Hindu Rashtra Remains the Eternal Thought Behind Every Action of RSS: Mohan Bhagwat
New Age Islam News Bureau
26 May 2025
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat during the launch of the book 'Hindu Manifesto' by Swami Vigyananand.
PTI photo
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· Hindu Rashtra Remains the Eternal Thought Behind Every Action of RSS: Mohan Bhagwat
· Scores Picked Up Across Assam,Large Number of Them Being Bengali-Origin Muslims, Police Call It Document Verification Drive
· Islamic Military Coalition Hosts Training in Mali to Counter Terrorist Financing
· A Shariah-Based Educational System in IEA: Structure, Objectives, And Methods
· Azerbaijan Hosts Int'l Conference Titled “Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice And Destroying Stigma”
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India
· CRPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Arrested for Sharing Classified Information with Pakistan: NIA
· Three Held for Attacking Four Persons Over Suspicion of Moving Beef In U.P.
· Operation Sindoor aftermath: Emphasis on vigilance, synergy as CDS conducts strategic review at Northern, Western commands
· ‘Startling Confession’ By Cong Leader On Gaurav Gogoi’s Wife Being On Pak Govt ‘Payroll’: Himanta
· Policeman killed by ‘cattle smugglers’ truck’ after it breaks through barricade in J&K’s Samba
· Taj Mahal to get anti-drone system amid rising aerial threat concerns
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Arab World
· 70 Participants Graduate in Riyadh AI and Innovation Hackathon
· Saudi minister holds talks with Chinese, EU officials on climate, global issues
· Saudi Reserve Engages Pilgrims On Biodiversity
· KSrelief sends vaccine to Syrian pilgrims for Hajj
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South Asia
· Islamic Emirate committed to providing society with professional cadres, minister
· Islamic Emirate’s independent and principled diplomacy
· Nazrul's artistic legacy inspired mass uprising: Farooki
· Travel ban issued against Saber, family
· Pakistan lifts 10% Tax on key Afghanistan exports to boost trade
· US Veteran urges swift evacuation of Afghan allies
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Europe
· 4 Russians suspected of supporting IS on trial in Germany
· Call for freeze on Syrian asylum claims to end
· British diplomacy speaks only in ultimatums – Moscow
· A new front: Russia expands into Ukraine to build a military buffer zone
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Mideast
· Why Fury Over Israeli Actions in Gaza and West Bank May Lead to EU Sanctions
· Spain hosts European, Arab nations to pressure Israel on Gaza
· Hamas: Zionist Incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque Represent Dangerous Escalation, Provocation to Muslim Sentiments
· Israeli Strike Kills 20 In Gaza School Housing Displaced People, Health Authorities Say
· Decisions will be made on national interests, not foreign pressure: Iran nuclear chief
· Iran summons French charge d’affairs
· Hundreds of settlers’ storm Al-Buraq Square in Al-Aqsa Mosque
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North America
· CAIR-Kansas Condemns White Supremacist Rally in Kansas City
· Police say 7 vehicles were ‘targeted and vandalized’ at a mosque in Orono
· US arrests man for allegedly trying to firebomb embassy in Israel
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Africa
· As Tinubu and Ribadu Revive Boko Haram, Nigerians Plan National Day Of Mourning
· Pressure mounts on Tinubu to drop Shettima as running mate ahead of 2027
· Uba Sani’s two years as gov marked by development — Aide
· Wanted: A unified air security strategy to curb terrorism, others
· I’m Not Desperate To Be President, Nigeria Is Difficult To Govern When You Want To Do It Right – Peter Obi
· Atiku, Peter Obi, Ameachi’s Coalition Meeting Descend Into Chaos
· U.S. military shifts strategy in Africa amid rising insurgencies
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Southeast Asia
· Success of Malay/Muslim community a shared effort, says Prof Faishal
· Johor MB Onn Hafiz says state election still two years away, urges lawmakers to focus on unity
· Anwar: Inclusivity and sustainability must anchor Asean’s future
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/hindu-rashtra-eternal-behind-action/d/135671
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Hindu Rashtra Remains the Eternal Thought Behind Every Action of RSS: Mohan Bhagwat
26.05.25
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat during the launch of the book 'Hindu Manifesto' by Swami Vigyananand.
PTI photo
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RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said a “Hindu Rashtra” was the Sangh’s “eternal thought” and urged Hindu society to unite and make India so strong that it could not be vanquished even by a coalition of multiple powers.
His comments came Inan interview with the RSS-affiliated weekly, Organiser, where he flagged the presence of “evil forces on all our borders” and said this was why India had “no option but to be powerful”. Organiser said the interview had been conducted before the Pahalgam massacre and Operation Sindoor.
Bhagwat stressed the idea of “Hindu Rashtra”, saying it remained the “eternal thought” behind every action of the Sangh.
“What is nitya (permanent) in the Sangh? Balasaheb (Deoras, the Sangh’s third chief) once said, ‘Hindustan is a Hindu Rashtra’,” he said.
“Apart from this, everything else in the Sangh is transient. The entire Hindu society is the accountable custodian of this nation. The nature and Sanskriti of this country are Hindu. Therefore, this is a Hindu Rashtra.”
On the subject of Hindus facing attacks and exploitation in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Bhagwat said Hindu society needed to unite. “Someone will worry about Hindus only when Hindus are strong enough,” he said.
“As Hindu society and Bharat are intertwined, a glorious nature of Hindu society will bring in glory for Bharat. Only such a strong Hindu society can present a model for taking along the people of Bharat who do not consider themselves Hindus, as at one point they were also Hindus.
“If the Hindu society of Bharat becomes strong, automatically Hindus will gain strength globally. This work is going on, but it is not yet complete.”
Referring to the recent happenings in Bangladesh, he said that Hindus were fighting back, “slowly but surely”.
“This time the way anguish against the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh has been expressed, this is unprecedented. Even local Hindus now say: ‘We won’t flee. We’ll stay and fight for our rights’,” Bhagwat said.
Answering a question on the Sangh’s vision for India’s security, military strength and economic power, Bhagwat said: “We must not be dependent on others for national security. We should be able to defend ourselves.
“No one should be able to conquer us — not even if multiple powers come together. There are evil forces in the world who are aggressive by nature.”
Bhagwat said the nature of India’s power should be “for the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked”.
“When no option is available, then wickedness has to be eradicated forcefully.”
Bhagwat had in a statement lauded the government for conducting Operation Sindoor, saying it had “enhanced the country’s self-respect and morale”.
He has, however, been silent on US President Donald Trump’s claim of having mediated the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Insiders said the Sangh was upset at the claim.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/mohan-bhagwat-says-hindu-rashtra-remains-the-eternal-thought-behind-every-action-of-rss-prnt/cid/2101795
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Scores Picked Up Across Assam,Large Number of Them Being Bengali-Origin Muslims, Police Call It Document Verification Drive
Sukrita Baruah
May 26, 2025
A senior police officer said the drive was meant for “verification”.
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Police picked up scores of people across Assam over the weekend, with officials saying it was being done “to verify their documentation”.
At least 50 people were picked up over Saturday and Sunday from locations in districts such as Guwahati, Golaghat, Dhubri, Barpeta and Cachar. Neither the police nor the state government have issued any official information on the nature of the drive.
A senior police officer said the drive was meant for “verification”.
With a large number of those picked up being Bengali-origin Muslims, the drive has spread panic among many in the community. The action comes close on the heels of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs setting a 30-day deadline earlier this month for states and Union Territories to verify the credentials of persons suspected to be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar who claim to be Indian citizens. The Indian Express had reported that if their documents are not verified, the ministry has ordered that they be deported after 30 days.
The All Assam Minority Students’ Union has reacted sharply to the drive, calling it harassment.
“In Assam, we have due process to identify foreigners. There is the border police, the foreigners’ tribunals (FTs), and people can appeal against FT decisions in the High Court and Supreme Court. But this is an attempt to create an atmosphere of terror. If they are indeed Bangladeshis, make an agreement with Bangladesh and deport them. (Don’t do it) this way,” said AAMSU president Rejaul Karim Sarkar.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/scores-picked-up-across-assam-police-call-it-document-verification-drive-10028766/
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Islamic Military Coalition Hosts Training in Mali to Counter Terrorist Financing
May 25, 2025
Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition concluded a specialized training program on combating terrorist financing in Bamako, Mali. (SPA)
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RIYADH: The Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition concluded a specialized training program on combating terrorist financing in Bamako, Mali, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
Conducted in cooperation with Mali’s Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, the program aimed to strengthen national capacities to counter terrorist financing and money laundering.
The initiative is part of a broader series of strategic activities by the coalition to support its member states, the SPA added.
The launch event was attended by Lt. Gen. Sadio Camara, Mali’s minister of defense and veterans affairs; Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Moghed, secretary-general of the coalition; senior diplomatic and military officials; and representatives from national and international organizations.
The program featured a scientific lecture, “Financial Investigations into Terrorism Financing and Money Laundering Crimes,” attended by more than 200 participants, including security, oversight, and judicial personnel.
The session covered methodologies for financial tracking, analysis of illicit networks, and shared relevant international experiences.
Additionally, a closed workshop, “Methods of Countering the Financing of Terrorist Organizations in the Sahel Region,” brought together specialists from key national and regional entities.
Discussions focused on shared challenges, successful models, ongoing initiatives, and mechanisms for enhanced cooperation.
The event concluded with a reaffirmation of the importance of sustained collaboration between the coalition and its member states.
Participants emphasized the need to expand training and capacity-building efforts to enhance institutional readiness and strengthen collective responses to security threats across the Sahel region.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2602109/saudi-arabia
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A Shariah-Based Educational System in IEA: Structure, Objectives, And Methods
May 26, 2025
The curriculum must be strictly grounded in Islamic belief and doctrine.
This principle is not negotiable. All educational subjects, course materials, and teaching methods are required to conform to Islamic ideology.
The purpose of this structure is to preserve and promote a worldview that is centred around Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah), Islamic ethics, and a lifestyle inspired by the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The ultimate aim of this policy is to develop individuals who are not only intellectually capable but spiritually grounded in Islam.
The educational system, therefore, must guide students toward acquiring an Islamic mentality and morality.
It is not enough for learners to master scientific or technical knowledge—they must do so while understanding and living within the ethical and legal boundaries of Islam.
Education in this system serves to prepare Muslims for life in both worldly and spiritual dimensions.
Accordingly, the curriculum must be designed in a way that reinforces this mission.
All subjects must be evaluated through the lens of Islamic objectives.
Any course content or teaching approach that contradicts Islamic values is considered impermissible.
The learning process must help shape Islamic personalities, fostering individuals who will contribute to an Ummah rooted in justice, responsibility, and piety.
An important element of the Shariah-based curriculum policy is the differentiation between two categories of knowledge: (1) empirical and technical sciences, and (2) cultural and philosophical knowledge.
Empirical sciences—including mathematics, biology, chemistry, and engineering—are recognized as necessary for the practical functioning and advancement of Muslim societies.
These may be taught freely at all levels of education according to national needs and without limitation to specific stages.
Cultural and philosophical subjects, on the other hand, require careful regulation.
At the primary and secondary levels, such content should only be introduced if it aligns with Islamic teachings and supports the formation of an Islamic identity.
In higher education, cultural knowledge may be pursued as a field of academic specialization, but only if it does not challenge or divert students from the fundamental goals of Islamic education.
Any cultural perspective that promotes ideologies contrary to Islam must be excluded from the curriculum.
The teaching of Islamic culture and sciences is mandatory throughout all educational levels. At the advanced stage, these areas must be treated with the same academic seriousness as any other field—such as medicine, natural sciences, or engineering.
Specializations in Qur’anic sciences, Hadith, Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh), theology (‘Aqidah), and Islamic history must be offered, supported, and promoted as professional fields of study.
In areas like commerce, agriculture, engineering, and invention—which are categorized as practical industries—education and training are encouraged without any restriction, provided they serve beneficial purposes for the Muslim community.
However, fields like sculpture, painting, and other visual arts, which may reflect foreign cultural and ideological influences, must be scrutinized and are prohibited if they promote values that contradict Islamic teachings.
The national curriculum must be uniform and based on a single educational model derived from Islamic values.
No alternative or parallel educational framework should be accepted.
Private schools may function legally only if they comply fully with the national educational policy, including its moral and doctrinal foundations.
Moreover, such institutions must avoid gender mixing among students and teachers and must not be exclusive to specific religious, ethnic, or racial groups.
The state carries a crucial responsibility in facilitating access to education.
It must provide free primary and secondary education for all citizens—male and female alike.
Furthermore, the Government is obligated to expand access to higher education, supporting every individual’s opportunity to pursue learning to the highest levels possible.
In addition, the state should invest in the establishment of libraries, research centers, laboratories, and knowledge institutions beyond formal schools and universities.
These resources must be accessible to the public and designed to encourage research and innovation in various fields—ranging from Islamic jurisprudence to medicine, engineering, and scientific invention. This infrastructure will help cultivate a new generation of Islamic scholars, jurists, inventors, and pioneers capable of leading the Ummah into a prosperous future guided by divine principles. Sayed Sharif
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/a-shariah-based-educational-system-structure-objectives-and-methods/
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Azerbaijan Hosts Int'l Conference Titled “Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice And Destroying Stigma”
26 May 2025
BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 26. An international conference titled “Islamophobia: Exposing Prejudice and Destroying Stigma” has commenced in Azerbaijan's Baku, Trend reports.
Marking the 3rd anniversary of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the event is jointly organized by the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, the Centre of Analysis of International Relations, and the Baku Initiative Group.
Among the international partners of the conference are the G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID), the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity (HCF), the Council of Muslim Elders, the Central Council of Muslims of Germany, the European Muslim Leaders’ Assembly (EULEMA), and the International Muslim Forum.
At the opening ceremony, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev read out the address of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to the participants of the international conference.
The main goal of the event is to establish an academic platform for discussing growing global and national trends targeting Muslims and Muslim-majority countries.
Scholars from nearly 40 countries, experts from international organizations, religious leaders, and representatives of non-governmental organizations are participating in the event.
The conference features discussions on the "Global Trends in Islamophobia: Challenges and Responses," "Anti-Muslim Hatred in Politics: Legal Frameworks and Advocacy Strategies," "Islamophobia in Different Contexts: Regional Perspectives," "Islamophobia in Media and Digital Platforms: How Artificial Intelligence Systems Can Spread and Reinforce Islamophobic Bias," "Women, Identity and Stereotypes: Navigating the Intersection of Religious and Cultural Prejudices", "Institutionalization of Anti-Muslim Legislation in Europe: Rhetoric in the Context of Radicalization of Islamophobic Propaganda", "Preserving Islamic Cultural Heritage in a Changing World" and "Youth Call for Inclusion: Combating Bias and Misconceptions".
The International Day to Combat Islamophobia is observed on March 15. The initiative was first adopted at a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC in Niamey, Niger, on November 27-28, 2020. In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly officially designated March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
Source: trend.az
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https://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/politics/4048605.html
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India
CRPF Assistant Sub-Inspector Arrested for Sharing Classified Information with Pakistan: NIA
By: Express News Service
New Delhi: May 26, 2025
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) said Monday it has arrested an assistant sub-inspector of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistan intelligence officers.
NIA said it arrested the CRPF ASI from Delhi, and is questioning him. The Central agency said he was sharing classified information after receiving funds from them, and he has been dismissed from the service.
He was remanded to the agency’s custody till June 6 by the Special Court at Patiala House Courts.
“We have arrested the CRPF personnel, identified as Moti Ram Jat. He was actively involved in espionage activity and had been sharing classified information related to national security with Pakistan Intelligence Officers (PIOs) since 2023. We have also found that he was receiving funds from the PIOs through various conduits,” a NIA spokesperson said.
A CRPF spokesperson said they found Jat had violated established norms and protocols during “sustained monitoring” of his social media activity in coordination with Central agencies.
“Upon preliminary assessment, the matter was deemed serious and has since been referred to the National Investigation Agency for further inquiry. Concurrently, the said individual has been dismissed from service with effect from 21.05.2025, under the relevant provisions of the Constitution of India read with the CRPF Rules,” the officer said.
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/crpf-personnel-arrested-classified-information-pakistan-nia-10029642/?ref=hometop_hp
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Three Held for Attacking Four Persons Over Suspicion of Moving Beef In U.P.
May 26, 2025
MAYANK KUMAR
Three people were arrested in Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday (May 25, 2025) on charges of beating up four people and setting on fire a mini-truck allegedly laden with beef on Saturday (May 24). Two first information reports (FIR) have been registered over the issue. Special police teams have been formed to identify and arrest other attackers, and the police are waiting for a lab test report on the meat to proceed further in the case.
The four injured individuals, identified as Akeel 35, Nadeem, 32, Akil, 43, and Arbaaj, 38, are currently receiving treatment at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital in Aligarh.
“We received information that a few people supplying meat suspected to be beef in a vehicle were stopped and thrashed by some villagers under Harduaganj police station limits. The local police and I immediately reached the spot. People who were beaten up by the public were taken to safety and admitted to the hospital for medical treatment. They are out of danger. The allegations are being investigated and the meat sample has been sent to Mathura for lab test,” Amrit Jain, Superintendent of Police, Aligarh Rural, told The Hindu.
“We have filed two FIRs, one on the basis of the complaint received from the villagers about illegal cow slaughtering and transportation of the meat, and the other FIR is registered based on the petition of the father of one of the injured against some named and other unidentified individuals at Harduaganj Police Station. Three people have been arrested, and we are examining available evidence to identify the other attackers. We are waiting for the report on the meat sample to proceed further. Whatever facts come to light during the course of investigation, based on that, arrest and legal action will be taken,” Mr. Jain said, adding that there is peace in the locality now.
Right-wing group’s name crops up
The named individuals accused in the FIR are linked to a fringe right-wing group.
Teams from different political parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress, and social groups visited the injured in the hospital. They demanded that strict action be taken against the accused.
Opposition political parties targeted the State government over the incident, questioning if attack on Muslims and cow vigilantism have become a state policy. “What has happened in Aligarh is in continuation of various forms and means of attack on the Muslim community. Cow vigilantism has become a state policy with Muslims being beaten up by elements and fringe groups close to the BJP. The name of a lesser-known Hindutva group has cropped up in the Aligarh episode. The administration must punish individuals taking law into their hands,” said Shahnawaz Alam, national secretary, Congress.
The Samajwadi Party said that after the Pahalgam terror attack, some groups with vested interests were trying to create such an atmosphere as to target the Muslim community. “After Pahalgam, many incidents of attacks on Minorities have been reported in U.P. Some people with vested interests are trying to target the Muslim community and the Aligarh incident of cow vigilantism is one such example. The government should take serious note of it and make sure such incidents are not repeated in future,” said Ameeque Jamei, an SP spokesperson.
Source: thehindu.com
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https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/uttar-pradesh/three-arrested-for-attacking-muslim-men-on-suspicion-of-transporting-beef-in-aligarh/article69617910.ece
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Operation Sindoor aftermath: Emphasis on vigilance, synergy as CDS conducts strategic review at Northern, Western commands
by Arun Sharma
May 26, 2025
Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan Sunday visited the Indian Army’s Northern Command at Udhampur in Jammu & Kashmir and the Western Command at Chandimandir Military Station, Haryana.
He interacted with the Army Commanders and senior staff officers who were actively involved in the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor.
The CDS, while conducting a strategic review and operational assessment in the Northern and Western theatres during the visit, emphasised the importance of continued vigilance, jointness and synergy across the services to address “evolving threats”, an official statement here said.
At Udhampur, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen Pratik Sharma briefed the CDS on the success of the Northern Army in neutralising the terror network, adversary’s assets that supported terror and counter measures taken to protect military assets and civilian population in the country during Operation Sindoor.
The CDS was also apprised about the efforts by the Northern Command in the rehabilitation of the civilians of the border areas who were targeted by the “adversary”, the statement said.
CDS conducts ‘strategic review’ at Army’s Northern, Western commands He interacted with the Army Commanders and senior staff officers who were actively involved in the planning and execution of Operation Sindoor.
The Northern Army Commander gave an update on the continued operational and logistics preparedness of the Northern Army and assured the CDS of its commitment in protecting the borders, while also launching an all-out effort to eradicate terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, the statement added.
At Chandimandir, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar briefed the CDS on the kinetic and non-kinetic punitive response during Operation Sindoor. A detailed overview of the operational environment, defence preparedness and key outcomes of the operation were provided, while underscoring the prevailing security situation along the Western borders.
Inputs on technological infusion and enhanced logistics capability, contributing to high operational efficiency, real-time situational awareness, strengthening the military capability of Western Army were also highlighted. The CDS was also given an insight into Veterans’ Care & Medicare facilities extended to serving and retired personnel reflecting the Indian Army’s firm commitment to the welfare of those who serve the national cause, the statement said.
General Anil Chauhan remembered the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during Operation Sindoor, lauding the valour, resolve, precision and discipline of all ranks. He acknowledged the operational excellence achieved by the field formations responsible for the Northern and Western borders in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, the statement said.
The CDS commended the overall synergy and timely accomplishment of operational tasks under challenging conditions. He exhorted them to render a helping hand in rehabilitation of the civilians who were targeted by the “adversary”.
The visit concluded with the CDS expressing his deep appreciation for the exemplary conduct and successful execution of military operations which reaffirmed the faith reposed by the nation in its Armed Forces. He attributed the overall success achieved in attaining national security objectives to high morale, discipline and unwavering commitment of the Indian Army.
Under Operation Sindoor, India carried out precision strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Pakistani attempts were strongly responded to by the Indian side.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on May 10 announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/operation-sindoor-aftermath-emphasis-on-vigilance-synergy-as-cds-conducts-strategic-review-at-northern-western-commands-10028681/
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‘Startling confession’ by Cong leader on Gaurav Gogoi’s wife being on Pak govt ‘payroll’: Himanta
May 26, 2025
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday claimed that a senior Congress leader has made a “startling confession” that his party MP Gaurav Gogoi’s British wife was on the “payroll of the Pakistan government”.
Sarma maintained that they were not “previously aware of these details” and the statement of Congress leader Ripun Bora will be recorded and further action taken in the matter.
The Assam CM and the BJP have been attacking Gogoi over his wife’s alleged connection with Pakistan’s spy agency ISI.
He said Gogoi’s British wife Elizabeth Colburn had travelled 19 times between India and Pakistan.
Bora, a former Rajya Sabha MP, had on Sunday said Colburn works in an international NGO, which has a network in Pakistan and other countries.
“In this connection, she had received a salary from Pakistan and visited the country multiple times for work. But can this be grounds to question one’s patriotism? Many Indians and Pakistanis are legally working in each other’s countries,” Bora was quoted as saying in a press release issued by the Congress.
“Yesterday, senior Congress leader Sri Ripun Bora made a startling confession — he admitted that the British wife of Hon’ble MP Sri Gaurav Gogoi was, in fact, on the payroll of the Pakistan Government,” Sarma said in a post on X.
Yesterday, senior Congress leader Sri Ripun Bora made a startling confession — he admitted that the British wife of Hon’ble MP Sri Gaurav Gogoi was, in fact, on the payroll of the Pakistan Government.
If this is indeed true, it raises deeply alarming questions about national…
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) May 26, 2025
He maintained that if Bora’s statement is true, “it raises deeply alarming questions about national security”.
“The continued presence of an individual linked to a hostile foreign state — right within the inner circles of a sitting Member of Parliament — poses a serious and unacceptable threat to the integrity of India’s institutions,” Sarma maintained.
“We were not previously aware of these shocking details. Now that this revelation has come to light, the matter is being examined with the seriousness it demands,” he said.
The chief minister asserted that national security is non-negotiable and added, “We will record Bora’s statement and take further action in this matter.” Earlier, Gogoi had slammed Sarma over his accusation of the MP’s alleged Pakistani links and questioned his mental state due to issues at the home front.
He even said the CM’s remarks were “ridiculous, baseless, insane and nonsense” and that he was behaving like an “IT cell troll” without checking facts.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gaurav-gogoi-wife-pakistan-link-himanta-10029634/
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Policeman killed by ‘cattle smugglers’ truck’ after it breaks through barricade in J&K’s Samba
by Arun Sharma
May 25, 2025
A policeman was killed and another was injured after being run over by a vehicle driven by alleged cattle smugglers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district on Sunday.
The deceased policeman was identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Yog Raj Singh.
Police said Singh, along with a police team, had laid a barricade at Phulpur in the Supwal area of the Samba, to nab the alleged cattle smugglers following a tip-off.
During the early hours of Sunday, the police team noticed a vehicle coming from the side of the International Border and signalled it to stop.
The smugglers, however, increased the speed of the vehicle and rammed it into the barricade in a bid to escape, police said.
In the process, two policemen were injured, and one of them later succumbed to the injuries. Police have registered a case and started looking for the absconding suspects. This was the second incident of attack by criminals on police in Samba district since last month.
Earlier, in April, three policemen, including the Bari Brahmana police station SHO, were injured when they were attacked by drug peddlers in the Balole Khad area.
Source: indianexpress.com
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https://indianexpress.com/article/india/policeman-killed-cattle-smugglers-barricade-jammu-and-kashmir-samba-10028303/
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Taj Mahal to get anti-drone system amid rising aerial threat concerns
25.05.25
The security of the iconic Taj Mahal is set to become more high-tech with the installation of an anti-drone system to counter potential aerial threats, a senior official said on Sunday.
The monument, currently guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Uttar Pradesh Police, will soon have an added layer of protection in the form of advanced drone neutralisation technology, he said.
The move comes days after India carried out precise strikes under Operation Sindoor on nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 in response to the dastardly Pahalgam massacre.
A wave of artillery shelling, missiles and drone strikes were carried out by Pakistan. All such aerial threats were neutralised by the Indian armed forces, highlighting the growing need for anti-drone measures at sensitive locations.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Taj Security) Syed Arib Ahmad said, “An anti-drone system will be installed at the Taj Mahal complex. The system will have a range of 7-8 kilometers but will be primarily effective within a 200-meter radius from the main dome of the monument.” “The system will automatically jam the signal of any drone entering the area, rendering it inoperable through what is known as a ‘soft kill’,” he said.
Ahmad added that police personnel are being trained to operate the system, and a dedicated response team is being formed.
“The team will trace the origin point of the drone and secure the area where it is brought down,” he said, adding that the installation of the system is expected to be completed within the next few days.
Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of India’s most visited monuments and a symbol of national pride, making its security a matter of top priority.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Arab World
70 participants graduate in Riyadh AI and Innovation Hackathon
May 26, 2025
RIYADH: Seventy participants have completed the AI and Innovation Hackathon program held in Riyadh recently.
Organized by the Financial Academy, in partnership with MEDGULF Insurance Company, the program is aimed at training national talents capable of driving the development of the insurance sector in the Kingdom, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
The hackathon included several key phases, starting with data collection and pertinent challenges, followed by awareness sessions and inviting applications, then idea screening, and the selection of the best candidates.
The five-month event culminated in an intensive five-day hackathon with creative engagement from the participants.
The Financial Academy has several responsibilities and mandates, such as: including training and qualifying employees working in the financial sectors, setting standards and requirements for practicing professions in the financial services market, publishing scientific research.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi minister holds talks with Chinese, EU officials on climate, global issues
May 25, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Climate Envoy Adel Al-Jubeir received China's Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin in Riyadh on Sunday.
During the meeting, they discussed strengthening cooperation in climate action and environmental conservation, along with other topics of mutual interest.
Both officials also reviewed the Kingdom’s ongoing initiatives and achievements in this field, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
In a separate meeting, Al-Jubeir received the deputy secretary-general for political affairs at the European External Action Service, Olof Skoog, and his accompanying delegation.
The meeting reviewed international developments and the efforts being made to address them, in addition to discussing topics of mutual interest.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi reserve engages pilgrims on biodiversity
ARAB NEWS
May 25, 2025
RIYADH: Hajj pilgrims arriving in the Kingdom by land were introduced to projects and initiatives of the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority.
The initiative aims to enhance biodiversity, restore vegetation and breed endangered species to create a more sustainable natural environment.
The authority also distributed educational brochures to raise awareness about environmental preservation, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Pilgrims were welcomed at Al-Shuqaiq in the Jouf region, where more than 4,000 gifts reflecting the reserve’s history and conservation efforts were distributed.
Visitors were informed about the reserve’s environmental heritage, biodiversity, and commitment to sustainable ecological stewardship, the SPA added.
The authority works to preserve biodiversity by protecting habitats and creating safe environments for wildlife and plants to thrive.
Its achievements include planting more than 2.4 million trees, scattering four tonnes of native seeds and rehabilitating 250,000 hectares of degraded land.
The reserve hosts more than 290 documented bird species — about 58 percent of those recorded in the Kingdom — and includes five internationally recognized important bird areas.
Covering 130,700 sq. kilometers, the King Salman Reserve is the largest natural terrestrial reserve in the Middle East, spanning four administrative regions: Jouf, Hail, Northern Borders, and Tabuk.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2602117/saudi-arabia
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KSrelief sends vaccine to Syrian pilgrims for Hajj
May 25, 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief has provided 25,000 doses of the meningitis vaccine to Syrian pilgrims at the request of the Syrian Ministry of Health.
The vaccines are being administered in preparation for the pilgrims’ upcoming Hajj journey to the holy sites of Makkah and Madinah, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The ministry of the Syrian Arab Republic expressed its appreciation for the prompt response, describing the support as characteristic of Saudi Arabia and its leadership.
Through KSrelief, the Kingdom has consistently provided vital aid to the Syrian people while addressing their most urgent needs, the SPA added.
This support highlights Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment to assisting nations and communities worldwide with critical medical supplies.
KSrelief recently concluded seven medical projects in Damascus as part of the Saudi Amal Volunteer Program.
The week-long initiatives included cardiac surgery and catheterization, orthopedics and joint surgery, prosthetics and rehabilitation, pediatric surgery, pediatric urology, and treatment for blindness and related conditions.
Source: arabnews.com
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South Asia
Islamic Emirate committed to providing society with professional cadres, minister
May 26, 2025
KABUL: Shaikh Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the acting Minister of Higher Education, said that the Islamic Emirate is dedicated to providing society with committed, specialized, religious, and Islamic moral cadres, according to a statement from the ministry the other day. Nadeem made the speeches during the inauguration ceremony for several development projects worth 45 million Afghanis at Balkh University, the statement said.
The projects encompass the refurbishment of a mosque, internal roadways, deep wells, a water distribution system, and the establishment of the Faculty of Education, the statement added. “The Islamic Emirate is mandated to furnish the community with dedicated, specialized, and morally upright Islamic scholars,” the higher education minister said, encouraging students to intensify their learning efforts.
A few days ago, Shaikh Neda Mohammad Nadim, the acting Minister of Higher Education, had also kicked off the construction work worth 260 million Afghanis on a teaching hospital and an academic building for the Faculty of Medicine at Badakhshan University.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Islamic Emirate’s independent and principled diplomacy
May 26, 2025
The victory of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the full withdrawal of foreign occupying forces have marked the beginning of a new era in the country’s modern history. Afghanistan now stands as an independent, secure, and politically stable nation, actively working towards building strong, balanced, and constructive relationships with region, neighbors, and the international community.
Recent diplomatic missions conducted by senior representatives of the Islamic Emirate to countries such as Russia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Uzbekistan, and the People’s Republic of China highlight Afghanistan’s renewed commitment to fostering diplomatic, economic, transit, and cultural cooperation. These engagements serve as a clear indication of the Emirate’s intention to pursue an active, independent, and balanced foreign policy.
At the core of the Islamic Emirate’s international relations lie the foundational principles of Islam mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of others, peaceful conflict resolution, and the pursuit of shared interests. The Islamic Emirate is dedicated to protecting the legitimate rights and aspirations of the Afghan people while promoting positive interaction with all nations, particularly with Islamic countries and regional neighbors.
Strategic cooperation with world powers such as China and Russia is of particular significance due to mutual economic and geopolitical interests. Nations that respect Afghanistan’s sovereignty and approach its internal affairs with realism and goodwill are welcomed as partners by both the Afghan government and the people.
Equally important are the relations with neighboring and Muslim countries such as Iran and Uzbekistan, which have demonstrated a desire for fraternity, good neighborliness, and mutual respect. These positive exchanges lay the groundwork for promising developments in trade and transit between the two sides and economic collaboration that will serve all parties involved.
The Islamic Emirate sees itself not only as a government but also as a guardian of Afghanistan’s independence and dignity. It remains fully committed to national and regional security, the eradication of corruption, the enhancement of infrastructure, and the facilitation of lawful trade and investment.
It is essential that the global community recognizes the new Afghanistan not as a source of instability but as a strategic partner and a force for peace and prosperity in the region. The Islamic Emirate views international cooperation as a two-way street, where mutual benefit and shared respect define all interactions.
The foreign policy of the Islamic Emirate is deeply rooted in Quranic values and the vital interests of the Afghan people. Afghanistan welcomes all countries that seek sincere and constructive relations. Our message to the world is clear: Afghanistan is a sovereign, peaceful, and committed nation ready to fulfill its international obligations and contribute positively to regional and global affairs.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Nazrul's artistic legacy inspired mass uprising: Farooki
25 May 2025
CUMILLA, May 25, 2025 (BSS) - Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki said today that the songs and poems of national Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam were the driving force behind the July-August mass uprising.
"Kazi Nazrul Islam became widely relevant during the July movement. After August 5, we entered a new phase of Bangladesh. You will see how Nazrul's poems and songs were even used in wall writings across the country," he said.
He told journalists after inaugurating a three-day national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam's birth anniversary celebration programme in the district.
The adviser said that his revolutionary verses played a symbolic and inspirational role during the political upheavals.
He emphasized that the poet's creations continue to serve as a source of strength for the people of Bangladesh, even a century after they were written.
"The artistic power of Nazrul's songs and poems has become the emotional foundation of the people. A mass uprising has been conducted with that support. It proves that the power of art is the power of Nazrul," Farooki added.
Responding to queries, the cultural affairs adviser also announced plans to produce a biographical film on the national poet and to translate Nazrul's works to reach the global audience.
The government is sincere to protect the memory of Nazrul, he said.
The three-day event features cultural performances, discussions and exhibitions celebrating Nazrul's contributions to literature, music and national identity.
Eminent educationist Dr Salimullah Khan spoke in the event with Cultural Affairs Secretary Mofidur Rahman in the chair.
Executive Director of the Kazi Nazrul Institute Latiful Islam Shibli, Deputy Commissioner Md Amirul Kaiser and Superintendent of Police Mohammad Nazir Ahmed Khan were present, among others, as special guests.
Earlier, the National Day was inaugurated by the cultural adviser and dignitaries by paying floral tributes to the Nazrul sculpture at the Cumilla District Shilpakala Academy premises.
Four people were awarded with the National Nazrul Padak in recognition of their contributions to Nazrul music and research.
Source: bssnews.net
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Travel ban issued against Saber, family
May 26, 2025
A Dhaka court yesterday issued a travel ban on former environment minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, his wife Rehana Chowdhury and four of his family members over corruption allegations brought against them.
The four others are Saber's sons Hamdan Hossain Chowdhury and Araj Alam Chowdhury and his daughters, Raimah Chowdhury and Alisha Babar Chowdhury.
Judge Md Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after ACC Deputy Director Md Saiduzzaman, who is leading the inquiry team, submitted an application in this regard.
ACC Public Prosecutor MA Salauddin Eskander Prince moved the application on behalf of the anti-graft body.
In the application, the ACC official said Saber amassed a huge amount of money through illegal means, irregularities and corruption. The couple earned illegal wealth in different countries, including Canada, the UK and USA in their names and the names of their family members.
"The ACC came to know from a credible source that they were attempting to flee the country. If they flee, an inquiry into the allegations brought against them might be hampered. So, an order is needed to prevent them from doing them," said the application.
The judge also directed the ACC to send a copy of the order to the additional inspector general of police of the Special Branch, Malibagh in Dhaka, for the next course of action.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Pakistan lifts 10% Tax on key Afghanistan exports to boost trade
By Fidel Rahmati
May 26, 2025
Pakistan has removed a 10% tax on select Afghanistan exports, aiming to strengthen bilateral trade and improve economic ties.
The Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry recently announced that new reforms by Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will facilitate trade and transit between the two countries. These reforms, outlined in several new directives, aim to strengthen commercial ties and remove barriers hindering cross-border trade.
According to the chamber, one key change is the removal of a 10 percent tax on certain Afghanistan’s export items, which is expected to boost country’s trade competitiveness and ease export processes to Pakistan. This step is part of broader efforts to improve economic cooperation and connectivity between the neighboring countries.
Pakistan’s national newspaper, The Nation, cited data from the State Bank of Pakistan revealing a 64.48 percent increase in Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan during the first nine months of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, compared to the same period the previous year. Total exports reached approximately $623 million, up from $379 million.
Despite this growth, Afghanistan exports to Pakistan during the same period totaled only about $20 million. While Afghanistan exports to Pakistan did increase relative to the prior year, the trade imbalance remains significant, with Pakistan’s exports to Afghanistan exceeding exports by nearly 31 percent.
This growing trade imbalance highlights ongoing economic challenges for Afghanistan, which remains a net importer in its trade relationship with Pakistan. Experts warn that without further measures to boost Afghanistan exports and diversify its economy, the imbalance could worsen and impact long-term regional stability.
The recent tax reforms by Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue represent a positive step toward strengthening bilateral trade relations and easing logistical constraints. These measures could serve as a foundation for deeper economic integration and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
However, addressing the persistent trade imbalance will require coordinated efforts from both countries, including infrastructure improvements, capacity building in Afghanistan industries, and policies that encourage balanced and sustainable trade growth. Only through such comprehensive strategies can both nations realize the full potential of their economic partnership.
Source: khaama.com
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US Veteran urges swift evacuation of Afghan allies
By Fidel Rahmati
May 26, 2025
US veteran Jack McCain urged the government to speed up evacuation of Afghan allies, warning they face serious threats in Afghanistan.
Jack McCain, U.S. Navy veteran and son of the late Senator John McCain, has called on the U.S. government to expedite the evacuation and resettlement process for former Afghan allies. Speaking on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday, May 25, McCain warned that those left behind in Afghanistan are facing imminent danger.
He stressed that many of the Afghan interpreters, pilots, and soldiers who served alongside American forces during the two-decade war are now at risk of Taliban retaliation. “The Taliban are actively seeking revenge against those who helped us,” McCain stated, challenging earlier claims by U.S. officials that Afghanistan is safe for returnees.
McCain emotionally recalled that he owes his life to Afghan pilots and interpreters who aided him during his service. “Not just personally—but as a nation—we owe these people a debt we haven’t yet repaid,” he said. His comments underscore growing criticism of the Biden administration’s slow relocation efforts.
He also rejected recent statements from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security suggesting that Afghanistan may now be safe for return. He said the Taliban continue to commit grave human rights abuses, including imprisonment, torture, rape, and even slavery. “Afghanistan is not safe for anyone—especially not our former allies,” he emphasized.
Calling on lawmakers to act, McCain urged Congress to pass legislation to streamline the vetting and immigration process. “If the issue is security clearance, then legislate it. These people are trustworthy. They deserve our full support,” he concluded.
Advocates and veterans’ groups have echoed McCain’s concerns. According to the Association of Wartime Allies, more than 150,000 Afghans applied for U.S. Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), but tens of thousands remain in limbo, caught in bureaucratic backlogs or dangerous conditions in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have repeatedly reported that former Afghan military personnel and interpreters are being targeted. Many live in hiding or have fled to neighboring countries, where they face deportation and lack legal protection.
Without urgent intervention, experts warn, the United States risks undermining its global credibility and moral responsibility. As Jack McCain put it, “These allies risked everything for us. It’s time we do the same for them.”
Source: khaama.com
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Europe
4 Russians suspected of supporting IS on trial in Germany
26 May 2025
The charges against the four defendants, all Russian nationals, are serious. Appearing at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg on Monday, they will be facing accusations of being members of a foreign criminal organization and of supporting a foreign terrorist organization. More specifically, they are alleged to have used social networks to collect donations for the extremist "Islamic State" group(IS), said to be a total of €174,000 ($198,000).
For many years, the danger posed by Islamist extremists in Germany was considered a threat to the country, especially in the period following the September 11. 2001 attacks on the US.
Since then, far-right violence and crime have become a greater threat, according to the authorities. But the risk posed by religious extremists remains high, said Konstantin von Notz of the Green Party faction in the German parliament. Von Notz, an expert on interior policy, is also the chair of the Parliamentary Oversight Panel, which is responsible for monitoring Germany's intelligence agencies.
"Islamist [extremist] acts continue to pose a very serious security threat to our country," he told DW. "I expressly welcome the fact that the law enforcement authorities are taking a very close look at the funding of terrorism and are resolutely following up on leads. This is extremely important, especially in view of the many different threats to our democracy at the moment."
Majority of politically-motivated crimes by far right
Speaking in Berlin as he presented a report on crime earlier this month, Germany's new interior minister, Alexander Dobrindt, said the threat posed by Islamist extremists remained significant. Dobrindt, of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), said the number of crimes that could be described as being politically motivated in the broadest sense had risen sharply, and that the authorities had registered more than 84,000 such crimes in 2024, a good 40% more than in the previous year.
According to the report, the majority of these crimes were committed by right-wing extremists and right-wing radicals. Many were also allegedly motivated by antisemitism, particularly since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023.
The report found that the number of crimes committed by Islamist extremists has remained constant for years. This was also confirmed by the number of violent offenses: Of the 4,107 politically-motivated violent crimes reported, the proportion of those perpetrated by people with a far-right background was particularly high. Some 975 violent crimes were attributed to "foreign ideology."
Accused of collecting funds for IS
There are currently several cases regarding the collection of donations for IS before the German courts. In early April, the trial of two suspected supporters of the extremist group began in the southern city of Stuttgart. The 34-year-old German suspect and the 29-year-old Syrian suspect are accused of passing on donations to the IS group. Their trial is expected to last until September.
This month, a 28-year-old man was convicted of a similar offense in Frankfurt am Main. The Higher Regional Court ruled on May 21 that it had been proven that the suspect had transferred around €4,200 to IS between May 2020 and August 2021.
In this case, there was a call for donations on social media platforms and messaging apps such as Telegram. The recipients were purportedly the wives and children of IS fighters who are detained in two camps in northern Syria. The money was allegedly transferred to IS members in Syria via financial agents in Turkey.
Terrorist groups renew focus on Europe
In 2023, Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, estimated the number of people in Germany with close ties to extreme Islamist movements at around 27,200.
"The focus of terrorist jihadi organizations and especially of IS but also of al-Qaeda is still and increasingly on Europe, and thus also on Germany," it stated in a report, which can be found on its website.
"Currently, ISKP [Islamic State Khorasan Province, the IS branch in Afghanistan] seems to be the strongest regional branch of IS. After ISKP had so far focused on carrying out attacks in Afghanistan, there are more and more indications to suggest that Germany and Europe are now also regarded as potential targets for attacks," the report said.
Source: yahoo.com
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Call for freeze on Syrian asylum claims to end
26 May 2025
Ministers are facing calls to start processing Syrian asylum applications again, as new figures showed more than 7,000 people are still in limbo.
The UK paused decisions on Syrian claims for asylum and permanent settlement in December, after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
But more than five months on, Syrians in the UK still do not know when their claims will be assessed.
Charities including the Refugee Council say the current situation has left people in an "indefinite limbo" and are calling for claims to be processed again on a case-by-case basis.
The government said decisions were paused "while we assess the current situation".
A Home Office source said this was "a necessary step while there is no stable, objective information available to make robust assessments of risk" on people returning to Syria and the policy "will remain under constant review".
A total of 7,386 Syrians were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum claim by the end of March, according to the latest figures published on Thursday.
Assad's regime was overthrown by a rebel offensive led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in December, after years of civil war.
HTS leader Ahmad al-Sharaa was named as Syria's interim president earlier this year, but the situation remains uncertain and HTS is still designated a terrorist group by the UK.
In December, the Conservatives suggested most Syrian asylum claims were related to the threat posed by Assad's government and those people could return when it was safe to do so.
However, Haytham Alhamwi, chairman of the Syrian British Consortium, said while many Syrians left because of Assad's rule others may still feel unsafe to return.
"Many of them are still calling for democratic change in Syria, which is not guaranteed at the moment. Some of them were afraid of those military groups, they didn't come running from Assad himself," he told the BBC.
The number of Syrian asylum claims fell by 81% following the UK's decision to pause decisions.
However, despite a sharp drop, 299 Syrians came to the UK on small boats in the first three months of this year - 5% of the total number of arrivals.
People claiming asylum do not normally have the right to work while their case is being considered and are provided with government-funded accommodation and financial support to pay for essentials if they would otherwise be destitute.
Jon Featonby, chief policy analyst at the Refugee Council, said that as well as leaving Syrians "stuck in limbo" this also had an impact on the taxpayer as the government is paying to house many of them.
More than 5,500 Syrians were living in government-funded accommodation at the end of March.
Of these, 2,130 were in hotels, which the government has pledged to stop using for asylum seekers.
With Labour promising to clear the overall backlog of asylum claims, Mr Featonby said the situation was causing a "blockage" in the system.
Azadi - not his real name - arrived in the UK by small boat in June 2023 and is waiting for a decision on his asylum application.
The 25-year-old, who is Kurdish, said he was grateful to the UK government for providing him with food and accommodation but he wanted to be able to work and pay tax.
"I stay at home a lot of the time," he told the BBC. "Every day is the same. I am not progressing so it is stressful."
Earlier this year, the new Syrian government signed a deal with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) which integrated its military and civilian institutions into the state and recognised the Kurdish minority.
But Azadi said he did not trust the new government and felt Syria was not safe for Kurds, who were denied basic rights during Assad's rule.
He said his hometown had been destroyed by the civil war and there was no way for him to get an education there.
"It's not a life there at all," he added.
'My whole life collapsed'
The pause also applies to Syrians who have already been granted refugee status and were initially given the right to stay in the UK for five years before they can apply for permanent settlement - also known as indefinite leave to remain.
The Refugee Council says that whilst this group still have the right to live and work in the UK, their temporary status can often make it harder to secure a job or housing.
Mr Featonby said Syrians in the UK were also nervous about whether they will be allowed to stay if the government's position on Syria changes and it is deemed a safe country.
Leen Albrmawi arrived in the UK in October 2019 and applied for indefinite leave to remain last year.
However, she said her "whole life collapsed" when the government paused decisions for Syrians in December.
The 28-year-old had been accepted to study business at university but was told she was not eligible for a student loan because she did not have the right to live in the UK permanently.
After spending the last five years obtaining the necessary qualifications to apply, Leen was devastated she could not afford to take up the offer.
Meanwhile, her employer, a telecoms company, has been chasing her for an update on her leave to remain application.
Leen still has the right to work while her application is pending but is concerned she could lose her job.
She also fears that if the Home Office changes its position on Syria she could be forced to leave the UK.
"I literally have no one in Syria, no family, nothing," she told the BBC, adding that her hometown had been destroyed in the civil war.
Leen lives in Salford with her mother and sister, who already have British citizenship as they came to the UK earlier than her.
"I've been in the UK now nearly six years, so I've built my whole life here," she said.
Mr Featonby said the Refugee Council recognised the situation in Syria had changed but there was unlikely to be clarity on how safe the country would be in the future anytime soon.
He suggested people who were seeking protection for reasons unrelated to the previous regime could have their claims prioritised.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdd26054l9lo
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British diplomacy speaks only in ultimatums – Moscow
25 May, 2025
British diplomats have resorted to only using ultimatums with their international counterparts, Russia’s ambassador to London, Andrey Kelin, said in an interview to RIA Novosti published on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Downing Street announced it would impose its second major package of sanctions on Russia this month, while once again demanding that Moscow agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict. The UK, along with France and Germany, had issued similar demands and threatened further sanctions in the lead-up to the direct peace talks between Kiev and Moscow last week in Istanbul.
“I must say that over the past three years, I have heard many ultimatums here, especially in the Foreign Office. It seems that London has forgotten how to speak differently,” Kelin told RIA. He added that ambassadors from some other nations in London have also expressed concerns about “the tone that British diplomacy has adopted.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is no less “warlike” than his predecessors, according to the Russian diplomat. Starmer and former UK leaders Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak have all demonstrated the “same belligerence and irresponsibility in assessing the international situation and the consequences of their actions,” Kelin said. Despite changes in leadership, the UK has maintained a consistent “anti-Russian course and senseless, reckless support for Ukraine,” he added.
Both “our bilateral relations” and “the security situation in Europe” would benefit if London relearned how “to speak respectfully and listen,” the ambassador said.
Commenting on the latest round of sanctions announced by Downing Street, the Russian embassy in the UK emphasized that neither “unlawful restrictive measures” nor “ultimatums and threats” can influence Moscow’s chosen path.
Russia will not allow itself to be spoken to in such a way, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on last week’s sanctions threats. “The language of ultimatums is unacceptable for Russia,” he stressed.
Russia knows how to adapt to further Western restrictive measures and how to minimize their effect, Russian officials say. Despite nearly 29,000 sanctions having been imposed by the West on Russia in recent years, the Russian economy has only grown more resilient, President Vladimir Putin said in March.
Source: rt.com
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A new front: Russia expands into Ukraine to build a military buffer zone
23 May, 2025
Russian President Vladimir Putin has officially announced the establishment of a “security buffer zone” along the border with Ukraine. Russian troops, according to the Kremlin, have already been ordered to push ahead and are actively targeting Ukrainian military positions near the frontier. The move is aimed at protecting Russian regions far from the front line – particularly Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk – which have faced frequent shelling, drone strikes, as well as sabotage missions launched by Ukrainian forces.
While talk of such a zone has circulated since 2023, Putin’s declaration marks a shift from concept to concrete policy. Here’s what this decision means, what it could look like militarily, and why the Kremlin is pursuing it now.
The long-waited announcement
On May 22, during a government meeting, President Putin declared that Russia had begun establishing a buffer zone along the Ukrainian border. He said the military had already started implementing the plan: “Our armed forces are actively carrying out this mission now. The enemy’s firing positions are suppressed, the work is going on”
Presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed the decision but declined to provide specifics, deferring to the Ministry of Defense. What is known is that the buffer zone will span areas bordering Ukraine in the Belgorod, Bryansk, and Kursk regions – all of which have suffered from Ukranian attacks.
From a military standpoint, a buffer (or “sanitary”) zone serves as a physical barrier meant to reduce the risk of direct clashes and provocations. These zones can be demilitarized, have restricted troop presence, or be fully occupied by military forces, functioning as a strategic cushion.
Historical parallels include Israel’s security zone in southern Lebanon (1985–2000), Türkiye’s cross-border operations in northern Syria (since 2016), the DMZ between North and South Korea (since 1953), and the so-called “gray zones” between Armenia and Azerbaijan prior to the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Putin hinted at the need for such a zone as early as June 2023, citing the importance of denying Ukrainian forces the ability to strike Russian territory with artillery. Though details were vague at the time, the idea continued to surface in official rhetoric.
Lawmakers and military analysts have voiced support. The State Duma has proposed a buffer depth of at least 50–60 kilometers, equipped with air defenses and counter-drone systems. Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, suggested that if Ukraine receives more long-range weapons, the zone might need to stretch even deeper – potentially up to 550–650 kilometers – to neutralize threats.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the initiative as a fresh escalation and called for increased international pressure on Moscow.
Current battlefield conditions
Militarily, establishing a buffer zone means expanding Russian control into Ukrainian territory.
The first signs of this appeared with Russian reports of capturing several villages in Ukraine’s Sumy region, including Maryino, Zhuravka, and Basovka – all close to the Kursk border.
Oleg Grygorov, head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration, acknowledged the sudden escalation, noting that Russian forces are employing small assault teams to entrench themselves in border villages.
As of late May, over 52,000 people had been evacuated from border areas. Ukraine began these evacuations weeks earlier, initially from Belopolye and Vorozhba villages, then extending to 202 localities.
Meanwhile Putin made a surprise visit to Kursk region on May 20 – his first since the fighting began there. During the trip, Pavel Zolotaryov, head of the Glushkovo District near the Ukrainian border, urged the president to take control of the city of Sumy to secure the area. Putin responded with a joke, noting that he had appointed Alexander Khinshtein as the new regional head because “he also wants more, more.”
Fighting is not limited to Sumy. Intense battles are also ongoing in Kharkov region near Kupyansk. Still, the scale of the current offensive doesn’t suggest an all-out operation aimed at encirclement. Instead, Russian advances appear slow and steady – likely designed to drain Ukrainian reserves and gradually expand control without making bold, risky moves.
The strategic rationale
There are several military and political motivations behind the timing of this push.
1. Escalating cross-border threats:
Since spring 2023, attacks on Russian soil have intensified. Ukraine has received long-range Western weapons, including HIMARS, Storm Shadow missiles, and ATACMS. Cross-border shelling of Russian towns by tube artillery and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) has been relentless. Kiev's M777 howitzers, with their 155mm caliber, have a firing range of up to 35–40 kilometers – and that’s roughly the distance separating major Ukrainian cities like Sumy and Kharkov from the Russian border.
Ukraine also relies heavily on drones and sabotage teams to penetrate Russian territory. There have been drone attacks deep inside Russia – including in Moscow – and armed incursions into border regions. These factors likely convinced Russian leadership of the need to push the front line further from its cities.
Putin has directly linked the buffer’s depth to the range of Ukraine’s foreign-supplied weapons – essentially saying: the farther they can reach, the deeper Russia will go to stay out of range.
2. Leverage in negotiations:
This initiative may also be a tactical move to strengthen Russia’s hand in ongoing talks. A security buffer could be proposed as part of a broader ceasefire deal or even as a condition for halting the war. US envoy Keith Kellogg has floated the idea of a demilitarized zone, though Ukrainian Vladimir Zelensky has rejected any such arrangement. Still, the creation of a buffer could be on Russia’s wish list in any future peace talks – effectively demilitarizing parts of Sumy, Chernigov, or Kharkov regions.
3. Long-term strategy:
Finally, the buffer zone fits within Russia’s broader approach to a prolonged war of attrition. Despite participating in negotiations, Moscow continues to signal its commitment to offensive operations. The buffer serves as both a tactical asset and a long-term defensive measure to shield vulnerable border areas.
What’s next?
From a military standpoint, creating a buffer zone is a logical move. Shifting the front 20–30 kilometers deeper into Ukraine would place major Russian cities like Belgorod and Kursk out of range for many artillery systems. It would also block infiltration routes for Ukrainian saboteurs and complicate drone operations.
Controlling more territory also disrupts enemy surveillance: the farther Ukrainian drones and recon units must travel, the less accurate and timely their data becomes.
But pushing deeper brings challenges. Each new advance demands expanded supply lines, new logistics hubs, air defenses, and engineering infrastructure – all while frontline troops remain exposed to air and artillery strikes. The burden on reserves grows, and the margin for error shrinks.
Fighting in Sumy and Kharkov continues at a measured pace. Should Russian forces manage to capture significant portions of these regions, major urban centers like Sumy and Chernigov – each home to hundreds of thousands – could fall within operational reach. Their vulnerability might prove a powerful bargaining chip in future negotiations.
Source: rt.com
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Mideast
Why fury over Israeli actions in Gaza and West Bank may lead to EU sanctions
JONATHAN GORNALL
May 25, 2025
LONDON: Watching the widely circulated footage of Israeli soldiers firing “warning shots” in the direction of a delegation of foreign diplomats visiting a refugee camp in the Palestinian city of Jenin on Wednesday, it was hard to resist the conclusion that the Israeli military had lost its collective mind.
Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. But in a manner of speaking, Israel shot itself in the foot.
The extraordinary provocation took place as Israel was already facing a rising wave of condemnation — internally and externally — and the threat of international sanctions for its actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
International support for Israel, so unified in the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian militant groups, in which 1,200 Israelis and others were killed and 251 more were taken hostage, has steadily crumbled in the face of outrage after outrage, which collectively have left more than 50,000 Palestinians dead and much of Gaza reduced to uninhabitable rubble.
Last Tuesday, the day before the shooting incident in Jenin, the European Union announced that it was reviewing its political and economic relations with Israel – no hollow threat from a bloc that is Israel’s biggest trading partner.
“The situation in Gaza is catastrophic,” Kaja Kallas, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy and vice-president of the European Commission, said on Tuesday.
Earlier that same day, the UN had raised the specter of thousands of babies dying of starvation “in the next 48 hours” if Israel did not allow aid trucks to enter the territory immediately.
Israel, while rejecting the suggestion that mass starvation was imminent, responded by allowing what critics condemned as a wholly insufficient token amount of aid into Gaza.
“The aid that Israel has allowed in is of course welcomed, but it’s a drop in the ocean,” said Kallas. “Aid must flow immediately without obstruction and at scale.”
She had, she added, "made these points also with my talks with Israelis … and regional leaders as well. Pressure is necessary to change the situation.”
And pressure is building up. In an unprecedented move, the EU is now reviewing the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the legal basis for its trade relations with Israel, which entered into force in June 2000.
Pressure for this review has been mounting since May 7, when Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp urged the EU to act, saying “the situation in Gaza compels us to take this step.”
Disturbed by the nightmarish scenes in Gaza and reports of increasing settler violence in the West Bank, his government, he said, “will draw a line in the sand.”
Losing European trade would be a massive blow to Israel’s economy. The EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner – in 2024 34.2 percent of Israel’s imports came from the EU while 28.8 percent of Israel’s exports went to the EU.?The total value of the trade in goods between the two in 2024 was o 42.6?billion euros.
“The review will specifically assess Israel’s adherence to the human rights provisions within the deal,” said Caroline Rose, a director at the New Lines Institute focused on defense, security and geopolitical landscapes.
The clause in the agreement that is now under legal scrutiny is Article 2. This states that “Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.”
Other international measures are under consideration, said Rose, including “imposing a full arms embargo, referring Israel to the International Criminal Court (ICC), as advocated by Pakistan, enforcing a ceasefire and humanitarian aid access, sanctioning Israeli officials, supporting recognition of a Palestinian state, dismantling illegal settlements, reforming the UN Security Council veto system, and coordinating global reconstruction aid.”
Rose cautions that “internal divisions within the bloc could stall progress. While 17 member states support the review, countries such as Germany, Hungary, Austria and Italy reportedly oppose it. Germany and Austria, in particular, have resisted punitive measures despite issuing public condemnations.”
Germany, bearing the moral weight of the Holocaust, has been a staunch supporter of Israel since its creation in 1948. But now, under new conservative chancellor Friedrich Merz, even Berlin is wavering.
Last week, out of concern for the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, Merz despatched his foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, on a fact-finding mission. Wadephul was among the diplomats scattered by the warning shots fired by the Israeli military on Wednesday, as were senior delegates from countries including France, Belgium, the UK, Italy, Canada, Russia and China.
All the countries involved have lodged complaints with Israel about the episode, which the Palestinian Authority condemned as a “heinous crime” a “deliberate and unlawful act” which “constitutes a blatant and grave breach of international law.”
The day after the shooting in Jenin, during a visit to Lithuania the German chancellor said “we are very concerned about the situation in the Gaza Strip and also about the intensification of the Israeli army’s military operations there.
“We are urging, above all, that humanitarian aid finally reaches the Gaza Strip without delay, and also reaches the people there, because, as we hear from the United Nations, there is now a real threat of famine.”
On May 13 a study by the Bertelsmann Foundation found that over the past four years Germans had developed an increasingly negative view of Israel. In 2021 46 percent of Germans had a positive view of the country, compared with only 36 percent today, with 38 percent now viewing it negatively. Germany has seen many mass protests since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, which a majority of Germans oppose.
On May 19, two days before the Israeli military’s live-fire intimidation of international diplomats, the UK, France and Canada issued a joint statement condemning the situations in Gaza and the West Bank and strongly opposing the expansion of Israeli military operations in Gaza.
While also calling on Hamas to immediately release the remaining hostages, the statement denounced “the level of human suffering in Gaza” as “intolerable.”
The three nations added: “Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate. We call on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.”
Israel, warned the statement, “risks breaching international humanitarian law,” adding: “We condemn the abhorrent language used recently by members of the Israeli Government, threatening that, in their despair at the destruction of Gaza, civilians will start to relocate. Permanent forced displacement is a breach of international humanitarian law.”
Israel had a right to defend Israelis against terrorism, “but this escalation is wholly disproportionate.”
As a result, “We will not stand by while the Netanyahu government pursues these egregious actions. If Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”
In the West Bank, Israel must also “halt settlements which are illegal and undermine the viability of a Palestinian state and the security of both Israelis and Palestinians.
“We will not hesitate to take further action, including targeted sanctions.”
On May 20, as the death toll from Israeli air strikes over the previous week reached 500, the UK summoned Israel’s ambassador to London, paused talks on a new free-trade agreement, and announced further sanctions against West Bank settlers.
Israel’s operation in Gaza was "incompatible with the principles that underpin our bilateral relationship,” David Lammy, the UK foreign minister, told parliament.
“It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.”
All these moves “clearly reflect growing discomfort with Israeli military actions in Gaza but also in the West Bank,” Sir John Jenkins, who served as British ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria and as consul-general in Jerusalem, told Arab News.
“This has been crystallized by the issue of humanitarian aid. The UN has not handled this well itself. But it’s a real political problem for Western governments, with significant domestic implications, which is why the UK has also paused trade talks.”
However, he added, “none of this will affect the Israeli decision-making process in the short term, and Western governments will be very reluctant to do anything that helps Hamas.
“But they will be increasingly keen to see a proper plan for the endgame. The question is: How much does the Trump administration support them? The news last week of the shooting of the two Israeli diplomats in Washington will only complicate this calculation.”
Israel, increasingly isolated, nevertheless remains defiant. “The British Mandate ended exactly 77 years ago,” a spokesperson for its foreign ministry said in response to last week’s criticism from the UK. “External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction.”
Yet in Europe that external pressure is mounting. So much so that, after 20 years of campaigning virtually in the wilderness for “freedom, justice and equality” for Palestinians, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement finally finds its much-criticised methods on the cusp of becoming mainstream.
Founded in 2005, for two decades the Palestinian-led BDS and those who support it have endured international censure, based on an unquestioning acceptance of Israel’s accusation that the organization’s aims are merely a manifestation of antisemitism.
Now, however, as governments in Europe, shocked by Israel’s latest actions and the seemingly deliberate starvation of two million people in Gaza, begin to adopt stances for which BDS has been calling for 20 years, as it marks its 20th anniversary the organisation and its work is being vindicated.
“For the first time ever, even the world’s most complicit governments are being forced – due to people power and moral outrage – to publicly consider accountability measures against Israel,” the BDS said in a statement.
This was “another clear sign that our collective popular BDS pressure is working. The taboo is broken – sanctions are the way forward to end Israel’s atrocious crimes.”
Nevertheless, the organization continues to be critical of the UK, France and Canada, countries which had spent 19 months “enabling Israel’s genocide with intelligence gathering and other military means.” The statements by the three “are far too late and fall dangerously short of meeting these States’ legal obligations under international law, including the Genocide Convention and the Apartheid Convention.”
BDS says it is now stepping up its campaign to “transform tokenism and empty threats into tangible and effective accountability measures, starting with a two-way military embargo and full-scale trade and diplomatic sanctions.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, keenly aware as ever of his dependence upon the support of the right-wing extremists in his cabinet, went on the offensive last week.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, he said, were siding with “mass murderers, rapists, baby killers and kidnappers.” Astonishingly, he added, Starmer, Macron and Carney were “on the wrong side of humanity and … the wrong side of history.”
In fact, in the wake of the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, all three countries came out in unequivocal support of Israel, and its right to defend itself.
What Netanyahu is refusing to acknowledge is that in the eyes of the world, the events of that day do not give Israel a carte blanche.
His apparent determination to continue the war seemingly in order to keep himself in power, and to support the Zionist extremists in his cabinet who want to see Palestine ethnically cleansed, is facing growing criticism within Israel itself.
One of the staunchest critics is Ehud Olmert, Israel’s prime minister from 2006 to 2009, who recently told the BBC that what Israel was doing in Gaza was “close to a war crime.”
That earned him a rebuke from a current Israeli minister, but on Friday Olmert intensified his criticism. “A group of thugs … are running the state of Israel these days and the head of the gang is Netanyahu,” he told the BBC World Service.
He added: “Of course they are criticizing me, they are defaming me, I accept it, and it will not stop me from criticizing and opposing these atrocious policies.”
Speaking to Arab News, Ahron Bregman, a former Israeli soldier and a senior teaching fellow in King’s College London’s Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, said: “You don’t have to be an expert on international humanitarian law to conclude that what the Israelis are doing in the Gaza Strip is carrying out terrible war crimes.
“European governments can’t ignore this any longer, as their publics are furious, and, at last, they have started to react.”
Ideally, he said, “it would be the UN Security Council that instructs Israel to stop the industrial killing in Gaza and the starving of the Gazans, but the Israelis seem confident that US President Donald Trump will not let such a resolution pass.
“But who knows? Sometimes, in war, there are moments which are turning points, moments that push nations of the world over the edge and make them take action to stop wars.”
Bregman believes only two courses of action “would make the Israeli government rethink and change its criminal behaviour in Gaza.”
The first is that European countries should block trade relations with Israel — a step now being seriously considered in the European Union — and impose sanctions on the state.
But his second suggestion, coming as it does from a man who served in the Israeli army for six years and took part in the 1982 Lebanon War, shows just how far the actions of the current Israeli government have strayed from what mainstream public opinion in the country now regards as acceptable.
“Young Israelis who fought in Gaza should be stopped when trying to cross into Europe,” he said.
“They should be investigated for their actions in Gaza and arrested if there’s any suspicion of war crimes.”
And, he added, “pilots, who caused most of the damage in Gaza, should be sent automatically for trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Spain hosts European, Arab nations to pressure Israel on Gaza
May 25, 2025
MADRID: The international community should look at sanctions against Israel to stop the war in Gaza, Spain’s foreign minister said, as European and Arab nations gathered in Madrid Sunday to urge an end to its offensive.
Some of Israel’s long-standing allies have added their voices to growing international pressure after it expanded military operations against Gaza’s Hamas rulers, whose 2023 attack on Israel sparked the devastating war.
A two-month aid blockade has worsened shortages of food, water, fuel and medicine in the Palestinian territory, stoking fears of famine.
Aid organizations say the trickle of supplies Israel has recently allowed to enter falls far short of needs.
The talks in Madrid aim to stop Israel’s “inhumane” and “senseless” war in Gaza, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told reporters before the meeting opened.
Humanitarian aid must enter Gaza “massively, without conditions and without limits, and not controlled by Israel,” he added, describing the Strip as humanity’s “open wound.”
“Silence in these moments is complicity in this massacre... that is why we are meeting,” said Albares.
Representatives from European countries including France, Britain, Germany and Italy joined envoys from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Turkiye, Morocco, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Norway, Iceland, Ireland and Slovenia, who like Spain have already recognized a Palestinian state, are also taking part, alongside Brazil.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Albares on the sidelines of the meeting.
During the meeting, they discussed relations between their countries, areas of joint cooperation, and regional and international developments including the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
After the European Union decided this week to review its cooperation deal with Israel, Albares told reporters Spain would request its “immediate suspension.”
Spain would also urge partners to impose an arms embargo on Israel and “not rule out any” individual sanctions against those “who want to ruin the two-state solution forever,” he added.
Sunday’s meeting will also promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot spoke by video link with Arab counterparts on Sunday and would press “the need for coordinated pressure” for a ceasefire, aid and the release of Hamas-held hostages, his office said.
Barrot will also meet the Palestinian Authority’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, during a trip to Yerevan next week, the French foreign ministry announced on Sunday.
The diplomatic drive comes one month before a UN conference on the Israel-Palestinian conflicted presided over by France and Saudi Arabia.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said his country will back draft resolutions at the United Nations aimed at ramping up aid access to Gaza and holding Israel to account over its international humanitarian obligations.
Madrid’s attempt to rally a wider consensus on the war comes a year after it broke with some European allies by recognizing a Palestinian state, infuriating Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mainly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Palestinian militants also took 251 hostages, 57 of whom remain in Gaza including 34 the Israeli military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed almost 54,000 people, mostly civilians, according to Hamas-run Gaza’s health ministry.
Source: arabnews.com
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Hamas: Zionist Incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque Represent Dangerous Escalation, Provocation to Muslim Sentiments
25 May 2025
The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) stated on Sunday that the escalating incursions by Zionist settlers and alleged "Temple" groups into the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, where they openly perform collective Talmudic rituals, represent a dangerous escalation in their ongoing aggression.
In a statement, Hamas described these Zionist violations as a "desperate attempt to impose a Judaized reality and a continuation of their religious war targeting Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque."
The movement warned of the repercussions of these incursions and violations, affirming that they "will not alter the Islamic identity of Al-Aqsa, nor will they legitimize the presence of the enemy and its settler mobs—no matter how arrogant they become."
Hamas emphasized that "this blatant aggression provokes the sentiments of Muslims worldwide and exposes the extent of disregard for the role of the [Islamic] nation, whose positions remain below the required level to protect Jerusalem and defend its sanctities."
The movement called upon the Palestinian people in the West Bank, Quds, and occupied territories, as well as the Arab and Islamic nations, to take urgent action in support of Al-Aqsa and confront, by all means, the schemes of Judaization and continuous aggression.
Source: saba.ye
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Israeli strike kills 20 in Gaza school housing displaced people, health authorities say
May 26, 2025
GAZA CITY: An Israeli strike on a school housing displaced people in Gaza killed at least 20 people and injured dozens, local authorities told Reuters early on Monday.
Israel stepped up its military operations in the enclave in early May, saying it is seeking to eliminate Hamas' military and governing capabilities and bring back the remaining hostages who were seized in October 2023.
Medics said the dozens of casualties in the strike on the school, in the Daraj neighbourhood of Gaza City, included women and children.
Some of the bodies were badly burned according to images circulating on social media, which Reuters could not immediately verify.
There was no immediate comment by the Israeli military.
Despite mounting international pressure that pushed Israel to lift a blockade on aid supplies in the face of warnings of looming famine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last week that Israel would control the whole of Gaza.
Israel has taken control of around 77% of the enclave either through its ground forces or evacuation orders and bombardments that keep residents away from their homes, Gaza's media office said.
The Israeli campaign, triggered after Hamas Islamist militants attacked Israeli communities on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people, has devastated Gaza and pushed nearly all of its two million residents from their homes.
The offensive has killed more than 53,000 people, many of them civilians, according to Gaza health authorities.
Source: arabnews.com
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Decisions will be made on national interests, not foreign pressure: Iran nuclear chief
May 25, 2025
Speaking on Saturday, Eslami stated, “We move forward based on our own objectives and national interests. No one can impose their will on the Islamic Republic.” He underscored that the identity and foundational values of the Islamic Republic serve as guiding principles for the country’s decision-making processes, particularly in strategic sectors like nuclear energy and advanced technology.
“One of the most significant outcomes of the Islamic Revolution has been Iran’s ability to make sovereign decisions and pursue its development without bowing to external demands,” Eslami added.
The Iranian nuclear chief went on to highlight the country's growing capabilities in industrial science and technology, saying Iran now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with technologically advanced nations, despite their enormous financial investments. “We’ve achieved these milestones by prioritizing self-reliance and innovation,” he said.
The remarks come amid ongoing indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington over Iran’s nuclear program. Since April, five rounds of talks have been held in Rome and Muscat.
Iranian negotiators have repeatedly criticized the U.S. for shifting its stance during the talks, arguing that such inconsistency undermines trust and complicates the diplomatic process. “Contradictory statements are not conducive to diplomacy,” Iranian officials have said in recent briefings.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei also weighed in earlier this week, dismissing Washington’s demands that Iran cease its peaceful uranium enrichment activities. “It is utterly wrong for the United States to expect Iran to stop what is legally our right. No one in the Islamic Republic is waiting for permission from anyone,” Ayatollah Khamenei said, reiterating that Iran’s policies and methods are rooted in its sovereign agenda.
Tehran maintains that its uranium enrichment activities fall well within the framework of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which it is a signatory. Iranian officials insist that the country will not relinquish its right to peaceful nuclear technology, despite mounting Western pressure.
As diplomatic efforts continue, Iran remains steadfast in its position: national sovereignty, strategic independence, and scientific progress are not up for negotiation.
Source: tehrantimes.com
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Iran summons French charge d’affairs
May 25, 2025
Following the insulting statements and baseless allegations leveled by the French Foreign Minister against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the country's chargé d'affaires in Tehran was summoned by Head of the Second Europe Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Tanhaei to convey Iran’s strong protests to him.
In the meeting with the French charge d’affaires on Sunday, the Iranian diplomat described the allegations leveled by the French foreign minister against Iran as interference in Iran's internal affairs. Condemning such irresponsible and provocative stances, Tanhaei demanded an official explanation from the French Foreign Ministry in that regard.
Denouncing the French government's abuse of the opportunity to host a cinema event (Cannes Festival) to advance its political goals against the Islamic Republic of Iran, Tanhaei emphasized that French government, as one of the staunch supporters of the Zionist regime in its continued gross violations of human rights and humanitarian rights, especially the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, is in position ethically to make claims on human rights and accuse other countries.
The French charge d’affaires stated that he would convey the concerns of the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to his respective country.
Source: mehrnews.com
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Hundreds of settlers’ storm Al-Buraq Square in Al-Aqsa Mosque
25 May 2025
Hundreds of settlers stormed, on Sunday evening, Al-Buraq Square in Al-Aqsa Mosque (the western wall of the mosque).
According to the Palestinian news agency Wafa, Al-Quds Governorate reported that large numbers of settlers stormed Al-Buraq Square on the eve of the anniversary of the occupation of Al-Quds, and raised the enemy's flag.
At noon today, enemy forces deployed iron barriers in the vicinity of Damascus Gate, at the entrance to the Old City of Quds, in preparation for the "provocative flag march" of settlers scheduled for tomorrow, Monday.
The "flag march" is scheduled to start from Al-Buraq Square, passing through Bab al-Amud and Wadi neighborhood inside the Old City, which are densely populated by Palestinians.
Al-Quds Governorate warned of a dangerous escalation in the occupied city, as the enemy authorities continue to organize a series of Judaization events aimed at imposing Israeli sovereignty over it and establishing the reality of occupation by force, in flagrant violation of international law and relevant UN resolutions.
In a statement, the governorate emphasized that this annual march comes within a systematic provocative agenda, which is usually accompanied by attacks on Palestinians, and the chanting of racist slogans against Muslims and Christians, under heavy protection from the enemy police, which will impose a complete closure on the area starting at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.
It is noteworthy that the frequency of settler incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque has escalated significantly since the start of the Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
Source: saba.ye
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North America
CAIR-Kansas Condemns White Supremacist Rally in Kansas City
May 25, 2025
The Kansas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Kansas) today condemned a rally and march by masked white supremacists from the Patriot Front in Kansas City on Saturday.
CAIR has repeatedly condemned activities by the hate group nationwide.
“We condemn this attempt to promote white supremacy and urge all community leaders and elected officials to similarly reject racism and all other forms of bigotry,” said CAIR-Kansas Board Chair Moussa Elbayoumy.
He noted that CAIR-Kansas and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
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Police say 7 vehicles were ‘targeted and vandalized’ at a mosque in Orono
May 25, 2025
Authorities are investigating a suspected hate-motivated crime where seven vehicles were allegedly “targeted and vandalized” at a mosque in Orono, according to police.
Officers from the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) were called to 111 Church Street North on Saturday at approximately 10:30 p.m.
Police say seven vehicles were vandalized, as well as the front door of the mosque.
“We are urging anyone who witnessed the incident, or who may have dashcam, CCTV, or cellphone phone footage from the area around the time of the incident, to please come forward,” DRPS wrote in a press release issued on Sunday.
“We are aware of the deep concern and distress this incident has caused, particularly within our Muslim community. We understand the fear and anxiety such events can create, and we want to reassure everyone that we are taking this matter seriously,” authorities added.
“Our investigation is ongoing, and we are working closely with community leaders to provide support and ensure that all residents feel safe.”
Source: citynews.ca
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https://toronto.citynews.ca/2025/05/25/police-say-7-vehicles-were-targeted-and-vandalized-at-a-mosque-in-orono/
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US arrests man for allegedly trying to firebomb embassy in Israel
May 26, 2025
A dual US and German citizen was arrested on Sunday for allegedly attempting to burn down the US embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel, according to the justice department.
Officials said they arrested Joseph Neumayer, 28, at John F Kennedy Airport in New York. He was deported by Israeli authorities after he was found with explosive devices in a backpack near the embassy.
Mr Neumeyer appeared in court on Sunday and is being held in jail, the justice department said.
"This defendant is charged with planning a devastating attack targeting our embassy in Israel, threatening death to Americans, and President Trump's life," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
The arrest comes just days after a gunman killed two Israeli embassy staff members outside a Jewish museum in Washington DC.
Federal officials say Mr Neumayer arrived in Israel in April and on 19 May headed to the US Embassy in Tel Aviv with a dark-colored backpack.
The 28-year-old spat on an embassy guard as he walked by, the justice department said. When the guard tried to detain him, Mr Neumayer allegedly ran away, leaving behind a backpack with three Molotov cocktails, small bombs made with flammable liquids that are meant to start fires once they are lit and thrown.
Police later found Mr Neumeyer at his hotel where he was arrested, the justice department said.
Officials say he had posted on his social media account pledging to "burn down the embassy in Tel Aviv" and had called for "death to America, death to Americans".
Officials say Mr Neumeyer also threatened to assassinate Trump in social media posts on another account believed to be connected to him.
Mr Neumeyer was sent back on Sunday to the US, where he was arrested. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
Last Wednesday, a young couple, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, were shot dead outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.
Police identified the suspect as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez from Chicago, who they say shouted "free Palestine" after he shot the couple.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is expected to attend a memorial in Israel for the victims on Monday.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c780n71rr24o
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Africa
As Tinubu and Ribadu revive Boko Haram, Nigerians plan national day of mourning
MAY 25, 2025
Marte, the headquarters of the eponymous Local Government Area (LGA) on the western floodplains of Lake Chad in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, has been a site of lingering contest between Nigerian troops on the one hand and Islamist insurgents of Boko Haram on the other for over one decade. At 3,154 km2, Marte LGA is just a little under the size of all of Lagos State.
For a while between 2014 and 2015, Boko Haram reportedly bivouacked in Marte on its way to its more permanent operational headquarters in the Sambissa Forest. For much of 2015, control of the town exchanged hands in succession between the Nigerian Army and Boko Haram. Around May 2015, Boko Haram reportedly took back the city from the Nigerian troops who had held it for three months from February of the same year.
For the most part, Nigeria has controlled Marte thereafter, except for a brief duration in 2021, when the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) temporarily wreaked havoc upon a military base in Marte.
All that appears to have changed recently. Around Monday, May 12, 2025, Islamist insurgents reportedly attacked the forward operating base of the 153rd Task Force Battalion in Marte, resulting in considerable carnage. Sources familiar with the early morning attack reported that “over 10 soldiers were killed and hundreds of personnel deserted. The (terrorists) burnt down armoured tanks and made away with arms and ammunition.” The beleaguered governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has been left appealing to his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure that Marte does not fall back into the hands of Boko Haram and its allies.
In the same week that they attacked Marte, the insurgents also attacked the 3rd Battalion base in Rann, in Kala Balge district, killing at least five soldiers and leaving at least four others reportedly injured. The intensity and scope of the attacks by Boko Haram in Borno State in the past six months led the state governor to raise an alarm last April, suggesting that the country was “losing ground” in the fight against Islamist terror.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, a retired assistant inspector-general of the Nigeria Police Force, who has run for and is credibly rumoured to retain ambitions for another tilt at the presidency, ostensibly failed to get the governor’s memorandum. Addressing the National Summit, so-called, of the APC, the NSA claimed to have killed 13,543 Boko Haram elements in the first two years of the administration and recovered over 11,000 arms from them. He notably did not mention the haul of arms the insurgents have been busy harvesting from Nigerian military formations. Over the same period, he claimed, “124,408 Boko Haram fighters and their families” also surrendered.
It is unfortunate that the ruling party has chosen to make national security a party political matter. It is even more tragic that the wannabe political opposition has allowed them to get away with it. The result is a vacuum of leadership in the security sector filled and fed with an atrocious body count of Nigerian casualties whose death and suffering barely register on the priorities of the people supposed to protect the country, its people and communities.
The central problem is a failure of strategy. To understand this, it is necessary to explain that the presidency is many jobs in one. A president is, among other things, party leader, chief marketer of the country, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Every one of these roles of the president can be delegated except the last. As commander-in-chief, the president sets the security strategy.
For over 50 years, Nigeria’s national security strategy docked onto the neighbourhood of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). There was good reason for that. The country’s northern boundaries feed into the southern rim of the Sahel. With Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to its north as founding members of ECOWAS, the country could count solidly on friendly neighbours as buffers against the historical brutalities of Sahelian violence.
This understanding was at the heart of the transformation of the ECOWAS from an economic integration arrangement envisioned at its foundation in 1975 into a collective security arrangement in 1981. For much of the period since then, this arrangement held together.
However, following the military coup in Niger Republic in July 2023, the country lost its marbles and decided to bite its nose in order to spite its sovereign face. On behalf of ECOWAS, President Tinubu committed the blunder of threatening to invade another member of the ECOWAS collective security arrangement. He alone knows what he was thinking.
The hubris of President Tinubu’s handling of the coup crisis in Nigeria was inexplicable. With a landmass of over 1.267 million km2, Niger Republic constituted about 22 per cent of the 5.8 million km2 of the landmass of ECOWAS. The idea of an invasion of the country in order to militarily restore the ousted administration of President Mohamed Bazoum was always worse than bluster. It was plainly unviable.
In invoking war against Niger on behalf of ECOWAS, President Tinubu managed in one stroke to violate the prohibition against the use of force in international law; create the impression that Nigeria’s Sahelian neighbours did not matter; and suggest that France was a more important factor to Nigeria’s neighbourhood strategy than its immediate neighbours.
That much should have been evident to the people who thought up the idea. But the damage was beyond a resort to fantastic bluster, where hard-nosed rationality was needed. The costs have been prohibitive and rising, and the result has been devastating.
In September 2023, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger created their own collective security arrangement and orbited off into the realm of Russia’s mercenary diplomacy. Since then, the consequences for Nigeria have been stark. In the period since September 2023, and despite the fantasies of NSA Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s internal security situation has disintegrated into mayhem.
In the north-west states of Sokoto and Kebbi, a new terror group, Lakurawa, has taken root. South of Kebbi, in Kwara State, another new terror group, Mahmuda, runs murderously rampant. To the east of Kwara in Nigeria’s Middle Belt, vast swathes of territory and communities in Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau states are being emptied in intense attacks credited to so-called “foreign herdsmen.”
The politicians are reluctant to acknowledge what is obvious, and the soldiers have been trained not to say that their commander-in-chief has left them in a pickle. But that is exactly what President Tinubu has done with the way he has brought about the transformation of ECOWAS from an integrated security arrangement for the region into a rump of an association of Atlantic West African States (AAWAS).
The evidence is everywhere in the rising casualty count, which NSA Nuhu Ribadu will not acknowledge. According to monitoring coalition, Nigeria Mourns, 4,416 people were killed in atrocities in Nigeria in 2023. In 2024, President Tinubu’s first full year in office, the number rose 21.2 per cent to 5,353, including 308 security personnel. 88.5 per cent of these killings occurred in Northern Nigeria. Another 5,171 were abducted.
Behind these numbers are people, families, communities, traumas that both Nuhu Ribadu and the ruling APC will not allow Nigerians to see, hear, acknowledge or mourn. They are the experiences of loss and indignity that the dissolute wannabes in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) cannot bring themselves to ask the APC to account for or acknowledge.
On May 28, the civic Coalition Nigeria Mourns invites all Nigerians wherever they may be to spare a thought for all these victims and their loved ones in a National Day of Mourning (NDoM) “to rage, resist, and demand action from the government” in memory of all who have been killed or violated. A more responsible government would not have waited for a group of unarmed, unelected citizens to remind them.
Source: gazettengr.com
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https://gazettengr.com/as-tinubu-and-ribadu-revive-boko-haram-nigerians-plan-national-day-of-mourning/?tztc=1
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Pressure mounts on Tinubu to drop Shettima as running mate ahead of 2027
May 26, 2025
A northern Islamic group has advised President Bola Tinubu to consider choosing a northerner of Christian extraction as his running mate in the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.
The group known as Concerned Northern Muslim Ummah, made the call in a press statement on Sunday and signed by its convener, Bala Duguri.
Duguri said the advise followed wide consultations across northern states with various Islamic organisations.
Duguri said: “Our group has undertaken wider consultations across the northern states with different Islamic organisations in a bid to speak with one voice over the political direction in the APC-led administration. The outcome is very encouraging.”
He said based on their findings, there was a growing consensus that political equity and fairness demanded a religious balance in the 2027 ticket.
“We have carefully considered the present situation of our country, coupled with deep concern for the well-being of our people, in the spirit of fairness, equity, and justice,” he said.
The group acknowledged the success of the Muslim-Muslim ticket during the 2023 elections, attributing it partly to the support of the Christian community, and called for the gesture to be reciprocated.
“The sacrifices made by our fellow Christian brothers and sisters in the 2023 presidential elections, in the spirit of unity and national progress, need to be acknowledged. It’s time for Muslim political actors to make similar sacrifices,” Duguri added.
The sstatement further appealed to potential Muslim vice-presidential aspirants within the APC to step aside and support the nomination of a Christian running mate in 2027.
“As a Muslim organisation, we use this opportunity to call on all potential Muslim nominees for the vice presidential slot to make the necessary sacrifice by dropping their ambitions for the good of the country,” the statement added.
The group also urged President Tinubu, and all APC stakeholders to consider its advise in the spirit of unity, equity, and justice.
Duguri said the group’s advise is rooted in genuine concern for national cohesion, democratic stability, and the continued success of Tinubu’s government.
“After extensive consultations across religious, ethnic, and political lines in the North, we believe the most appropriate step forward is for a Northern Christian to be selected as the Vice Presidential candidate in 2027,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, a Muslim, ran as a running mate to Tinubu in the 2023 polls.
Before now, there have been rumours that Shettima, a former governor of Borno state could be dropped by Tinubu.
Source: politicsnigeria.com
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https://politicsnigeria.com/pressure-mounts-on-tinubu-to-drop-shettima-as-running-mate-ahead-of-2027/
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Uba Sani’s two years as gov marked by development — Aide
25th May 2025
Godwin Isenyo
As Kaduna State prepares to mark the second anniversary of Governor Uba Sani’s administration, the state government says the Governor has delivered impactful and transformative leadership that has significantly improved the lives of citizens across rural and urban areas
This was contained in a press statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Malam Ibraheem Musa, who said the state would showcase these achievements as part of the May 29 anniversary celebrations.
The statement disclosed that the anniversary celebrations commenced last Friday, where Muslim faithful prayed for peace in Kaduna State, Allah’s guidance and support to the Governor, at the Kano road mosque in Kaduna metropolis.
The Chief Press Secretary further said that there was church service at the United English Baptist Church, located at Borno Road Kaduna, where prayers were offered for the sustained peace and development under the Governor Uba Sani administration.
The press statement highlighted that “the Governor has constructed roads that connect farms to markets in his rural transformation drive. In addition, he is completing projects inherited from previous Governments.”
“Governor Uba Sani has also taken Human Capital Development to a new level, by building 62 new secondary schools and constructing more than 600 classrooms and renovating quite a number.
“Likewise, Governor Uba Sani has built three Vocational and Technology Skills Acquisition Cities in Soba, Rigachikun and Samarun Kataf towns, which are located in Soba, Igabi and Zangon Kataf Local Government Areas respectively,” the statement added.
According to Malam Ibraheem, the Governor has recorded giant strides in the health sector as ‘’he has upgraded Primary Healthcare Centres to level 2 status, equipped them with personnel and medical consumables. Also, he is remodelling 13 General Hospitals across Kaduna State, in an effort to make healthcare more accessible to the citizens.’’
“Above all, Governor Uba Sani has become the epitome of peace and inclusivity, by bridging the ethno-religious divides in Kaduna State with his visionary leadership,” he added.
The statement disclosed that several township roads will be commissioned, the remodelled, upgraded and equipped Kachia General Hospital will also be commissioned and there will be a health walk, as part of the anniversary celebrations.
The governor’s spokesman called on citizens of Kaduna State to come out enmasse to celebrate the “Governor Uba Sani’s people-centred administration, which has resulted in two years of Transformational and Impactful leadership.” ENDS.
Source: punchng.com
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https://punchng.com/uba-sanis-two-years-as-gov-marked-by-development-aide/
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Wanted: A unified air security strategy to curb terrorism, others
by Precious Igbonwelundu, Asst. News Editor
May 25, 2025
As countries in Africa continue to grapple with violent extremism, terrorism and other threats from armed non-state actors, PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU reports that the Nigerian Air Force is championing the call for a united air security strategy among Air Forces in the continent.
For over two decades the African continent has witnessed increased instability from terrorism and other violent extremism with perpetrators exploiting weak governance, vast ungoverned spaces and socio-economic inequalities. From the continent’s horn to the Sahel region, terrorist organisations like Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram; Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS); Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have wreaked havock through orchestrated deadly attacks on civilians, government institutions, and military installations, evolving from local threats to regional crises that dwarf counterterrorism efforts of individual states.
Despite surveillance, rapid response and precision strike capabilities of individual Air Forces, these terrorists who have mastered the terrains and understand how to seamlessly navigate ungoverned spaces to stay in the fringes of neighbouring countries, continue to undermine state actions, posing great threat to the lives and livelihoods of affected territories.
Faced with common sets of challenges in combating terrorism such as limited funds; obsolete or insufficient aircraft fleets; inadequate maintenance infrastructure and little or no access to advanced intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), capabilities needed to geo-track insurgents’ movements across territories, as well as shortage of trained and experience manpower- combat pilots, technicians, geospatial experts, aerospace and aeronautic engineers, and analysts; nations have continually sought ways to better protect their people and territories from such incursions within the limits of available resources.
It is a known fact that terrorist networks do not respect borders and often retreat into neighboring countries to evade pursuit after each attack. Without cross-border intelligence sharing or coordinated air operations, insurgents exploit gaps in national security frameworks. For instance, Boko Haram and ISWAP elements that orchestrated recent attacks in Borno and Yobe states reportedly came in through the Mountainous areas of northwest Cameroon where they retreated to. Also, jihadist groups in the Sahel often conduct attacks in Mali, then retreat into Niger or Burkina Faso.
It was against this background that the fourth African Air Forces Forum (AAF) hosted by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the weekend in Lagos focused on collaborations especially in intelligence sharing and joint operations driven by aerospace technologies in order to disrupt supply routes, decimate insurgents and destroy their ability to indoctrinate/recruit more persons into their sects.
The seminar brought together air chiefs from over 30 countries, senior military officials, industry pioneers, global defence leaders, policy makers, political masters including Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, among others, to advance discussions on Africa’s evolving air power strategy.
Setting the tone for discussions at the seminar themed “strengthening collaborations in advanced aerospace technology for enhanced national and regional security,” Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, noted the evolving dynamics of security threats in Africa and the role of air power in addressing them.
Highlighting Africa’s diverse and vibrant cultural heritage, vast natural resources and limitless potentials, Abubakar regretted that the continent was faced with shared security challenges that would require unity, innovation, and cooperation among African air forces to tackle.
“As the African proverb wisely says, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.’ That truth resonates now more than ever.
“In today’s evolving threat environment, the capacity to harness air power for deterrence, surveillance, logistics, or combat has become indispensable,” he stated.
The CAS emphasised the need for trusted partnerships anchored in shared values to achieve effective air power across the continent, calling for
deeper collaboration, innovation, and strategic foresight to address the current volatile and ambiguous security landscape.
Underscoring the urgency of collaboratiok in confronting a spectrum of complex transactional threats, Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru, lamented how terror groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have continued to sow chaos in Nigeria, while criminal networks trafficking arms and drugs pose serious threats to the country’s peace and prosperity.
“Only through joint efforts, robust surveillance, and the strategic application of air power can we effectively respond.
“Air power is vital, but sustainable security also depends on good governance, economic development, and social justice,” he said, challenging countries in the continent to harness emerging technologies such as unmanned aerial systems, integrated communications and cyber defence, to fight gorilla warfare.
He noted that the Tinubu administration had invested heavily in modernizing the NAF’s capabilities in surveillance, air mobility, and strike operations.
He also urged air forces to remain responsive to the needs of civil populations, especially during humanitarian missions and internal security operations.
In his goodwill message, the host Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hazmat, praised the NAF for showcasing African innovation in aviation and defence.
“We must invest in the development of our air forces. The issues we confront as a region, ranging from terrorism to safeguarding our extensive airspace, are complex and require innovative solutions and a unified approach,” Sanwo-Olu said.
“This forum comes at a time when collective focus and decisive actions are needed to address our region’s complex security challenges.
“Let this gathering not just be a meeting of military minds, but a springboard for long-term partnerships that drive regional security and development,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu emphasised the importance of minimizing collateral damage in air operations through the intelligent application of technology, advocating the strengthening of civil-military relations across the continent.
Among the key take ways from the forum were that regional air forces can enhance access to specialized technologies and resources; pool funds for ISR platforms, drone programmes and radar networks to significantly boost detection and response times; establish joint training centers and maintenance hubs to increase interoperability and reduce dependence on foreign contractors, as well as standardize communications systems and protocols to further facilitate seamless coordination during joint missions, among others.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by Air Vice Marshal (AVM) S Masera, of the Zimbabwean Air Force; Brig Gen. Nicolas Chambaz from France’s Air & Space Force.
Also, Senior Colonel Wei Jun of the Chinese Air Force, provided an international perspective on aerial navigation and defence systems.
The forum concluded with calls for stronger partnerships among African air forces and greater commitment to building regional security frameworks anchored in technology, cooperation, and shared values.
Participants expressed optimism that the outcomes would pave the way for genuine African solutions to African security problems, underpinned by innovation, mutual respect, and strategic alliances with global partners.
Hosted last year in Abuja, this year’s African Air Forces Forum, attracted over 2,000 participants from over 50 countries across the world including exhibitors who showcased cutting-edge aerospace and defence technologies such as Airbus, Embraer, CATIC, ASELSAN, ALIT, aeronautical engineering and technical services for ISR capabilities.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
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https://thenationonlineng.net/wanted-a-unified-air-security-strategy-to-curb-terrorism-others/
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I’m Not Desperate To Be President, Nigeria Is Difficult To Govern When You Want To Do It Right – Peter Obi
May 25, 2025
By Oladipo Abiola
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has submitted that Nigeria is a difficult country to govern.
Speaking during a special church service at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Aguiyi Ironsi Layout, Umuahia, to mark the two-year anniversary of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, Obi added that the country becomes more difficult to govern for anyone bent on doing the right thing.
He identified systemic challenges and resistance to positive change as factors that make it difficult to govern Nigeria.
“It is difficult to govern Nigeria, especially when you want to do it right,” Obi stated.
The LP chieftain also emphasized that he is not desperate to become the President of Nigeria, but is interested in seeing Nigeria work for all.
“I’m not desperate to be President. I’m desperate to see Nigeria work. We want future leaders like Governor Otti,” Obi added.
He called for prayers for Governor Otti, members of his administration, and Nigeria as a country.
“Continue to remember the Governor and his team in prayers. Do the same for Nigeria; that God should touch the hearts of our leaders to use public money for public good. It is not our money—we are only trustees,” the former Anambra State Governor said.
Peter Obi commended Governor Otti, saying his two years in office have come with obvious positive difference and impact in the life of citizens.
“We have come to celebrate two years with a difference. People always say they need eight or ten years to make a change, but I have always said that one day can make a difference. In Abia, everyone can see the change—you don’t need the radio or someone to tell you,” he said.
In his remarks, Governor Otti attributed the achievements of his administration to God’s grace and guidance. He also acknowledged the contributions and cooperation of the legislative and judicial arms of government to what he called “the new Abia project.”
Quoting 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, he said, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God gave the increase. We’ve all worked hard, but nothing would have come out of it if God didn’t back us. That’s why we return all thanks to Him.”
Otti also expressed appreciation to Peter Obi for his constant support and leadership.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/05/25/im-not-desperate-to-be-president-nigeria-is-difficult-to-govern-when-you-want-to-do-it-right-peter-obi/
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Atiku, Peter Obi, Ameachi’s Coalition Meeting Descend Into Chaos
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
May 25, 2025
Delegates from Jigawa State have disrupted the coalition meeting involving former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi and other prominent politicians.
Naija News learnt that the ongoing coalition meeting at the Abuja Continental Hotel, organised by the National Political Consultative Group (North), briefly descended into chaos following a disagreement over representation for Jigawa State.
According to Punch, tensions rose when former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, announced a delegate to speak for the state.
However, several Jigawa delegates stormed the stage in protest, blocking the individual from speaking and insisting they would not be represented by those named.
As the confrontation escalated, security personnel, including members of the Nigerian Police, DSS, and private guards, quickly formed a protective barrier around key figures such as Atiku, Amaechi and others.
Calm was restored after several minutes of appeals, as the son of former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, Mustapha, along with another delegate, was chosen to speak on behalf of the state.
In other news, former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Sam Amadi, has advised the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to stop acting like a monarch.
He urged Atiku to emulate his counterpart in the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
Amadi said that Atiku needs to cure excessive ‘royalty’ and be as normal as a professional or a business leader.
Speaking via his 𝕏 account, Amadi, who is also Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, advised Atiku against acting like an Emir, Ooni or Obi, noting that Nigeria is not an “emirate or a kingdom.”
The former NERC boss claimed that Atiku could be President, saying he is not really bad.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2025/05/25/breaking-atiku-peter-obi-ameachis-coalition-meeting-descend-into-chaos/
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U.S. military shifts strategy in Africa amid rising insurgencies
May 26, 2025
The U.S. military is pivoting from its long-standing focus on governance and development in Africa, instead urging fragile allies to take greater responsibility for their own security. At African Lion 2025, the continent’s largest joint military exercise, Gen. Michael Langley, AFRICOM’s top commander, stressed the need for “independent operations” and “burden sharing.”
While over 40 nations drilled combat tactics and drone warfare, the traditional U.S. message promoting a “whole-of-government” approach has faded. The shift echoes a Trump-era push to prioritize homeland defense and reduce foreign military footprints, even as extremist threats grow.
With insurgencies gaining ground and Africa now considered the “epicenter” of al-Qaida and Islamic State activity, many local forces remain under-equipped. Langley admitted Somalia’s army still struggles despite years of U.S. support.
Analysts warn that scaling back Western engagement, especially in volatile regions like the Sahel, risks allowing extremists to thrive amid weak governance and poor infrastructure.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2025/05/26/us-military-shifts-strategy-in-africa-amid-rising-insurgencies/
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Southeast Asia
Success of Malay/Muslim community a shared effort, says Prof Faishal
MAY 26, 2025
Ensuring the continued success of Singapore’s Malay/Muslim community is a collective effort, said Associate Professor Faishal Ibrahim, who is Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs.
This will involve working together with M3 – a collaboration between self-help group Mendaki, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council – in addition to other Malay/Muslim organisations, as well as informal groups, he added.
This will help create closer, more effective networks to work towards the community’s success, he said.
Every member of the community should feel like they have a stake in its success, and this involves finding channels where individuals can express their thoughts and views, added Prof Faishal, who is also Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs.
“We want to give space for them to share their views, share their aspirations on how we can shape a successful Malay/Muslim community,” he said.
This is especially important as the global outlook becomes more challenging, he added.
Prof Faishal was appointed Acting Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs on May 21, replacing Social and Family Development Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who had held the position since 2018.
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of Cyclation 2025, a community cycling event organised by Wisma Geylang Serai (WGS), where he is also lead adviser.
Cyclation 2025 was organised as part of SG60 Bersama, a series of events celebrating the Malay/Muslim community’s contributions to Singapore’s development, in conjunction with the Republic’s 60th year of independence.
The event, organised together with cycling enthusiast group Temasek GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Riders, saw 90 participants cycle a 15km route that began and ended at Wisma Geylang Serai, with participants going through areas such as the park connectors of Marine Parade and East Coast Park.
Temasek GOAT Riders member Faisal Hassan, 48, said the event was aimed at encouraging a healthy lifestyle and a love of cycling in the community.
Prof Faishal said the event is one of a broader slate of wellness and lifestyle activities at WGS, which includes Gerak-Gerak Geylang, a free fitness programme held on Saturday and Sunday mornings.
He cited Cyclation 2025 as an example of the informal engagement with the community he hopes to have, noting that Temasek GOAT Riders could build on its newfound connections with WGS to expand its network.
Prof Faishal said he viewed such engagement as an extension of the work he has done since he first joined politics in 2006 as an MP for Marine Parade GRC.
This included gathering views by speaking to residents at coffee shops and other locations, as well as via more formal arrangements such as dialogues.
“We’re going to make sure that we reach out to as many people as possible, engage as widely as possible, and we want to deepen our engagement,” he said.
This would be done not just with WGS but also in his work with other Malay/Muslim MPs, he said.
“I would like to listen. I would like to see how your suggestions can contribute to the development of the Malay/Muslim community,” he said.
Such an approach would bring success to not just the Malay/Muslim community here but also members of other communities, he added.
“I think what is key is that we are in this together, and I hope to bring as many people on board this journey,” he said, describing it as key to a successful shared future for all Singaporeans.
Source: straitstimes.com
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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/community/success-of-malaymuslim-community-a-shared-effort-says-prof-faishal
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Johor MB Onn Hafiz says state election still two years away, urges lawmakers to focus on unity
By Ben Tan
26 May 2025
ISKANDAR PUTERI, May 26 — Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi has dismissed speculation of an early state election, reaffirming that the state government’s term will only end in about two years.
He said it is not election season yet, as the current administration remains in office until April 2027.
“We have about two years left to focus fully on economic and infrastructure development for the benefit of the people.
“So, let us find common ground to foster better cooperation and avoid differences that could lead to divisions,” he said during his winding-up speech at the Johor state legislative assembly in Kota Iskandar today.
Onn Hafiz commended the commitment and integrity displayed by state assemblymen, despite their differing political ideologies.
“There is harmony in the state legislative assembly, and I will report to the Johor Regent, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, that all assemblymen have upheld unity and demonstrated a strong consensus,” he said.
The Machap assemblyman also reminded lawmakers that Johor must set a positive example for others.
He called on all assemblymen not only to raise issues on record but to take meaningful action to resolve the concerns of the people.
In the 2022 Johor state election, Barisan Nasional (BN) achieved a supermajority, securing 40 out of 56 state seats.
The snap election was called after the Johor government under then-Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad lost its simple majority, leaving it with a minority government of 28 seats against the Opposition’s 27, represented by Pakatan Harapan (PH).
The situation arose following the death of Kempas assemblyman and former menteri besar Datuk Osman Sapian on December 21, 2021, which led to the dissolution of the state assembly.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/05/26/johor-mb-onn-hafiz-says-state-election-still-two-years-away-urges-lawmakers-to-focus-on-unity/178222
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Anwar: Inclusivity and sustainability must anchor Asean’s future
26 May 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — The principles of “Inclusivity and Sustainability,” the theme of Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship this year, must be embedded at the very heart of the regional bloc’s agenda and vision, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In his opening remarks at the 46th Asean Summit, here today, he said the theme is a strategic and value-driven proposition.
“It speaks not only to our aspirations, but to our obligations. It is anchored in the conviction that Asean’s future must rest on the twin pillars of equitable, sustainable growth and enduring resilience,” he said.
Anwar also expressed his appreciation for the support of all Asean leaders in ensuring that Malaysia’s Chairmanship advances the Asean Community Vision 2045, which will be launched today.
Heads of state and government that were present were Sultan of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
Also present were Timor Leste’s Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao as observer, and Asean’s Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn.
This year marks Malaysia’s fifth time chairing the regional bloc, having previously held the Asean chairmanship in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
In conjunction with the summit, two pivotal high-level engagements, namely the 2nd Asean-GCC Summit and the inaugural Asean-GCC-China Summit, will also be convened, serving as strategic platforms to advance regional and inter-regional cooperation. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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