Police Busts Pakistan-Based Terror Module Planning To Avenge Razing Of Mosque In Bandra’s Garib Nagar
New Age Islam News Bureau
01 June 2026
Image: IANS
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· Police busts Pakistan-based terror module planning to avenge razing of mosque in Bandra’s Garib Nagar
· US proposes new plan to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions amid fighting
· UAE condemns storming of Al Aqsa Mosque and raising of Israeli flag
· Hundreds arrested and dozens of police injured after Champions League riots in France
· Zohran Mamdani skips Israel Day parade, breaking decades-old New York tradition
· ISWAP Commander Reluctant To Takeover ISIS Leadership Role After Nigeria-US Strike
· Anwar praises King as symbol of unity, vows Madani govt will continue serving with dedication
· Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers to get UN medals posthumously
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India
· No terror-related fatality in J&K in May for the first time in over three decades
· J&K: Three held while attempting to cross LoC into PoK in Uri
· Probe links phone used by Pahalgam attackers to Pakistan bank under terror scanner
· Civic body razes ‘illegal’ religious structures for RRTS corridor in Faridabad
· Pakistan's telecom signals escalate security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir
· ISI asks terror sympathisers to join national political parties to escape crackdown: Officials
· Pakistani? No, 'brave Indians': Rahul Gandhi meets CBSE students alleging answer-sheet swaps
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Mideast
· UN to discuss escalation in Lebanon after Israel takes Beaufort castle
· Kuwaiti air defences intercept drone, missile attacks
· What to know as Israeli forces’ historic Lebanon incursion complicates an Iran deal
· Euphrates water levels stabilize in northern Syria
· Syria’s Sharaa holds phone call with Trump, Syrian presidency says
· Palestinian construction worker shot dead north of Jerusalem
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Arab World
· More than 39,000 volunteers help power successful Hajj 2026 operations
· Saudi crown prince, French president discuss security, cooperation
· Saudi Masam project clears 1,609 explosive devices in Yemen
· Tech, AI helps boost environmental monitoring across Hajj routes
· KAUST, Public Security launch platform to manage Hajj, Umrah operations at holy sites
· Islamic Affairs Ministry Distributes Holy Quran Copies to Departing Pilgrims at Halat Ammar
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Europe
· Anti-Israel influencer ‘barred from entering UK’
· Newtownabbey’s anti-Islam mural and the line already drawn…
· Stokie teen with England flag wrapped around face hurled missiles at mosque
· Western narratives on Azerbaijan’s religious landscape miss bigger picture
· Deputy Mayor condemns Islamophobia at London rallies
· Second batch of Mandelson files to be published on Monday
· The drivers risking death on Ukraine's most dangerous bus routes
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North America
· Trump sends back revised Iran deal text; seeks 'tougher language' on nuclear terms, Strait of Hormuz reopening
· Pence calls Trump's 'anti-weaponisation' fund 'deeply offensive' and says it should be dropped
· 'Cancel it', Trump says after artists drop out of US Freedom 250 festival
· Pro-Trump ‘anti-woke’ lawyer and leftist senator contend for Colombia’s presidency
· US military secretly guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz – NYT
· 'Low-rating disaster': Trump blasts CNN for claims that Iran deal does not cover nuclear
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Africa
· 21 ISIS/ISWAP Terrorists Killed In Fresh Nigeria-US Airstrikes
· Drone strikes kill 67 in Sudan’s Kordofan
· United States Slams Nigeria Over Poor Response To Religious Attack, Announces $3.5 Million Support
· Bandits kill Islamic cleric in Kwara community
· First Photo Of Slain ISWAP Commander Al-Minuki Emerges After US-Nigeria Joint Operation
· Keyamo Asks Jonathan To Reject Alleged Presidential Ticket
· Olawepo-Hashim Emerges Accord Party Presidential Candidate
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Southeast Asia
· Politicians must watch their words not misuse freedom of speech
· Indonesian pilgrims complete Hajj peak rites, govt praises orderliness
· Sabah detains 300 in Likas raid against deviant religious group banned by state fatwa council
· PM Anwar congratulates King on His Majesty’s official birthday, prays for blessings on royal family
· Can strategic partnerships still be trusted? Khaled Nordin questions international agreements after Norway missile cancellation
· PBBS seeks higher Kaamatan budget for halal food access
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South Asia
· Afghan, Iranian Officials Hold Talks on Addressing Border, Migrant Issues
· US Embassy announces 2-day processing for immigrant visas in Bangladesh
· Tarique warns of tough days, seeks support
· PM resumes office at Secretariat after Eid holidays
· Russian drugmaker Pharmasyntez to begin medicine exports to Afghanistan
· Afghanistan’s Technical-Military Agreement with Russia Based on National Interests
· Kabul Municipality Collects Over 4,600 Tons of Waste During Eid al-Adha Holidays
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Police busts Pakistan-based terror module planning to avenge razing of mosque in Bandra’s Garib Nagar
May 31, 2026
Image: IANS
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Delhi Police said that members of a Pakistan-backed ISI-underworld terror module were making a major plan to target policemen and security forces in Mumbai. This was being done to avenge the demolition of the illegal mosque in Bandra’s Garib Nagar area of Bandra during the recent demolition drive.
On Saturday, officials informed that eight suspected operatives, including a Nepali national, have been taken into custody.
These persons were believed to be planning attacks on vital installations, security establishments as well as police personnel in Delhi and other cities, PTI reported.
The demolition drive at Garib Nagar near Bandra station was conduced from May 19 to 23 to take actions against unauthorised structures in the area. It witnessed incidents of stone-pelting, which injured 10 persons, including policemen.
A senior Mumbai Police official told PTI that they allegedly conducted a recce of the demolition drive in Garib Nagar. After this, they sent images and video of the police deployment in the area to their handlers in Pakistan.
The key targets in the plan were the police personnel deployed in the Garib Nagar as well as members of the Hindu community.
The official added that this conspiracy was believed to have been planned by ISI in Pakistan, along with gangster Shahzad Bhatti, Yawar Khan, and underworld operative Munna Jhingada, who is a close aide of Chhota Shakeel.
Recently, Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Sajid Mehboob Shaikh alias Arbaaz Khan from Kurla in Mumbai and Tauqeer Rizwan Shaikh from Mumbra in Thane district after receiving intelligence.
During investigation, it came to light that the two of them surveyed a crowded bridge just outside the Dadar railway station, which was the potential target.
The police even recovered videos of several locations in Mumbai from the mobile phones seized from the accused persons. Also, these contained chats as well as voice notes exchanged with their handlers in Pakistan and Dubai.
Local operatives were added to the module by a Mumbai-based suspect, identified as Huzaifa, who is currently absconding.
The police official, citing preliminary findings in the case, stated that the module was tasked to carry out grenade attacks, besides firing on police personnel, security forces, and key installations in Mumbai.
Source: thestatesman.com
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https://www.thestatesman.com/india/police-busts-pakistan-based-terror-module-planning-to-avenge-razing-of-mosque-in-bandras-garib-nagar-1503600327.html
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US proposes new plan to ease Israel-Lebanon tensions amid fighting
June 01, 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago. (AFP)
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the diplomatic negotiations between Israel and Lebanon and has proposed a plan to allow for “gradual de-escalation,” a US official said on Sunday.
The US has proposed that as a first step, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group would stop all attacks on Israel and in return Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut, the official said.
“This would create space for gradual de-escalation and an effective cessation of hostilities,” according to the official.
They added that Aoun tried to advance the proposal and secure an agreement. However, Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who claimed to “guarantee” Hezbollah’s commitment to a ceasefire, placed the burden on Israel to stop “shooting first.” Netanyahu had said on Sunday that he ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
Israel army says soldier killed in south Lebanon fighting
The Israeli army announced that one of its soldiers had been killed on Monday in fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing to 26 the number of Israeli military deaths since early March.
Staff Sergeant Adam Tzarfati, 20, “fell in combat in southern Lebanon,” the army said in a brief statement.
In total, 26 Israelis have been killed — 25 soldiers and one civilian contractor — since hostilities between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah resumed on March 2, when the Shiite militant group reopened the front in support of Tehran, following US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
President says Lebanon facing ‘vicious Israeli aggression’
Aoun said on Monday that his country is facing a “fierce Israeli aggression,” a day after the Israeli army announced it had captured the strategic Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon and its intention to expand its offensive against Hezbollah.
In a statement, Aoun said that Lebanon “is facing a fierce and condemnable Israeli aggression,” vowing to “work to end the suffering of the Lebanese people in general, and the southerners in particular, and put an end to their ordeal.”
In the latest advance, Israeli troops seized the 900-year-old Beaufort Castle and a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon, the military said earlier on Sunday, a day after one of the heaviest days of Hezbollah fire toward northern Israel since the April ceasefire, prompting school closures and restrictions.
The US official said that the US did not expect Israel to absorb ongoing attacks on its civilians from Hezbollah.
Source: arabnews.com
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UAE condemns storming of Al Aqsa Mosque and raising of Israeli flag
June 01, 2026
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers.
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The UAE has strongly condemned the storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers and the raising of the Israeli flag within its courtyards.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the storming of Al Aqsa Mosque by settlers under the protection of Israeli police, describing it as a provocative and unacceptable act.
The UAE stressed the need to respect the historical and legal status quo at Al Aqsa Mosque and to ensure the protection of all holy sites.
The ministry also reaffirmed the importance of respecting the custodial role of Jordan in overseeing Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem and expressed the UAE’s full solidarity with Jordan in all measures aimed at preserving and protecting the sacred places.
The UAE called on Israeli authorities to assume responsibility for halting what it described as escalatory practices and to refrain from actions that could fuel tensions and undermine regional stability.
The ministry reiterated the UAE’s rejection of measures that violate international legitimacy resolutions and existing agreements, warning that such actions risk deepening instability.
It also urged the international community to intensify regional and international efforts to advance a comprehensive peace based on the two state solution and fulfil the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish an independent and sovereign state in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions.
Source: gulfnews.com
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Hundreds arrested and dozens of police injured after Champions League riots in France
01 Jun 2026
Paulin Kola
Watch: Paris police fire tear gas in clashes with triumphant PSG fans
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A total of 219 people have been injured in clashes between football fans and police across France after Paris St-Germain (PSG) won the Champions League final against Arsenal.
Eight were in a serious condition, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said. Thousands of officers were deployed to curb unrest that disrupted bus, train and rail services in the capital, Paris. Fifty-seven of them were injured.
Nuñez said 780 people had been arrested over the violence - with more than 450 in custody. A person was found dead after an accident on Paris's ring road, which rioters tried to block overnight.
Some 6,000 police have been mobilised for Sunday's victory celebrations, which began at the Eiffel Tower.
Scenes around the Paris landmark appeared jubilant and peaceful as the parade got under way at around 18:00 local time (17:00 BST), with fans lining the streets.
PSG players and staff toured the Champ-de-Mars next to the Eiffel Tower and then attended a reception by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. Later celebrations are planned at the club's home stadium, Parc des Princes.
Earlier, the interior minister said the security forces would be "firm" in their response to violence.
"We are a great country for maintaining public order. We allow freedom of assembly, but not excesses," he said.
There was similar violence when PSG won the same trophy last year, with celebrations turning deadly.
Thousands of officers had been deployed this time to curb unrest that disrupted bus, train and rail services in Paris.
The vast Champs-Élysées was swarmed by fans shortly after the local team won in a penalty shootout.
Footage shows flares being set off, electric bikes burning on roads and revellers smashing the glass of at least one shopfront. Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds in the city centre.
Paris police made 480 arrests, with 277 taken into custody, including 82 minors.
The figures were provisional, the Paris prosecutor's office said. It added that offences ranged from attacks on officers to attacks on property, theft, as well as illegal possession of weapons.
The circumstances surrounding the death of the 24-year-old near Porte Maillot in the Paris ring road remain unclear. Some witnesses said he was riding a motorcycle when he crashed into concrete blocks.
A teenager was also in critical condition following a brawl in another area of Paris. It is not clear if they were involved in the football-related rioting.
"The vast majority go out to celebrate and it goes very well," the French interior minister said on Sunday.
"But other individuals, who are not PSG supporters, who don't even watch the match, come to cause trouble and disturbances. We are here to prevent them from doing so. Our response is very firm."
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen wrote on X: "Only in France does a football club's victory spark riots."
"Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence," she said.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0r2ejg1w9xo
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Zohran Mamdani skips Israel Day parade, breaking decades-old New York tradition
Jun 1, 2026
New York city mayor, Zohran Mamdani sparked fresh political controversy by not attending the annual Israel day parade. Breaking the decades old tradition, decision comes just weeks after Mamdani’s administration released a video commemorating the Nakba.
The Israel Day parade, celebrated the birth of the Jewish state in 1948 and always been a must attend event for mayors, governors and other political leaders.
Speaking ahead of the parade, Mamdani reiterated that he had made his position on the Israeli government clear during the campaign and saw no reason to change his stance. He stressed that the city would ensure the event safety, pledging a strong police presence.
Mamdani decision drew criticism from several Jewish leaders. Rabbi Marc Schneier, founding senior rabbi of the Hampton synagogue called the absence a ‘slap in the place’ to Jewish New Yorkers.
The controversy surrounding the Mamdani decision was amplified by a video released by his office. The video commemorated the Nakba, an Arabic term meaning catastrophe, describe the displacement of 7,00,000 people during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.
The controversy has once again highlighted the deep divisions surrounding the Isreal-Palestine conflict. While Mamdani supporters see his stance as a reflection of his commitment to Palestinian rights, critics view its as break from a long-standing solidarity with New York Jewish community.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/zohran-mamdani-skips-israel-day-parade-breaking-decades-old-new-york-tradition/articleshowprint/131435334.cms
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ISWAP Commander Reluctant To Takeover ISIS Leadership Role After Nigeria-US Strike
June 1, 2026
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
Fresh intelligence reports indicate that senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, Ba’a Shuwa, has shown reluctance to accept a leadership role reportedly proposed by the Islamic State’s central command following the death of veteran commander Abubakar Mainok.
Naija News reports that Mainok, also known as Abu Bilal al-Mainuki or Abbor Mainok, was reportedly killed during a joint Nigeria-United States counterterrorism operation in the Lake Chad region.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that ISIS central command in Iraq moved quickly to address the leadership gap created by Mainok’s death.
According to the sources, Ba’a Shuwa emerged as one of the preferred figures to assume a broader role within ISWAP’s hierarchy.
However, intelligence assessments suggest that he has been hesitant to accept the responsibility.
“The leadership position was reportedly hinted to Ba’a Shuwa by ISIS central command in Iraq following the elimination of Mainok. However, available intelligence indicates that he is reluctant to take up the role at this time,” a source said.
Sources said the reluctance may be linked to the growing vulnerability of senior terrorist commanders to intelligence-led military operations and precision strikes in the Lake Chad axis.
Mainok’s death is believed to have triggered one of the most significant leadership crises within ISWAP in recent years.
He was regarded as a strategic figure who coordinated insurgent activities across Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon, while maintaining links with the wider Islamic State network.
ISWAP had earlier acknowledged Mainok’s death in a statement circulated through its media channels.
The group claimed that U.S. forces tracked him for months with drone surveillance before launching an airborne assault on its facility in the Lake Chad forests.
The group also admitted that its media structure was hit during the operation, with members of its media network and other associates killed.
Security analysts described ISWAP’s public acknowledgment as unusual and a sign of the importance of the slain commander.
While the group did not provide a casualty figure, open-source intelligence assessments estimated that many fighters were killed during the operation.
The affected locations reportedly included Garin Abu Bilal, also known as Sahel; Garin Ba Bunu, west of Mangari; Satir-Kanama; and Kwatan Fulani.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/01/iswap-commander-reluctant-to-takeover-isis-leadership-role-after-nigeria-us-strike/
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Anwar praises King as symbol of unity, vows Madani govt will continue serving with dedication
01 Jun 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today conveyed his highest appreciation to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, for his patronage and wisdom in guiding the nation under the principles of Constitutional Monarchy and Parliamentary Democracy.
Anwar said under His Majesty’s patronage, the Madani Government continues to move forward with dedication and confidence in carrying out its responsibilities to govern the country.
He said the government remained strong through the loyalty and unity of Malaysians, who continue to uphold the spirit and determination to build the nation despite various challenges, including racial divisions.
“The Madani Government stands firm through the loyalty and unity of the people, who are united in their resolve to build the nation despite storms and racial sentiments.
“It is this wisdom inherited from our forefathers and independence fighters that gave rise to the Constitution, which provides for a system that justifies the existence of the monarchy as the protector of Islam while guaranteeing justice and equality for all citizens,” he said.
The prime minister said this in his speech during the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the King’s official birthday celebration at Istana Negara today.
Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, also graced the ceremony.
Among those present were Anwar’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; members of the Cabinet, including Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil; and members of the diplomatic corps.
The prime minister said the government would continue its efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and uphold the rule of law, in line with Sultan Ibrahim’s emphasis on good governance and curbing the concentration of wealth among a select few
“The government remains committed to implementing fair policies and ensuring equitable distribution across all states and regions, particularly for the poor and marginalised,” he said.
Touching on global uncertainties, including economic pressures, climate change, the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and increasingly complex regional geopolitical developments, Anwar said the government continues to undertake various measures to safeguard national stability and ease the burden on the people.
He said navigating the country through these challenges requires prudent policymaking and effective measures aimed at maintaining stability while mitigating the impact on ordinary Malaysians.
“Among the initiatives introduced are prudent spending measures, the targeted RON95 fuel subsidy mechanism and the BUDI Madani programme,” he said.
The prime minister said targeted assistance programmes would continue to be refined, alongside efforts to strengthen the social safety net and address rising living costs in a prudent manner to ensure greater stability and well-being for the people.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the country’s economy continues to record encouraging growth, supported by rising investments and low unemployment, strengthening foreign investor confidence despite global headwinds.
“Prudent fiscal reforms, the empowerment of small and medium enterprises, and the digital transformation agenda have created new opportunities and quality jobs, particularly for the younger generation,” he said.
Concluding, Anwar expressed his gratitude for Sultan Ibrahim’s reign, describing His Majesty as a symbol of unity and national dignity.
The prime minister also prayed for Their Majesties and members of the Royal Family to be blessed with good health, well-being and continued wisdom in carrying out their duties.
“The people will continue to pledge their unwavering loyalty to His Majesty and strengthen their collective resolve and efforts towards the nation’s progress and prosperity,” he said.
The investiture ceremony marked the third time Sultan Ibrahim conferred Federal awards, honours and medals since His Majesty was installed as King on July 20, 2024. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers to get UN medals posthumously
1 JUNE 2026
Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag in Abyei will be posthumously honoured with the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal at the United Nations Headquarters on June 5.
The medals will be presented by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The six Bangladeshi peacekeepers are Md Jahangir Alam, Md Sobuj Mia, Md Masud Rana, Md Mominul Islam, Shamim Reza and Santo Mondol. They were killed in a drone strike on December 13, 2025.
Bangladesh is currently the 4th-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, with over 4,000 personnel, including 277 women, deployed in missions in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Libya, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
The Secretary-General will lay a wreath in honour of nearly 4,500 peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948.
He will also present the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal posthumously to 68 military, police and civilian peacekeepers from different countries who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, including 59 who died last year.
According to the United Nations, more than 50,000 civilian, military and police peacekeepers are currently serving in some of the world’s most complex and challenging environments. A total of 118 countries contribute personnel to 11 UN peacekeeping missions.
The UN General Assembly established the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers in 2002, selecting May 29 to commemorate the establishment of the first UN peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, in 1948.
This year’s theme, “Invest in Peace”, highlights the importance of sustained political and financial support for peacekeeping operations at a time of growing global conflicts and shrinking resources.
In his message marking the day, Guterres paid tribute to peacekeepers past and present and called for greater efforts to ensure their safety and security.
“Peacekeeping is a proven and cost-effective way to restore stability and hope, but it requires steady political backing and reliable financial support,” he said.
UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said peacekeepers continue to protect civilians, prevent violence and keep hope alive in some of the world’s most difficult environments.
“Investing in peacekeeping means investing in stability, prevention and the possibility of peace itself,” he said.
During the observance, the Secretary-General will also present the Captain Mbaye Diagne Medal for Exceptional Courage, the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award and the UN Woman Police Officer of the Year Award to outstanding peacekeeping personnel.
Source: thedailystar.net
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India
No terror-related fatality in J&K in May for the first time in over three decades
Fayaz Wani
01 Jun 2026
SRINAGAR: The month of May passed off peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir with no fatality due to terror-related incidents, according to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), which reflects improvement in security situation in the Union territory.
It is for the first time over three decades ago that May witnessed no loss of life in any terror incident or infiltration attempt. According to SATP data, 12 people have died in terror incidents in J&K this year with three deaths in January, six in February, two in March and one in April. The dead include 10 terrorists and one jawan.
“14 people died in terror-related violence in May in 2025, 7 in 2024, 14 in 2023, 38 in 2022, 16 in 2021, 28 in 2020, 37 each in 2019, 2018 and 2017, 27 in 2016, 16 in 2015, 10 in 2014, 12 in 2013, 13 in 2012, 19 in 2011, 43 in 2010, 27 in 2009, 39 in 2008, 59 in 2007, 140 in 2006, 188 in 2005, 195 in 2004, 241 in 2003, 288 in 2002, 300 in 2001 and 288 in May 2000,” reveals SATP data.
According to security experts, May used to see increase in violence in J&K after lull in winter months and re-opening of passes along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) due to melting of snow. Security officials said the continued anti-terror operations and strengthening of anti-infiltration grid to prevent intrusion of terrorists have had a positive impact on the ground situation. “The local recruitment by terrorists is at an all-time low and infiltration is also at its lowest,” an official said.
“All top terror outfit commanders have been killed. The terror infrastructure and support system, including the over ground workers (OGW) network, has been smashed and new recruitment has stopped,” he said. Former J&K police chief S P Vaid said, “Security forces and police have worked hard to bring down terrorists’ recruitment significantly.”
Youth from PoK crosses LoC for love, detained
Troops on Sunday detained a man from PoK, Zeeshan Mir (22), after he crossed the LoC reportedly in pursuit of cross-border love with a local girl, Irum Bano of Tulwari village, that had blossomed on social media. In a separate incident the same day, the Army foiled an alleged exfiltration bid by apprehending three persons in the Uri sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Jun/01/no-terror-related-fatality-in-jk-in-may-for-the-first-time-in-over-three-decades
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J&K: Three held while attempting to cross LoC into PoK in Uri
01 Jun 2026
The Army apprehended three persons attempting to cross the Line of Control (LoC) into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday.
The trio, all residents of Sopore in Baramulla district, were intercepted while allegedly trying to exfiltrate through the Hathlanga-Nambla axis on Saturday night.
Officials said one of those apprehended was reportedly a former Territorial Army jawan.
In a separate incident, the same Army unit detained a resident of PoK who had allegedly crossed the LoC into Kashmir in the Silikote area, officials said.
The individual, identified as Zeeshan Mir, a resident of Muzaffarabad, reportedly told authorities that he had crossed over to meet his girlfriend in Tileai village in Uri.
Both Mir and the woman are being questioned by security agencies, officials said, adding that further details were awaited.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/india/2026/May/31/jk-three-held-while-attempting-to-cross-loc-into-pok-in-uri
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Probe links phone used by Pahalgam attackers to Pakistan bank under terror scanner
Deeptiman Tiwary
Jun 1, 2026
Investigations into the Pahalgam attack have traced one of the two cellphones used by the terrorists to a consignment imported into Pakistan in 2021, financed by a Karachi-based bank that has found itself in the crosshairs of terror probes in the past, The Indian Express has learnt.
The bank was earlier alleged to be associated with funds of proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Lajnat-al-Dawa, a Kuwait-based foundation with alleged links to Al-Qaeda. Also, both the cellphones, though imported in 2021 and 2023, remained unused until the run-up to the Pahalgam attack on April 22, 2025, said sources.
According to investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Pahalgam attackers carried two Xiaomi cellphones of the RedMi series — a 9T (orange) imported in 2021 and a Note 12 (black) in 2023. The phones were recovered from the three attackers — Faisal Jatt alias, Suleiman Shah, Habeeb Tahir alias Jibran, and Hamza Afghani — after they were killed in an encounter at Mulnar Mahadev, in Dachigam Forest, Jammu and Kashmir, on July 28, 2025.
Following an enquiry with Xiaomi Global, it was found that the RedMi 9T was part of a consignment that was imported by Pakistan-based company, Tech Sirat Pvt Ltd, which has its office on Clifton Road in Karachi, said sources. According to details provided by Xiaomi, the consignment was delivered in Pakistan on January 1, 2021. The logistics company listed for the consignment was “Faysal Bank” while the delivery address was recorded as “St/02, Faysal House, Main Branch, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Karachi, Pakistan”.
This is the official address of Faysal Bank Ltd, a leading Islamic bank in Pakistan. Sources said the bank appears to have provided the finance for the import by Tech Sirat — a normal business practice where banks provide letters of credit to importers of large consignments.
“The consignment must have been received by Tech Sirat, but documents show delivery to the bank since it has financed it. The phone used by the Pahalgam attackers appears to have been smuggled out of this consignment and found its way to the LeT. Notably, since the import in 2021, the phone was never switched on, until the Pahalgam attack. It appears that it was whisked away from the consignment for precisely the purpose of being handed over to a terrorist,” said an officer privy to the investigation details.
While there is no evidence of Faysal Bank’s direct links to the Pahalgam attack, the bank has been linked to terror investigations in the past. In 2007, a New York Times report stated that lawsuits brought into the courts following the 9/11 attacks “show that two extremist groups in Pakistan that have been designated by the United States for their support of terrorism, maintained deposit accounts at Faysal Bank Limited… One is Lashkar e-Tayyiba, an armed group fighting India… and another, Lajnat al-Dawa, is a Kuwait-based foundation that has links to Al-Qaeda, according to the US Treasury website”.
The report also stated that the lawyer of the bank’s holding company had denied any links with terror organisations and said “the accounts were frozen as soon as the clients had been either put on a designated list or banned in Pakistan”.
According to a 2002 report by Pakistani daily Dawn, referenced by South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) in its monthly security briefs of the time, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan had started gathering details of accounts maintained by the LeT, Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Al-Rashid Trust (ART), Al-Badr, Saif-ul-Mujahideen, Tehreek-e-Jafferia Pakistan (TJP) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). It said the sources indicated that each proscribed group had been maintaining several local and foreign currency accounts with different nationalised and commercial banks, including the Habib Bank, National Bank, Allied Bank, Muslim Commercial Bank and Faysal Bank.
The second phone, a RedMi Note 12, used by the Pahalgam attackers was imported by Air Link Communications Ltd, whose office is in New Garden Town, Lahore. This phone, too, was never switched on until the run-up to the Pahalgam attack, said sources.
According to sources, no communication data could be retrieved from these phones since the terrorists were using long range radio communication technology, which helps communicate securely over long distances without relying on cellular networks or the internet. Investigators have, however, retrieved a few photographs and maps, including of Baisaran Meadows in Pahalgam and the surrounding areas, from the two phones. One photograph is of a tent that the terrorists had set up on March 30, 2025, weeks ahead of the attack which killed 26. The tent, with a stove visible on the side, appears pitched at a height, putting the terrorists at an advantage vis-a-vis the movement of security forces.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Civic body razes ‘illegal’ religious structures for RRTS corridor in Faridabad
May 30, 2026
The Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) on Saturday carried out a major demolition drive in the city’s New Industrial Township (NIT), razing alleged illegal religious structures, including a mosque and a temple, to clear the right of way for crucial infrastructure projects, said officials.
These constructions directly obstructed the alignment of the upcoming Gurgaon-Faridabad-Noida Namo Bharat Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) corridor and a proposed elevated road project, they added.
The operation, which was carried out on the directives of the National Green Tribunal, began at 4 am amid heavy police deployment. The Home department had ordered a temporary suspension of mobile Internet, bulk SMS, and dongle services within a 1-km radius of the demolition site.
The mosque called Jama Masjid, built on 700 sq yard at Masjid Chowk in NIT-3 and at least 40 years old, was frequented by members of the Meo-Muslim (Mewati) community.
“The Jama Masjid was built in the 1970s and saw daily prayers. There was also a madarsa inside,” Gurugram Imam Sangathan chief Mufti Abdul Haseeb Qasmi told The Indian Express.
“The local imam told me no prior notices regarding the demolition were issued,” he added.
Additional Municipal Commissioner Paramjeet Chahal told The Indian Express that the drive “was long overdue”. He also denied that notices were not served before the demolition was carried out.
“The land on which the encroachments had come up belonged to the government… the land had been transferred to the civic body. We have been pasting notices on such properties for a while now,” he said.
“We restricted the drive to one mosque, one small Shiv temple that was 400 m away from the mosque, and some shops. We will update the High Court, Supreme Court and the NGT since the drive was undertaken in compliance with their directions,” he added.
A senior civic official, who did not wish to be named, said, “All due process was followed and multiple notices were issued. The masjid was an encroachment on a public road, and the temple was built on a green belt.”
“Duty magistrates were deployed and the drive wrapped up peacefully by 6 pm, though we have asked the police and the administration to station personnel at the area overnight to maintain law and order.”
Asked why the drive was undertaken, the official said, “The route fell under the RRTS’ proposed alignment and needed to be cleared.”
The police began barricading the area around Masjid Chowk at 2 am, completely restricting civilian and vehicular movement before earth-moving machines were deployed, a Faridabad Police spokesperson said.
Nuh Congress MLA Aftab Ahmed, who visited the site, condemned the drive.
“It was done to target members of the minority community and destroy the mosque. The mosque is not located on the main road. They had not sent notices… The last notice was sent a year ago, saying that demolitions will take place. At that time, the panchayat had intervened,” he claimed.
“They put the imam and his son and several others under house arrest… or detained them… Now, just to maintain peace, they have destroyed a Shiv temple, which was built on the green belt,” he alleged.
The police, however, denied the allegations. “We did not detain or put anyone on house arrest. The land belongs to the civic body and we were following orders… The main mosque was located on the public road and the temple was built on the green belt,” Faridabad Police spokesperson Yashpal Yadav said.
Civic officials said the anti-encroachment drive will continue in the area to ensure the timely completion of infrastructure works.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Pakistan's telecom signals escalate security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir
31.05.26
Pakistan is actively violating international telecommunication norms by deliberately beaming superfluous cellular signals across the border into Jammu and Kashmir aimed at providing a covert communication lifeline to terrorist groups operating in the Union territory, with a sharp focus on the Jammu region, officials said on Sunday.
Recent infiltration patterns, particularly in the south of the Pir Panjal range, indicate there has been a significant surge in telecom towers erected along the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) whose signals reach various Jammu jails where hardcore terrorists are lodged.
While the mountains of the Kashmir Valley naturally block most of these rogue signals, the flat topography of the Jammu plains allows the frequencies to penetrate deep into Indian territory.
Signal traces have been detected in border districts, including Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch, and as far inland as the highly sensitive Kot Balwal jail area in Jammu, the officials said.
The officials said that jammers used at present in some prisons in the terror-hit region have been unable to block the signals and choke illicit communication by inmates as smuggled mobile devices reportedly continued to function inside blanketed prison zones.
There are 14 jails in Jammu and Kashmir, besides two correctional homes.
The officials said that since Jammu and Kashmir has a hyper-sensitive threat environment, further complicated by cross-border signals, drone-assisted devices and shifting telecom spectra, there was a need to install next-generation facility rather than traditional, static jammers that risk compromising security while cutting off nearby civilian communities.
The officials said that the new technology is designed to pinpoint and neutralise active rogue devices within specific zones.
In 2019-20, the security agencies had focused on rogue communication networks from across the border and successfully dismantled them after cracking the encryption, the officials said, adding that the present attempts will meet a similar fate.
The officials said that the strategic placement of telecom towers by Pakistan along the International Border and Line of Control violates Article 45 of the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a United Nations body which mandates that all 193 member states take necessary steps to prevent the transmission of false, misleading or superfluous signals, and actively cooperate in locating unauthorised stations.
The ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau has previously reiterated that such transmissions are strictly forbidden.
These installed towers utilise Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, featuring high-grade encryption developed by a Chinese firm specifically tailored for YSMS operations.
Because CDMA allows multiple signals to occupy a single transmission channel, it severely complicates real-time electronic monitoring by security agencies.
The officials said that terror outfits are leveraging YSMS services, an advanced technology that merges smartphones with radio sets to facilitate encrypted, off-grid communication.
The rogue telecom network allows a PoK-based handler to stay in constant touch with both an infiltrating group and its local reception party in Jammu, specifically to evade interception by the Army and the Border Security Force guarding the front lines.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/pakistan-beaming-rogue-telecom-signals-to-aid-terror-networks-penetrate-jails-in-jammu-and-kashmir-officials/cid/2163304
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ISI asks terror sympathisers to join national political parties to escape crackdown: Officials
31.05.26
In a move aimed at evading security crackdown and investigation into terror incidents, Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has asked its established network of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in Jammu and Kashmir to infiltrate mainstream national political parties, officials said on Sunday.
The ISI is also trying to recalibrate its strategy by making desperate attempts to revive dormant, locally-founded terror outfits from the early 1990s to give an "indigenous colour" to terrorist violence and mask the direct involvement by Pakistan, which is facing constant monitoring by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) -- the global watchdog on money laundering and terror financing.
According to officials of the central security agencies, recent interrogation of OGWs arrested by Srinagar police showed that some of them were part of national political parties.
By embedding terror sympathisers, who provide critical logistical support, recruitment and funding to terror outfits, in legitimate political structures, the ISI hopes to shield its assets from the ongoing operations by security forces.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the strategy stems from a sense of desperation and explained that the ISI is running out of options because their conventional terror groups are under intense pressure from security forces and the local support base for newer proxy outfits has shrunk significantly.
By trying to resurrect old names and blending their workers into mainstream politics, they are attempting to capitalise on a historical narrative to lure a new generation of youth while buying political immunity for their operatives.
According to officials, when an OGW is cornered during cordon and search operations, they often attempt to flash basic membership cards of national political parties in a futile bid to escape the dragnet.
Security officials have noted that this tactic has evolved over the decades as suspects routinely used voter identity cards to evade police in the late 1990s, and later tried to use Aadhar cards to dodge deep investigations.
The officials made it clear that no political leadership has ever stepped in to save such people.
In a related development, the OGW activities have been seen in reviving outfits that had become largely defunct after 1993.
The security agencies are now closely tracking the resurfacing of names of terror groups that defined the initial, bloody phase of the Jammu and Kashmir terror in the 1990s and early 2000s, including Al-Umar Mujahideen, Al Badr and Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen.
By attempting to revive these older, home-grown banners, the ISI aims to project a false narrative that the terror violence in Jammu and Kashmir is an internal, home-grown movement rather than a proxy war orchestrated from across the border, the officials said.
While the high command of these revived terror groups remains safely sheltered in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, their ground-level networks are attempting to become active in propaganda, funding and radicalisation, they said.
The officials said that central intelligence agencies are maintaining a tight vigil on these developments and ensuring neutralisation of the logistical networks being spun by these resurfaced OGWs.
At the same time, they are aggressively combating the ideological subversion of youths by terror sympathisers as it will be critical in sustaining the hard-earned peace and stability in the region.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Pakistani? No, 'brave Indians': Rahul Gandhi meets CBSE students alleging answer-sheet swaps
01.06.26
Rahul Gandhi on Sunday met a group of Class XII students who are victims of the CBSE’s new digital evaluation system, describing them as “brave young Indians” who had asked the Narendra Modi government simple questions but received “insults instead of answers”.
The students included Vedant Shrivastava, who first flagged the alleged swap of answer sheets because of which he got poor marks in physics. Vedant has faced vicious online trolling, including being called “Pakistani agent” and “anti-national”.
Rahul, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, posted a video on X about his conversation with the students on the “on-screen marking (OSM)” fiasco.
“A revealing chat with my fellow ‘anti-national Soros agents’. Vedant and his friends are brilliant, brave young Indians who asked CBSE and the Modi government simple questions — but got insults instead of answers. They deserve a bright and secure future. We will make sure they get it,” the Congress leader wrote.
Vedant told Rahul that he had done well in the physics exam, yet got poor marks.
Showing Rahul photocopies of the answer sheets he received, Vedant said: “We had the opportunity to apply for photocopies of the answer sheets. When I opened the photocopy, I found a mismatch in my handwriting. The front page had my handwriting. Inside, it was somebody else’s. I realised it was not my answer sheet. I raised it on X. A lot of people supported us.”
His brother Siddhant said the issue created an uproar and they faced abuse on social media. “They started calling us anti-national and Pakistani, deep state agents, Soros agents,” he said.
Rahul broke into laughter and told the cameraperson to turn the focus towards the students, adding sarcastically “17-year-old terrorists”. He asked the youngsters what “deep state” meant and also referred to George Soros, the 95-year-old American investor and philanthropist often accused by the Right-wing ecosystem in India of trying to destabilise the country.
“That is crazy. You have nothing to do with anything. You are asking for your answer sheets, that’s all. Now suddenly you have become anti-nationals,” Rahul told the students.
Referring to the government, the Congress MP said: “You have to accept the problem if you have to solve the problem. You are refusing to accept the problem and blaming the poor kids and saying ‘you are deep state, you are spies, terrorists’.”
In another post, Rahul criticised the CBSE for the poor scanning of answer sheets by the service provider, COEMPT.
“CBSE’s May 2025 tender required answer sheets to be scanned with automatic robotic scanners, spines preserved, at a minimum of 300 DPI. The tender re-issued in August quietly removed all of it. ‘Scanners’ became generic. Resolution dropped to 200 DPI. Now we know what that meant in practice,” he wrote.
BJP leader Amit Malviya accused Rahul of “using students to whitewash his sins”.
“No amount of grandstanding will ever erase his attempts to seek foreign intervention in India’s internal matters. Neither will it negate the fact that he routinely meets foreign elements inimical to India’s interests.
“Nor can it wash away the uncomfortable reality that George Soros, who funds the global loony Left ecosystem and has openly vowed to unseat India’s democratically elected government, has long viewed Congress and its leadership as convenient instruments to further his agenda,” he posted on X.
“Students deserve answers, not political exploitation. Before posing as their champion, Rahul Gandhi should explain his own record.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Mideast
UN to discuss escalation in Lebanon after Israel takes Beaufort castle
June 01, 2026
QLAYAA, Lebanon: The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting Monday on the fighting in Lebanon after Israel’s military took over the medieval castle of Beaufort in Lebanese territory, diplomatic sources told AFP.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to push deeper into Lebanon and called Sunday’s operation a “dramatic shift” in the campaign against Hezbollah.
A truce to halt the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began on April 17, but has never been observed. Both sides accuse each other daily of violating the ceasefire and justify their attacks by the other’s alleged breaches.
Diplomatic sources told AFP that the United Nations Security Council would hold an emergency meeting Monday over Israel’s expansion of its offensive in the country.
The meeting was requested by France, whose President Emmanuel Macron said “nothing justifies the major escalation under way in south Lebanon,” calling for an end to fighting.
Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israel in retaliation for the US-Israeli killing of Iran’s supreme leader.
Israel hit Lebanon over the weekend, with eight people killed in a strike on Deir Zahrani in southern Lebanon on Sunday including three women, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
The Iran-backed militant group, meanwhile, said it targeted Israeli forces near the fortress as well as army positions and infrastructure in Shlomi and Nahariya in northern Israel, while air raid sirens blared in the Acre area.
A senior US official told AFP on Sunday that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the ongoing diplomatic negotiations and asserted that Hezbollah must be the first to cease its attacks.
“To advance those talks, the United States proposed a clear sequence: Hezbollah must stop all attacks on Israel. In return, Israel would refrain from escalation in Beirut,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, about the conversations between the three leaders.
Military delegations from Lebanon and Israel held security talks in Washington on Friday and more US-brokered negotiations are planned next week.
In a video statement released after the military took Beaufort, Netanyahu said “we have returned united, determined and stronger than ever.”
“Now my directive is to deepen and expand our hold in places that were under Hezbollah’s control. The capture of Beaufort is a dramatic stage and a dramatic shift in the policy we are leading.”
Israeli forces used the Beaufort castle, also known as Qalaat Al-Chakif, as a base during their previous two-decade occupation of southern Lebanon that ended in 2000.
Shelling was audible and smoke rose from the surrounding area as AFP saw the Israeli flag above the castle.
‘Impossible to return home
In a shelter for the displaced in Sidon, southern Lebanon’s largest city, Zeinab Fakih, from Nabatieh, told AFP “we are afraid.”
“It is impossible for us to return to our home, because the city is in great destruction,” she said, adding that the arrival of Israeli forces at the castle was “tragic.”
The push to Beaufort came as the Israeli military issued a sweeping evacuation order to areas south of the Zahrani River, north of the Litani and around 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the border.
An Israeli strike near a hospital in Tyre wounded 13 staffers, the Lebanese health ministry said.
A few thousand people remain in Tyre’s small old city, spared from Israeli evacuation warnings, some sleeping in their cars.
In Sidon, an AFP photographer saw civil defense teams from the Tyre region reach the city after Israel’s military called them to evacuate.
Ali Safieddine, civil defense head in Tyre city, said they have “temporarily relocated to Sidon.”
The Israeli army said a Hezbollah explosive drone killed one of its soldiers Saturday, bringing to 25 the number of Israeli military deaths in Lebanon since early March.
It added that “since the start of the ceasefire, 900 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated.”
Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,412 people since early March.
Source: arabnews.com
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Kuwaiti air defenses intercept drone, missile attacks
June 01, 2026
DUBAI: Kuwait’s air defenses were intercepting missile and drone attacks on Monday as sirens sounded across the country, the state news agency KUNA reported, without providing further details.
If explosion sounds are heard, they result from the air defense systems intercepting the hostile attacks, the Kuwaiti army headquarters posted on social media.
“Everyone is requested to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities.”
Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps meanwhile said on Monday its aerospace force targeted an air base used in what it called a US attack on a telecoms tower on Sirik Island, but did not give the location of the base.
Kuwait was similarly hit by a drone-and-missile attack last week, which it blamed on Iran, and described the attack a “dangerous escalation.”
Source: arabnews.com
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What to know as Israeli forces’ historic Lebanon incursion complicates an Iran deal
May 31, 2026
TEL AVIV, Israel: Israeli forces are making their deepest incursion inside Lebanon since they withdrew from the country over a quarter-century ago, despite a nominal US-brokered ceasefire and the first direct talks between the countries in decades.
The Israeli advance presents a challenge in the emerging deal to extend the Iran war ceasefire as Tehran wants any agreement to end fighting in Lebanon, too. There was little international outcry, though Qatar called it a “dangerous escalation,” and no comment by the United States.
On Sunday, Israeli forces seized a symbolic fort in southern Lebanon that offers commanding views across Lebanon and into northern Israel. The last time they seized it, they held it for 18 years.
Israel says it is targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group, which has a strong political presence in southern Lebanon and has launched thousands of missiles and drones at Israeli soldiers there and in northern Israel.
Israel has warned Lebanese civilians across the south to evacuate or risk being in the line of fire. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Saturday accused Israel of “implementing a policy of total destruction of cities and towns.”
Over 3,300 people, including dozens of children, have been killed in Lebanon since the fighting began March 2, two days after the Iran war started. About 1 million people have been displaced. At least 25 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in Lebanon or northern Israel, along with two civilians in northern Israel.
Here’s what to know:
Fort has been a military asset for nearly 1,000 years
Israeli forces seized Beaufort, also called Al-Shaqif, which was built as a Crusader castle around the 12th century and later used by Saladin’s Jerusalem army, Mamluks, Ottomans, the French mandate and the Palestinian Liberation Organization.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who last week vowed to “increase the blows,” noted that Beaufort is “a symbol of a heroic battle for our fighters” but also “a symbol of deep division between us.”
The fort summons a sense of victory over the Israeli military’s seizure of it in 1982, but it also symbolizes the high price of defending it before it was handed over in 2000, said Orna Mizrahi, a former deputy director in the government’s National Security Council.
The military’s return feels like Israel is going in circles, said Mizrahi, now a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies. “There’s a feeling of, ‘For what?’”
Israel likely will relinquish control eventually, she said, even as Defense Minister Israel Katz vows to make Beaufort part of Israel’s permanent security zone in southern Lebanon.
The military’s presence will not solve the issue with Hezbollah, Mizrahi said: “Yes, we are damaging them in the operations, but in parallel we need to pursue a political and diplomatic solution.”
Israel sees a threat to its northern communities
Israel has long considered Hezbollah a threat. The Shiite Muslim armed group emerged in 1982 in response to an Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has targeted communities in northern Israel and joined the war in Gaza in 2023 in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Israel badly weakened Hezbollah during months of war. Fighting ended with a US-brokered ceasefire in late 2024 after indirect talks, and Israeli forces withdrew except from five strategic hilltops along the border.
The new Lebanese government came to power with promises to disarm groups such as Hezbollah, but the militants resisted. Israel, meanwhile, claimed that Hezbollah was rearming and rebuilding.
On March 2, Hezbollah again fired at Israel, prompting Israel to invade southern Lebanon. Lately, Israel has said it is trying to keep Hezbollah from using a new kind of fiber-optic drone against its forces and civilians. The drone has been widely used in the war in Ukraine.
Lebanon says Israel has gone too far
Hundreds of thousands of people have fled southern Lebanon as Israeli forces carried out airstrikes and ground troops pushed into the country. Many people now shelter in the capital, Beirut, where hundreds have been killed, including in an intense bombardment in April.
The United States brokered a ceasefire that began in mid-April. Unlike the one in the Iran war, it has not held.
Israeli forces now control large areas in southern Lebanon and have demolished homes and historical sites. Israel is trying to “uproot Lebanon’s memory and erase the people’s history,” Lebanon’s prime minister, Salam, said Saturday.
Hezbollah has refused to accept results of talks
Talks between senior officials from Israel and Lebanon began in April in Washington, the first in more than three decades between the countries that have no formal diplomatic relations.
On Friday, the first direct military talks in decades occurred.
Issues to work out include an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, deployment of Lebanese forces there and the disarming of Hezbollah, which has refused to give up weapons while Israeli forces remain in the country.
Talks will continue this week. Hezbollah is not taking part and has said it would not accept any results. The group prefers that negotiations benefit from Iran’s leverage and sees the Lebanese government as weak, a position shared by some others in the country.
Lebanon’s people have been divided over the talks, whose announcement was met with protests. Many Lebanese are angry with Hezbollah for the destruction it has caused in the country but also wary of Israel.
Lebanon’s prime minister has called the direct negotiations “currently the least costly option,” adding that they don’t mean a surrender and acknowledging they are not guaranteed to produce results.
Source: arabnews.com
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Euphrates water levels stabilize in northern Syria
May 31, 2026
DEIR EZZOR: Authorities managing the Kadiran Dam in northern Syria have reduced water discharge into the Euphrates River as flood risks ease following a decline in upstream inflows from Turkey, officials announced on Sunday.
The dam’s administration lowered the discharge rate to approximately 1,500 cubic meters per second, down from 2,000 cubic meters per second.
The decision was made after water levels along the river began to stabilize, particularly in parts of the Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces that were heavily impacted by the recent flooding.
According to the director of the Kadiran Dam, the reduction was closely coordinated with operators at the nearby Euphrates Dam.
In response, discharge rates there were also lowered, and one spillway gate was closed to help regulate river flows and limit any further rises in water levels.
Officials stated that these combined measures are expected to lead to a gradual decrease in water levels along the Euphrates over the coming days.
In Deir Ezzor province, the local Emergency Response Committee reported that water levels on the western side were expected to remain stable through Sunday, with floodwaters likely to begin receding later in the day.
Further downstream, between the cities of Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bukamal, authorities reported elevated river levels but anticipated that conditions would stabilize by Sunday evening.
The committee has urged residents in the affected areas to strictly follow official safety guidance and called on emergency agencies to maintain a high level of preparedness.
Source: arabnews.com
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Syria’s Sharaa holds phone call with Trump, Syrian presidency says
May 31, 2026
DAMASCUS: Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa held a phone call with US President Donald Trump, during which they discussed support for the Syrian economy and the latest regional developments, the Syrian presidency said on Sunday.
During the call, Sharaa said lifting the remaining US sanctions on Syria was essential to reviving the economy and attracting investments, according to the statement.
The United States says some sanctions remain in place despite dismantling most of its Syria sanctions regime and repealing the Caesar Act, which imposed sweeping measures on individuals, companies and institutions linked to former President Bashar Assad.
Washington says sanctions will continue to target Assad and his associates, as well as alleged human rights abusers, traffickers in the addictive stimulant captagon, and other actors it says are destabilizing the region.
The US has also said it is reviewing Syria’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism, which carries restrictions on US foreign assistance, defense exports and certain financial transactions.
Lifting the remaining sanctions is widely seen as key to the success of Syria’s new government. Several Saudi firms are planning billion-dollar investments in the country as part of Riyadh’s efforts to support its recovery, while other Gulf states have also pledged financial assistance.
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestinian construction worker shot dead north of Jerusalem
May 31, 2026
SALEM, Palestinian Territories: Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man on Sunday as he attempted to enter Jerusalem by climbing over a barrier separating the city from the occupied West Bank, Palestinian authorities said.
The Palestinian Health Ministry in Ramallah identified the man as Imad Haroun Ashtiyeh, 26, saying he was killed by Israeli gunfire near the town of Al-Ram, north of Jerusalem.
Ashtiyeh, a construction worker from the village of Salem near Nablus, had attempted to climb the barrier at Al-Ram with a few other men to reach the Israeli city of Tel Aviv for work, said Omer, a relative who gave only his first name.
“But then he was shot while attempting to climb over,” Omer said.
An AFP journalist saw Ashtiyeh’s corpse shrouded in a Palestinian flag at the Ramallah medical complex, his relatives weeping over his body.
The Palestinian Authority’s press office wrote on X that “Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian man seeking work while crossing the annexation and apartheid wall.”
Al-Ram, located near the Qalandiya checkpoint, is separated from Jerusalem by a section of the barrier reinforced with barbed wire.
Israeli security officials say a significant number of Palestinians from the West Bank attempt to enter Israel illegally, often by climbing over the barrier.
They are driven largely by economic hardship and the loss of work permits since the Hamas assault that sparked the Gaza war in October 2023, Palestinian officials say.
Most of them are arrested, while some have died or been injured fleeing from Israeli forces, Palestinian officials say.
Ashtiyeh is the fifth Palestinian killed trying to cross into Israel this year, and the 52nd since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions.
Israel began building the barrier at the height of the second Palestinian intifada that erupted in 2002, saying it was needed to maintain security amid suicide bombings in Jerusalem and other Israeli cities. The barrier cuts into many parts of the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, and Palestinians see it as a land grab and a de facto border, illegal under international law.
Israel maintains tight restrictions on the movement of the West Bank’s roughly 3 million residents, who require special permits to cross checkpoints into East Jerusalem and Israel.
Violence has sharply escalated in the Palestinian territory since the Gaza war began.
At least 1,075 Palestinians — both militants and civilians — have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the West Bank since October 2023, according to AFP figures based on Palestinian Health Ministry data.
In the same period, at least 46 Israelis, including soldiers and civilians, have been killed in attacks or military operations in the West Bank, official Israeli figures show.
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Arab World
More than 39,000 volunteers help power successful Hajj 2026 operations
June 01, 2026
MAKKAH: More than 39,000 volunteers participated in Saudi Arabia's Hajj 2026 operations, helping support over 1.7 million pilgrims as part of a successful seasonal plan coordinated by the National Center for the Non-Profit Sector (NCNP), the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The NCNP said its operational plans and specialized initiatives for this year's pilgrimage were implemented successfully, highlighting the growing role of the Kingdom's non-profit sector in supporting one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings.
According to the center, more than 39,000 male and female volunteers were mobilized to provide services at the holy sites, border crossings, pilgrim cities, miqats, roadside rest areas, and locations across Makkah and Madinah.
The volunteer effort formed part of broader initiatives aimed at enhancing pilgrim services and strengthening community participation in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to expand the social and economic impact of the Kingdom's non-profit sector.
The center said volunteers underwent intensive qualification and training programs before deployment, improving their readiness to assist pilgrims throughout the Hajj season.
A key component of the operation was the third edition of the Hajj Volunteer Operations Center, which served as a real-time command and coordination hub. The center linked 16 government and non-profit organizations through a unified digital platform and operational dashboards, helping accelerate response times and improve the management of volunteer activities across the holy sites.
The NCNP attributed the success of the operational plan to the support provided by the Saudi leadership and the integrated efforts of government agencies and non-profit organizations involved in serving pilgrims.
More than 1.7 million Muslims performed Hajj this year, according to figures released by the General Authority for Statistics. The total included 1,546,655 pilgrims arriving from abroad and 160,646 citizens and residents who performed the pilgrimage from within the Kingdom.
Saudi authorities have increasingly incorporated volunteer programs, digital coordination tools and cross-sector partnerships into Hajj operations as part of wider efforts to enhance pilgrim services and improve the management of large-scale crowds during the annual pilgrimage.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645607/saudi-arabia
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Saudi crown prince, French president discuss security, cooperation
May 31, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron held a call on Sunday to discuss diplomatic measures aimed at strengthening regional security and stability.
They also addressed efforts to ensure the security and freedom of maritime navigation, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
During the call, they discussed areas of cooperation between Saudi Arabia and France, as well as several regional and international issues of mutual interest, the SPA added.
Despite a ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran in April, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed for over 90 days to shipping since the US and Israel launched attacks against Iran on Feb. 28.
Last month, France and the UK invited military representatives and ministers from 40 nations to join the Multinational Military Mission to clear mines from the vital energy waterway, and resume navigation for oil and gas shipments.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645562/saudi-arabia
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Saudi Masam project clears 1,609 explosive devices in Yemen
May 31, 2026
RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Masam project removed 1,609 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
These include 1,584 unexploded ordnances, 21 anti-tank mines, and four anti-personnel mines, according to a recent report.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately across the country, posing a threat to civilians, including children, women, and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale, and Saada.
This brings the total number of mines cleared since the launch of the Masam project in 2018 to 564,339, including 6,323 cleared in May.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads, and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The project trains local demining engineers, provides them with modern equipment, and supports Yemenis injured by the devices.
Through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, Saudi Arabia continues its efforts to clear mines from Yemeni territory, enhancing civilian safety and enabling people to live in a safe and dignified environment.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645571/saudi-arabia
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Tech, AI helps boost environmental monitoring across Hajj routes
May 31, 2026
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Environmental Compliance announced a 145 percent increase in inspection rounds targeting high environmental impact activities during the Hajj season, compared with the previous season.
Ali Al-Ghamdi, CEO of center, said that this year’s monitoring and inspection relied on more than 200 satellite images, enhanced with artificial intelligence analysis and a team of specialists, to cover a wider area around the Two Holy Mosques and the holy sites.
The center responded to over 100 environmental reports, half of which were detected via satellite imagery, he said. This enabled inspection teams to be directed more accurately and efficiently. Laboratory analysis of samples was also expanded to more than 2,300 tests across the two holy cities.
Al-Ghamdi said that the center conducted over 1,800 inspection rounds during the season, which identified around 250 cases of noncompliance. Of these, 95 percent were related to organizational and administrative aspects, while technical environmental violations with significant impact did not exceed 5 percent.
Regulatory measures were taken in coordination with relevant authorities to address environmental impacts and rehabilitate affected sites.
He added that nine air quality monitoring stations were operational around pilgrim congregation areas.
For the first time, the center implemented a 24-hour pollution forecasting program, allowing inspectors to identify emission sources and prevent pollution from worsening.
The center also expanded noise monitoring in Makkah and the holy sites by operating six fixed stations, in addition to portable devices carried daily by inspectors to measure noise levels between camps, at the holy sites, on roads, and in tunnels leading to the Grand Mosque.
According to the center, measurement data showed no readings exceeded permissible limits during the season.
On waste management, Al-Ghamdi said that the center closely monitored the safe disposal of solid and liquid waste from sacrificial animal slaughter in slaughterhouses in Makkah, the holy sites, and Madinah. Reports were compiled on procedures and the safety of surrounding environmental media.
He added that the center will continue using satellite imagery to monitor all identified sites, and will conduct more than 1,800 analyzes of soil and water after pilgrims depart to ensure the sustainability of environmental media and preserve their natural properties for the future.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645551/saudi-arabia
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KAUST, Public Security launch platform to manage Hajj, Umrah operations at holy sites
May 31, 2026
JEDDAH: The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, in partnership with the General Directorate of Public Security at the Ministry of Interior, has developed the smart Roya platform using artificial intelligence, remote sensing technologies, and Geographic Information Systems.
The platform supports security and operational activities in the holy sites, improving response speed and decision-making during Hajj and Umrah seasons, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
It provides advanced services, including analysis of satellite imagery and geospatial data to study traffic movement and monitor crowd density, as well as field indicators that help security authorities manage critical locations efficiently.
These capabilities improve pilgrims’ experience and enhance safety and organization across the holy sites, the SPA added.
The platform also analyzes thermal zones and land surface temperature variations in Makkah and the holy sites, detects irregular patterns, and generates spatial reports to support field operations.
KACST said the platform includes nearly 2,000 satellite images from current and previous seasons, along with 126 aerial imaging operations covering Makkah, Madinah, the holy sites, and surrounding roads.
It also provides urban heat island monitoring, offering a more comprehensive environmental and climate assessment to support field analysis and monitoring.
KACST noted that all operations are automated, from data import to processing and real-time display of results and statistics, improving efficiency and data processing speed.
Operated by KACST, the platform is linked to the Public Security Command and Control Center network and features an interactive interface for real-time data visualization, supporting operations in high-density areas.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645545/saudi-arabia
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Islamic Affairs Ministry Distributes Holy Quran Copies to Departing Pilgrims at Halat Ammar
31 May, 2026
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance, represented by its Tabuk Region branch, began distributing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' gift of Holy Quran copies and translations of its meanings to pilgrims departing through Halat Ammar border crossing after completing their 1447 AH Hajj rituals.
The gift includes copies of the Holy Quran and translations of its meanings published by King Fahd Glorious Qur'an Printing Complex in Madinah in several world languages. The copies are being distributed through field teams at the crossing.
The ministry continues the distribution program across all land, air, and sea entry points as part of a comprehensive plan to distribute 1.9 million copies of the Holy Quran and translations of its meanings.
Source: alriyadhdaily.com
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https://www.alriyadhdaily.com/article/c40bed45661a482d852a4d0887da5aa3
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Europe
Anti-Israel influencer ‘barred from entering UK’
1 Jun, 2026
US left-wing political streamer Hasan Piker, a vocal critic of Israel, says he has been barred from entering the UK after MPs and Jewish groups urged the government to revoke his visa.
Piker, who has 3 million followers on Twitch and 2 million on YouTube, was scheduled to speak at the SXSW London festival on Thursday. In a post on X on Sunday, he said that his visa had been revoked “at the behest of Israel.”
“The West is betraying ‘liberal values’ for a genocidal fascist foreign government,” he added.
Cenk Uygur, co-founder of the political commentary show The Young Turks and Piker’s uncle, earlier said that he was also barred from entering the UK. He was due to speak at the same event as Piker.
“I’ve been banned for criticizing Israel. Are we free anymore?” he wrote on X. In a later livestream, he said the British government deemed him “a serious risk to public order.”
In April, US rapper Kanye West was banned from entering Britain over anti-Semitic remarks. Like many Western countries, the UK has experienced an increase in anti-Semitic incidents amid the conflict in Gaza and broader tensions in the Middle East.
Piker and Uygur have long criticized Israel’s war in Gaza, which they have described as genocide. Jewish groups, including the Anti-Defamation League and the UK’s Jewish Leadership Council, have accused Piker of anti-Semitism and of justifying terrorism, including Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
“I would vote for Hamas over Israel every single time,” Piker said on the Pod Save America podcast in April. UK Labour MP David Taylor said such statements demonstrate that Piker’s presence would be “not conducive to the public good.”
Fox News Digital reported in May that the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had subpoenaed Piker over his participation in a Cuba media tour for left-wing influencers. Cuba has been under a US-imposed fuel blockade since earlier this year. Piker told Fox on Sunday that he had not been served with any papers.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640800-hasan-piker-banned-uk/
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Newtownabbey’s anti-Islam mural and the line already drawn…
June 1, 2026
Newtownabbey was exposed to two pieces of anti-immigration intimidation within a few days of each other. The first was crude “locals only” graffiti on shop shutters at Abbots Cross, misspelt, with an apparent threat to burn residents out; the police are investigating it as a racially motivated hate crime. The second was an anti-Islam mural at Tulleevin Walk, unveiled a few days later and apparently AI-generated: a burning church, armed figures, green flags. The police are treating that one as a hate incident, with enquiries into possible criminal damage. The cruder, more impulsive piece has therefore drawn the heavier response, while the more considered one has seen a lighter reaction, which looks odd. Much of the early reactive commentary read this as proof that the law cannot keep up with what AI can now produce, but this misses the point. Most of what the mural says has already been through a Northern Ireland court.
There is a reason for the difference. The Public Prosecution Service is clear that a hate crime is not an offence in its own right. There must also be an underlying offence; hostility may then aggravate how that offence is recorded, prosecuted or sentenced. The graffiti makes this clear: unauthorised spraying on a shutter is criminal damage, and the wording carries an apparent threat. A wall presents a more difficult situation. If it was painted with permission, and the painting broke no other law, there may be no underlying offence for the hostility to attach to.
The wording elevates the mural above a generic anti-Muslim image. Beneath the burning church, it more or less repeats lines that Pastor James McConnell preached at the Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle, on the Shore Road, in May 2014: that Islam is heathen and satanic, a doctrine spawned in hell, and that a new evil has arisen. The mural names him. “Pastor McConnell was right in 2014,” it says, and aligns him with Churchill in 1899 and Enoch Powell in 1968. The Powell reference is McConnell’s own; in the same sermon, he called Powell a prophet. Therefore, the message contained in the mural is not borrowed from elsewhere. It is a local quotation, fixed to a wall a few miles from the pulpit where it was first heard.
This is also why a prosecution is difficult, as the McConnell case shows. McConnell streamed the sermon online, so the State charged him under section 127 of the Communications Act 2003, for a grossly offensive message sent over a public communications network. Not under any hate-crime law. The prosecution conceded from the outset that the lines calling Islam satanic and spawned in hell were protected by Articles 9 and 10 of the Convention, so the case did not proceed on that basis. District Judge McNally said those words were easily capable of being grossly offensive, but he could not convict on them, given the concession. The charge came down to a separate remark that McConnell did not trust Muslims, and in January 2016, he was acquitted: offensive, the judge found, but not grossly offensive. Courts, he said, should be careful not to criminalise speech that is merely offensive, however contemptible.
This does not settle the present case. A mural is not a sermon. A sermon is preached to a congregation that chose to be there. In Newtownabbey, that difference is not abstract: the image sits on a street where residents and passers-by have no choice but to see it. In Newtownabbey, that difference is not abstract: the image sits on a street where residents and passers-by have no choice but to see it. The judgment does not protect the mural. What it does is close off some of the avenues through which the law might reach it. Section 127 is not one of them. As the House of Lords explained in the case McNally relied on, that offence is about misusing the public communications network, not about the words themselves; McConnell could have posted his sermon to every Muslim in Northern Ireland by hand without breaking it. A wall is not a network.
That leaves the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987. Article 9 makes it an offence to use, or to display in writing, words that are threatening, abusive or insulting, where the intention or likely effect is to stir up hatred or arouse fear. A mural reading “a new evil has arisen” is displayed, plainly enough. But the threshold is high, and this is the route the police already considered against McConnell. They interviewed him under Article 9 and brought no charge. The hate-incident label is therefore not an oddity, nor is it proof of an oversight in the statute book. It is what you would expect from police operating in the shadow of that result.
The law has not changed. What has changed is how easily the message travels. McConnell needed a pulpit and a congregation, and he needed to put the sermon online, which is what took him to court. The mural needs an AI prompt, a way to print or paint it, and a wall to hang it on. From the published images, it does not look hand-painted; it appears to be a generated image printed or otherwise transferred onto a panel. An AI model can produce, in seconds and at little cost, a message that, in that earlier context and on the basis of the prosecution’s concession, the court treated as protected, and make it look like finished public art. The wall then does the one thing a sermon cannot: it fixes the message to a place. Murals here have rarely been mere decoration. They can claim territory and warn people off it. Take away the hours of painting, and that claim becomes simple to repeat, and repeat again.
There is a free-speech objection, and it is a fair one. If McConnell could say these things from the pulpit, the argument goes, painting them on a wall cannot make them a crime, and the worry about the mural is really a wish not to be offended. That is right about the words. It is not so clear about the act. A congregation chooses to turn up. A street does not, and the mural speaks to the residents of that street about who belongs on it. The same words can do different jobs depending on where they are placed and who must walk past them. That is why the 1987 Order reaches words likely to arouse fear, not only words that stir up hatred, and why the police record hate incidents that never become crimes.
So the mural is not really a new problem. It is an old message with much of the labour removed. The wall says what was said in the pulpit, and the courts have already found it hard to prosecute. What is new is that a machine can now turn the message out in minutes, with no skill and little cost. The graffiti at Abbots Cross was the old kind of problem, and the law knew it at a glance. The mural is a more difficult proposition. A court once treated these words as protected when one preacher said them from a single pulpit. Whether that protection holds now that anyone can run them off and fasten them to a wall is the open question, and it will not stay hypothetical for long. There will be more gables like this one.
Source: sluggerotoole.com
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https://sluggerotoole.com/2026/06/01/newtownabbeys-anti-islam-mural-and-the-line-already-drawn/
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Stokie teen with England flag wrapped around face hurled missiles at mosque
stokesentinel Administrator
01 Jun 2026
Teenager Oliver Meir Hulme hurled missiles in the Hanley riots. The 19-year-old was only 17 when he became involved in the trouble.
He threw missiles towards the mosque in Town Road and chucked a brick at a police officer. But he was spared an immediate custodial sentence at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court because of the lengthy delay in his case coming to court, his age and immaturity at the time, and his genuine remorse.
The trouble erupted on August 3, 2024.
Prosecutor Ibrahim Ilyas said: "The defendant was part of a group throwing missiles. At 1.42pm in Town Road he was seen throwing items towards the mosque. At 1.56pm he threw a bottle of water towards police. At 2.01pm he was on a slip-road by Potteries Way and was seen holding a brick. He threw it at an officer. He went down Quadrant Road with an England flag wrapped around his face and later on his shoulders. He crouched down to put items in his pockets."
Police attended the defendant's home on June 23, 2025 and his iPhone was seized.
Meir Hulme, formerly of Malorie Road, Norton, but now of Little Chell Lane, Tunstall, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assaulting an emergency worker by beating.
Catherine O'Reilly, mitigating, said Meir Hulme was 17 at the time and has no previous convictions or cautions. He has shown real remorse and has not committed any further offences since. She said there has been a long delay in the case.
Miss O'Reilly said: "It was completely out of character for this defendant. His family are horrified by his actions. They remain supportive of him but by no means condone this type of behaviour. He says he does not have any particular political views. He went to meet a group of friends and got caught up with what was happening around him and joined in. There was an exceptional level of immaturity on the part of this defendant. He says he has grown up a lot since then. He appreciates he has placed himself in a very, very difficult position."
Meir Hulme has completed a bricklaying course.
Miss O'Reilly added: "His powerful mitigation, coupled with the delay in this case, allows you to step back from an immediate sentence. He is remorseful, embarrassed and ashamed."
Judge Graeme Smith sentenced Meir Hulme to 18 months' detention in a young offenders' institution, suspended for two years, with 240 hours unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement for up to 20 days.
Judge Smith said: "You threw a number of missiles, a bottle of water, stones or bricks. There was an assault on an emergency worker. You threw a brick towards an officer at extremely close range. The group was targeting the mosque.
"There are significant mitigating factors: your age and lack of maturity, at the time you were only 17, you have no previous convictions, and you express genuine remorse. There has been a very significant delay. There is no obvious explanation as to why it happened. The case has been hanging over you for a year. Given these exceptional circumstances, I am just persuaded that I can suspend this sentence."
Meir Hulme must pay £200 compensation to the officer as well as £150 costs.
Source: stokesentinel.co.uk
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https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/stokie-teen-england-flag-wrapped-10986487
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Western narratives on Azerbaijan’s religious landscape miss bigger picture
31 May 2026
The latest report published by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom regarding Azerbaijan raises serious questions about the objectivity, balance, and political motivations behind certain international assessments presented under the banner of human rights advocacy.
Any serious assessment needs to account for both the normative claims of international monitors and the historical-social texture of Azerbaijan’s pluralism. Reducing the country to a single storyline misses how Azerbaijan’s experience actually works.
The framing that portrays Azerbaijan as intrinsically hostile to religion is analytically thin.
Long before "multiculturalism" became a policy term, religious diversity in Azerbaijan was an everyday fact. Shi'a and Sunni Muslims have shared public and private religious spaces, and Jewish, Christian, and other communities have maintained institutions and cultural life. The most vivid emblem is Red Village (Krasnaya Sloboda) in Quba - one of the world’s few all-Jewish towns outside Israel. For centuries, Mountain Jews there sustained synagogues, schools, and communal structures alongside Muslim and Christian neighbors.
The report’s language appears particularly problematic due to its reliance on politically charged allegations, opposition-linked narratives, and unverified claims presented as established facts. Many of the accusations included in the document ignore the broader regional security context, including Azerbaijan’s struggle against radical extremism, separatism, and post-conflict instability following decades of occupation and war.
Equally concerning is the report’s attempt to portray Azerbaijan’s regulation of religious organizations as inherently repressive, despite the fact that many countries maintain legal frameworks governing religious activities, registration procedures, and foreign missionary operations for reasons related to public order and national security.
The document also demonstrates clear double standards in its treatment of regional issues.
Earlier, the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, stated during a meeting with the Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office, Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, that he expressed satisfaction with the high level of cooperation between the UN Alliance of Civilizations, Azerbaijan, and the Caucasus Muslims Office as a religious center.
Recalling his mandate to combat Islamophobia, he noted Azerbaijan’s active role in this field and suggested ideas for organizing joint conferences in the future.
Religious diversity in Azerbaijan is deeply rooted in its history. Islam became the dominant religion from the early medieval period, but it never eliminated other traditions.
Within Islam itself, Azerbaijan developed a particularly notable balance between Shi'a and Sunni traditions. Today, a majority of the population identifies as Shi'a Muslim, while a significant minority identifies as Sunni. In many regions, these differences have at times contributed to tension or conflict. However, in Azerbaijan, such divisions are generally not a defining feature of public or private religious practice.
The government of Azerbaijan has consistently emphasized religious tolerance and multicultural coexistence as part of its state policy. Religious institutions of various denominations receive state attention and, in some cases, financial and infrastructural support. Since the early 2000s, numerous mosques and religious-cultural sites have been restored or constructed across the country. Among them are historically significant landmarks such as the Bibi-Heybat Mosque, the Taza Pir Mosque, and the Azhdarbey Mosque, as well as the religious and cultural complex of Imamzade.
In the 21st century, Azerbaijan has actively promoted the concept of multiculturalism as part of its national identity and international branding. This approach presents the country as a model of interfaith coexistence in a region often associated with ethno-religious conflict.
State discourse emphasizes tolerance, coexistence, and historical pluralism. Government-sponsored initiatives support interfaith dialogue, cultural festivals, and cooperation between religious communities. The idea is that Azerbaijan’s diversity is not merely tolerated but institutionally recognized as part of national identity.
Azerbaijan’s reputation for interfaith harmony is not a public-relations veneer; it is a strategic asset rooted in historical practice. When a society’s baseline is everyday tolerance, incremental legal improvement can have outsized effect - because it amplifies, rather than invents, the underlying social compact. Conversely, rhetoric that ignores this heritage risks alienating constituencies who see diversity not as an external demand but as a native inheritance.
In sum, it is fair to critique specific legal and procedural choices. It is not fair to extrapolate from those critiques to a blanket indictment that erases Azerbaijan’s distinctive, resilient model of pluralism. The country’s "initial diversity" seeded a system of relations that modern policy has tried to codify. At a time when parts of Europe announced disenchantment with multiculturalism, Azerbaijan moved to elevate it to state policy - aligning political architecture with a centuries-old social reality.
Source: azernews.az
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https://www.azernews.az/analysis/258985.html
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Deputy Mayor condemns Islamophobia at London rallies
31ST MAY 2026
By Ezekiel Bertrand
Islamophobia has been condemned after comments made at a recent rally in Trafalgar Square.
London’s deputy mayor for communities and social justice Debbie Weekes-Bernard criticised the rhetoric from Tommy Robinson’s Unite the Kingdom march.
Speakers at the rally called for Islam to be "removed" from Parliament and claimed it was "time" for Muslims to leave the country.
Ms Weekes-Bernard said: "We know that there was a lot of Islamophobia on display, and that is not something we stand for here."
Just two weeks later, the same central London square hosted the 20th annual Eid in the Square festival, a celebration of Muslim culture marking the end of Ramadan.
The event featured musical performances, food stalls, art installations, and a Muslim girls' fencing team exhibition.
Ms Weekes-Bernard said: "Events like this are really important when those sorts of things happen because it sends a really clear message that this is a city which values diversity, which knows that diversity is what keeps it going, what keeps it ticking, what keeps it moving, but also what keeps it vibrant.
"We will always continue to celebrate that diversity and we will never use those differences and exploit them, we will celebrate them but at the same time always talk about what brings us together as humans."
She said Londoners by and large supported and valued the Muslim community, and that events like Eid in the Square reflected those values.
The main stage featured artists including British musician Khaled Siddiq, Danish rapper Isam B and the London Arab Orchestra.
Mayor Sadiq Khan also shared a message with festival-goers.
A statement from the mayor said: "All, regardless of faith, race or background are welcome."
Source: london-now.co.uk
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https://www.london-now.co.uk/news/26153000.deputy-mayor-condemns-islamophobia-london-rallies/
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Second batch of Mandelson files to be published on Monday
01 Jun 2026
The second tranche of documents relating to Lord Mandelson's appointment as the UK's ambassador to the US will be published on Monday, three sources involved in the process have told the BBC.
While Number 10 has refused to confirm the publication date, a government spokesperson said the latest batch "will be among the largest publications ever laid in Parliament".
Lord Mandelson was sacked as ambassador last year after the emergence of new revelations about the extent of his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In February, MPs voted to force the government to publish all papers relating to the appointment through a humble address, a parliamentary process.
The government initially opposed the motion, arguing that it did not want to publish material that could damage national security or diplomatic relations.
But in a last-minute compromise, the government agreed to first send sensitive documents to the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC), which would decide what could and could not be published.
The first tranche of documents was published in March.
They showed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was advised that Lord Mandelson's relationship with Epstein posed a "general reputational risk" ahead of his confirmation as US ambassador.
Sir Keir's national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, also said he found the appointment of Lord Mandelson "weirdly rushed".
The government spokesperson said they were "committed to complying with the Humble Address in full", adding: "That reflects the transparent and thorough process we have followed."
The release of the documents comes as parliament returns on Monday after a week's recess.
The government has insisted that all relevant documents will be published, except if the Metropolitan Police has requested any be held back while they conduct their investigation.
Some documents will be redacted on national security or international relations grounds, or to remove the names of junior officials.
Sir Keir announced he would be appointing Lord Mandelson to the Washington position in December 2024, saying he would bring "unrivalled experience to the role".
However, nine months later Lord Mandelson was sacked after further revelations came to light about his long-standing friendship with Epstein.
Lord Mandelson has said his friendship with Epstein was a "terrible mistake" but insisted he "never saw anything in [Epstein's] life... that would give me any reason to suspect what this evil monster was doing".
MPs from across the parties have been highly critical of the prime minister's decision to give Lord Mandelson the job.
The peer is under criminal investigation over allegations of misconduct in public office and has repeatedly let it be known that he believes he has not acted criminally, did not act for personal gain and is co-operating with the police.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98r664g865o
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The drivers risking death on Ukraine's most dangerous bus routes
Vitaly Shevchenko
01 Jun 2026
Anatoly Dmytrov was driving his bus on Route 14 in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson earlier this month.
The bus was full and people were standing in the aisle, when it reached an intersection and it was hit by a Russian drone.
"All the windows got smashed. I barely made it to the next stop, where there was a shelter. I looked in the mirror and saw blood. I thought - oh, I need to get to the shelter quickly because sometimes they send a second drone immediately," Anatoly said.
He was in shock after the attack, and at least eight of his passengers were injured, he added.
"It's no fun working here," Anatoly said. "This happens almost every day, they've started hunting buses down. You go to work and you have no idea if you are going to come home."
Kherson's municipal transport company, where Anatoly works, says the attacks started last year and are getting worse. Public transport has become a priority target for Russian drone operators, the company said in a statement shared with the BBC.
This year alone, three of its workers have been killed, eight wounded, and 21 of its trolleybuses and eight buses damaged. Local authorities say six privately operated buses have been hit in 2026, too.
About 65,000 people are still thought to be in Kherson, a city of some 300,000 residents before the war.
The city is firmly under Ukrainian control and yet it is the administrative centre of one of the five Ukrainian regions which Russia claims as its own.
It was occupied by the Russians in the first few days of the full-scale invasion of 2022, then retaken by the Ukrainians in autumn of the same year, and since then has been relentlessly attacked by Russian forces from across the Dnipro river.
Rita Dobrinova, a manager at the Kherson municipal transport company, believes the threat from Russian drones is getting worse, particularly since they started using optic fibre cables, which are immune to jamming.
"Some are just hovering, waiting. Others are scout drones. They look the driver right in the eye through the windscreen," she said.
"There is a bus driver who had a bomb dropped literally on to his head on 11 April. It went through the cabin's roof and fell on his head," she recalled of one fatal attack.
Authorities in Kherson have taken steps to protect bus drivers and their passengers. Some of the busiest streets are covered with anti-drone nets protecting pedestrians and traffic underneath, and authorities say drivers are given helmets and bullet-proof vests.
They were also issued with drone detectors, called chuyka, but they are of limited use.
They only detect approaching drones which use known frequencies for navigation, but machines relying on fibre optic cables or new frequencies are invisible to them.
The municipal transport company currently has about 30 buses. "I can't say each one of them will meet a drone every day," said Ms Dobrinova. "But the drone detector will beep once in an hour or an hour and a half. All it tells you is that there's a drone around. It will show your distance to it in metres or kilometres."
If the chuyka goes off, bus drivers are supposed to stop, let their passengers out and direct them to the nearest shelter.
Even getting to work can be lethal. Another bus driver, Eduard Zadorozhny, was being taken to work together with colleagues in a company van on 3 May when it was targeted.
"They hit us, we got out, and when an ambulance arrived to help us, they hit the ambulance."
Deliberately targeting medical workers is a war crime under international law.
"What they do is hit you, and then they hit you again. They've turned people's lives into a horror show," Eduard told the BBC.
Eduard was concussed but one of his colleagues, an engineer, was killed.
But why do bus drivers in Kherson keep going back to work, despite the severe danger?
"We need to get people to their pharmacies and hospitals: children and the elderly, everyone who has stayed here, everyone who still lives here," said municipal driver Maksym Dyak. "No-one apart from us will do this. We realise that if we abandon these people, no one else will drive them."
Like his colleagues Anatoly and Eduard, Maksym has also been targeted by Russian drones. He was hospitalised with a broken rib and shrapnel embedded in his chest earlier this year.
"We work like rats in a cage. We get attacked from every side, but we keep driving," Maksym added.
Towards the end of my conversation with Maksym, I asked him whether he ever considered leaving Kherson.
"I never thought of leaving. This is where I was born, this is where I live and this is where I'll live until the very end. I'm not going anywhere."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c87q2eq8r1yo
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North America
Trump sends back revised Iran deal text; seeks 'tougher language' on nuclear terms, Strait of Hormuz reopening
May 31, 2026
Just a week after declaring a proposed agreement with Iran "largely finalised", US President Donald Trump has reportedly sent the Iran deal back for revisions, prolonging negotiations and casting fresh uncertainty over efforts to end the conflict.
According to CNN, Trump requested tougher provisions on Iran's nuclear commitments and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz during a meeting with advisers. He has also expressed concern over the extent of financial relief that could be offered to Tehran under any agreement, wary of comparisons with the Obama-era nuclear deal that he has repeatedly criticised as too lenient.
The latest round of changes comes a week after Trump said the deal was “largely finalized” and indicated that an end to hostilities was imminent. Since then, US officials have signalled progress toward an agreement that would halt fighting, reopen the strait and allow for further detailed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, despite Trump stating he would make a “final determination” during Friday’s meeting and outlining some conditions on social media, the two-hour session concluded without a decision. In his message, Trump said the US would seize Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium and destroy it, though Iran has consistently said it is not discussing details of its nuclear programme under the current talks.
Trump also said there had been no discussion of exchanging money as part of the deal, while Iran has said financial provisions must be included in any agreement. How these differences will be resolved remains unclear as negotiations continue over the wording of the deal.
Earlier, Axios also reported that Trump had sought revisions to the proposed agreement, including tougher language on Hormuz reopening in the deal with Iran.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no agreement with the US would be approved until Tehran’s “rights” are secured, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. “The soldiers of the diplomatic battlefield have no trust in the words and promises of the enemy. What matters to us is tangible achievements that we must obtain, in exchange for which we will fulfil our commitments,” Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Chris Coons, who sits on the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, said the terms outlined by Trump appear acceptable on paper but may be difficult to implement, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/trump-sends-back-revised-iran-deal-text-seeks-tougher-language-on-nuclear-terms-strait-of-hormuz-reopening/articleshowprint/131425476.cms
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Pence calls Trump's 'anti-weaponisation' fund 'deeply offensive' and says it should be dropped
Jun 1, 2026
Sakshi Venkatraman
Former US Vice-President Mike Pence has sharply criticised the Trump administration's $1.8bn (£1.3bn) fund to compensate people alleging unfair treatment under previous administrations.
The Trump administration announced what it called an "anti-weaponisation fund" earlier this month for "victims of lawfare" to seek compensation.
But Pence, who was Donald Trump's first vice-president, said it was a "bad idea from the start" and should be dropped.
Many Trump supporters who were prosecuted over the US Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 have said they plan to seek compensation.
Pence, who was in the US Capitol at the time and whom rioters threatened with violence, told NBC the fund was "deeply offensive".
Pence was rushed into hiding at the Capitol as it was stormed by hundreds of people falsely calling the 2020 election "stolen". After the building was cleared, the former vice-president presided over the certification of Joe Biden's victory.
Nearly 1,600 people were charged with crimes associated with the riot, including about 175 charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer, according to Department of Justice (DoJ) figures.
Pence was asked by NBC News in an interview broadcast on Sunday about the fund potentially compensating rioters prosecuted for their role in the attack.
"It's deeply offensive to me that you could have a fund that could even possibly compensate people who assaulted police officers or vandalised the Capitol on January 6," Pence said. "I think that's broadly held by most Republicans and most Americans."
The DoJ set up the fund as part of a settlement with President Trump over a lawsuit he filed against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after his tax records were leaked. The president dropped the suit in exchange for an apology and the fund.
Trump issued a blanket pardon for defendants involved in the riot on his first day back in office, including individuals who had pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers. Roughly 140 officers were injured.
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers, some of whom were forced into hiding on 6 January as rioters ransacked their offices, have pressed acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for more details about who could benefit from the fund.
On Friday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the fund from being created until a hearing on 12 June.
In response, a justice department spokesperson said officials were "extremely confident in the legality of the anti-weaponisation fund which is supported by ample precedent".
"We will not allow the policy preferences of judges to interfere with our efforts to provide restitution to victims of lawfare."
'Stupid on stilts'
Eligibility for the fund, on its face, seems broad. In a memo sent to sceptical Republican US senators, Blanche justified the $1.8bn sum because "literally tens of millions of Americans were subjected to improper and unlawful government targeting".
He also noted "there is no partisan restriction - Democrats can submit claims too".
But the fund has drawn criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
John Thune, the Republican leader in the Senate, said he was not a "big fan". Former Senate leader Mitch McConnell called it "utterly stupid". North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis called it "stupid on stilts".
Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican, has said he was planning to introduce legislation that would effectively kill the fund.
Some Republicans, however, support the idea.
Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama claimed "hundreds" of "innocent patriotic Americans sat behind bars for the past five years over this made-up witch hunt" as a result of the 6 January investigations and prosecutions.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8p7mg30dyo
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'Cancel it', Trump says after artists drop out of US Freedom 250 festival
Sakshi Venkatraman
Jun 1, 2026
US President Donald Trump has said musical performances celebrating the country's 250th birthday should be called off after several artists dropped out, citing the event's affiliation with the White House.
"Cancel it," he said in a post on Truth Social, calling the slated performers "overpriced" and "boring".
As of Sunday, only a few musical acts were still scheduled to perform out of nine featured artists originally announced on Wednesday. Martina McBride, The Commodores, Young MC and Bret Michaels dropped out.
Vanilla Ice and Milli Vanilli are still on for 26 June, as is Flo Rida on 2 July. Trump said he is now considering replacing the event with a "Make America Great Again rally".
Freedom 250, the group behind the Great American State Fair concert series, was launched last year by the Trump administration and the president appointed its CEO - but it says the event is non-partisan.
The White House is partnering with Freedom 250 on the fair, part of a "series of once-in-a-generation events for America's momentous anniversary".
Freedom 250 announced on Saturday that the president will headline the fair's opening ceremony.
"As the visionary behind the Great American State Fair, we are excited to announce that President Trump will personally kick off this historic celebration on Wednesday, June 24 in an opening ceremony celebrating America's 250th birthday," spokeswoman Danielle Alvarez said.
Congress created an organisation a decade ago to arrange and oversee events commemorating the country's 250th birthday, America250.
That group is led by appointees from both parties, Democrat and Republican, and has its own events. They include 4 July celebrations in New York City, Philadelphia and California, and block parties across the US.
Trump signed an executive order last year establishing his own taskforce "to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence". The taskforce created Freedom 250 "to achieve that ambitious mission", the White House site states.
Freedom 250 unveiled the artists on Wednesday for the 16-day series of events planned on the National Mall in Washington DC between 25 June and 10 July.
Country singer McBride had been scheduled to perform the first night. Poison frontman Michaels was scheduled on 3 July, the eve of Independence Day. Both cancelled.
Young MC, best known for his 1989 hit Bust a Move, said on his social media that artists had not been told about any "political involvement with the event" and that he looked forward to performing in DC in the future at an event that was "not so politically charged".
McBride said in a statement on X that she was "presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading".
But Vanilla Ice, whose real name is Robert Matthew Van Winkle, said: "This is not a political platform. This is celebrating America's birthday," in a caption to a video post on his Instagram account.
One half of Milli Vanilli's public-facing duo, Fab Morvan, said he will also perform as scheduled. The voices behind Milli Vanilli's music said in a statement on X that they will not be performing.
Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he had heard artists were getting "the yips" - a term used in golf for involuntary spasms or freezes that impact a swing. He said he was thinking of appearing himself at the same time and location.
"I am ordering my Representatives to look at the feasibility of doing an AMERICA IS BACK Rally on Wednesday, Washington, DC, same time, same location. Only Great Patriots invited," he wrote, calling himself the "Number One Attraction anywhere in the World" and saying he "gets much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime".
He later doubled down, saying he wanted to replace the planned fair altogether with a rally.
"We should have a giant MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN RALLY, for 250, instead of having overpriced singers, who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain," he said.
The White House is backing a number of events organised by Freedom 250 to mark the anniversary of US independence.
They include a UFC fight on its South Lawn, the Great American State Fair in June and July, and a Grand Prix race in the US capital in August.
The US will also release a limited number of commemorative passports that feature a portrait of Trump.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy2z23122zo
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Pro-Trump ‘anti-woke’ lawyer and leftist senator contend for Colombia’s presidency
31 May, 2026
Pro-Trump lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella secured a narrow lead over left-wing Senator Ivan Cepeda in the first round of Colombia’s presidential election on Sunday.
With votes counted from more than 99% of polling stations, de la Espriella received 43.72% of the vote, while Cepeda secured 40.92%. Conservative candidate Paloma Valencia came third with 6.92%. The runoff will take place on June 21.
Colombia has historically been the United States’ most important ally in the region in terms of security cooperation and counternarcotics efforts.
The US is Colombia’s largest trading partner, and the country shares a long border with neighboring Venezuela.
Relations between Washington and Bogota deteriorated significantly in recent years under outgoing President Gustavo Petro, who criticized US President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies and military strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats. The two leaders frequently traded insults on social media and in public statements.
Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president, is constitutionally barred from seeking a second consecutive term and has endorsed Cepeda.
For his conservative policies and friendly stance toward the US, de la Espriella has been compared to El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, one of Trump’s closest allies in Latin America.
The candidate has praised Trump’s “cultural battle against wokeism” and vowed to uphold traditional gender norms.
De la Espriella welcomed Trump’s return to the White House and backed the US commando raid in Caracas earlier this year, during which American forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“It has been revealed how USAID and woke populism fueled the leftward shift in countries like Colombia… To guarantee a fair race, it is urgent that your father’s administration puts Petro in his place,” de la Espriella wrote on X in January in response to a post by Donald Trump Jr.
Cepeda, the son of a Communist senator killed in 1994 by state-linked paramilitaries, has opposed Trump’s interventionism and condemned his threats against Petro.
“We are neither a colony nor a protectorate of the United States. We will not submit to any form of imperial or authoritarian domination,” Cepeda wrote on X in January.
In an interview with Jacobin shortly after Maduro’s abduction, Cepeda denounced Trump’s attempts to revive the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine, which treats Latin America and the Caribbean as an exclusive sphere of US influence.
“We are a zone of peace. And we do not accept foreign interference. That is how governments and peoples must align,” he said.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640798-colombia-presidential-race-runoff/
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US military secretly guiding ships through Strait of Hormuz – NYT
1 Jun, 2026
The US military has been covertly guiding vessels through the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, The New York Times reported on Sunday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
Iran closed the vital waterway, which previously handled around 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies, to ships from “hostile countries” in response to the US and Israeli airstrikes launched on February 28. Tehran later said that vessels from third countries could pass if they paid a toll and complied with military instructions.
In April, US President Donald Trump announced ‘Project Freedom’, aimed at escorting stranded merchant ships from neutral countries. He publicly suspended the initiative less than 48 hours later, reportedly after Saudi Arabia refused to allow US forces to fly through its airspace or use Prince Sultan Air Base.
According to the Times, US Central Command (CENTCOM) has coordinated the passage of around 70 commercial vessels through the waterway over the past three weeks. An official told the newspaper that most of the vessels had turned off their transponders to avoid detection by Iranian forces. The ships reportedly used a shipping lane closer to the Omani coast.
Despite the ceasefire reached on April 8, traffic through the strategic chokepoint remains severely reduced, having fallen from around 150 vessels per day before the conflict to fewer than ten.
Tens of thousands of sailors aboard between 1,600 and 2,000 vessels, including oil and gas tankers, remain stranded in the Persian Gulf.
In April, the US imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and has since intercepted more than 100 cargo ships. On Sunday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said that 28 vessels had passed through the strait over the previous 24 hours after obtaining permission.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/640799-us-guiding-ships-through-strait/
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'Low-rating disaster': Trump blasts CNN for claims that Iran deal does not cover nuclear
Jun 1, 2026
United States president Donald Trump Monday lost his cool at what he called a "Fake News CNN" over the network's coverage of the US-Iran nuclear deal, as negotiations over the framework continued to drift without a breakthrough.
Calling CNN a "low rating disaster", Trump said even with new ownership "it is unlikely to ever get better".
"Fake News CNN said today, routinely, that my Iran Nuclear Deal doesn’t talk about Nuclear, when actually it states, very clearly, that Iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon. It then goes on, in very strong and lengthy detail, to discuss various other aspects of Nuclear. In fact, that’s what most of the agreement is about. CNN, and so many others in the Fake News Media, is a Low Ratings disaster. Even with new ownership, it is unlikely to ever get better," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
This comes as Trump reportedly sought further changes to a proposed agreement with Iran aimed at sustaining the fragile ceasefire between the two countries, according to a report by CBS News.
The latest draft is said to include a 60-day halt in hostilities, provisions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and a roadmap for restarting negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme. However, no formal agreement has yet been announced.
A high-level meeting at the White House on Friday, convened to reach a final decision on the proposal, ended without a breakthrough.
Trump has continued to emphasise that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons remains a non-negotiable condition for any agreement.
"The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons," he asserted during a broadcast interview on Fox News.
The US president also indicated that he was not under pressure to conclude the negotiations quickly. According to Axios, cited by CBS News, Trump requested several revisions during Friday's discussions and has since sought additional amendments to the draft.
Reinforcing that position, a White House official said, "President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines."
CBS News reported that the proposed framework also addresses the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and the future of Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
If the talks move forward, the arrangement could pave the way for Iran to regain access to billions of dollars in frozen assets through the easing of sanctions.
The proposal has previously been described as a memorandum of understanding that would require formal approval from both sides before taking effect.
Iranian officials, however, have insisted that any agreement must include firm guarantees. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has said Tehran would reject any deal that does not adequately safeguard the country's rights.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also urged caution regarding reports surrounding the negotiations.
"Until a conclusion is reached... everything that is being said now is speculation."
Iranian media reported that negotiations remain active, with both sides continuing to propose changes to the draft text.
Tehran has also pressed for the release of its frozen financial assets before moving ahead with wider discussions on its nuclear programme.
The negotiations follow months of conflict and a tentative ceasefire that came into effect on April 8. Despite repeated suggestions from Trump that a settlement was close, the two sides have yet to announce a final agreement.
Adding pressure to the diplomatic process, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warned that military operations could resume if any eventual deal fails to meet Washington's expectations.
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/low-rating-disaster-donald-trump-blasts-cnn-for-claims-that-iran-deal-does-not-cover-nuclear/articleshowprint/131431916.cms
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Africa
21 ISIS/ISWAP Terrorists Killed In Fresh Nigeria-US Airstrikes
By George Oshogwe Ogbolu
June 1, 2026
The Nigerian military, under Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), has carried out another precision airstrike on a terrorist enclave in Arege, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Naija News understands that the operation reportedly led to the killing of 21 suspected ISWAP fighters.
Security sources said the operation was conducted on May 30 after intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance efforts confirmed the presence of insurgents in the area.
According to the sources, the coordinated strike targeted a camp where the terrorists were allegedly planning attacks and coordinating activities within the Lake Chad region.
The precision strike reportedly eliminated 21 fighters and disrupted the operational capability of the group.
“The strike was intelligence-driven and carefully executed to achieve maximum operational effect against the terrorists,” a source told Zagagola Makama.
Sources said the operation formed part of sustained Nigeria-US efforts to weaken terrorist networks, destroy their hideouts and deny them freedom of movement across the North-East.
Military authorities also noted that the mission reflected growing cooperation between Nigerian security forces and international partners in the fight against terrorism.
The latest airstrike is expected to further weaken insurgent activities around the Lake Chad Basin, where remnants of terrorist groups continue to regroup and attack isolated communities.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/01/21-isis-terrorists-killed-nigeria-us-airstrikes/
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Drone strikes kill 67 in Sudan’s Kordofan
Jun 1, 2026
KHARTOUM: Nearly 70 people were killed in Sudan’s Kordofan region in two recent drone attacks, a rights group and a local leader reported on Sunday.
The Emergency Lawyers, a group that documents abuses in Sudan’s long-running war, said that 10 people — eight children and two women — were killed in a drone strike the day before in the village of Kadam in West Kordofan state.
It said “the victims had fled from the Abu Kershola area in South Kordofan to Kadam in search of safety before being targeted at their displacement site” in West Kordofan, which is under the control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The group did not identify the party responsible for the attack, but said it “occurred in a civilian area where there are no military operations,” adding it reflected an “expansion of violence to include displacement areas.”
In North Kordofan state, a tribal leader told AFP that 57 people were killed in a drone attack on Friday on the village of Al-Murra, in an area where the army and the RSF are vying for control. The source attributed the attack to the RSF.
On Sunday, the UN’s International Organization for Migration reported that 160 people were displaced from Al-Murra earlier in the week “due to heightened insecurity.”
In recent months, the pace of drone attacks carried out by both parties to the war in Sudan has picked up.
UN humanitarian aid chief Tom Fletcher had said last month that around 700 civilians were killed in such strikes in the first three months of the year alone.
Now in its fourth year, the war between the army and the RSF has killed 200,000 people by some estimates and displaced over 11 million more, while thrusting several areas into hunger and famine.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645589/middle-east
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United States Slams Nigeria Over Poor Response To Religious Attack, Announces $3.5 Million Support
By Justina Otio
June 1, 2026
The United States Department of State has announced a $3.5m (approximately ₦5bn) funding opportunity to improve the documentation and reporting of religious freedom abuses in Nigeria.
Naija News reports that the initiative was unveiled by the Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF) under the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour.
The Agency seeks applications from organisations capable of strengthening reporting efforts on attacks linked to religion and belief across the country.
According to the notice of funding opportunity released on May 22, 2026, the programme will run for between 24 and 48 months, with one award anticipated under either a grant or cooperative agreement.
The State Department stated that the project aimed to enhance efforts to monitor and document abuses committed by both state and non-state actors in Nigeria.
“The Office of International Religious Freedom announces an open competition for organisations interested in submitting applications for projects that improve documentation and reporting efforts on religious freedom abuses in Nigeria, for accountability, advocacy, and memorialisation,” the notice stated.
The document referenced violence linked to Boko Haram, Fulani ethnic militias and other armed groups, saying attacks have affected both Christians and Muslims.
“Documenters, human rights and religious freedom advocates, religious leaders and community members, academics, journalists, and survivors have contributed to an evidence base that illustrates the extreme levels of violence perpetrated by Boko Haram, ISIS-West Africa, Fulani ethnic militias, and other armed actors against Christians and Muslims,” the notice said.
The US government also criticised what it described as inadequate responses by Nigerian authorities to attacks on faith communities.
“Civil society reports indicate that authorities regularly fail to respond in a timely or effective manner to violent attacks against civilians and faith communities, and particularly attacks against Christians,” the document stated.
It added, “This leads to widespread impunity for violence which encourages more violence, leading to further abuses and displacements.”
The notice further alleged that some security personnel had raided places of worship while searching for suspected criminals.
“There are also credible reports of Nigerian security personnel raiding places of worship and injuring clergy and congregants in search of alleged criminals,” it said.
The State Department said the funding initiative followed President Donald Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom issues.
“President Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern placed a spotlight on the severity of these longstanding and worsening problems,” the document stated.
The IRF said proposals submitted under the programme should aim to improve accountability for violations through “monitoring, documenting, and reporting of such abuses committed by either state or non-state actors in Nigeria.”
Applicants are expected to prioritise activities in the Middle Belt and identify at least four states where projects would be implemented.
The funding opportunity is open to foreign and US-based non-profit organisations, public international organisations, higher education institutions and for-profit entities, although the department said it prefers working with non-profit groups.
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/01/united-states-nigeria-poor-response-religious-attack-3-5-million-support/
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Bandits kill Islamic cleric in Kwara community
May 31, 2026
By Abdulrazaq Adebayo
Suspected bandits have killed a prominent Islamic cleric, Alfa Iliasu, in Ilesha-Baruba, Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State.
Reports reaching DAILY POST indicated that the attackers stormed the cleric’s residence on Saturday and struck him on the head with a cutlass.
He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention but died before receiving treatment.
Alfa Iliasu was widely known across Baruten and neighbouring communities for his spiritual activities and his acclaimed ability to identify witches, a reputation that brought him considerable public attention over the years.
Sources revealed that three suspects were involved in the attack. One of the suspects was reportedly killed at the scene, while another was arrested and taken into police custody for further investigation.
The third suspect escaped and is currently at large.
Meanwhile, family members, friends, Islamic scholars and sympathizers gathered to pay their last respects as the late cleric was buried at the Ilesha-Baruba Muslim Cemetery in accordance with Islamic rites.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, at the time of this report were unsuccessful.
Source: dailypost.ng
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https://dailypost.ng/2026/05/31/bandits-kill-islamic-cleric-in-kwara-community/
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First Photo Of Slain ISWAP Commander Al-Minuki Emerges After US-Nigeria Joint Operation
May 31, 2026
A photograph believed to be the first publicly available image of senior Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, also known as Abbor Mainok, has emerged following his reported death in a joint Nigeria-United States counterterrorism operation in Borno State.
Naija News reports that the image was obtained by security analyst, Zagazola Makama, from sources familiar with the operation.
According to sources, the photograph was reportedly taken shortly after al-Minuki was neutralised during an intelligence-led operation targeting senior ISWAP leaders in the Lake Chad region.
The operation was said to have taken place around Metele in Borno State.
Security sources told Zagagola Makama that the image is believed to be the first verified photograph of al-Minuki since he joined the Boko Haram insurgency and later rose through the ISWAP ranks.
They said the commander had remained largely hidden from both security agencies and the public despite his prominence in the terrorist group.
Intelligence sources said that the photograph was taken by fighters who recovered and buried the body two days after the operation.
The image is expected to provide further confirmation of the slain commander’s identity and offer rare insight into one of ISWAP’s most secretive figures.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/31/photo-slain-iswap-commander-al-minuki-us-nigeria-operation/
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Keyamo Asks Jonathan To Reject Alleged Presidential Ticket
May 31, 2026
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged former President Goodluck Jonathan to publicly distance himself from reports linking him to a presidential ticket allegedly being promoted by a political group.
Naija News reports that Keyamo made the call in a statement posted on his 𝕏 handle.
He described the development as a “bizarre comedy” and criticised those behind it for allegedly dragging the former President into what he called a political charade.
The minister said it was inappropriate for individuals who were not recognised as political actors to claim they had offered Jonathan a presidential ticket.
“This is some kind of bizarre comedy taken too far by supposedly grown adults and some names that were actually in the corridors of power at some point in this country,” Keyamo said.
He questioned the credibility of those involved, saying they were not even registered on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) website.
“Giving a whole presidential ticket to an ex-president and statesman by proxy and by a bunch of people not even registered on INEC’s website. And they don’t give a hoot dragging such a revered figure into their charade that is certainly a journey to nowhere. Quite sad,” he stated.
Keyamo urged Jonathan to clarify his position immediately to avoid any misconceptions about his involvement.
“For the sake of his global image, President Goodluck Jonathan must immediately issue a strong ‘No, thank you’ statement,” Keyamo said.
The minister warned that Jonathan’s silence could revive public debate about his administration and the circumstances that led to his defeat in the 2015 presidential election.
“Lest Nigerians begin to recall the ‘clueless’ campaign that got him out of power, the first sitting president to be so ousted,” he added.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/05/31/keyamo-jonathan-reject-alleged-presidential-ticket/
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Olawepo-Hashim Emerges Accord Party Presidential Candidate
June 1, 2026
Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has emerged as the presidential candidate of the Accord Party (AP) following the conclusion of the party’s affirmation primaries held across several states.
The exercise recorded a large turnout of party members and supporters, who voted overwhelmingly to endorse him as the party’s flagbearer for the forthcoming presidential election.
Naija News reports that although Olawepo-Hashim was unopposed, party officials said the primaries were conducted to allow members to formally affirm his candidacy through a democratic process.
Results received from participating states showed that he polled 423,902 affirmative votes.
A breakdown of the results showed that Jigawa State recorded the highest number of votes with 198,200.
Kano State followed with 124,101 votes, while Nasarawa State delivered 47,309 votes.
Kebbi State recorded 46,852 votes, Kwara State contributed 3,348 votes, while Lagos State returned 4,548 affirmative votes.
Party officials described the exercise as peaceful and transparent, saying it reflected the confidence members have in Olawepo-Hashim’s leadership and vision for Nigeria.
Supporters also hailed the outcome as a strong signal of the party’s readiness to mobilise nationwide ahead of the general election.
Olawepo-Hashim’s supporters described him as a bridge-builder capable of promoting reconciliation and national cohesion.
They said his emergence offered Nigerians a credible alternative and a platform capable of uniting citizens across regional and religious lines.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/01/olawepo-hashim-accord-party-presidential-candidate/
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Southeast Asia
Politicians must watch their words not misuse freedom of speech
1 Jun 2026
Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim orders political leaders to exercise caution and avoid sensitive provocation in public statements
KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, today ordered all political leaders to uphold proper conduct and decorum, and to exercise caution when making public statements.
Sultan Ibrahim said politicians should refrain from provoking sensitive issues, especially ahead of election periods, which often become a platform for individuals to seek prominence and win public support.
“Avoid provocation and disputes over sensitive issues relating to the royalty, race and religion, as they can arouse public anger.
“‘Jangan kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga’ (do not let one bad deed spoil the whole endeavour),” Sultan Ibrahim said in his royal address at the investiture ceremony for Federal awards, honours and medals, held in conjunction with the King’s official birthday celebration at Istana Negara today.
Also in attendance was Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia.
Among those present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail; Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi; Cabinet ministers, including Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil; and members of the foreign diplomatic corps.
In addition, the King said that freedom of speech on social media should not be used as a platform to spread slander and hatred among the people.
Sultan Ibrahim said the situation has become more complicated with the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to generate fake news through the use of fabricated voices and images in deepfake videos on social media.
The King also expressed his disappointment that his images had been used in fake videos and content to mislead the public.
As such, His Majesty ordered the relevant authorities to continue strengthening monitoring efforts and take appropriate action to curb such activities.
Meanwhile, Sultan Ibrahim also extended his congratulations to all recipients of this year’s federal awards, honours and medals.
His Majesty reminded the recipients that the awards were not meant for self-glorification, but should instead serve as an encouragement to continue serving religion, race and the country with sincerity.
“I would also like to express my deepest appreciation to all parties involved in organising today’s celebration.
“The Queen and I would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for the messages of goodwill and prayers from the people, which have accompanied me every step of the way in carrying out my duties and responsibilities as Head of State.
“Let us pray that our beloved nation, Malaysia, will continue to be blessed with peace, prosperity and divine grace, and that its people will continue to live in harmony and unity,” His Majesty said.
The investiture ceremony marked the third occasion on which Sultan Ibrahim conferred Federal awards, honours and medals since His Majesty’s installation as the King of Malaysia on July 20, 2024.
A total of 161 individuals received Federal awards, honours and medals in conjunction with this year’s official birthday celebration of the King.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/politicians-must-watch-their-wordsm-not-misues-freedom-of-speech/
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Indonesian pilgrims complete Hajj peak rites, govt praises orderliness
May 31, 2026
Mecca (ANTARA) - Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf expressed his appreciation to Indonesian Hajj pilgrims for their cooperation and orderly compliance with officials’ instructions during the Arafah, Muzdalifah, and Mina phases.
"I express my appreciation to the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims for their orderly performance in carrying out the Hajj rituals. I also thank all the officials who have worked with full dedication. May the Indonesian Hajj pilgrims be granted a mabrur Hajj," Yusuf said on Sunday.
The peak of the Hajj pilgrimage in Mina officially concluded on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, 1447 AH. All Indonesian Hajj pilgrims with the Nafar Tsani option have left their tents in Mina and returned to their hotels in Mecca.
The minister then stated that the success of the Mina phase was the result of the collaborative efforts of all organizers, officials, and Indonesian Hajj pilgrims.
"Alhamdulillah, the Mina phase has concluded successfully. Today at 3:00 p.m. Saudi Arabian time, all Indonesian Hajj pilgrims left Mina and returned to their hotels in Mecca. Mina is now clear of Indonesian pilgrims," he added.
Although the Mina phase has concluded, Yusuf ensured services to pilgrims will continue. Some pilgrims performed the Tawaf-ifadah on the 10th to 13th of Zulhijjah, while others will complete the ritual before returning home.
He had instructed the Saudi Hajj Organizing Officers (PPIH) to continue monitoring and assisting pilgrims who have not yet completed the Tawaf-ifadah.
This assistance is crucial to prevent overcrowding in the tawaf area, while ensuring that elderly and high-risk pilgrims continue to receive priority attention.
He also urged pilgrims to maintain their health after completing the peak stages of the Hajj pilgrimage. The return of Indonesian pilgrims to Indonesia will begin in stages from June 1 to June 30, 2026.
Furthermore, Yusuf noted that the end of the Mina phase does not mark the conclusion of Hajj administration. The Ministry of Hajj will immediately evaluate all service stages to improve future implementation.
On May 29, 2026, the Ministry of Hajj received initial information and a timeline for the 2027 Hajj from the Saudi Arabian government. This information will serve as a basis to prepare for next year's Hajj early.
According to him, the experience of early preparations for the 2026 Hajj had a significant impact on operational order, service quality, and the readiness of all organizing elements.
"Evaluation and preparation must start early. This year’s experience shows it improves order, service quality, and overall readiness. We aim for the 2027 Hajj to be better organized, more elderly-friendly, and safer and more satisfying for pilgrims," the minister concluded.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/417451/indonesian-pilgrims-complete-hajj-peak-rites-govt-praises-orderliness
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Sabah detains 300 in Likas raid against deviant religious group banned by state fatwa council
01 Jun 2026
KOTA KINABALU, June 1 — Some 300 individuals, including 12 key leaders and organisers of a deviant religious group, were detained in a joint enforcement operation conducted by the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAINS) and the police in Likas here today.
Acting Kota Kinabalu police chief Supt Syed Lot Syed Ab Rahman said the operation was carried out following a public complaint received by JHEAINS on May 28 regarding the ‘Jalsa Salana Wilayah Sabah Ke-32’ programme held from May 29 to 31.
He said checks found that the programme was linked to the Ahmadiyah Qadiani movement, which was declared deviant and contrary to Islamic teachings by the Sabah State Fatwa Council and gazetted in 2007.
“The programme was attended by senior leaders of the Ahmadiyah Muslim Jamaat Malaysia (JAMM) as well as members from several districts in Sabah.
“Authorities also seized 24 buntings featuring the founder and top leaders of the Ahmadiyah Qadiani movement, as well as about 200 books and reading materials related to the teachings,” he said in a statement.
The case is being investigated under Sections 52(1), 52A and 102 of the Sabah Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1995.
Syed Lot said all those detained were brought to the Kota Kinabalu district police headquarters for documentation and further investigation by JHEAINS before being released on bail in accordance with existing legal provisions.
He advised the public to seek religious guidance only from recognised and credible sources, and to consult religious authorities if they have doubts about any teachings or religious doctrines being propagated.
He added that stern action would be taken against any individual or group found to be deviating from Islamic teachings. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/06/01/sabah-detains-300-in-likas-raid-against-deviant-religious-group-banned-by-state-fatwa-council/222148
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PM Anwar congratulates King on His Majesty’s official birthday, prays for blessings on royal family
01 Jun 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, June 1 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today conveyed his congratulations and prayers to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, in conjunction with His Majesty’s official birthday celebration.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said that, on behalf of the Madani Government and all Malaysians, he prayed for His Majesty, Her Majesty Raja Zarith Sofiah, Queen of Malaysia, and the entire royal family to be blessed with good health, longevity, and the continued protection and blessings of Allah SWT.
“May His Majesty continue to reign with justice and wisdom, and uphold the highest office under the Federal Constitution in line with the role of the royal institution as the protector of Islam and a symbol of unity, harmony and well-being of all races in this country.
“I, and the rakyat, will continue to express our unwavering loyalty to the constitutional monarchy. Long live Your Majesty,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Can strategic partnerships still be trusted? Khaled Nordin questions international agreements after Norway missile cancellation
31 May 2026
SINGAPORE, May 31 — Malaysia has raised concerns over what it described as the growing practice of double standards in the enforcement of international law, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Speaking at the sixth plenary session of the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue 2026 today, the minister said violations of the international law are frequently met with inconsistent and selective reactions depending on those involved.
He said international law is often treated as something that exists only on paper, observed strictly by countries of the global majority, but selectively interpreted by stronger powers whenever convenient.
Citing developments around the world, he said the same double standards are visible globally, where the ongoing genocide, war crimes, and violations of international law often receive selective reactions depending on who is involved.
“Institutions — such as the United Nations — established to uphold stability, multilateralism, and international law, are becoming increasingly weakened in the face of geopolitical rivalry.
“When developing nations violate agreements, they face condemnation and pressure, but when powerful countries or their allies do the same, the international response becomes conspicuously muted,” he said during his address on “Managing Regional Tensions Amid Global Competition” at Shangri-La Singapore today.
According to Mohamed Khaled, Malaysia deeply regrets Norway’s decision to cancel the export of the Naval Strike Missile system intended for Malaysia.
He noted that the silence surrounding Norway’s unilateral decision was particularly telling as little concern had been raised regarding the integrity of contracts or accountability.
He added that the deafening silence from Western nations sends a dangerous message, that some countries are simply above scrutiny.
“Norway’s action has created more than just a bilateral contract dispute.
“It raises a deeply troubling question about whether international agreements and strategic partnerships can still be trusted at all,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/31/can-strategic-partnerships-still-be-trusted-khaled-nordin-questions-international-agreements-after-norway-missile-cancellation/222064
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PBBS seeks higher Kaamatan budget for halal food access
01 Jun 2026
Sabah Bisaya association proposes increased Kaamatan allocations to provide more halal food options for Muslim visitors and tourists
PENAMPANG: The Sabah Bisaya Bersatu Association (PBBS) has proposed that the state government increase allocations for the Kaamatan Festival in the future to enable the provision of more halal food for visitors, particularly the Muslim community.
Its president, Datuk Ruslan Muharam, said the proposal is timely as the Kaamatan Festival is no longer attended solely by the Kadazandusun Murut (KDM) community, but also attracts visitors from Peninsular Malaysia, Brunei, and the Muslim community in Sabah.
Ruslan, who is also the state Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry, said PBBS had already taken the initiative this year by offering halal food under an open house concept at the Bisaya House in Hongkod Koisaan, Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA).
“Many Muslim visitors come looking for halal food. This year, we are having an open house concept where anyone can come and enjoy the food provided.
“We propose that the state government increase allocations for the Kaamatan Festival, and at the same time, KDCA should also increase funding so PBBS can provide more halal food for Muslim visitors,” he told Bernama.
He noted that this year’s organisers had also introduced a halal zone initiative to accommodate Muslim visitors, as announced by the Chairman of the Main Committee for the 2026 State-Level Kaamatan Festival Celebration, Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam.
Ruslan said the availability of halal food, including traditional dishes, at the Bisaya House this year was made possible through allocated funding, unlike in previous years when provisions were limited to association staff and participants.
Among the traditional dishes offered were sago, ulam-ulaman, bamboo shoots, rattan shoots, cassava, kelupis and traditional rice-based drinks.
He said the introduction of designated halal-friendly spaces reflects the inclusiveness of the festival and its role in fostering unity among Malaysia’s diverse communities, regardless of religious background.
Ruslan also said PBBS plans to showcase more Bisaya traditional accessories and attire in next year’s celebration.
He noted that items such as pisanggul, tanjak and kalung have been exhibited previously, but participation from cultural practitioners was lower this year due to family wedding commitments.
On the association’s direction, he said PBBS is targeting an increase in membership to 100,000, up from the current estimated 60,000 to 70,000 members.
He added that the target will be pursued through a membership campaign focusing on youth, particularly secondary school students who represent the next generation of Bisaya cultural heritage.
PBBS also plans to provide incentives to members who are students for achieving excellent results in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examinations.
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/people-issues/pbbs-seeks-higher-kaamatan-budget-for-halal-food-access/
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South Asia
Afghan, Iranian Officials Hold Talks on Addressing Border, Migrant Issues
June 1, 2026
MASHHAD: Mawlavi Noor Mohammad Motawakel, Consul General of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan in Mashhad, in a meeting with Dr. Gholam Hossein Mozaffari, Governor of Iran’s Khorasan Razavi Province, discussed a range of issues affecting Afghan citizens and cross-border trade.
Both sides discussed measures to resolve transportation and transit challenges at the Dogharoon border crossing, one of the key trade gateways between Afghanistan and Iran, the Afghan Consulate General said in a statement on Sunday.
The officials also explored ways to facilitate and accelerate the transfer of Afghan prisoners and addressed concerns surrounding mandatory insurance requirements for Afghan migrants holding Amayesh cards.
The discussions highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation and improve services for Afghan nationals residing in Iran, while also enhancing trade and transit operations between the two neighboring countries.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://www.thekabultimes.com/afghan-iranian-officials-hold-talks-on-addressing-border-migrant-issues/
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US Embassy announces 2-day processing for immigrant visas in Bangladesh
31 MAY 2026
The US Embassy in Dhaka has announced a faster visa processing system for immigrant visa applicants -- introducing a two-day processing period from June 1, 2026.
The announcement was made by the embassy today. The new measure will apply to all immigrant visa categories.
"Effective June 1, the US Embassy in Dhaka will implement two-day processing for all immigrant visa categories," the embassy said in a notice.
In the notice, the embassy advised applicants to visit its “Directory of Visa Categories” and check the immigrant visa categories for further information.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/diplomacy/news/us-embassy-announces-2-day-processing-immigrant-visas-bangladesh-4187356
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Tarique warns of tough days, seeks support
1 JUNE 2026
Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman yesterday warned leaders and activists of challenging days ahead and urged their support in implementing the election manifesto to ensure the government’s success.
“I would like to tell everyone that a very difficult time lies ahead of us. At the same time, a very important period awaits us. If we let this crucial and challenging time pass lightly, it will cause a great loss,” he said while addressing a discussion at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh.
The prime minister said the loss will not be for any individual but for the country and future generations. “So, let us work together to build the country in the way Shaheed Zia wanted and move it forward along the path he envisioned. We must run the country in line with that vision.”
BNP organised the discussion programme, marking the 45th death anniversary of party founder and former president Ziaur Rahman.
Tarique said Ziaur Rahman wanted to make Bangladesh self-reliant by gradually developing every sector of the country, and the BNP’s election manifesto reflects that vision.
He said BNP presented its plans to the people before the election, and voters endorsed those plans by giving the party a two-third majority.
“Until February 12, it was BNP’s manifesto. But after the election results, it became the manifesto of the people who voted for it. It is now our responsibility to implement it.”
The prime minister said government programmes will not succeed through the efforts of the ruling party MPs and the cabinet members alone.
“The government can succeed only when party workers support every positive initiative and help implement programmes at the grassroots level.”
Referring to Ziaur Rahman’s contributions, he said many of the policies outlined in the manifesto were inspired by the former president’s initiatives.
Tarique said the manifesto includes programmes similar to Zia’s canal excavation project, as well as plans to expand education, promote industrialisation and create employment opportunities.
Recalling the party’s political struggles, the PM said BNP leaders and activists worked tirelessly before the February 12 election to secure victory and that their responsibilities have not ended with the formation of the government.
“Our hard work must continue. Just as we succeeded through an election, we must now succeed in implementing our goals and commitments. Only then can we become a truly successful government in the eyes of the people,” he said.
Tarique said many party leaders and activists might think they have no direct role because they are not MPs, ministers or elected representatives.
But he stressed that maintaining organisational discipline, carrying out political activities properly and keeping the party strong are important contributions to the government’s success.
The PM urged party leaders and activists to take a fresh pledge on the occasion of Ziaur Rahman’s death anniversary to do that.
“People have given their verdict in favour of our manifesto. Let us work together to implement that manifesto and ensure the success of the government. That will be the best way to pay proper respect to Shaheed Zia.”
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/tarique-warns-tough-days-seeks-support-4187676
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PM resumes office at Secretariat after Eid holidays
1 JUNE 2026
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman resumed office at the Bangladesh Secretariat today, the first working day after the Eid-ul-Azha holidays.
Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said Tarique Rahman arrived at his office at the Secretariat at around 9:15am and resumed official work.
Rumon said the prime minister has a series of official engagements scheduled throughout the day.
The prime minister returned to work after spending the Eid holidays when he attended various official and party programmes, including exchanging Eid greetings, inspecting sacrificial waste management activities in the capital and taking part in events marking the 45th death anniversary of BNP founder and former President Ziaur Rahman.
The government holiday for Eid-ul-Azha began on May 25 and ended on May 31.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/pm-resumes-office-secretariat-after-eid-holidays-4187851
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Russian drugmaker Pharmasyntez to begin medicine exports to Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
May 31, 2026
Russian pharmaceutical company Pharmasyntez has announced plans to begin exporting medicines to Afghanistan this summer, marking a new step in healthcare cooperation between the two countries amid ongoing challenges in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical sector.
Company officials said preparations for the first shipment are underway following an agreement with the Afghan public health authorities. The initial consignment is expected to reach the Afghanistan market within the next two months.
Nikita Punya, the company’s commercial director, described Afghanistan as an important market for the firm’s regional expansion strategy and expressed hope that pharmaceutical cooperation would continue to grow in the coming years.
According to the company, Pharmasyntez currently exports medicines to 13 countries, including Syria, Myanmar and the Dominican Republic. Afghanistan is among several new markets targeted for expansion in 2026, alongside Venezuela, Vietnam, Morocco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ecuador and Mali.
The company produces more than 300 pharmaceutical products and over 60 active pharmaceutical ingredients. More than 80 percent of its medicines are listed as essential drugs, while its manufacturing facilities across Russia have an annual production capacity exceeding 100 million packages.
The planned exports come as Afghanistan continues to face shortages of medicines and medical supplies in parts of the country. Health professionals have warned that limited domestic production and reliance on imported pharmaceuticals have left the healthcare system vulnerable to supply disruptions and price fluctuations.
International organizations have repeatedly highlighted the need to strengthen Afghanistan’s healthcare infrastructure and improve access to essential medicines, particularly for rural communities and vulnerable populations. Expanding supply channels has been identified as a key factor in addressing long-term healthcare needs.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/russian-drugmaker-pharmasyntez-to-begin-medicine-exports-to-afghanistan/
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Afghanistan’s Technical-Military Agreement with Russia Based on National Interests
June 1, 2026
The recent announcement by the country’s Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid regarding Afghanistan’s agreement with Russia has drawn considerable attention both domestically and internationally. Speaking upon his return from the 2026 Global Security Forum in Moscow, Mujahid clarified that the accord is not a defense or security pact, but rather a technical-military cooperation agreement. This distinction is crucial, as it underscores Afghanistan’s sovereign right to pursue partnerships that serve its national interests while maintaining a policy of non-aggression toward other nations. Afghanistan’s military infrastructure is heavily reliant on Russian-made equipment, ranging from helicopters and aircraft to weapons and other hardware. These assets require regular maintenance, upgrades, and oversight to remain functional. By signing this agreement, Kabul ensures that its existing military resources can be properly utilized and sustained. The arrangement is therefore pragmatic, focusing on technical needs rather than strategic alliances, and reflects Afghanistan’s commitment to responsible stewardship of its defense sector. Minister Mujahid emphasized that Afghanistan’s policy is rooted in peace and cooperation. He stated unequivocally that Afghanistan poses no threat to any country in the world. On the contrary, the strengthening of Afghanistan’s defense capabilities is intended to contribute to regional stability and security. This message is consistent with the Islamic Emirate’s broader vision which is building constructive relations with regional and global partners based on mutual respect, Islamic values, and national sovereignty. The minister also addressed concerns raised by Pakistani officials regarding alleged use of Afghan territory against Pakistan. He noted that efforts are underway to prevent violations of Afghanistan’s airspace and to ensure that foreign powers cannot carry out strikes with impunity. This position reflects Afghanistan’s determination to safeguard its territorial integrity while pursuing peaceful relations with its neighbors.The Global Security Forum in Moscow, attended by representatives from over 100 countries, provided Afghanistan with an opportunity to present its perspective on global order and security. By participating at such a high level, the Islamic Emirate demonstrated its readiness to engage with the international community in a constructive manner. The technical-military agreement with Russia is one outcome of this engagement, highlighting Afghanistan’s ability to act as an independent state while adhering to Islamic principles. As a sovereign nation, Afghanistan has the right to establish political, economic, social, and technical relations with regional and global partners. The agreement with Russia is a manifestation of this right, pursued within the framework of national interests and in accordance with Islamic Sharia. It is not a cause for concern, but rather a step toward ensuring that Afghanistan’s defense sector remains functional, responsible, and aligned with the country’s long-term vision of peace and stability.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://www.thekabultimes.com/afghanistans-technical-military-agreement-with-russia-based-on-national-interests/
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Kabul Municipality Collects Over 4,600 Tons of Waste During Eid al-Adha Holidays
June 1, 2026
KABUL: The Kabul Municipality’s Sanitation Department collected and transported 4,653 tons of waste and excess materials from across the capital during the Day of Arafah and the three days of Eid al-Adha.
The Kabul Municipality said in a statement on Sunday that the waste collected by municipal workers and sanitation vehicles was transferred to the Gazak landfill site.
According to official figures, 1,347 tons of waste were collected on the Day of Arafah, 1,157 tons on the first day of Eid, 1,295 tons on the second day, and 854 tons on the third day.
The Kabul Municipality also thanked residents for their cooperation in maintaining cleanliness and urged citizens to continue supporting efforts to keep the city clean and environmentally healthy.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://www.thekabultimes.com/kabul-municipality-collects-over-4600-tons-of-waste-during-eid-al-adha-holidays/
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