives as part of efforts to strengthen Afghanistan’s economy and accelerate national reconstruction.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony of the Lajward Residential Complex worth 150 Million in Balkh Province, Beradar stated that the Islamic Emirate is working to create greater opportunities for both domestic and foreign investors while continuing the implementation of major development projects across the country.
He said large-scale national projects, including the Qosh Tepa Canal, industrial factories, highways, electricity generation projects, and urban master plans, are progressing in different sectors aimed at supporting long-term economic growth and development, according to a statement from his office on Wednesday.
Beradar emphasized that the government considers it its responsibility to provide facilities and a supportive environment for investors, particularly in the construction and infrastructure sectors.
He also described cooperation between the government and the private sector as essential for economic stability, reconstruction, and sustainable development.
The deputy prime minister further encouraged investors to increase participation in Afghanistan’s construction and development sectors, noting that investment plays a key role in job creation, urban expansion, and strengthening the national economy.
According to statement, the Lajward Residential Complex will be built by the private sector on 21 jeribs, and includes the construction of around 1,448 modern apartments and is expected to create job opportunities for nearly 7,000 people.
The complex will include commercial and healthcare facilities, schools, green spaces, mosques, recreational areas, and sports facilities, alongside other essential urban services.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://www.thekabultimes.com/islamic-emirate-prioritizing-infrastructure-urban-development-initiatives-beradar-says/
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Govt in talks with IMF for fresh $5b loan
21 MAY 2026
The government is in talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over a new three-year loan programme to replace the existing arrangement, whose terms are in conflict with the ruling BNP’s election pledges.
Bangladesh can get up to $5 billion as per its special drawing rights allocations under the new programme, whose duration would be three to four years, The Daily Star has learnt from finance ministry officials involved with the proceedings.
Talks are being held virtually with the Washington-based multilateral lender every week over the terms of the loan and the final amount.
The move to abandon the loan programme negotiated by the Awami League-led government in 2022 comes after the IMF made it clear that no further tranches would be released without progress in economic reforms in the meetings held on the sidelines of the IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, DC.
Bangladesh was due to get the fifth and sixth tranches of the loan, amounting to $1.3 billion, by June.
The IMF programme began during the previous Awami League government, which was unelected, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told reporters upon his return from Washington, DC on April 19.
The programme contained many conditions that may not be acceptable to the new BNP government, he said.
“We are an elected government. We will not accept any condition that goes against public interest. This programme will end in six to seven months, after which we will decide whether to continue further,” he said.
Key areas of disagreement include a single VAT rate, reduced tax exemptions, market-based exchange rates, cuts in power and fertiliser subsidies, and reforms in the banking sector and the National Board of Revenue.
The government is unwilling to go for any of these reforms now, the finance ministry officials said.
And yet, Bangladesh needs an active IMF programme, which acts as a “seal of approval”. It restores international investor confidence and unlocks further financial assistance from other development partners.
The government would require $3 billion to $4 billion annually in budget support to finance its large upcoming budgets and fulfil electoral commitments.
Securing at least $1 billion a year from the IMF would help unlock further financing from other development partners, according to finance ministry officials.
Based on the spirit of the talks so far, the government is confident that the IMF would issue comfort letters, a written assurance that the country is good for lending, they said.
Multilateral lenders like the WB or the Asian Development Bank typically require this assurance before they release structural adjustment loans or budget support.
Bangladesh expects to secure around $3 billion in budget support by June from lenders including the WB, the ADB, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency.
“Discussions are ongoing,” Khosru told The Daily Star on Tuesday when asked about the discussions with the IMF.
The details of the discussions cannot be disclosed at this stage, he said.
Source: thedailystar.net
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CSTO, SCO to Discuss Afghanistan and Central Asia Security
By Fidel Rahmati
May 20, 2026
Collective Security Treaty Organization said it will hold a joint meeting with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Commonwealth of Independent States later this year to discuss security in Central Asia and the situation in Afghanistan.
Russian state media reported that CSTO Secretary General Talantbek Masadykov said the meeting would focus on regional security threats and closer coordination among the three organizations.
Masadykov said the groups regularly hold high-level consultations and would continue annual cooperation on regional stability and cross-border security challenges.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu recently claimed that between 18,000 and 23,000 militants are currently active inside Afghanistan, warning that the issue remains a major concern for neighboring states.
Regional organizations including the CSTO and SCO have repeatedly expressed concerns about terrorism, drug trafficking and border instability linked to Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The comments were made during a CSTO event in Vienna focused on strengthening international peace and stability.
Regional security groups have repeatedly warned that militant activity, terrorism and cross-border threats from Afghanistan remain major concerns for Central Asia.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/csto-sco-to-discuss-afghanistan-and-central-asia-security/
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Islamic Emirate Committed to Providing Permanent Housing for Returning Citizens, Minister
May 21, 2026
KABUL: Mawlavi Najibullah Hayat Haqqani, Minister of Urban Development and Housing, said that the Islamic Emirate remains committed to providing permanent housing and dignified living conditions for Afghan citizens returning to the country.
Approving a detailed plan for a township for returning migrants in Khak-e-Jabbar district of Kabul, he said that the Islamic Emirate is working to create sustainable living environments for returnees by developing modern residential townships equipped with essential public services and infrastructure.
The township will include more than 4,600 residential plots designated for returning refugees, which will be distributed transparently, the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
The project will feature paved roads, mosques, religious schools, health centers, commercial markets, green spaces, water supply systems, and electricity infrastructure, the statement said.
The statement added that through the permanent settlement committee of the High Commission for Addressing Migrants’ Problems, nearly 30,000 plots of land have already been distributed to recently returned migrants across the country.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Uzbek Delegation in Kabul for Trade Talks
May 21, 2026
KABUL: An official delegation from Uzbekistan led by Nazimjon Kholmuradov, head of the Light Industry Development Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, arrived in Kabul on Wednesday for meetings with Afghan officials and private sector representatives, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said in a statement on Wednesday.
The delegation, which includes representatives of Uzbek textile companies, was welcomed by Mawlawi Mohammad Halim Mustaeen, Director General of Central Registration and Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the statement said.
According to the statement, the Uzbek delegation’s aim was to hold discussions with officials of the Islamic Emirate, participate in a trade connectivity conference, and conduct business meetings between Afghan and Uzbek traders.
During their stay in Afghanistan, members of the delegation are also expected to visit textile factories and industrial facilities in Balkh and Kunduz Provinces, the statement added.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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