Petrol Bombs Hurled At RSS Office In Jharkhand Days After Stone-Pelting On Mohan Bhagwat's Train; CCTV Footage Emerges
New Age Islam News Bureau
17 June 2026
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat
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· Petrol bombs hurled at RSS office in Jharkhand days after stone-pelting on Mohan Bhagwat's train; CCTV footage emerges
· Peace deal requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanon – Iran FM
· Saudi Cabinet reaffirms importance of restoring freedom of navigation in Hormuz strait
· Australian far-right leader slams media, 'radical Islam' in testy press briefing
· 'Don't Sharia Our Texas': Muslim GOP members asked to leave Republican convention, US if they don't become Christians
· Nigeria says nearly 10,000 former Boko Haram fighters have been reintegrated
· Malaysian PM Anwar, Uzbekistan president discuss energy, trade, halal industry and tourism during Tashkent transit stop
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India
· PM Modi calls for seafarer safety before Trump at G7 after US strike kills three Indians in Hormuz
· ‘Drop theatrics, strike at mafia, not students’: Rahul Gandhi to Modi govt on Telegram ban
· Himanta calls Miya Muslims declaring Assamese their mother tongue a ‘fraud’. Assam writers disagree
· Eye on KMC poll, BJP starts Muslim outreach
· India forcibly expelling 'Bengali Muslims' to Bangladesh without due process: HRW
· JCO, 3 soldiers hurt in accidental blast along LoC in Jammu & Kashmir’s Rajouri
· Red Fort blast accused planned network bigger than Indian Mujahideen: Intel
· Pakistani Sikh family’s deportation put on hold as Uttarakhand HC seeks state's reply
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Mideast
· Several Israeli strikes hit south Lebanon: state media
· Australia relaxes Gulf travel advice in boost for Middle Eastern airlines
· Iran deal includes $300 billion fund, more than half of which already committed, source says
· Iranian tankers exit US blockade zone ahead of peace talks
· At G7, Egypt’s El-Sisi urges Israel to halt Gaza seizure
· Son of late Shah warns against deal with Tehran
· Jordanian, Bahraini FMs discuss developments after US-Iran understanding
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Arab World
· Saudi crown prince receives message from Chechen president
· Saudi Arabia’s new soil technologies offer breakthrough in desert restoration
· Saudi Arabia strengthens efforts on elder welfare, inclusion
· Deputy minister receives Greece’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
· Saudi FM arrives in Portugal on official visit
· Saudi program trains Yemeni telecom staff in Aden
· Kaaba adorned with new kiswa
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Europe
· Inspector Morse actor to back Tommy Robinson in Islam debate
· Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister visits Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent
· IsDBI: Global Islamic finance industry currently estimated at $4 trillion
· How a young man fled Islamic terror group only to be forced from his home in Belfast
· PM warns Burnham against immediate leadership challenge if he wins by-election
· Hungary's MPs block return of Orbán, limiting rule of PM to eight years
· EU seeks to restrict new members’ options to dissent from bloc – media
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North America
· CAIR-WA Condemns Provost’s Disruption of Muslim Student’s Participation in Commencement Based on Religious/Identity Expression
· CAIR-Chicago Calls for Censure of La Salle Co. Board Member Over Islamophobic Remarks
· CAIR Condemns Israeli Seizure of Authority Over Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron
· CAIR-Texas, CAIR Action Texas Condemn Blatant Anti-Muslim Hate, Exclusionary Platform and Religious and Ethnic Harassment at GOP Convention
· Inside Trump’s Iran deal: The billions that could soon flow to Tehran
· Group planned to attack White House UFC event using snipers and drones, FBI says
· Trump shifting focus back to Ukraine: Where do peace talks stand?
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Africa
· NSA Ribadu Reveals Major Cause Of Terrorism In Nigeria
· FG Secures 150 Convictions In Fresh Terrorism Trials
· Military Didn’t Write 1999 Constitution – Abdulsalami
· Troops Rescue 388 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 31 Terrorists – DHQ
· I Regret Any Embarrassment To The Senate – Oshiomhole Clarifies Position On Akpoti-Uduaghan Suspension
· Insecurity: We Will Go To War If That’s What You Want – Peter Obi Declares
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Southeast Asia
· Sultan Nazrin receives RM18.76m zakat contributions from Maybank, Tabung Haji, TNB and others
· Anwar hails TV AlHijrah’s role in Islamic broadcasting as station turns 16
· Army corporal Norazmi laid to rest in Merbok with full military honours after Gurun grenade blast
· No more ‘green wave’?: PAS sounds the alarm over parties going after the 40pc youth vote
· Frameworks alone not enough, Anwar urges businesses and innovators to drive Asean‑Russia cooperation
· Here comes the boom: Malaysia inks deal for France’s Caesar mobile artillery and local tech transfer
· Energy sector in focus as Anwar says Tatarstan’s oil strength offers Malaysia downstream and petrochemical opportunities
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South Asia
· Holy Ashura on June 26 Muharram moon sighted
· Mirza Fakhrul urges unity to protect press freedom
· Newly Appointed UN Deputy Special Representative Begins Mission in Afghanistan
· UNICEF Warns of $542 Million Funding Gap for Afghanistan Aid Response
· IEA Diplomat Attends International Religious Leaders Conference in Malaysia
· Muttaqi Calls for Regional Cooperation, Research on Economic Opportunities
· Disaster Management Authority, IFRC Discuss Early Warning Systems
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Petrol bombs hurled at RSS office in Jharkhand days after stone-pelting on Mohan Bhagwat's train; CCTV footage emerges
Jun 17, 2026
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat
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NEW DELHI: Petrol bombs were hurled at an RSS office in Jharkhand's Ranchi in the early hours of Wednesday, with opposition leader Babulal Marandi cautioning that this was "preparation for a bigger incident".
Marandi said the matter had been brought to the notice of the district administration.
"At around 12. 36am, two men threw petrol bombs at the RSS office. They came by car with motorbikes accompanying them. This is a serious matter because. It was preparation for a bigger incident. We have spoken to the DC on it," said leader of the opposition in Jharkhand assembly, Babulal Marandi.
Union minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth, who visited the site, claimed a taxi with a yellow number plate and two motorcycles were involved in the incident. According to Seth, the attackers arrived on motorcycles, briefly stopped near the premises, and hurled two petrol bombs.
He said one exploded in the air while the second fell to the ground and broke apart without detonating. Seth alleged that the intention was to trigger a fire, noting that several vehicles were parked nearby and RSS workers were present inside the office at the time.
"There was a taxi with a yellow number plate parked a little distance away from here, along with two motorcycles. They came on the motorcycles...they came, said something, then tied it, and then threw a bomb that exploded in the air. Then they came again and threw another one, but this time it did not explode on the ground. It broke apart. It was a petrol bomb. What was the purpose of throwing a petrol bomb? To spread fire, because it contains petrol, which is highly inflammable," he said.
"Vehicles were parked there, and all our campaign workers and brothers were inside. What would have happened if the petrol had spread, exploded on the ground, and caused a fire? The entire area could have gone up in flames. There is a huge conspiracy to create unrest in Ranchi, a very big conspiracy. By God’s grace, that conspiracy has failed. But we will not allow any conspiracy to succeed. We will not let Ranchi become disturbed, and we will not let Jharkhand be disturbed," he added.
This comes days after a stone struck the Shatabdi Express near Firozabad while RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was travelling from Kanpur to Delhi. The stone hit coach E1, where Bhagwat was reportedly seated, shattering a window pane.
Railway officials confirmed that no injuries were reported and that Bhagwat and other passengers remained safe. The Government Railway Police and railway authorities launched an investigation, though officials have not yet determined whether the incident was accidental or deliberate.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Peace deal requires Israel to withdraw from Lebanon – Iran FM
June 16, 2026
Above, destroyed buildings in the southern village of Srifa, Lebanon on June 16, 2026. (AFP)
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DUBAI: Iran’s top diplomat said Tuesday that the tentative deal to end the war with the United States would require Israel to withdraw from Lebanon — a condition Israel has already rejected and that could sink the agreement, leading to the resumption of all-out war.
The deal, which is between the US and Iran, has not been made public, and officials have sometimes offered contradictory interpretations of what is in it. While Israel is not party to the agreement, it is part of the war after joining the US in launching strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Israel has also fought the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon and seized large swaths of that country.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel’s continued occupation of southern Lebanon would violate the deal.
“Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the war has not fully come to an end,” Araghchi said.
A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement, has said the deal does not call for an Israeli withdrawal. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel would remain in Lebanon “as long as necessary.”
The negotiations to end the war have been plagued by such disagreements before, leading to a prolonged but uneasy ceasefire that has failed to develop into a permanent end to hostilities and has left the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for the world’s energy supplies, effectively shut.
In other developments, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said the signing ceremony for the deal will take place Friday at the Burgenstock resort near the city of Luzern. Ministry officials said Tuesday that the location was proposed by Pakistani and Qatari mediators, along with the US and Iran.
Iran’s call for an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon complicates any deal
Pakistan has said the deal called for an end to military operations, including in Lebanon, as Iran long insisted. But Araghchi’s call for an Israeli withdrawal adds a new wrinkle.
It puts Israel into a dilemma as it tries to degrade Hezbollah’s military capabilities without undermining an agreement championed by its most important ally, the United States. Israel invaded southern Lebanon after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border during the first week of the war. Since then, it has expanded its military footprint to levels unseen in decades and struck targets deep inside Beirut.
Though Hezbollah has been weakened, it retains the ability to strike Israel, leaving open questions about the effectiveness of Israel’s campaign.
As of Tuesday evening, Netanyahu had not seen the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran, said a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door details. Another person, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations between Israel and the US, said Israeli officials have not asked US negotiators for the memorandum.
Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. The White House declined to comment on whether Netanyahu or Israeli officials have reviewed the agreement.
The Israeli ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, told NPR that while Israel does not know the details of the deal, the apparent inclusion of Lebanon is “unnecessary and unhelpful.”
The extent of Israel’s strikes has at times opened a public fracture between its leaders and US President Donald Trump, who told reporters Tuesday that he was “not happy with the way Israel has handled themselves with Lebanon and with Hezbollah.”
“It just goes on forever,” he said of Israel’s strategy. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,000 people, including hundreds of civilians, and displaced more than 1 million. “Israel’s fighting Hezbollah too long, and too many people are being killed,” Trump said.
Lebanese government welcomes prospects for a ceasefire
Israel and the Lebanese government have entered into their own US-mediated direct negotiations, of which Hezbollah was not a part. Those talks have yielded several announced ceasefires that were never implemented on the ground.
Lebanese officials initially tried to keep Lebanon separate from the US-Iran negotiations, not wanting to be seen as beholden to Iran, but they have since welcomed the announcement that the deal to end the US-Iran war would include a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Araghchi’s latest comments appear to match the understanding of two regional officials with direct knowledge of the interim deal. The officials, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations, said it would require Israel to leave nearly all the territory it occupies in Lebanon, minus a few hilltop points along the border seized earlier.
The officials say Iran insisted the accord include Lebanon in the last days of the negotiations.
The UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon known as UNIFIL reported that Israel and Hezbollah are still exchanging fire but at a “significantly reduced level,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday.
Many questions loom ahead of ceremonial signing
Lebanon is only one of several major questions hanging over the ceasefire ahead of the planned ceremonial signing.
The agreement is meant to provide a meaningful truce in a monthslong war that has killed thousands across the Middle East, including the top leaders of Iran’s theocracy, and raised the prices of fuel, food and other basic goods far beyond the region.
The agreement provides for the “immediate” opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the lifting of the American naval blockade of Iranian ports, according to a senior US official who spoke to reporters Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss outlines of the agreement.
Pakistani officials who helped broker the agreement also described plans for the simultaneous lifting of Iran’s closure of the strait and the US blockade.
The United States and Iran will then begin 60 days of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and the potential lifting of sanctions, Pakistani officials who helped broker the interim deal said, speaking on condition of anonymity about the unpublished text.
The pact also includes the possibility of releasing Iran’s frozen funds and a $300 billion fund to help rebuild Iran if Tehran meets certain benchmarks, senior US officials told reporters Monday. Trump later said the United States would not “invest” funds in Iran.
Regarding the timeline, regional officials who spoke to AP about the deal said the release of frozen Iranian assets would be tied to Tehran implementing the deal. Gulf Arab states also have pledged to inject billions of dollars in Iran’s economy, they added, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations.
US officials have not yet explained how they see the agreement addressing Iran’s nuclear program, including who will be in charge of verifying that Iran is in compliance and who will destroy or remove highly enriched uranium believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were badly damaged by US strikes last summer.
Iran has agreed to discuss ways to possibly “dilute or remove” the uranium, the regional officials said. However, it remains unclear whether Tehran would agree to that, particularly with hard-liners opposing to giving it up.
Trump said he’s open to sending the emerging agreement to the US Congress for review.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit in the French Alps, Trump said, “I like the idea, send it to Congress please.” He added, “I mean who wouldn’t approve it.”
Republicans on Capitol Hill say they want Trump to provide more information about the agreement, with some expressing skepticism that the deal can deter Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi Cabinet reaffirms importance of restoring freedom of navigation in Hormuz strait
June 16, 2026
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chairs a Cabinet meeting in Jeddah on Tuesday. (SPA)
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RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday reaffirmed the importance of restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz as it was prior to the Feb. 28 start of hostilities between the US, Israel and Iran.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz stayed at a trickle Tuesday, maritime trackers indicated, two days after the US promised to reopen it under an agreement with Iran to end their war.
In a meeting chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah, the Cabinet said it looks forward to peace being achieved in a manner that strengthens regional and global security and takes into account the security interests of regional countries and respects their internal affairs.
It welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran to end military operations and begin detailed negotiations with the aim of reaching a permanent agreement, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The Cabinet expressed appreciation for mediation efforts made by Pakistan and Qatar to reach the agreement.
It also expressed its gratitude and praised God for the great success and meticulous organization achieved during the Hajj 2026 season, and that 1.7 million pilgrims were able to perform their rituals with complete ease and tranquility, SPA said.
The Cabinet expressed its appreciation to the Supreme Hajj Committee and all entities working to serve pilgrims for their outstanding efforts and dedication.
It also welcomed the UN Institute for Training and Research launching its first office dedicated to cybersecurity in Riyadh.
“This selection reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts and initiatives aimed at enhancing the stability of cyberspace, fostering societal prosperity, and driving economic growth, thus making it a leading destination for regional and international entities and organizations in this vital sector,” SPA said.
Source: arabnews.com
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Australian far-right leader slams media, 'radical Islam' in testy press briefing
17.06.2026
A spokesperson for Pauline Hanson's (centre) One Nation party told AFP the pages are
© AFP/File
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The leader of Australia's ascendant far-right party assailed "radical Islam" and the media on Wednesday and vowed to pull the country out of international organisations in an address briefly interrupted by the unfurling of a protest banner.
For years a political outsider, Pauline Hanson's One Nation has surged this year to become the country's most popular party, according to opinion polls.
The senator -- long compared to US President Donald Trump or France's Marine Le Pen -- is also Australians' favourite choice in recent polls to be prime minister at the next election, due to be held in 2028.
Addressing the country's top political journalists at Canberra's National Press Club, Hanson condemned them for dismissing her rise as a blip.
"Australians aren't buying this crap from the political establishment and its media supporters anymore," she said.
"I don't answer to the media. I answer to the Australian people."
She also pledged sweeping cuts to government spending -- akin to Elon Musk's DOGE in the United States -- but misstated the name of the Indigenous affairs department she would scrap.
In another nod to the Trump administration, Hanson said Australia would need to re-evaluate its ties with international organisations.
"We need to look at where we are with the United Nations," she said.
"We've been dictated to on too many occasions, and people want their sovereignty back."
Hanson also pledged she would scrap aid to Australia's Pacific Island neighbours -- nearly US$1.6 billion in 2023, according to the Lowy Institute -- if they continued to accept development help from China.
"China is a real big concern to me," Hanson said.
The senator dismissed the Australian government's efforts to reach net zero carbon emissions.
And she vowed to draw down the Australian state's support for public broadcasting -- telling a journalist from the taxpayer-funded SBS that "you're going to be without a job".
Hanson called for Australia to "dig baby dig" for energy rather than relying on its Asian partners.
Her speech was briefly interrupted by protesters unfurling a banner accusing her of opposing a pay rise for workers
Opinion polling does not suggest that One Nation would win a parliamentary majority in the next election but instead could serve a kingmaker role in a coalition of right-wing parties.
Australia's government has acknowledged there are "legitimate concerns" about the economy and housing driving the rise in support for the far-right.
But it has dismissed One Nation's policies -- including seizing property owned by foreign residents -- as divisive.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier on Wednesday said he would skip Hanson's address but would instead be tuning in to the National Rugby League's State of Origin game later in the day.
Source: today.rtl.lu
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'Don't Sharia Our Texas': Muslim GOP members asked to leave Republican convention, US if they don't become Christians
Jun 16, 2026
Four Muslim members of the Republican Party went to attend the GOP Texas convention last weekend, only to be shown the door as the convention discussed 'Don't Sharia Our Texas' during a presentation. Indian-origin Abraham George, the outgoing GOP chair, addressed two Muslim delegares from the stage and told them that there would be a Democrat convention soon in Texas -- they could go there.
"I would strongly advise you to leave our caucus," George said. "There is a Democrat convention happening in a couple weeks. Join them."
Mohamed Hussein, whose family moved to Houston from Egypt in 1992, was left in tears after he was told to leave the US. “When they say Sharia-free, that means Muslim-free, no practices of Islam,” Hussein said in an interview with The Texas Tribune. “No one is calling for the state to implement Sharia laws.”
Dr Rick Scarborough, a former Southern Baptist pastor, told Texas Tribune that he indeed told Hussein to leave the country. “If you’re going to embrace the values and the teachings that you’re advocating for, there’s no place in America for you. That’s not assimilation. That’s taking over.”
As Hussein broke down crying, Scarborough said he realized he pushed him too hard and he offered to pray with Hussein
Hussein's father Tarek Hussein founded the CAIR Texas-Houston branch. Texas Governor Greg Abbott last year designated CAIR and Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations with the goals of imposing Sharia law and supporting terrorism worldwide.
Mohamed Hussein said the convention left him asking questions. “How can I possibly get behind a party that tells me to leave, that says convert or leave?” he asked. “How do they think that is going to be some kind of winning strategy?” The Abbott campaign declined to comment on Hussein’s incident. It was also silent on George’s direction for the delegates to join the Democrats, Texas Tribune reported.
“Many, many hear these things, the messaging, and think that they’re dog whistles,” Hussein said. “I was hopeful that I’d come here and get a clarification. What we got was kind of a confirmation.”
Source: indiatimes.com
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Nigeria says nearly 10,000 former Boko Haram fighters have been reintegrated
17 Jun, 2026
Authorities in Nigeria's northeastern Borno State say nearly 10,000 former Boko Haram fighters have now been reintegrated into society under a government-backed rehabilitation and deradicalisation programme aimed at encouraging defections from insurgent groups.
The announcement came as 720 former militants graduated from a rehabilitation centre in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, during a ceremony attended by state officials. According to Borno authorities, the latest group brings the total number of former insurgents reintegrated into their communities to 9,680.
The programme forms part of broader efforts by Nigerian authorities to weaken jihadist groups operating in the Lake Chad region by encouraging fighters to surrender and return to civilian life. Images from the ceremony showed hundreds of former militants gathered at the rehabilitation centre, where participants took an oath before being formally discharged from the programme.
Boko Haram's insurgency, which began more than a decade ago in northeastern Nigeria, has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across Nigeria and neighbouring countries. Although the group's capabilities have been significantly reduced by military operations, armed factions continue to carry out attacks in parts of the region.
Borno State authorities say rehabilitation and reintegration programmes remain an important component of efforts to end the conflict and promote long-term stability in communities affected by the insurgency.
Source: africanews.com
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PM Anwar, Uzbekistan president discuss energy, trade, halal industry and tourism during Tashkent transit stop
17 Jun 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Malaysia and Uzbekistan have the potential to expand cooperation in various strategic sectors, including energy, trade, investment, education, the halal industry and tourism, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the matter was discussed during his meeting with Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev when the aircraft carrying him made a transit stop in Tashkent en route to Kazan, Russia, to attend the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit from June 17-18.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said the brief meeting provided an opportunity for the two leaders to exchange views on efforts to strengthen bilateral ties that continue to grow in various strategic areas.
According to him, among the sectors discussed were trade, investment, education, the halal industry and tourism.
“We also touched on the importance of strengthening cooperation in preserving and upholding the treasures of Islamic civilisation as well as the scholarly tradition that produced great figures who contributed to the advancement of human civilisation,” he said.
Anwar said both countries also saw ample room to strengthen cooperation in the energy sector, especially the gas and petroleum industries.
He added that the cooperation not only has the potential to boost economic growth, but also contribute to the energy security and sustainable development agenda.
Anwar also expressed appreciation for Uzbekistan’s commitment to strengthening relations with Asean countries and its increasingly important role in the Central Asian region.
He said the friendly relations between Malaysia and Uzbekistan must continue to be strengthened not only for trade and economic benefits, but also to elevate human dignity, empower knowledge and promote more equitable and inclusive development.
Before continuing his journey to Kazan, Anwar also took the opportunity to wish Uzbekistan’s national football team good luck as it prepares to begin its campaign in the 2026 Fifa World Cup against Colombia at 10am Thursday Malaysian time. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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India
PM Modi calls for seafarer safety before Trump at G7 after US strike kills three Indians in Hormuz
17.06.26
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged countries to ensure secure maritime routes and protect seafarers while addressing a gathering of G7 leaders, including US President Donald Trump, days after three Indian mariners were killed in a US military strike in the Gulf of Oman.
Addressing an outreach session of the G7 summit, Modi said India firmly believes that lasting solutions to conflicts can only be found through dialogue, diplomacy and international cooperation.
The prime minister said disruptions to maritime trade in the Strait of Hormuz have harmed the global economy and stressed the need to protect seafarers.
His remarks came against the backdrop of growing anger in India over the deaths of three Indian crew members in a US military attack on a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman last week. Modi raised the issue a day ahead of his bilateral talks with Trump.
"We welcome the progress made in peace efforts in West Asia. This conflict has caused loss of life and property in our friendly countries in the region," Modi said during the session, titled Forging New Partnerships and Rebuilding International Solidarity.
"It is our responsibility to ensure the safety of the seafarers who connect all nations through global maritime trade. We must ensure that maritime routes remain secure and that seafarers can perform their duties without fear," he said.
The US Central Command said it initiated action to disable three vessels — Marivex on June 8, Settebello on June 9 and Jalveer on June 11 — alleging they were attempting to violate the US blockade of Iranian ports.
Turning to broader geopolitical challenges, Modi stressed that the most important strategic asset today is not minerals, technology or markets, but mutual trust.
In an increasingly interconnected world where energy, food, health, cyber and economic security are intertwined, international partnerships are essential for global progress and prosperity, he said.
Modi also noted that trade and technology were being misused for narrow interests, contributing to a growing trust deficit in international affairs.
"Today's world is more interconnected and interdependent than ever before. A nation's energy, food, health and cyber security, as well as its economic prosperity, are not determined solely within its own borders. Mobility, data, capital and technology all connect us," he said.
"In such times, the importance of partnerships naturally grows. However, partnerships succeed only when trust lies at their core."
He said countries must have confidence that technology and supply chains will be used for the global good rather than as weapons, that development opportunities will not remain limited to a few nations, and that global institutions can fulfil the aspirations of all countries.
Modi also highlighted the concerns of the Global South, saying developing nations seek partnership rather than assistance.
"Today, the Global South has high expectations of the global community. However, what they seek is not merely support, but partnership. They aspire to be partners in global development, not just beneficiaries," he said.
"We must move beyond the donor-recipient mindset and work as equal partners. We should walk together, side by side. Partnership must be rooted in dignity, not dependency."
"Through these efforts, we will lay a strong foundation for sustainable development for future generations," he added.
Sharing India's approach to international cooperation, Modi said the principle of "humanity first" remains central to its global engagement.
Referring to India's development model, he said the country's guiding philosophy is "Sarv Jan Hitaye, Sarv Jan Sukhaye" (welfare and happiness for all).
According to Modi, this approach has helped advance financial inclusion, health security, digital identity, technology-led empowerment and women-led development.
"India's experience demonstrates that development is most effective when it is aligned with the aspirations of the people," he said.
Modi travelled to France for the G7 summit after concluding a two-day visit to Slovakia. India attended the summit as a guest country.
The Group of Seven (G7) comprises Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is also a member.
The bloc serves as a forum for discussing and coordinating responses to major economic, financial and geopolitical challenges.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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‘Drop theatrics, strike at mafia, not students’: Rahul Gandhi to Modi govt on Telegram ban
17.06.26
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday criticised the Centre’s temporary restriction on Telegram ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, alleging that the government was targeting students instead of taking action against those responsible for paper leaks.
Taking a swipe at the move, Rahul said the government’s approach was akin to punishing victims rather than criminals. The restriction, imposed until June 22, comes ahead of the June 21 NEET-UG re-test and is aimed at curbing cheating networks and the spread of misinformation, according to the National Testing Agency (NTA).
In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul said, "'Telegram Ban' -- Modi government's new trick to stop paper leaks. Meaning, instead of catching the thief, just put a lock on the victim's door."
Highlighting Telegram’s widespread use among students, he added, "Lakhs of students have been studying on Telegram for years -- notes, test series, discussions, preparation. How does snatching that facility become the solution to paper leaks? And it’s not even foolproof - every student in the country knows this, and so does the paper leak mafia. So, who will the next ban be on? WhatsApp?"
The Congress leader further accused the government of focusing on optics rather than addressing the root cause of examination malpractice.
"On exam day, students will be frisked. Pockets will be cut open with scissors. Question papers will be sent via the Air Force. There won’t be any shortage of theatrics. But not a single strike at the root of the disease -- because the paper leak mafia is thriving under this very government’s watch, and making the youth weep tears of blood. Modi Ji -- drop the theatrics. Strike at the mafia, not the students," Rahul said.
He also urged the government to heed student concerns, saying, "Listen to the 'Echo of Students' -- or else the youth of the country knows how to claim their rights."
Rahul is also set to interact with students in Kota on Wednesday evening as part of his party's campaign on paper leaks and youth issues, an event that has triggered a political row in Rajasthan over its timing ahead of the NEET re-exam and criticised by the ruling BJP as "political tourism".
The programme, to be held at an open theatre in Kota, is being positioned by the Congress as the first in a series of nationwide student conventions.
Telegram stopped working for existing users in India after the government temporarily restricted access to the messaging platform. However, the app remains accessible through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Google removed Telegram from its app marketplace on Tuesday, while Apple subsequently delisted it from the App Store in compliance with the government order.
Defending the decision, NTA Director General Abhishek Singh said the restriction was necessary to ensure a fair examination process.
"We will not let anything go wrong. We will take all possible actions to ensure that the examination is conducted without any malpractice," Singh had told PTI.
The move also drew criticism from Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov, who argued that the ban unfairly affected millions of legitimate users.
"Banning it, even temporarily, is a mistake," Durov said in a post on X.
He added, "India's IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India -- not the insiders who leaked the exam materials. And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps."
Playing politics at expense of students: BJP
Ahead of Rahul Gandhi's interaction with students in Kota, the BJP accused the Congress leader of playing politics at the expense of medical aspirants who are in the final leg of preparations for the June 21 NEET-UG re-exam.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi asked why Rahul chose Kota in Rajasthan for his interaction with the students 72 hours before the NEET-UG retest and accused him of being "cunning" for political gains.
Trivedi said, "Is it because of the Congress' internal politics that you want to play with the students' sentiments there?"
The campaign seeks to highlight the challenges faced by young people due to alleged paper leaks, rising examination costs and what the party described as the government's failure to ensure a fair and transparent recruitment and education system.
Slamming Rahul, Trivedi asked, "At a time when the students are focused on the last leg of their preparations for the NEET-UG exam, why do you want to distract them and subject them to mental torture?"
"Give the students the opportunity to prepare for their exam during these 72 hours without any mental stress. Refrain from playing politics during this sensitive time and disrupting their state of mind and preparation by subjecting them to mental anguish," the BJP leader said.
"There will be many opportunities to play politics. Politics can happen after June 21," he said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Himanta calls Miya Muslims declaring Assamese their mother tongue a ‘fraud’. Assam writers disagree
Rokibuz Zaman
On June 12, three literary bodies representing the Muslims of Bengali origin in Assam asked members of the community to declare their language as Assamese in the ongoing Census.
There was nothing exceptional about the statement. Since the 1950s, Muslims of Bengali origin, whose ancestors had settled in the region in the late 19th century, have been enlisting themselves as Assamese in every Census. They have done so to assimilate with the native population, as well as to blunt the hostility of the larger Assamese society towards “outsiders”.
But a day later, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed the appeal by the organisations and called it a “fraud” by the Bengali-origin Muslim community, who are also sometimes derogatorily referred to as Miya Muslims.
“What is the benefit if one doesn’t speak Assamese at home but writes Assamese as their mother tongue?” Sarma said at a press conference in Dispur.
The Assamese language, Sarma said, will survive even if only 20% of the state’s population declare it as their language.
But Assamese authors and civil society groups have sharply criticised the chief minister, arguing that the historical role of the Muslims of Bengali origin in protecting the language cannot be denied. If Assamese is spoken by only 20% of the population, “the Assamese-speakers will become a linguistic minority in Assam,” said Harekerishna Deka, a writer and the former director-general of police. “Hindutva may win, but Assameseness will not.”
The neo-Assamese
Language is a highly emotive subject in Assam and intertwined with Assamese subnationalism and identity.
In 1836, the British government had declared Bengali the official language of the state, leading to widespread protests. The decision was eventually withdrawn, but it seeded an anxiety about linguistic identity that has persisted to this day.
Assam is also home to several linguistic communities, and in the 1931 Census, Assamese speakers accounted for only 31.4% of the population.
Two decades later, the proportion of Assamese speakers in the state went up sharply to 56.7%, as a large number of Muslims of Bengali origin identified themselves as Assamese speakers.
In their June 12 statement, the three literary bodies – Char Chapori Sahitya Sabha, Char Chapori Sahitya Parishad and Char Chapori Axomiya Samaj – laid out a historical account of how the dwellers of chars, shifting riverine islands in the Brahmaputra, adopted the Assamese identity. They were described variously as “Na-Asomiya” or Neo-Assamese, Assamese of East Bengal origin and by the derogatory epithet of Miya Muslims.
“Our ancestors decided, from the third and fourth decades of the 20th century, that the mother tongue of the Char-Chaporis would be written as Assamese in the Census,” the bodies said. “Not just that, our ancestors established the first Assamese medium school in 1899, and we have been studying in Assamese medium schools to be part of Assamese society since then.”
The literary bodies asserted: “[Our] mother tongue is still Assamese and will remain Assamese in the future.”
For most of Assam’s history, the Bengali-origin Muslims have stuck to this decision, with many of them refusing to identify as Bengalis. An exception arose in 2019, during the contentious updating of the National Register of Citizens, when a campaign urged Bengali-origin Muslims not to enlist themselves as Assamese, as adopting the language had not prevented their citizenship to be called into doubt.
However, that stayed a minority view.
The appeal by the prominent literary bodies came weeks after the remarks of Basanta Kumar Goswami, who heads the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the apex literary body in the state.
Goswami had lauded the role of the Muslims of Assam’s chars in “strengthening the Assamese linguistic community” as their continued identification as Assamese speakers in the Census is “crucial for safeguarding” the language and cultural identity of the state.
“If the Muslims of char-chapori areas do not support the Assamese language movement, Assamese people may one day become second-class citizens,” he said. “We consider the people of the chars as Assamese and as sons of the soil. A large section of Assamese speakers today comes from these areas,” Goswami said.
Who is Assamese?
The Assam chief minister, who has repeatedly targeted the Bengali-origin Muslim community throughout his tenure, appeared to downplay that history.
Sarma said that debates surrounding the survival of Assamese based on percentage calculations were outdated. He accused Muslims of Bengali origin of “declaring Assamese as their mother tongue to stop being called Bangladeshi”.
The Muslims of Bengali origin are often reviled as Bangladeshis and “illegal immigrants” in Assam, where the anxiety about being swamped by outsiders has shaped politics for decades.
Sarma’s statements, however, also open up the larger question of who is Assamese in a state with several linguistic communities and fierce contestations over language.
Khabir Ahmed, who heads the Char Chapori Sahitya Sabha and is one of the signatories of the June 12 statement, told Scroll: “Sarma has said that to be an Assamese, one has to speak Assamese at home. So, do the Bodos, Bengali Hindus, Karbis, Dimasa, Rabhas, Biharis, tea-garden communities speak Assamese at home? Those who speak the language at home would be not more than 30 %. Does it mean that the remaining 70% people in Assam are not Assamese?”
Ahmed pointed out that in another interview, Sarma had conceded that the resistance to making Assamese language compulsory in the state’s schools comes not from residents of the chars but from other tribal communities.
Both Bodos and the Bengalis of Barak Valley have in the past opposed the “imposition” of Assamese as the official language. In 2020, Bodo was conferred the tag of “associate official language” in the state while Bangla is one of the official languages in Barak Valley.
Ahmed added: “We do not need the CM’s appreciation. We are carrying the legacy of our ancestors while the CM is carrying the ideology of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Bharatiya Janata Party. That is his compulsion.”
The numbers and the future
Author and social commentator Mayur Bora dismissed Sarma’s statement as “pompous” and “flawed”.
“The stellar role played by a substantial section of the people of East Bengal origin in embracing Assamese in schools and in declaring the language as the mother tongue in successive censuses from 1931 onwards can’t be wished away because of political convenience of a party,” he added.
He also said that if the linguistic basis of forming states continues to hold in the future, it was important for Muslims of Bengali origin to identify as Assamese-speakers. “Otherwise, who can guarantee the continuation of Assamese as the state language after 30 years?”
Deka, the writer, said that a drop in the number of enlisted Assamese speakers would be a “serious socio-political and economic setback for the Assamese speaking community”.
Deka warned that Sarma’s “communal” political stand on language weakens the standing of Assamese people in the state and opens it up to more powerful communities. “If Himanta Biswa Sarma’s power wanes, he may see the day when a non-Assamese Hindi-speaking politician usurps his place.”
The debate within
For Miya Muslims, the debate only exemplifies how vulnerable their standing is in Assam.
“Whatever the outcome, politicians will spin it against our community, that’s for sure,” said an author from the Char Chapori community, who teaches in a government college. “If Bengali becomes the majority language, politicians will highlight the areas where the number of Assamese speakers fell and say, 'See Bangladeshis have taken over'. Otherwise, they will say they do not need us.”
The teacher said that the three organisations’ appeal is “pragmatic” but criticised them for their silence during the community’s crises. “During the worst of times for us, from pushbacks to hate speech, they never got together to make a statement. How is the Census a bigger issue than the pain and suffering of the common people?” he said.
Academic Abdul Kalam Azad argued that the appeal made by the three literary bodies was unnecessary. “We should trust the community's own acumen,” he said. “Had this appeal come from allies within the leadership of the so-called mainstream Assamese community, that would have been a different matter.”
He also questioned the idea or utility of “assimilation”. “Language and dialect are a community’s cultural identity – as they are for the Bodos, Rabhas, Adivasis, and other ethnic groups. They are Assamese too. Historically, Assam has welcomed every community with open arms. To be Assamese, one does not need to assimilate completely.”
Source: scroll.in
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Eye on KMC poll, BJP starts Muslim outreach
Jun 16, 2026
Kolkata: With the KMC elections due in Dec, the BJP has stepped up efforts to engage Muslim voters, seeking to expand its support base in areas where the party has traditionally struggled to make electoral inroads.
The push was evident at a programme near Zakaria Street, a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood in central Kolkata, where senior BJP leaders appealed to members of the minority community to consider backing the party in the upcoming civic polls.
Among those present were BJP MLA and minister Tapas Roy, Jorasanko MLA Vijay Ojha, and party leader Santosh Pathak. The event, organised by CR Avenue Evergreen Sporting Club and Welfare Society to honour meritorious students, was held on Maulana Shaukat Ali Street, close to Zakaria Street.
While the BJP has made significant gains in Bengal over the past decade and is currently in office, it has historically attracted limited support from Muslim voters, who constitute a sizeable section of the electorate in several parts of Kolkata and the state.
Zakaria Street and surrounding neighbourhoods have long been viewed as areas where the BJP’s presence has been limited, and the participation of multiple senior leaders suggested a concerted effort to engage directly with Muslims ahead of the civic polls.
Pathak urged Muslims to shed what he described as long-held reservations about the BJP. He also referred to the party’s electoral calculations, claiming the BJP was already in a strong position in Kolkata, but added that minority voters would become “stakeholders in development” if they supported the party. “There is a perception that Muslims dislike the BJP. The KMC elections are only a few months away, and you people will have to make a choice,” said Pathak. “We are already ahead in 102 wards out of 144 wards. So BJP will form the board in KMC even if you do not vote. But if you vote then you will be stakeholders in development. If BJP fields a Muslim candidate, vote for them. People you have voted till now are already trying to get close to BJP.”
Ojha echoed the appeal, arguing that minorities had been unnecessarily alarmed about the BJP for years. “The minority community has been misled for a long time. People were made to fear the BJP. First try us, then decide whether to trust us. There are 1,825 days in five years. In 2031, I will not come to ask for votes. Your trust in me and my work will ensure who you vote for,” said Ojha, adding that voters would ultimately judge the party on its performance in office.
Roy, meanwhile, sought to draw a distinction between what he termed “nationalist Muslims” and illegal immigrants. “You may choose not to vote for us, but do not vote for thieves,” said Roy. “We have no problem with nationalist Muslims, but we do have concerns about illegal immigrants.”
According to analysis of assembly election results, the BJP led in 102 of Kolkata’s 144 municipal wards. However, around 40 wards, including areas such as Belgachia, Rajabazar, Narkeldanga, Ripon Street, Elliot Road, Beniapukur, Park Circus, Topsia, Tiljala, Garden Reach, and Metiabruz, have sizeable Muslim populations, making minority outreach an important component of the party’s electoral strategy.
Source: indiatimes.com
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India forcibly expelling 'Bengali Muslims' to Bangladesh without due process: HRW
17 Jun 2026
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Indian authorities of forcibly expelling ethnic Bengali residents, mostly "Muslims" from West Bengal, to Bangladesh without due process.
In a statement issued yesterday, the international rights organisation said actions by India's Border Security Force (BSF), coupled with efforts by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) to prevent their entry, have left dozens of families stranded in the "zero line" area between the two countries.
According to HRW, BGB has foiled 21 attempts by the BSF to push more than 200 people, including children, into Bangladesh through border districts since June 1.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who took office after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the state's March elections, said his government's "detect, delete and deport" policy had resulted in the detention of hundreds of alleged "Bangladeshi infiltrators" and forced nearly 5,000 people "to go back".
"Indian authorities are cruelly dumping families into Bangladesh or leaving them stranded at the border, ignoring their basic human rights," said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at HRW.
"The (Indian) government should stop unlawfully expelling people, ensure procedural safeguards, engage with Bangladeshi authorities to verify citizenship, and end this dismaying animosity toward Muslims."
HRW said it interviewed nine people who witnessed BSF personnel bringing groups to the border at night and pushing them through breaches in the barbed-wire fence into Bangladeshi territory.
In several cases, the BSF later allowed people to return after Bangladeshi border guards refused them entry.
Witnesses in Panchagarh described a 75-hour standoff after the BSF attempted to push 10 people, including children, into Bangladesh on June 5.
"The group had advanced approximately 50 feet inside Bangladeshi territory," said Rubel Hossen, a resident of the area.
"Local residents alerted the Bangladesh border guards, and after the forces arrived, the group retreated and took up position on an embankment in no man's land."
Rubel said the stranded group endured severe lightning and heavy rain on the first night and received only limited food assistance from the BSF on the second day, the HRW reported.
"What I witnessed appeared to be a war-like standoff with large deployments of BSF and BGB," Rubel told the HRW.
"Repeated flag meetings between the two forces failed, until the BSF finally escorted the group back to the Indian side."
At dawn on June 6, Indian border guards allegedly pushed six members of two Bengali Muslim families, including three men, two women and a child, towards the Tetulbaria border, the statement mentioned.
While Bangladeshi border guards prevented them from entering Bangladesh, Indian personnel allegedly stopped them from returning, leaving the families stranded overnight before allowing them back into India, it added.
On June 8, BGB said the BSF took back 11 people, including a pregnant woman and her child, after they had remained stranded for nearly 48 hours at the zero line in Thakurgaon.
HRW said a controversial voter list revision conducted ahead of the March elections in West Bengal removed more than nine million names, triggering fears of detention and deportation.
The rights group noted that a citizenship verification process in Assam in 2019 had left more than 1.9 million people stateless. It added that thousands of Bengali-speaking residents had since been detained, while some were expelled unlawfully.
The BJP chief minister in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma has repeatedly described Bengali-speaking Muslims in the state as "illegal immigrants".
According to HRW, Sarma recently said, "We take them to a convenient location near the border, and literally push them across the border. Now, such an atmosphere has been created in Assam that several illegal Bangladeshis have started going back on their own."
Hasibur Islam, a union parishad member in Bangladesh's Panchagarh Sadar, said he met a family from Siliguri in West Bengal who claimed to possess Aadhaar cards, India's biometric identity document.
He said the family told him that police detained them after their names were removed from the revised voter list and later handed them over to border security personnel, who attempted to push them into Bangladesh.
"The oldest member of the family has voted four times," he said. "This year, none of them were able to vote because their names had been dropped from the electoral rolls."
The family was eventually allowed to return to India after spending three days stranded at the border.
The rights organisation said Indian authorities maintain that many Bangladeshis are living in India illegally and have offered assistance for voluntary return. Voluntary repatriation can be compatible with international human rights standards but argued that authorities should neither coerce people into leaving nor forcibly expel them.
The organisation also cited allegations that some people were stripped of identity documents, money and personal belongings before being removed.
According to HRW, authorities in West Bengal have arbitrarily detained hundreds of alleged irregular Bangladeshi migrants in holding centres.
An Indian activist told the rights organisation that around 400 people are detained in facilities near the border and that many were detained after being excluded from voter rolls.
"The exclusion from the rolls has become a trigger for arrest, detention and expulsion and a source of pervasive fear," the activist said.
Bangladesh has repeatedly said it will not accept people pushed across the border outside legal channels and that any return must follow established verification and repatriation procedures.
HRW said India is obligated under international human rights law to protect individuals from discrimination and arbitrary deprivation of citizenship.
The organisation said detention and expulsion without due process violate fundamental rights and warned that leaving people without food, water, shelter or medical care could amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
It called on India to ensure access to legal representation, provide information on grounds for deportation, and allow those facing expulsion to appeal decisions.
HRW also said expelling or stranding children violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which protects children's right to nationality and freedom from arbitrary detention.
"No one, whatever their nationality, should be left to spend nights in an open field between two lines of armed border guards," Meenakshi said.
"India should end these brutal expulsions, and both governments should ensure that border management never again comes at the cost of basic human dignity."
Source: thedailystar.net
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JCO, 3 soldiers hurt in accidental blast along LoC in Jammu & Kashmir’s Rajouri
Jun 16, 2026
JAMMU: Four Army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer and three jawans, were injured in an accidental landmine blast while patrolling near the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector in J&K’s Rajouri district Tuesday.
“The explosion was caused by the sudden activation of a landmine during an area domination exercise in the forward area of Kalal,” an official said, adding that the personnel were immediately evacuated to a hospital.
Forward areas along the LoC are dotted with landmines as part of the anti-infiltration security grid. Rains sometimes wash away and displace these mines, resulting in such mishaps.
Tuesday’s blast came four days after two Army personnel from 12 Bihar Regiment were severely wounded in an accidental grenade explosion during a training exercise near the LoC in J&K’s Poonch district on June 12. Two days before this, two 8RR soldiers from Maharashtra died in yet another accidental blast near the LoC in Kamalkote area of Uri, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, on June 10.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Red Fort blast accused planned network bigger than Indian Mujahideen: Intel
Sumit Kumar Singh
17 Jun 2026
NEW DELHI: Intelligence agencies unravelling the Red Fort blast on November 10, 2025, have uncovered the accused’s plan to establish a nationwide terror outfit aimed to surpass the operational capabilities of the banned Indian Mujahideen, sources said on Tuesday.
Umar Un Nabi, the prime accused in the Delhi blast, was killed in the explosion. These findings have emerged after six months of interrogation, technical analysis and extensive investigations.
In its probe, the NIA has linked the accused in the chargesheet filed before the court with the offshoot of global terrorist outfit al-Qaida. The federal probing agency found that the accused had also made rocket-improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and tested them in the Qazigund forest in J&K’s Anantnag district.
These findings are part of a 7,500-page chargesheet filed by the NIA on May 14 in connection with the high-intensity vehicle-borne IED blast that rocked the national capital on November 10 last year.
During follow-up investigations, the intelligence agencies have found that the “highly educated accused” were in the process of making armed drones and had planned attacks across the country.
“The probe has unravelled a complex structure involving individuals from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, including doctors and engineers,” said intelligence sleuths, adding, “The focus appeared to be on sustainability. There were references to recruitment pipelines, ideological indoctrination, fundraising mechanisms and technological capabilities.”
The agency said that IM emerged in the early 2000s as one of the country’s homegrown terror outfits. It evolved from radical elements associated with the banned SIMI.
Bhatkal module
The Indian Mujahideen came into prominence after a series of bomb blasts across cities between 2005 and 2013. A large number of IM’s founding members hailed from the coastal Karnataka town of Bhatkal, which gave rise to the widely used term “Bhatkal module”.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Pakistani Sikh family’s deportation put on hold as Uttarakhand HC seeks state's reply
Narendra Sethi
16 Jun 2026
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand High Court has granted the state government four weeks to file its response in a petition filed by a Pakistani Sikh national, Manjit Singh, challenging an order that directed him and his family to leave India within 24 hours.
Singh, who has been living in Dehradun’s Vasant Vihar area since 2019 on a long-term visa, moved to the High Court after the state authorities issued him a notice asking him to leave the country.
The matter was heard on Tuesday by a single bench of senior Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari.
During the hearing, the state government sought additional time to conduct further verification and place its stand before the court. Accepting the request, the court directed the government to file its reply within four weeks and fixed August 11 as the next date of hearing.
The court also extended the interim protection granted earlier, observing that the restriction on deportation would continue till the next hearing, provided there was no material to suggest any threat to national security.
According to the petition, Singh, a resident of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, came to India with his family in 2019 on a long-term visa. He claimed that his visa was subsequently extended and that its validity had not expired.
The petition stated that he had secured extensions, with the visa allegedly valid till December 2026.
Singh told the court that his family had settled in Dehradun and that his children were pursuing their studies.
“My elder daughter is studying BTech, my second daughter is pursuing BDS, and my son is still young. We should be allowed to remain in India till the validity of the visa,” the petition stated.
The deportation notice was reportedly issued on May 31 and served on Singh on June 2.
He then approached the Nainital High Court, challenging the order as arbitrary and premature. Opposing the plea, the state government submitted that the family was residing in an area where the headquarters of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police is also located.
The state argued that the presence of a Pakistani national in the vicinity could raise security concerns and that he should be sent back to Pakistan.
The case comes at a time when several Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan have been granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act.
In Uttarakhand, officials say 153 Hindu and Sikh refugees from the two countries have received Indian citizenship since the implementation of the law, while several applications are still under verification in Dehradun.
A Local Intelligence Unit official told TNIE, “A long-term visa allows a foreign national to stay in another country for an extended period. Its validity can be renewed from time to time, subject to scrutiny.”
The officer added that such visas are generally sought by students, professionals, businesspersons, and those wishing to live with family members settled abroad.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Mideast
Several Israeli strikes hit south Lebanon: state media
June 17, 2026
BEIRUT: Israeli forces on Wednesday carried out airstrikes on several areas in south Lebanon, state media reported, despite a peace deal in the Middle East war that includes Lebanon.
Lebanon’s National News Agency said Israeli warplanes launched raids targeting the Nabatieh Al-Fawqa area and the eastern outskirts of neighboring town Kfar Tebnit.
The Israelis also launched a drone strike on the town of Ansariyeh in the Zahrani area, NNA reported.
While violence has declined in Lebanon since a US-Iran agreement to end the Middle East war was announced on Monday, Israeli strikes on the south have still killed at least five people since the deal, according to NNA.
The reduction in violence has allowed some south Lebanon residents to return and inspect their towns and villages, but the Lebanese army has urged locals to delay their return, citing “the risk of Israeli violations and attacks.”
The Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
Israel responded with a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Tuesday that an end to the conflict would be incomplete “without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories it occupied in this war.”
“Any military attack by the Zionist regime on Lebanon from now on and the continued occupation of Lebanese territories from now on will be considered a violation of the memorandum of understanding in our view,” he said.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that his country’s forces would remain in Lebanon “for as long as necessary.”
Hezbollah has so far not issued any statements since Tuesday claiming attacks on Israeli targets in south Lebanon.
The group’s leader Naim Qassem is due to make a televised address on Wednesday.
He expressed “profound gratitude” on Tuesday for Iran’s efforts “to compel the Israeli entity to an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts including in Lebanon.”
Lebanon’s health ministry on Tuesday raised the death toll in Israeli attacks since the war broke out to 3,826, as rescuers pull more bodies from the rubble.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2647500/middle-east
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Australia relaxes Gulf travel advice in boost for Middle Eastern airlines
June 17, 2026
SYDNEY/HONG KONG: Australia on Wednesday relaxed its travel advice for several Middle Eastern countries, allowing Australians to transit through and travel to the biggest Gulf air hubs with the security of being covered by insurance.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the previous “do not travel” advisory had been lowered for the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Israel and Kuwait after the US and Iran reached an interim deal to end the war.
She said the advisory had moved to “reconsider your need to travel” to those countries, as the security situation could still deteriorate rapidly with little warning.
The removal of the “do not travel” warning is positive for Gulf airlines. They had carried more than half of all passengers flying from Europe to Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands before the war began in late February, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Many Australian travelers concerned about the risk of missiles and drones, schedule disruptions and the lack of travel insurance coverage had preferred flights on carriers like Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines and Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways that transited in Asia, driving up airfares.
Flight Center Travel Group said on Wednesday that travelers with forward bookings to Europe routed via the Middle East had typically amended or canceled plans due in part to the government warning.
Regaining market share
Emirates said last week it would roll out incentives aimed at winning back travelers worried about the protracted Iran war, focusing on reliability and customer support rather than lower fares because the oil price remained high.
Nathan Gee, head of Asia Pacific transportation research at BofA Global Research, said restored travel insurance and more competitive pricing should help Gulf carriers regain share on routes from Australia to Europe and the UK, but the shift was likely to be gradual rather than swift.
“In the near term, Asian carriers such as Singapore Airlines are still well positioned, as a portion of travelers continue to favor Asian hubs for greater certainty and smoother transit,” Gee said.
He added that with long-haul bookings typically made five to six months in advance, the stronger pricing environment should extend into the next few quarters for Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, even as Gulf carriers restore capacity and step up competition.
Jet fuel prices more than doubled after the Iran war began, leading many airlines to lift ticket prices, cut capacity and add fuel surcharges.
But the price gains have since receded as the prospects of a peace deal improved.
Source: arabnews.com
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Iran deal includes $300 billion fund, more than half of which already committed, source says
June 17, 2026
DUBAI: A $300 billion private fund designed to trigger investment into Iran is outlined in the US-Iran framework agreement and more than half that sum has already been committed, a source with direct knowledge of the deal told Reuters.
The fund is designed to give both sides an economic incentive to conclude a final deal to end the war, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the plan has not yet been announced as Washington and Tehran prepare to sign on Friday.
The fund’s existence has been previously reported but Reuters is revealing for the first time that more than half of the amount has already been committed and that it will be comprised entirely of private-sector funds.
US and Iranian officials said on Sunday they had agreed on a framework to end their war, which began when US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on February 28, halt the US blockade of Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key supply route for global oil and gas.
The new fund is a private investment vehicle, not a reconstruction or reparations program and will not include any government money or grants, the source said, adding that companies based in the US, the Gulf Arab states, Asia, South America and Africa have agreed to commit financing.
Investments pledged span energy, logistics, manufacturing and transport, the source said.
A senior Iranian source told Reuters that Tehran had originally sought $400 billion as compensation for war damages from the US but Washington had said it would not provide it.
The idea for the fund, which is to be named the Reconstruction and Development Fund, then emerged.
The mechanism envisages regional countries contributing in various ways, the Iranian source said. These include securing loans, establishing credit lines or directly financing the reconstruction of sites damaged in the war, including facilities such as the Mobarakeh Steel complex, refineries, airports and, more broadly, infrastructure affected by the conflict.
Iran, one of the Middle East’s largest economies, has attracted almost no significant foreign direct investment in the past four decades, frozen out of global capital markets by successive waves of US and international sanctions.
The country has the world’s second-largest proven natural gas reserves and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves.
It also has a young, educated population of more than 92 million people, a diversified industrial base and significant untapped potential in sectors ranging from petrochemicals and mining to tourism and agriculture.
The investment fund is entirely separate from a parallel negotiating track over the lifting of US sanctions and the release of Iranian sovereign assets frozen abroad, the source with knowledge of the deal said, describing the two as distinct financial mechanisms with different purposes and timelines.
The fund will not be created or become operational until a final and satisfactory deal is concluded. The memorandum of understanding, once signed, is intended to structure the process over the next 60 days.
“It’ll only be created once the final deal is signed,” the source said. “During these 60 days the fund administrators will work with Iranians and investors to plan and scope projects.”
Iran’s foreign ministry and Pakistan’s foreign ministry, which helped mediate the investment fund deal, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A White House spokeswoman pointed to a CBS interview with Vice President JD Vance on Monday in which he said that Iran could gain access to a $300 billion reconstruction fund backed by Gulf states if it complies with an agreement with Washington, including dismantling its nuclear program, eliminating its stockpile of enriched material, and accepting a stringent inspection and enforcement regime.
The source would not say how the fund will be administered or by whom, noting that key details were still to be worked out.
The source named companies from South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States among those that had made commitments, but declined to provide a comprehensive list.
The 60-day memorandum is a framework, not a final agreement, and US and Iranian negotiators are expected to work across multiple tracks during that period covering nuclear, sanctions and regional security issues.
Source: arabnews.com
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Iranian tankers exit US blockade zone ahead of peace talks
June 17, 2026
TEHRAN: The first tankers carrying Iranian oil exited a US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a tracking website said on Wednesday, two days before Washington and Tehran launch talks on an agreed peace deal still scant on details — including Iran’s nuclear program and the lifting of sanctions.
The talks on a final settlement are set to begin Friday at Switzerland’s Burgenstock mountain resort, as news that the Hormuz Strait will reopen sent world oil prices tumbling.
Optimism that the war triggered by the February 28 US-Israeli strikes on Tehran might be coming to an end was dented, however, by fresh Israeli strikes on south Lebanon.
The TankerTrackers website, which monitors oil shipments and storage, marked Iran’s “first crude oil exports in two months,” citing digital tracking data corroborated by satellite imagery.
“At least two National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) VLCC supertankers named DIONA (9569695) and HERO2 (9362073) have exited the US Navy blockade perimeter carrying a combined total of 3.8 million barrels of Iranian crude oil between them,” TankerTrackers said on X, later adding that a third tanker had exited.
Negotiations over a final deal are to start immediately after the Swiss signing ceremony and continue during a 60-day window, leading to decisions on the fate of Iran’s nuclear program and a plan for the lifting of international economic sanctions, officials said.
The United States will allow Iran to immediately begin selling oil and fuel under the deal to end the war, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed people familiar with the agreement.
A waiver of sanctions on oil sales will take effect immediately after the signing, the Journal added, also covering services such as banking, transportation and insurance.
Some conservatives have expressed concern over the peace deal, with Senate Republicans reportedly requesting the text of the agreement and briefings from the Trump administration.
“Let’s look at it and see what it actually is,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune was quoted as saying in the Journal.
Oil prices tumble
Despite the deal announcement, the Israeli military said it conducted a strike in south Lebanon after it “identified a suspicious vehicle” near where its soldiers were operating, and its forces intercepted rockets and carried out an air strike against a launcher.
Iran’s central military command warned Israel should “await a harsh response” to the strikes, which Lebanon’s state news agency said targeted two vehicles in the town of Mayfadoun and another in nearby Shukeen, killing four.
According to a senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, the framework agreement has already been signed electronically by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Iran’s deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
“Likely on Friday... a new round of negotiations between Iran and the United States to reach a final agreement will begin,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.
“In the final agreement, decisions will be made on the nuclear issues and the lifting of sanctions.”
Optimism over the reopening of Hormuz has sent the price of the international benchmark Brent North Sea crude down to $78.74 a barrel in Wednesday trading. The main US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate, was $75.85 a barrel.
Broken commitments
Weeks of indirect negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar have built momentum for an interim deal, but a comprehensive agreement on Iran’s nuclear ambitions and Western sanctions remains elusive.
The US and Israel are pressing to strip Iran of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, said to have been buried by US strikes last year, while Iran has insisted on its right to enrichment.
The agreed framework has, however, paved the way for talks on those key disputes.
Asked at the G7 in France when the text would be released, Trump said: “It’s a very powerful document, and I want it to be released. So probably pretty soon.”
Iran’s ultraconservative newspaper Vatan-e Emrooz praised the agreement as a “Trump surrender document.”
But Araghchi struck a more cautious note.
“We have a history of broken commitments … we have a history of agreements being torn up. All of this is present in our minds,” he said.
In a flurry of interviews to talk up the deal, Vance said no US taxpayer money would go to Iran under the deal, as Iranian media reported $12 billion of frozen assets would be released.
Vance told NBC that nuclear inspectors would also be allowed to enter Iran.
Analysts have warned that the parallel conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah presents the biggest threat to the diplomatic thaw.
Lebanon was pulled into the war in March when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel after the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, prompting Israeli strikes and a ground invasion.
That theater of the conflict could be “the biggest ultimate spoiler” of the coming negotiations, said Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute.
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At G7, Egypt’s El-Sisi urges Israel to halt Gaza seizure
June 16, 2026
CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday urged Israel to abandon its plan to take control of 70 percent of Gaza, as he attended the G7 summit in France.
Last month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to take control of more territory in the battered Gaza Strip, flouting the terms of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October.
He said Israeli forces initially controlled about 50 percent of the enclave under the truce before advancing to around 60 percent and then directing a move toward 70 percent.
Under the ceasefire, Israeli forces were meant to pull back behind a so-called “yellow line,” separating areas controlled by Palestinian militant group Hamas from those held by the Israeli army.
“Only 30 percent of the Strip is effectively left for the Palestinian people,” El-Sisi said, at a G7 summit session on Middle East stability in the French resort of Evian.
This approach “must stop immediately,” he added at the session which was also attended by G7 and EU leaders as well as the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
El-Sisi said there was “no alternative to reaching a just and lasting settlement to the Palestinian cause based on the two-state solution” and urged “the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s plan for peace in the Gaza Strip.”
Egypt, which shares a border with Gaza, has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas since the group’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel triggered the war in the enclave.
The first phase of the Gaza truce saw the release of the remaining hostages seized in the October 7 attacks, in exchange for Palestinians held by Israel.
The transition to the second phase, which was supposed to involve Hamas’s disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, has been stalled for months.
Gaza remains gripped by daily violence, with both the Israeli military and Hamas accusing one another of violating the truce.
Source: arabnews.com
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Son of late Shah warns against deal with Tehran
June 16, 2026
LONDON: The son of the ousted shah of Iran spoke out Tuesday against any deal with Iran that leaves the Islamic government in place, as Washington prepared to sign an agreement with Tehran.
Speaking after meeting MPs during a visit to London, 65-year-old Reza Pahlavi said the international community should back opposition protesters rather than making peace with Iran.
“Dealing with this regime will fail and we will all face the consequences,” he declared in a social media post.
“The regime’s 47-year war against the Iranian people continues. Just as it has never made peace with its own citizens, it will never truly make peace with the world,” he said.
Pahlavi’s father, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was the last shah of Iran, who fled into exile in 1979 ahead of an Islamic revolution that overthrew he monarchy and died in exile soon afterwards.
For some — but far from all — opponents of the Islamic republic, the exiled crown prince is an inspirational figure, and he has called for nationwide referendum to establish a new system of government.
He also remains controversial — criticized for his support of Israel and for not distancing himself from his father’s autocratic rule.
On February 28, US and Israeli planes and missiles struck Iran, killing the supreme leader Ali Khamenei, plunging the Middle East into conflict and for a while giving hope to the opposition that the government could fall.
Now, on Friday, Washington and Tehran are due to sign a deal meant to end the conflict and clear the way for settlement talks that are expected to leave the government in place and lift some economic sanctions.
“Any agreement that preserves this regime or its remnants will fail. The Iranian people will not accept it,” Pahlavi warned.
“With or without international support, the people of Iran will overthrow this regime. Freedom will come to Iran.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Jordanian, Bahraini FMs discuss developments after US-Iran understanding
June 16, 2026
LONDON: The Jordanian and Bahraini foreign ministers reaffirmed their countries’ fraternal ties on Tuesday, with both nations having faced regional security challenges and Iranian attacks since March.
Ayman Safadi and Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani discussed the latest developments and their implications for regional and international peace and security. The call also focused on strengthening Arab cooperation and the interests of both countries, according to the Jordan News Agency.
Iran attacked Jordan and Bahrain last week in retaliation for US strikes. The two countries welcomed a memorandum of understanding announced this week between the US and Iran, which would pave the way for a permanent ceasefire, the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and detailed negotiations concerning Tehran’s nuclear program.
Jordan described the document as an important step toward restoring regional and international stability, while Bahrain commended Pakistani efforts to mediate the MoU.
The conflict started on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel killed top Iranian regime officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and bombed various vital military and civilian sites. Tehran launched ballistic missiles and drones against at least 10 countries, including Israel, and blocked energy tankers from navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
Source: arabnews.com
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Arab World
Saudi crown prince receives message from Chechen president
June 16, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a written message from Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The message was received by Minister of State Prince Turki bin Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz during a meeting on Tuesday in Jeddah with the Chechen Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Physical Culture and Sports Akhmat Kadyrov.
During the meeting, Saudi-Chechen relations were reviewed and topics of common interest were discussed.
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Saudi Arabia’s new soil technologies offer breakthrough in desert restoration
Nada Hameed
June 16, 2026
JEDDAH: As the world marks Desertification and Drought Day on June 17, global attention is focused on the future of rangelands, which cover more than half of the Earth’s land surface and support the livelihoods of around 2 billion people.
This year’s theme, “Rangelands: Recognize. Respect. Restore,” highlights the urgent need to protect and restore these ecosystems, which play a critical role in food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience.
The message carries particular significance for Saudi Arabia, where ambitious plans under the Saudi Green Initiative aim to restore degraded landscapes amid some of the world’s most fragile soils.
With the Kingdom aiming to rehabilitate 40 million hectares of land and plant 10 billion trees, sustainable solutions to improve soil health and restore ecosystem function are becoming increasingly important.
In an interview with Arab News, Prof. Himanshu Mishra of KAUST, co-founder of Terraxy, said recent scientific breakthroughs are offering new reasons for optimism.
“What gives me hope is that we now understand the chemistry of why desert soils fail, and that understanding points directly to solutions,” he said.
At KAUST, Mishra and his team identified a key obstacle to plant growth in irrigated desert environments.
“The bottleneck for plant growth in irrigated desert soils is not water alone, but nutrient retention under alkaline conditions,” he said. “That insight led us to develop CarboSoil, an engineered biochar that works with desert soil chemistry rather than against it.”
In a two-year field trial involving 580 native acacia trees, CarboSoil-treated plots achieved net carbon sequestration, while untreated plots were net carbon emitters, as emissions from irrigation and fertilizer use exceeded the carbon captured by the plants.
“The result changed my perspective entirely,” Mishra said. “With the right soil amendment, desert greening can be carbon-negative from day one. The science is ready.”
Mishra developed the award-winning CarboSoil and SandX technologies, which convert organic waste into soil amendments that improve nutrient retention, reduce water loss, and store carbon in degraded soils. Supported by organizations including KAUST, Saudi Aramco, Neom, and King Salman Park, the technologies are now being deployed across Saudi Arabia.
CarboSoil is produced from organic waste that would otherwise decompose in landfills and release greenhouse gases, including animal manure, date palm fronds, and agricultural residues.
The biomass is converted into biochar — a highly porous and stable form of carbon — before undergoing a proprietary treatment process that adjusts its pH and nutrient composition for alkaline sandy soils.
While biochar is widely recognized as an effective soil amendment and accounts for more than 90 percent of durable carbon removal credits globally, raw biochar is often unsuitable for desert environments because it is highly alkaline and can further reduce nutrient availability in already alkaline soils.
“Our treatment process lowers the pH to near neutral and enriches the material with slow-release phosphorus and essential micronutrients,” Mishra said.
“When incorporated into sandy soils at 5 to 10 percent by volume, CarboSoil acts as a reservoir for nutrients and water, improving plant growth and yields.”
According to Mishra, the technology enables farmers to reduce fertilizer use, minimize nutrient losses through leaching, and improve crop health. Unlike peat moss or compost, whose benefits decline rapidly under Saudi Arabia’s harsh climate, CarboSoil can remain effective for centuries.
SandX complements CarboSoil by reducing evaporative water loss. The biomimetic mulch consists of sand grains coated with a nanoscale biodegradable wax layer.
“Applied as a thin one-centimeter layer on irrigated soil, it reduces evaporation by up to 80 percent, allowing more irrigation water to reach plant roots,” he said.
Mishra also challenged several common assumptions about farming in arid regions.
A widespread misconception, he said, is that water is the primary limiting factor in desert agriculture. However, two-year field trials showed that water-focused amendments such as hydrogels, superabsorbent polymers, and SandX did not significantly increase plant growth when irrigation and fertilization levels were kept constant.
In contrast, CarboSoil increased biomass by up to 68 percent, highlighting the importance of nutrient retention in alkaline soils once water is available.
Another misconception is that desert soils cannot be permanently improved. While conventional amendments such as peat moss and compost provide only temporary benefits before degrading, advanced soil technologies can enhance nutrient-holding capacity and microbial activity for generations.
The findings point to a broader shift in thinking about arid agriculture — away from simply increasing water inputs and toward improving soil function — with potentially far-reaching implications for agriculture and land restoration across the Middle East and North Africa.
Saudi Arabia generates more than 20 million tonnes of organic waste annually, including poultry manure, date palm residues, crop waste, and food waste. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it emits carbon dioxide and methane as it decomposes.
According to Mishra, every tonne of CarboSoil diverts roughly three tonnes of organic waste from landfills while locking carbon into a stable form for centuries and creating a valuable product for agriculture and landscaping.
He added that CarboSoil is commercially viable without subsidies and competitively priced compared with imported peat moss.
Unlike peat moss and compost, which require repeated applications and generate additional long-term costs, CarboSoil delivers benefits that persist for centuries, making it particularly attractive for large-scale and long-term restoration projects.
Each tonne of CarboSoil also removes approximately two tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, creating carbon credits that can be sold to emissions-intensive sectors such as aviation and heavy industry.
Marking World Desertification and Drought Day, the Saudi National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to expand vegetation cover, increase afforestation, and protect water resources to address the impacts of desertification and drought.
The center said Saudi Arabia is implementing environmental regulations, protecting forests, promoting sustainable rangeland management, and rehabilitating degraded land in line with Vision 2030 goals.
It also emphasized the importance of restoring degraded ecosystems to strengthen food and water security and support global climate action.
The center highlighted the Kingdom’s regional leadership through the Middle East Green Initiative, which aims to plant 50 billion trees across the region — equivalent to about 5 percent of the global afforestation target — and is expected to contribute to a 2.5 percent reduction in global carbon emissions.
Saudi Arabia’s efforts also include a cloud-seeding program launched in 2022 to enhance rainfall and support renewable water resources.
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Saudi Arabia strengthens efforts on elder welfare, inclusion
June 16, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Family Affairs Council marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15 with an awareness campaign promoting positive practices in dealing with older persons and encouraging respect, appreciation, and supportive care within families and the wider community.
The campaign reflects the council’s commitment to raising awareness of family-related issues and improving the quality of life of older persons by highlighting positive daily interactions, strengthening their social participation and inclusion, and fostering a more supportive environment that recognizes their value and needs.
It focuses on key themes such as respect, appreciation, quality interaction, and care. Through educational and media content, it promotes positive behavior in interacting with older persons and highlights the role of families and communities in supporting them.
As part of the campaign, the council is fostering partnerships across government, nonprofit, private, and media sectors to strengthen awareness efforts and expand outreach across society.
The council reaffirmed the importance of raising awareness of the rights and status of older persons, recognizing their lifelong contributions and experience, and supporting their active role within the family and society.
Source: arabnews.com
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Deputy minister receives Greece’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
June 16, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi received Greece’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Katerina Varvarigou in Riyadh on Tuesday.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and topics of common interest, the Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, Hail Gov. Prince Abdulaziz bin Saad bin Abdulaziz received Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Saudi Arabia Madiyar Menilbekov at his office on Tuesday. They held cordial talks, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
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Saudi FM arrives in Portugal on official visit
June 16, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Lisbon on an official visit on Tuesday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Prince Faisal is scheduled to meet with his Portuguese counterpart Paulo Rangel to discuss relations between their countries and areas of coordination and cooperation.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi program trains Yemeni telecom staff in Aden
June 16, 2026
RIYADH: The Saudi Development and Reconstruction Program for Yemen, in partnership with the Communications, Space and Technology Commission, held a two-day training program in Aden governorate for personnel from the nation’s Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology.
The program, which included 44 trainees, featured specialized modules delivered by commission experts. It aimed to enhance participants’ technical and administrative skills and their knowledge of the latest practices and technologies in the communications and information technology sector.
It was a part of broader efforts to build institutional capacity and develop Yemeni national competencies. It also aimed to improve the performance of the communications and information technology sector, enhance service quality, and increase readiness to keep pace with rapid technological developments.
Saudi development projects and initiatives have also contributed to the economic empowerment of women, youth, and local communities, while supporting investment in human capital.
These efforts include the “Building the Future for Yemeni Youth” program, projects supporting livelihoods in affected communities, and initiatives to enhance the capabilities of transport sector personnel.
Source: arabnews.com
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Kaaba adorned with new kiswa
June 16, 2026
JEDDAH: At the beginning of the new Hijri year, the Holy Kaaba was covered with its new kiswa, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s care for the holiest site in Islam and its expertise in producing Islamic craftsmanship.
The replacement of the kiswa is one of the key rituals at the Grand Mosque and marks the completion of months of work at the King Abdulaziz Complex for the Holy Kaaba Kiswa in Makkah, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
The process involved about 150 Saudi craftsmen working for 11 months to produce 47 pieces of luxurious black silk embroidered with 30 Qur’anic verses in silver thread plated with 24-karat gold. The cover weighs 1,410 kg.
They installed the embroidered curtain with gold-plated threads, the hizam (belt), the samadiah (decorative elements), lantern-shaped pieces and decorations around the mizab (rainwater spout), corners and other parts of the Kaaba, creating a scene marked by reverence and devotion.
The kiswa appears as a single seamless garment but is in fact made through a detailed production process using several types of fabric, each serving a specific purpose in its structure, appearance and durability.
Its main fabric is black silk, which forms the outer covering and gives the kiswa its distinctive appearance. It also includes embossed black silk used for inscriptions and decorative motifs, adding to its design.
Inside, off-white cotton is used as a lining to provide strength and durability, while white cotton supports additional sections to enhance structural stability.
Red silk is used in some decorative elements, and green silk is used behind the curtain of the Kaaba’s door. Embossed green silk is used for the inner covering.
Together, these materials are combined through a precise production process that reflects the craftsmanship behind the kiswa.
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Europe
Inspector Morse actor to back Tommy Robinson in Islam debate
16th June
A former actor is set to join Tommy Robinson and journalist Jonathan Sacerdoti in the Oxford Union debate on Thursday.
Laurence Fox, who is a member of the Fox family, will join the controversial figures at the prestigious debate club on June 17.
Mr Fox has previously been critical of Islam, claiming it has a "control" over the UK.
In May 2024, he posted on X claiming that a number of major UK cities were led by Muslim mayors and made broader claims about Muslims receiving state support, housing and "special treatment".
He also wrote: "Now every school in the UK is required to teach lessons about Islam. Has anyone ever been given an opportunity to vote for this?"
The post was widely criticised as inaccurate at the time.
Following that post, commentators, journalists and advocacy groups described it as anti-Muslim or Islamophobic.
Reports noted that some of the officials Mr Fox identified were not Muslim and that several of the claims about public policy and demographics were false or misleading.
On X, Mr Fox has also made statements suggesting that Islam is incompatible with certain aspects of British culture and free speech.
He posted: "Islam is not your friend if you believe in free speech, family and British culture."
The Guardian reported that during the unrest and riots in the UK in 2024 after the Southport killings, Mr Fox was among several high-profile accounts accused by critics of amplifying misinformation that fueled anti-Muslim sentiment.
Reports connected him to the circulation of false claims about the attacker's background.
Mr Fox is best-known for appearing in high-profile roles such as DS James Hathaway in the ITV series Lewis, the spin-off detective show from Inspector Morse, which ended in 2015.
He has previously been arrested by the Metropolitan Police on suspicion of conspiring to commit criminal damage to the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) cameras.
In March last year he was also charged with a sexual offence after allegedly sharing an intimate image of TV star Narinder Kaur without her consent on social media.
The Guardian also reported he was publicly critical of the George Floyd protest that began in 2020.
He founded the right-wing populist political party Reclaim, which website says the party exists "for patriotism and believes hard work should be rewarded".
In 2021 he stood unsuccessfully in the 2021 London mayoral election and in the 2024 London Assembly.
The BBC reported that Fox was fired from his position at GB News due to his controversial comments about a female journalist, which had sparked significant public backlash and complaints to the media regulator Ofcom.
In January Fox joined over 2,000 people in a march through Oxford in protest against the idea of '15-minute' cities, following the introduction of LTN's in the city.
Source: thisisoxfordshire.co.uk
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Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister visits Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent
17.06.2026
As part of the 5th Tashkent International Investment Forum held in the capital of Uzbekistan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ali Asadov, alongside the heads of government of Belarus, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, visited the Center of Islamic Civilization in Tashkent.
AZERTAC reports, citing the official UZA news agency, that the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, provided the delegations with detailed insights into the Center of Islamic Civilization. The foundation of the Center, established by the Decree of the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, was laid in 2018. Hundreds of scientists, experts, as well as religious and public figures have actively participated in the implementation of the project.
Designed in the style of the ancient architectural monuments of Samarkand, the complex covers an area of more than 10 hectares. The Center incorporates departments for scientific research, the maintenance of a national register of rare manuscripts, a dedicated manuscript fund, libraries, archives, and publishing facilities. The exhibition gallery at the center features artifacts and works from various historical periods, demonstrating the creative potential of the region's ancestors through modern technologies and digital devices. Its museum exposition is organized into distinct thematic halls: "Pre-Islamic Civilizations", "The First Renaissance", "The Second Renaissance", "Uzbekistan in the 20th Century", "New Uzbekistan - the Basis of the Third Renaissance", and "The Holy Quran".
Source: azertag.az
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IsDBI: Global Islamic finance industry currently estimated at $4 trillion
17 June 2026
The size of the global Islamic finance industry is currently estimated at around $4 trillion, Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of the Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI), said at the 20th IsDB Global Forum on Islamic Finance held within the framework of the annual meetings of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB).
According to him, the total size of the Islamic Development Bank Group is approximately $40 billion.
“This means that in terms of size, the IsDB Group accounts for only 0.1% of the global Islamic finance industry. However, the Group’s impact is far greater than its size,” he said.
Sami Al-Suwailem stressed that the IsDB Group has played a leading role in the development of the Islamic finance industry since its establishment:
“The IsDB Group has been the leader of the industry for more than 50 years and continues to maintain this leadership. This fact shows that the Group ensures its leadership through quality, not quantity.”
He noted that the activities of the Islamic Development Bank Group are not limited to financing, but are also aimed at the development of Islamic finance, knowledge sharing, strengthening institutional capacity, and expanding cooperation among member countries.
Source: en.apa.az
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How a young man fled Islamic terror group only to be forced from his home in Belfast
Connor Lynch
16 Jun 2026
A young man who fled the Islamic terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab found himself running from his home in fear in Belfast following racist attacks and disorder in the city.
Zakaria arrived in Belfast in January after his mum helped him flee Somalia after their family had been targeted by the terror organisation. They killed his father and had also kidnapped and attacked him for a relationship he had with a woman.
Last Wednesday the young man was part of a group of migrants who had to leave their home for the safety of a community centre after his house was included on a list of properties circulated online as part of a "hit list". While there he met with Rory Doherty of Voicing the Void with the pair speaking about the difficulties Zakaria had faced and how he hoped to find peace in Belfast a few days later.
Rory said: "Zakaria told me how he was feeling and about everything that had happened over the previous few days. He wanted people to understand the human impact of what is happening. He wanted people to see beyond the headlines.
"He told me how he fled Somalia after being targeted by Al-Shabaab. His father was killed by the same terrorist organisation. He was kidnapped, beaten and threatened because of a relationship with the woman he loved. His mother sold everything she owned to help him escape.
"In January this year, he arrived in Belfast hoping to find safety and peace. Yet only a few months later, he found himself leaving his home once again because he feared for his safety.
"What struck me most was not his anger. It was his compassion. He told me he doesn't want to generalise the people here based on a small number of people and that he came here to contribute to Northern Ireland, work, pay tax and be part of the community in any way that he can.
"This week, while a small minority attempted to spread fear and division, I witnessed something far more powerful. I witnessed neighbours helping neighbours.
I witnessed people from different backgrounds, organisations and communities working together to protect one another. I witnessed volunteers making food, sharing tea and coffee, coordinating safety, offering reassurance and reminding people that they were not alone.
"There is no denying that many people feel left behind. Too many communities continue to experience poverty, inequality, poor housing, limited opportunities and a sense that nobody is listening. These frustrations are real and deserve to be heard.
"But violence and intimidation are not the answer."
Source: belfastlive.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/how-young-man-fled-islamic-34131497
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PM warns Burnham against immediate leadership challenge if he wins by-election
17 Jun 2026
Chris Mason
Sir Keir Starmer has warned Andy Burnham against launching an immediate challenge to his leadership if he becomes an MP, urging him, and the party, to focus instead on the election for a new Greater Manchester mayor.
If Burnham wins in Makerfield on Thursday he would have to resign as Manchester mayor, with a by-election to replace him expected by 6 August.
Burnham is widely anticipated to challenge the prime minister for the leadership, if he is elected to Parliament.
Speaking from the G7 summit, the prime minister said a leadership contest would be a "bad thing" for the country and reiterated that he intended to fight any challenge.
Sir Keir said the potential mayoral election would be "very important" and that his party were "going to have to pull our sleeves up to make sure that there is another Labour victory".
The prime minister also indicated that he would offer Burnham a cabinet job if he wins in Makerfield, telling reporters: "I hope he wins the by-election and he'll play a big part in the Labour government."
The prime minister's warning comes as Labour MP Wes Streeting says he is prepared to trigger a leadership contest as soon as next week.
Streeting resigned as health secretary last month but has said he delayed making a leadership challenge until after the Makerfield by-election to give Burnham a chance to take part.
Speaking to BBC's Newsnight, Streeting said "uncertainty and paralysis" in the Labour leadership would have to be resolved if the party wins Thursday's Makerfield by-election.
Asked about Streeting's threat, Sir Keir said: "There is Westminster talk about what might happen in by-elections.
"Meanwhile, I would just gently point out, that we do have a Manchester mayoralty by-election which will follow immediately on if Andy Burnham wins the by-election.
"I hope he wins, but we then tip straight into the Manchester mayoralty by-election… so we're all going to have to focus on that."
The prime minister's comments are a preview of the argument he is likely to make on Friday should Burnham win in Makerfield.
Some Labour MPs fear that Reform UK could win the Manchester mayoral by-election, even though when it was last contested in 2024 Burnham won by a vast margin.
Burnham's supporters say that the importance of the mayoralty only strengthens the case for him to become prime minister sooner rather than later.
Reflecting on his leadership more widely, Sir Keir said being prime minister "is the privilege of my life, and every day I remind myself that that is an honour.
"It is a duty, and I'm here to serve, that is why I came into politics.
"Not a day goes by where I don't remind myself it's a privilege."
Asked if, in the event of a leadership contest, ministers would have to resign if they wanted to back one of the prime minister's rivals, Sir Keir said he would not "start getting involved in hypotheticals".
Sir Keir's leadership was further destabilised last week when John Healey and Al Carns resigned as the defence secretary and defence minister in a row over funding.
On Tuesday, the chief of the defence staff warned that the UK's armed forces would have to "dial back" training and operations if they did not receive more money than is currently being offered.
Sir Keir said the new Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis was "looking at what his priorities and capabilities are" adding: "I think the chief of the defence staff made it clear that those discussions were ongoing."
A full list of the candidates standing in the Makerfield by-election can be found here.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn4dj7n83yqo
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Hungary's MPs block return of Orbán, limiting rule of PM to eight years
17 Jun 2026
Paul Kirby
The Hungarian parliament has backed a change to the constitution that limits a prime minister's term in office to eight years, fulfilling a promise by Péter Magyar to prevent Viktor Orbán becoming prime minister again.
Orbán led Hungary uninterrupted for16 years, until Magyar's Tisza party swept him from power in April's election, winning a two-thirds majority that gives it the power to amend the constitution.
Under the change, no prime minister since 1990 can serve more than two terms in office, even if they are years apart.
Orbán's depleted Fidesz party voted against the measure and the former prime minister, who was re-elected as its leader at the weekend, was highly critical of it.
"The Orban law has just been voted through. That was the most pressing issue. If I'm needed, I'll be here," he wrote on Facebook.
Orbán complained that Tisza had only been in power a month and that it should not be "dreaming of eight years" into the future.
The Tisza government's so-called super-majority meant the amendment sailed through by 135 votes to 50 and the law now just needs the signature of President Tamás Sulyok to go through.
Orbán's former political director, Balázs Orbán, accused Magyar of "using political power to exclude a political opponent from democratic competition".
Although the amendment to Hungary's Basic Law could in theory be changed by a future government with the necessary super-majority, the new provision also means that Magyar would only be able to serve as prime minister until 2034.
He took office last month with a promise to get rid of some of the highly controversial state apparatus that Fidesz put in place during its 16 years in power.
For four years running, the organisation Transparency International has labelled Hungary the most corrupt country in the European Union and the EU withheld billions of euros in funds because of concerns over rule of law, corruption and democratic backsliding.
Last month, the European Commission agreed to unlock €16.4bn (£14.2bn) in funding, subject to a series of reforms to combat corruption that have to go through parliament.
As well as placing a limit on a prime minister's rule, Monday's amendment scrapped a requirement for an independent agency to protect Hungary's "constitutional identity".
That signalled the end of Orbán's Sovereignty Protection Office, created in 2023 to monitor "undue political interference" by "foreign interests".
It also targets so-called "Kekva" public trust foundations created under the previous government through the transfer of state assets such as companies and education institutions.
The government intends to return the assets to the state or cut funding to them, in the case of institutions such as vocational college Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC). MCC has close ties to Fidesz and its board of trustees is led by the ex-prime minister's political director, Balázs Orbán.
On Tuesday, Hungary's parliament turned its attention to further changes to the law required before some of the billions of euros withheld by the European Commission can be unfrozen.
These include boosting the role of Hungary's anti-corruption watchdog, the Integrity Authority.
Parliament also commemorated the anniversary of the execution of the leaders of Hungary's 1956 revolution against Soviet rule.
The six leaders, including then-Prime Minister Imre Nagy, were each named by Magyar, and MPs also marked the date of their reburial in 1989.
During the session, Balázs Orbán accused Magyar of pushing through reforms that left thousands of Hungarian students facing an uncertain future, prompting a clash with the prime minister.
Magyar said that, in October, Hungarians would mark the 70th anniversary of the 1956 revolution, having turned over a new page in their history to become part of the "free world".
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c621zplqrrno
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EU seeks to restrict new members’ options to dissent from bloc – media
16 Jun, 2026
Countries seeking to join the EU could face major limits on their ability to dissent against Brussels’ decisions after accession, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has warned.
The EU is looking to speed up the admission of new states amid concerns that growing economic problems and global political shifts could reduce the bloc to irrelevance. However, the push has been complicated by fears that enlargement could harm the interests of existing members and alter the balance of power inside an organization already known for sluggish bureaucracy and political infighting.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a foreign policy meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, Kos said the EU will negotiate “a new generation of accession treaties” designed to ensure that newly admitted members remain “onboard” with the bloc’s priorities for up to 15 years after ratification. She did not disclose the precise mechanisms under discussion.
Some Brussels-connected media outlets interpreted the comments as support for proposals backed by countries including France and Germany to introduce temporary limits on voting rights in areas such as the joint budget, security, and foreign policy. “The safeguards will bite hard” for states that break ranks, Kos told Politico, adding that Montenegro could become the first candidate to face the proposed arrangement.
Why does the EU want new members?
After the EU’s wave of gobbling up former Eastern bloc countries, the enlargement process slowed down in the 2010s to prevent integrational indigestion.
Brussels now says the situation has changed. Confronting Russia, EU officials say, has made faster expansion a “moral, political and geostrategic imperative,” as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated in her 2024 political guidelines.
What is holding expansion back?
Although EU leaders have claimed ad nauseam that the Ukraine conflict has made the bloc more united than ever, the open-ended financial burden of the conflict, combined with the lack of a clear military endgame, has strengthened the EU’s centrifugal tendencies.
Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was long depicted in the press as a bete noir for using Hungary’s veto power to seek exemptions from the sanctions on Russia.
Orban made criticism of the EU’s Ukraine policy a major part of his broader argument that von der Leyen and EU bureaucrats adopted a dictatorial attitude. Similar reasoning has been used by leaders in other Eastern European member states when resisting Brussels’ decisions on open-door migration, pro-LGBT policies, and unrestricted access for Ukrainian agricultural goods to the common market, to name a few.
Are there suitable candidates?
The enlargement “imperative” sits uneasily with the EU’s stated commitment to strictly merit-based accession, under which candidates that fail to meet the required standards should not be admitted for political reasons.
Kiev, for example, claims that Ukraine deserves full membership as a self-described defender of the EU from Russia’s ambitions. Brussels has endorsed this fearmongering narrative, but existing members have opposed fast-tracking Ukraine’s admission.
Reports of successful Ukrainian reforms have stood in contrast with corruption scandals in Kiev involving members of Vladimir Zelensky’s inner circle. Ukrainian lawmakers have repeatedly avoided voting on difficult legislative changes demanded by Brussels, reportedly with the quiet approval of the government. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s heavily militarized society, in which some nationalist figures openly call for a fascist dictatorship, is not predisposed for democratic governance.
Avoiding public criticism of Kiev is one thing; admitting a country with so much political baggage is another. Peter Magyar, Hungary’s new prime minister, recently said Ukraine’s accession path will likely be as long as Montenegro’s, which formally began in 2012. Budapest may have a new leader, but Hungary’s national interests remain unchanged.
What about candidates not at war?
Moldova was granted candidate status in 2023 alongside Ukraine and Georgia as part of Brussels’ challenge to Moscow.
The EU has since helped the government in Chisinau remain in power, using online media censorship tools and financial grants to influence voters while overlooking the crackdown on opposition forces, which President Maia Sandu has defended as necessary to prevent Russian interference.
Yet even Moldovan officials do not expect their country to join the bloc soon. Sandu and some of her ministers have suggested that Moldova could instead be directly absorbed by EU member Romania. The Moldovan president, who holds Romanian citizenship, said earlier this year that she would vote in favor of the move in a hypothetical referendum.
What is the proposed solution?
European states have increasingly promoted the idea of multi-tier membership, with different levels of obligations and privileges. This model could lock candidate countries into political alignment with Brussels while avoiding some of the complications caused by full accession.
As Kos put it, the EU has “many, many options” for “gradual integration,” while insisting that there will be “no half membership or quarter membership” for candidate states.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/641670-eu-accession-voting-restrictions/
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North America
CAIR-WA Condemns Provost’s Disruption of Muslim Student’s Participation in Commencement Based on Religious/Identity Expression
June 16, 2026
The Washington state chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-WA), a chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned a Seattle University provost’s aggressive action toward a Black Muslim student at the commencement ceremony, apparently based on the student’s religious and identity expressions.
On July 14, at a Seattle University commencement ceremony, a Muslim student walked across the stage to receive her diploma. She communicated to the provost that she does not shake hands with men for religious reasons, she then attempted to hold up her Palestinian flag and had it aggressively ripped away by the provost and subsequently physically accosted her.
Other identities and cultures were reportedly represented at the same graduation ceremony but did not face any censorship.
Imraan Siddiqi, CAIR-WA Executive Director, said:
“This blatant act of aggression and suppression is unacceptable. No provost should be getting physical with a student. We demand that Seattle University publicly apologize to the student.
“We are extremely troubled by this incident, which has now been seen worldwide. What was supposed to be a joyous day, has been traumatizing for this Muslim student and her family. We call on the university to apologize immediately.”
He said CAIR-WA is in active communication with the student to ensure she is safe and that there is accountability.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-wa-condemns-provosts-disruption-of-muslim-students-participation-in-commencement-based-on-religious-identity-expression/
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CAIR-Chicago Calls for Censure of La Salle Co. Board Member Over Islamophobic Remarks
June 16, 2026
The Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned Islamophobic remarks made by LaSalle County Board Member James Reid regarding a proposed housing development in LaSalle County and called on the county board to formally censure him.
During a June 8 public meeting, Reid falsely suggested that the development would operate under “Sharia law.” He further attempted to justify his remarks by claiming he had “the experience of seeing how Sharia law works” while serving in the U.S. military.
“These Islamophobic statements represent the alarming comfortability with being anti-Muslim as an elected official,” said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab. “Like any other housing development, a development made within the state of Illinois will be governed under Illinois state law.”
The developer has publicly rejected claims that the project would be a “Muslim-only resort,” describing those allegations as false and reiterating that the development will comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Despite these assurances, public discussion surrounding the proposal has been fueled by misinformation and unfounded conspiracy theories rather than facts.
Claims that American Muslims seek to replace U.S. law with “Sharia law” are a longstanding anti-Muslim trope used to generate fear, suspicion, and hostility toward Muslim communities.
The Constitution’s Supremacy Clause makes clear that the Constitution is the law of the land. No faith community can impose its religious beliefs on the American people, and no branch of government can prevent Americans from freely practicing their faith. Allegations to the contrary are baseless conspiracy theories.
Faith-centered communities are neither unusual nor controversial in the United States. Americans of many religious traditions choose to live near houses of worship, schools, and institutions that reflect their values. Illinois is home to Reba Place Fellowship, an intentional Christian community in Evanston and Chicago, while similar faith-based communities exist throughout the country. These communities operate under the same laws and constitutional protections as everyone else.
Vairt, a Pennsylvania-based company, has stated that its projects are designed to comply fully with local, state, and federal laws and regulations. CAIR-Chicago is deeply concerned that the company has already reported facing significant misinformation, hostility, and, in some cases, threats directed at its team members and prospective residents before construction has even begun.
Public officials have a responsibility to engage in fact-based discussions and uphold constitutional principles, not amplify fear and prejudice. Statements that falsely portray Muslim-led developments as threats to public safety or the rule of law stigmatize Muslim communities, fuel hostility, and undermine the values of religious liberty and equal protection that define our nation.
CAIR-Chicago calls on the LaSalle County Board to formally censure Board Member Reid for promoting anti-Muslim conspiracy theories and making remarks incompatible with the responsibilities of public office. Elected officials have a duty to represent all residents fairly and foster informed public discussion, not inflame prejudice against religious minorities.
CAIR-Chicago also urges local leaders and community members to reject misinformation and engage in constructive, fact-based dialogue about the proposed development.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-chicago-calls-for-censure-of-la-salle-co-board-member-over-islamophobic-remarks/
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CAIR Condemns Israeli Seizure of Authority Over Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron
June 16, 2026
Muslim civil rights group move is another attack on Palestinian rights, religious freedom, and international law
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the Israeli government’s seizure of planning and construction authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque in the West Bank city of Hebron, calling the move another attack on Palestinian rights, religious freedom, and international law.
According to news reports, Israeli authorities have assumed control over planning and construction matters at the historic mosque, ending arrangements established under the 1997 Hebron Agreement.
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
“The apartheid Israeli government’s seizure of authority over the Ibrahimi Mosque is yet another attempt to consolidate its illegal occupation of Palestinian land, undermine Palestinian self-governance, and alter the historic status of one of Islam’s holiest sites. This action follows a long pattern of efforts to restrict Muslim access to sacred places, expand illegal settlements, and entrench a system of permanent occupation and dispossession.”
“The international community must reject this latest escalation and hold the Israeli government accountable for actions that violate international law and further diminish prospects for a just and lasting peace. Holy sites must be protected from political manipulation, annexation, and unilateral actions that inflame tensions and threaten religious freedom.”
CAIR has repeatedly condemned Israeli measures targeting the Ibrahimi Mosque.
In 1994, an illegal Israeli settler massacred 29 worshipers at the mosque, which has been subjected to restrictions and measures that have steadily reduced Muslim control and access.
Yesterday, CAIR welcomed calls from international medical groups for Israel to be suspended from the World Medical Association.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-israeli-seizure-of-authority-over-ibrahimi-mosque-in-hebron/
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CAIR-Texas, CAIR Action Texas Condemn Blatant Anti-Muslim Hate, Exclusionary Platform and Religious and Ethnic Harassment at GOP Convention
June 16, 2026
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Texas) and CAIR Action Texas today condemned the blatant anti-Muslim hate rhetoric, and exclusionary platform proposals and targeted religious and ethnic harassment targeting Muslim Texans during the 2026 Republican Party of Texas (RPT) state convention held in Houston.
During the biennial gathering, multiple registered Muslim delegates faced public harassment, hostile demands to renounce their faith and institutional efforts to change internal rules to expel them from the floor because of their faith. Notably, Muslim delegate Mohamed Hussein was publicly harassed and explicitly told by fellow attendees that he must either convert to Christianity or leave the country.
This hostility turned directly institutional during a convention luncheon titled “Don’t Sharia My Texas,” which featured a presentation slide explicitly defaming Texas’s first and only Muslim state legislators, State Representatives Salman Bhojani and Dr. Suleman Lalani. The slide displayed the faces of both elected public servants under the text: “TEXAS OR PAKISTAN? YOUR STATE IS BEING RADICALLY TRANSFORMED!”
In a joint statement, CAIR-Texas and CAIR Action Texas said:
“What we witnessed at the convention was a dangerous normalization of anti-Muslim hate that undermines the foundational American principles of religious freedom and democratic representation. Texas is our home. Texan Muslims, like all Texans, have an inherent right to participate in our democracy. Weaponizing conspiracy theories and pushing platform language that selectively restricts the religious liberties of one faith group fundamentally undermines the rule of law and the constitutional liberties of all Texans. Hate and exclusion are not winning strategies.
“We call upon all elected officials, regardless of political party, to stand on principle and publicly condemn this toxic rhetoric. Leaders from across the political spectrum must make it clear that religious bigotry and the institutional targeting of public servants and grassroots residents have absolutely no place in Texas politics.”
CAIR-Texas and CAIR Action Texas added that while this dangerous bigotry inflicts real harm on local communities, it is also a transparent attempt by party leadership to mask their failure to address the core demands of the state.
While convention delegates focused heavily on targeting Muslims, including passing platform amendments to restrict daily prayer time and oppose halal food accommodations, Texas families continue to face severe, unaddressed infrastructure and economic challenges, including a precarious electric grid, skyrocketing property taxes, and underfunded public resources. Resorting to state-sanctioned hate is a weak attempt to evade accountability for the real issues impacting everyday Texans.
Furthermore, CAIR-Texas and CAIR Action Texas condemned party leadership for dragging the civil rights organization into bad-faith political attacks to justify institutional discrimination. Newly elected Texas GOP Chair D’rinda Randall targeted the organization by labeling CAIR a “radical organization connected to terrorists.”
CAIR-Texas and CAIR Action Texas also reject this defamation, counter-stating that the organization and its affiliates are being explicitly targeted by party leadership for their vocal opposition to Israel’s genocide in Gaza. This hostility was institutionalized on Friday when convention committees passed an unprecedented rules change allowing the Credentials Committee to vote to remove future delegates based on alleged ties to a “terrorist organization”—a dangerous mechanism designed to penalize and silence mainstream advocacy and dissent critical of the Israeli government.
CAIR-Texas’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit, CAIR-Texas does not endorse or oppose candidates for office and makes no claims as to the favorability of one candidate being elected over another.
La misión de CAIR-Texas es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
CAIR Action is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization dedicated to engaging, educating, and mobilizing Muslim voters, training emerging leaders, and advancing policy priorities that improve community well-being and representation.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-texas-cair-action-texas-condemn-blatant-anti-muslim-hate-exclusionary-platform-and-religious-and-ethnic-harassment-at-gop-convention/
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Inside Trump’s Iran deal: The billions that could soon flow to Tehran
Jun 17, 2026
A still-secret agreement between the United States and Iran has sparked a fierce political debate in Washington over how much money Tehran could receive under President Donald Trump’s proposed peace and nuclear framework, with estimates ranging from billions in oil revenue and sanctions relief to a potential $300 billion reconstruction and investment fund.
The memorandum of understanding (MOU), expected to be formally signed in Switzerland on Friday, would launch a 60-day negotiating period aimed at securing a broader nuclear agreement. While administration officials insist any financial benefits are tied to Iranian compliance, critics argue the arrangement bears similarities to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump himself repeatedly condemned.
At the centre of the controversy is a proposed reconstruction and economic development fund that could unlock as much as $300 billion in private-sector investment for Iran if a final agreement is reached.
The White House has pushed back against claims that Tehran is receiving an immediate financial windfall, insisting the framework follows a strict "pay for performance" model.
"This is a performance-based agreement. Iran can only access any benefits of the MOU if they abide by all of the points they agreed to – including no nuclear weapon, neutralizing its enriched material, and not interfering with the free flow of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz," a US official told Axios.
Immediate benefits under the MOU
US officials acknowledge that Iran will receive some economic incentives during the 60-day negotiation period.
According to a US official, the agreement includes temporary sanctions waivers allowing Iran to resume oil exports while talks continue. The move could provide Tehran with a major revenue boost as restrictions linked to the US naval blockade are eased.
Iranian state media have claimed the country will also gain immediate access to frozen overseas assets simply by signing the agreement. However, US officials strongly dispute those reports.
A senior US official said any sanctions relief or access to frozen funds would come only as reciprocal "gestures" tied to Iranian compliance with the agreement.
The administration has also dismissed reports suggesting Gulf nations such as the UAE and Qatar would immediately release Iranian assets held in their jurisdictions.
Reports of such arrangements were described by a senior US official as "preposterous."
However, language in the draft memorandum appears to leave room for differing interpretations. According to a source familiar with the text, the United States "undertakes to make [the frozen funds] fully available for use ... upon the implementation of this MOU."
What happens if a final nuclear deal is reached
The larger financial incentives would only become available if Washington and Tehran successfully negotiate a comprehensive nuclear agreement.
According to sources familiar with the draft text, the United States has committed to lifting all sanctions on Iran through an agreed schedule if a final deal is concluded.
The White House has said any permanent agreement must include the removal of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile, a halt to future enrichment activities and an inspections regime to verify compliance.
A senior administration official said Washington expects to determine within two to three weeks whether Iran is negotiating seriously and suggested financial benefits would remain limited if progress stalls.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has meanwhile stated that the pending peace agreement does not include new assurances regarding Tehran's nuclear programme, underscoring continuing differences between the two sides over the interpretation of the framework.
The $300 billion reconstruction fund
The most politically sensitive element of the agreement is the proposed reconstruction and development fund.
Sources familiar with negotiations said the idea, referred to in discussions as a "prosperity fund", originated in Qatar and has been under discussion among US, Iranian and Gulf officials for several weeks.
According to sources familiar with the draft MOU, any final agreement would include a "definitive and mutually agreed plan" for a fund supporting Iran's "reconstruction and economic development."
Administration officials insist the money would not come from American taxpayers.
Vice President JD Vance told CBS News on Monday the $300 billion reconstruction fund was “the sort of thing they could have access to, funded by the Gulf Coast Coalition, so long as they honor their end of the obligation.”
He later reinforced that position in television interviews, saying the United States would encourage investment from Gulf countries and other international partners only if Iran permanently abandoned its nuclear weapons ambitions and complied with inspections.
Reuters and Bloomberg have both reported that the fund is genuine. Reuters reported that “more than half that sum has already been committed” and that the initiative is designed to give both Washington and Tehran a strong economic incentive to conclude a permanent settlement.
According to Reuters, citing a source familiar with the negotiations, the fund is a “private fund designed to trigger investment into Iran.”
Trump faces comparisons with Obama-era deal
The financial incentives have reignited scrutiny of Trump's long-standing criticism of the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated by former President Barack Obama.
That agreement provided Iran access to tens of billions of dollars in previously frozen assets. Trump repeatedly attacked the arrangement, often claiming Tehran received $150 billion and arguing the money would strengthen a regime he described as the world's leading sponsor of terrorism.
In a September 2015 USA Today opinion piece, Trump wrote: “Iran receives a windfall of $150 billion, which will no doubt fund terrorism around the world.”
That same month, he said in Oklahoma City that “we’re giving them $150 billion in order to create terror all over the world.”
At a Republican presidential debate later that year, Trump described the agreement as a “horrible, disgusting, absolutely incompetent deal with Iran where they get $150 billion,” adding: “They’re a terrorist nation.”
“I just don’t understand how we could have made a deal where we’re giving somebody that’s a terror nation $150 billion,” he said in Iowa City in January 2016.
Trump continued making similar arguments throughout his presidency and his 2020 re-election campaign, repeatedly asserting that the Obama administration had empowered Tehran by providing access to frozen funds.
Critics of the current agreement argue that while the proposed reconstruction fund would be financed by foreign investors rather than US taxpayers, the underlying principle remains similar: providing Iran with substantial economic incentives in exchange for nuclear concessions.
What happens next
The United States and Iran are expected to formally sign the framework agreement in Switzerland on Friday, beginning a 60-day negotiating process aimed at securing a long-term nuclear settlement.
The agreement is also expected to extend the ceasefire between the two countries and reopen the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping route that has been affected by recent tensions.
Trump has said the text of the memorandum will eventually be released publicly, though likely only after Friday's signing ceremony.
Speaking earlier this week, Trump rejected suggestions that the United States was directly financing Iran's reconstruction.
“The story that the US is paying Iran 300 million Dollars is Fake News, put out by the Dumocrats,” Trump said, adding that Iran “has agreed to never have a Nuclear Weapon!”
Until the full text becomes public, questions surrounding the scale, timing and conditions of any economic benefits for Tehran are likely to remain at the centre of debate over one of the most consequential foreign policy agreements of Trump's presidency.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/inside-trumps-iran-deal-the-billions-that-could-soon-flow-to-tehran/articleshowprint/131784319.cms
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Group planned to attack White House UFC event using snipers and drones, FBI says
Ana Faguy
Jun 17, 2026
The FBI thwarted a plot targeting Sunday's UFC event at the White House and has arrested five men, the US justice department said on Tuesday.
Part of the plan involved striking nearby buildings with explosive-laden drones and firing on "high value targets", prosecutors alleged.
One suspect was arrested in Ohio last week, where investigators reviewed encrypted messages involving other alleged conspirators. Prosecutors said in charging documents they had allegedly "expressed ultra-religious and antigovernment sentiments".
"Allegedly planned attacks were stopped cold," FBI Director Kash Patel posted on social media on Tuesday about the "multi-state operation".
The suspects were identified as Tycen C Proper, 19, the suspect arrested in Ohio, along with Bryan Omar Roa, 24, and Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of California, Daniel K Eskridge, 32, of Missouri and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Nebraska. They were arrested across the four US states and each have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement.
By using the drones, the plotters aimed to spark panic and draw the fleeing crowd toward a sniper team, according to the court documents. A "second wave" of attackers was then allegedly supposed to storm the White House gate.
An estimated 4,300 people were present for the invite-only event on the South Lawn - and another 85,000 were able to watch nearby - during the back-to-back fights on Sunday.
Court filings related to Alvarez said the group allegedly eyed potential targets that included US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Elon Musk, as well as several elected officials - though not all attended the UFC event.
The plot was discovered through Proper. His mother called local authorities late on 10 June - just days before the high-profile event - because she was concerned about his large firearms purchases and what she had seen of his online communication with a group that claimed to be made up of former military members and Christian-based.
The group allegedly wanted to "jumpstart" a revolution by shooting "high-value targets" - identified as wealthy people and politicians - attending the UFC fight. They had specifically discussed "grievances about government corruption, the handling of the Epstein files, data centers taking up all the water in communities, and other government actions," prosecutors said.
Group members stated that they wanted "to protect the United States, which they believed was headed in the wrong direction", an FBI document said.
"Members of the group believed that the United States needed to be torn down so that it could be rebuilt," the document said.
During an FBI interview on 11 June, Proper admitted to being part of planning the attack and said the group began communicating with one another around March through a TikTok group called "Vanguard of the Old", which is named in some court documents as "Vanguard of the Old Republic".
It is unclear if the group is affiliated with any larger, established organisation. But Proper told law enforcement officials that members were primarily recruited through TikTok.
Those who were "vetted" by other members moved to discussions on Signal, the encrypted messaging app, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors said a main chat had about 19 people in it, with smaller chats of four to five based on people's roles or locations.
Thomas allegedly envisioned a four-tiered operation, ranging from a top group that would "be sacrificing for your country, and carrying a brunt of the weight" by possibly breaking the law and going into hiding, to a fourth, less-active, tier made up of funders, influencers and others.
The documents described other chats where group members allegedly discussed assassinating several US lawmakers and prominent business executives. Some lawmakers were suggested "based on the group's perceived belief that the legislators accepted money from pro-Israel lobbies" and Eskridge allegedly described one as "big and someone a majority of the country knows".
The DOJ said Alvarez was responsible for planning, organising and directing the planned UFC attack, and that he worked on drones.
The suspects also distributed maps of Washington highlighting planned sniper locations and drone launch points and identifying power grids as potential targets, court documents said. Images in the filings show social media posts with tactical gear, weapons and maps.
"Proper said that although he was not going to the protest in order to shoot people, several other members of the group were intent on violence," the complaint against him said.
The BBC has contacted Proper's lawyer.
At an unrelated briefing on Tuesday, Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn was asked about the thwarted incident and described it as a "serious threat," but did not offer many details, saying the case was ongoing.
He also appeared frustrated by how the investigation was made public, saying: "I'll tell you a phrase I learned early in my career in the New York field office and that's 'Don't choke on your own smoke.'"
"In order to maintain the integrity of the investigation and the security plan, we chose not to leak it," he added.
When asked about the alleged plot during the G7 summit in France on Tuesday, President Trump said: "I haven't heard about it."
Each suspect faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 (£186,122) fine if convicted of conspiracy to murder, the DOJ said. Proper faces three additional charges, according to court filings, including the charge of conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 29 June.
On Sunday, as part of the celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary, the White House hosted a series of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) matches in an outdoor arena known as The Claw.
The event coincided with Trump's 80th birthday, and came two months after a shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner that he attended and one month after a man was killed by Secret Service agents after opening fire at a White House checkpoint.
Political violence is on the rise in the US, Erica Frantz, a Michigan State University professor of political science, told the BBC. It tends "to be cyclical, where one act of violence often leads to another one", she added.
Targeted violence in the US grew more than 30% from 2024 to 2025, the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) found.
"There will always be disgruntled members of society who advocate conspiracy theories and extremist views that together don't make much sense," Frantz said. "I am less concerned with the specific motivation, and more concerned with the societal forces pushing people to the fringe."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cqx10xlje1lo
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Trump shifting focus back to Ukraine: Where do peace talks stand?
17 Jun, 2026
US President Donald Trump has signaled that Washington will refocus on efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict after peace talks were put on hold by the crisis in the Middle East. The prospect of renewed US engagement has reportedly unsettled EU officials, who fear the bloc could once again be sidelined if Washington resumes direct negotiations with Moscow.
Here is RT’s breakdown of where the peace process stands and what could come next.
Ukraine back on agenda
At the G7 summit in France on Tuesday, Trump said Washington would turn back to trying end the Russia-Ukraine conflict once the Iran war is formally concluded.
“Now that this [Iran war] is finished, we are gonna be focusing on that [Ukraine conflict] and see if we can get that one done,” he told reporters, referring to a memorandum of understanding he is expected to sign with Tehran on Friday.
Trump spoke after separate calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky, saying both leaders appeared open to a deal.
European reaction
The prospect of renewed US diplomacy has reportedly unsettled EU officials, who fear Europe could again be sidelined if Washington pursues direct talks with Moscow.
“Having Trump be distracted was not necessarily a bad thing,” one EU diplomat told Politico.
French President Emmanuel Macron insisted Europe must be involved in any settlement talks, arguing that it now bears much of the burden of supporting Kiev.
“The right kind of negotiation is one with Ukraine and Russia sitting around the table, and the Europeans and Americans by their side,” he told TF1.
Where do the talks stand?
After Washington resumed direct contacts with Moscow following years of diplomatic freeze under Joe Biden, Russia, Ukraine and the US held three rounds of talks aimed at reaching a settlement.
The negotiations yielded several tangible results, including major prisoner exchanges, the repatriation of fallen soldiers, and the exchange of peace memorandums. However, they failed to secure a peace deal, with key disagreements persisting, particularly over Moscow’s demand that Ukrainian forces withdraw from Donbass.
A fourth round of talks, expected in March, was postponed after Washington shifted its focus to the Iran war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has since described the process as being in a “situational pause” pending renewed US engagement.
What settlements have been proposed?
Following the Alaska summit, where Moscow and Washington stressed the need for a lasting settlement rather than the ceasefire sought by Kiev and its European backers, Trump unveiled a 28-point peace roadmap. According to leaked drafts, it called for Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions, drop territorial claims, and cap its military at 600,000 personnel.
Moscow welcomed the proposal as a potential basis for peace. However, under pressure from the EU and UK, several key provisions were later removed or revised.
The updated 20-point plan reportedly included demilitarized zones, Western security guarantees for Kiev, an 800,000-strong peacetime Ukrainian military, a reconstruction fund for Ukraine, and a path toward EU membership.
Russia confirmed receiving the revised proposal but declined to discuss its contents, accusing the Europeans of reshaping the framework and undermining peace efforts.
What are the next steps?
On Tuesday, Trump discussed Ukraine with Zelensky and other leaders during a closed-door G7 session and later held a separate meeting with the Ukrainian leader. While details were not disclosed, Zelensky said afterward that it was important to “coordinate positions.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to resume contacts with Moscow after shifting their focus to the Iran war. Putin aide Yury Ushakov said preparations are under way following Sunday’s call between the Russian and US presidents.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said no dates have been set and that the issue will likely be revisited after Washington signs its memorandum with Tehran.
Europeans split
European countries remain divided between those favoring engagement with Moscow and those seeking to maintain pressure on Russia.
Hungary and Slovakia have urged direct dialogue with Moscow and criticized policies they say prolong the conflict.
Those seeking to maintain pressure, which includes Poland, the Baltic states and much of the EU leadership, argues that political, economic and military pressure must continue. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reiterated that stance on Monday, calling support for Ukraine a top G7 priority.
France and Germany occupy a middle ground, backing continued aid to Kiev while acknowledging that any lasting settlement will require negotiations with Russia. That approach was tested last week when French, British, and German envoys met Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin in Moscow. According to Russia, however, they merely repeated calls for a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine, prompting Moscow to argue that the countries arming Kiev cannot act as neutral mediators.
Trump’s position
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly claimed he could end the Ukraine conflict within 24 hours through direct diplomacy, though he later acknowledged that a settlement would be harder to achieve.
Since returning to office, he has criticized both Moscow and Kiev at various times, accusing each side of hindering peace efforts, while consistently arguing that the conflict should be resolved through negotiations rather than prolonged fighting.
After speaking with Putin and Zelensky on Sunday, Trump described both conversations as “very good” and said both leaders were “very open” to peace. According to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, he also told Putin he was prepared to “influence” Kiev and its European backers toward a settlement.
Speaking at the G7, Trump said he would “look” at what could be done regarding Ukraine, while suggesting the conflict was of limited importance to the US, adding that “it has no impact on us other than we sell weapons.”
Zelensky’s demands
Amid mounting battlefield pressure, Zelensky has insisted on securing a temporary ceasefire and continued Western support, while maintaining that Ukraine will not formally recognize Moscow’s sovereignty over territories that joined Russia through referendums.
He has also opposed any settlement negotiated directly between Moscow and Washington without Kiev’s participation, insisting that Ukraine’s European backers be included in the process.
Russia’s stance
Moscow has consistently opposed freezing the conflict, arguing that a temporary ceasefire would only give Kiev time to rearm. It insists that any settlement must address the root causes of the conflict, including Ukrainian troop withdrawals from Russian territories, protections for Russian speakers, and Ukraine’s neutrality and non-nuclear status.
Speaking at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum earlier this month, Putin said Russia remained committed to a settlement based on understandings reached with Trump in Alaska, but blamed Kiev for blocking progress. He later told Trump that Ukrainian attacks on civilian infrastructure and proposals backed by Zelensky and his European backers were hindering peace efforts and prolonging the conflict.
Amid reports that Zelensky had invited Putin to meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no official channel existed to convey such a proposal. He added that if Zelensky is ready for “serious” talks, he remains welcome in Moscow.
Zelensky reiterated that he was not prepared to meet in Russia, suggesting Türkiye, Switzerland, or the Middle East as alternative venues.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/641667-trump-resume-ukraine-peace-efforts/
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Africa
NSA Ribadu Reveals Major Cause Of Terrorism In Nigeria
June 17, 2026
By Justina Otio
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has disclosed that porous borders are a major factor fueling terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking and irregular migration in Nigeria.
Naija News reports that Ribadu made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the 15th National Security Seminar.
The NSA was represented by the Director of Policy and Strategy at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Amb. Yazid Gbemudu, at the seminar with the theme, ‘Strengthening Nigeria’s Border Security Architecture for National Stability’.
He asserted that Nigeria’s territorial integrity and national stability remained closely linked to the effectiveness of its border security architecture.
According to him, while Nigeria’s extensive land and maritime borders provide opportunities for trade, regional integration and socio-economic development, they also expose the country to a range of transnational security threats.
“These borders facilitate trade, regional integration and socio-economic development, but they also expose the country to threats such as terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking, irregular migration and other forms of transnational organised crime.
“These challenges underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to border management. Weak border governance creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by criminal and terrorist networks, thereby undermining national security and development efforts,” he said.
Ribadu said the National Border Management Strategy remained a major pillar of Nigeria’s contemporary border security framework, promoting an integrated approach to border management.
He said the strategy was designed to enhance intelligence collaboration, strengthen border infrastructure, improve surveillance capabilities and modernise border management processes.
According to him, the deployment of Border Management Information Systems and other technological solutions at key entry and exit points has improved data collection, traveller screening and migration monitoring.
The NSA called for the full implementation of an integrated border management system to improve coordination among security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
He said that effective intelligence sharing, joint operations, and harmonised border procedures were essential to addressing contemporary security threats.
Ribadu also advocated increased investment in technology-driven border security solutions, including biometric identification systems, advanced surveillance technologies and data-driven security frameworks.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/17/nsa-ribadu-major-cause-terrorism-nigeria/
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FG Secures 150 Convictions In Fresh Terrorism Trials
June 17, 2026
The Federal Government has secured about 150 convictions in the first two days of the latest phase of its mass terrorism trials.
Naija News reports that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), disclosed this on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the trials are being held simultaneously before 10 judges.
Fagbemi said the current phase of the exercise, which began on Monday, had recorded about 160 trials on the first day, resulting in roughly 150 convictions.
“Yesterday, we had about 160 trials. I think about 150 convictions,” Fagbemi said.
The minister added that proceedings on Tuesday brought about 300 cases before the courts, with another 84 cases expected to be concluded before the close of the day.
“Whatever we can do, or wherever we stop today, we’ll continue tomorrow and also on Thursday. So it’s still ongoing,” he added.
Fagbemi appealed to Nigerians to be patient as the trials continued, saying the exercise underscored the government’s commitment to justice, accountability and the rule of law.
FG Warns Terrorists
On Monday, the AGF said the ongoing phase was the fourth round of mass terrorism trials conducted since the inception of the present administration.
He described the exercise as a clear warning that the government would not tolerate terrorism in any form.
“The message is clear, direct and straightforward. It is that the present administration is not taking the issue of terrorism with levity. And that is why you see ongoing trials.
“Since the inception of this administration, this is about the fourth phase that we are undertaking. So the message is that let everybody know that terrorism in whatever form or shape will not be tolerated,” Fagbemi said.
The prosecution is led by Fagbemi, while the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council, Aliyu Abubakar, heads the defence team.
Among the judges handling the cases are Justices Binta Nyako, Emeka Nwite, Musa Liman, James Omotosho, Obiora Egwuatu and Ekerete Akpan.
The proceedings are taking place across several courtrooms at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The current phase of the trials is expected to continue through Thursday, while the overall exercise is scheduled to last one week.
The latest phase followed a previous round held between April 7 and April 10, during which no fewer than 500 alleged terrorists were tried before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/17/fg-secures-150-convictions-terrorism-trials/
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Military Didn’t Write 1999 Constitution – Abdulsalami
June 17, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) has dismissed claims that Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution was written by the military.
Naija News reports that Abdulsalami said about 95 per cent of the document was lifted from the 1979 Constitution, which he said was drafted by civilian legal experts.
The claim comes amid renewed calls by prominent Nigerians for a new constitution, with critics insisting that the 1999 Constitution was imposed on the country by the military.
In Chapter 23 of his 264-page autobiography, Call of Duty, Abdulsalami said he set up a 25-member Constitution Debate Coordinating Committee after assuming office in June 1998.
The committee, chaired by Justice Niki Tobi, was mandated to coordinate national debate on the 1995 Draft Constitution, not to write a fresh one.
Abubakar wrote, “At the inauguration of the CDCC on 11 November 1998, I raised several contentious issues in the Draft 1995 Constitution and mandated them to come up with fresh ideas.
“I need to reemphasise here that their job was not to write a new constitution but to coordinate a debate on the draft. I have heard many critics say the Niki Tobi Committee was set up to write a new Constitution. That is absolutely false.”
Nigerians Preferred 1979 Constitution
Abubakar said the committee received 405 memoranda from ethnic, cultural and regional groups.
He said Nigerians at home and abroad overwhelmingly rejected the late Gen. Sani Abacha’s 1995 Draft Constitution and preferred the 1979 Constitution with amendments.
Quoting Justice Tobi’s report, Abdulsalami wrote, “In the light of the memoranda and the oral presentation on the 1995 Draft Constitution, it is clear that Nigerians basically opt for the 1979 Constitution with relevant amendments.
“Putting it in another language, the common denominator in the mouths of Nigerians the world over is the 1979 Constitution with relevant amendments.
“They want it, and they have copiously given their reasons for their choice in the different memoranda and oral presentations.
“So, we have recommended to the Provisional Ruling Council the adoption of the 1979 Constitution with relevant amendments from the Draft 1995 Constitution.”
The former Head of State said adopting the 1979 Constitution came as a relief because it offered a quick route out of political tension.
He wrote, “I must confess that this was a welcome relief to me. Adopting the Draft Constitution wholesale would definitely be opposed by the Afenifere/NADECO bloc, which never wanted to have anything to do with Abacha.
“There was the real danger that we could go into another phase of crisis over that. For someone who wanted to get the transition programme done with as quickly as possible, I was quite comfortable with the option of adopting the 1979 Constitution.
“In all honesty, the thoughts of the 1979 Constitution did not initially cross my mind at all. After Tobi’s presentation, I found it attractive. That Constitution was a well-debated document.”
‘Military Authorship Claim False’
Abubakar said the 1999 Constitution was rooted in the work of the Constitutional Drafting Committee set up in 1975 under Gen. Murtala Muhammed.
He wrote, “It is false to say the military wrote it. The 1979 Constitution and the Draft 1995 Constitution, both of which the 1999 Constitution borrowed from, were not written by the military, even if they were produced under military rule.
“They were written by some of the best brains the country had to offer. I need to put this on record because there are many Nigerians who are not aware of the history and keep repeating this distortion.”
Abubakar also dismissed criticism that the constitution lacked legitimacy because it was not subjected to a referendum. He said no Nigerian constitution, including the 1979 Constitution, had ever been put to a referendum.
“This argument is only applied to discredit the 1999 Constitution,” he wrote.
He said he signed Decree No. 24 of 1999 on May 5, 1999, to promulgate the Constitution, which took effect on May 29, 1999.
Abubakar added, “A Constitution is a living document. It is subject to amendments, alterations and updates.
“The U.S. Constitution has been amended 17 times in 200 years. Even the much-criticised 1999 Constitution has been amended five times. There is no perfect Constitution in the world.”
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/17/military-1999-constitution-abdulsalami/
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Troops Rescue 388 Kidnap Victims, Arrest 31 Terrorists – DHQ
June 17, 2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday said troops deployed across various theatres of operation rescued 388 kidnapped victims, arrested 31 terrorists and neutralised 10 others in coordinated military operations conducted nationwide within the last week.
Naija News reports that the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on the Armed Forces’ ongoing offensive against terrorists, kidnappers, oil thieves and other criminal elements.
Onoja said troops of Operation Fansan Yamma recorded significant successes against terrorists and criminal networks in Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states.
According to him, troops intercepted a vehicle conveying arms and ammunition concealed in a sack of millet along the Gusau-Shinkafi axis of Zamfara State on June 5.
“On 5 June 2026 at a snap checkpoint en route from Gusau to Shinkafi LGA of Zamfara State, troops intercepted a vehicle and recovered a locally fabricated 9mm pistol, 1,002 rounds of 7.62 mm by 39 mm ammunition, 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and 10 rounds of 9.4mm ammunition,” he said.
The military spokesman identified the suspect as Mallam Mustapha Abubakar, believed to be an arms dealer, adding that troops later arrested the intended recipient of the weapons in Shinkafi Local Government Area.
He further disclosed that troops neutralised terrorists during separate operations in Birnin Magaji and Maru Local Government Areas of Zamfara State, while motorcycles, communication gadgets, uniforms and other logistics items were recovered.
Troops Rescue 360 Abductees In Borno
In the North-East, Onoja said troops of Operation Hadin Kai intensified operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters through raids, patrols and clearance operations across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
He revealed that military operations in the Mandara Mountains led to the rescue of hundreds of civilians abducted by terrorists.
“The operational achievements peaked on 6 June 2026, when troops executed a highly sophisticated multi-axis raid across the Mandara Mountains in Gwoza LGA of Borno State.
“This daring manoeuvre induced widespread chaos within the terrorist networks, enabling ground troops to successfully rescue 360 civilians, predominantly women and children, who had been held since their abduction during an attack on the Ngoshe community on March 3, 2026,” Onoja stated.
He added that although two infants died due to the harsh terrain, the remaining 358 victims were evacuated to the hospital, treated and later handed over to the relevant authorities.
The military also rescued several women and children who escaped from terrorist enclaves following sustained bombardments of insurgent hideouts.
Informants, Collaborators Arrested
The Defence Headquarters said several suspected terrorist informants, collaborators and logistics suppliers were arrested across the North-East.
Among those arrested were suspected informants in Yobe and Adamawa states, as well as logistics suppliers caught with food items, communication equipment, drugs and other materials allegedly destined for terrorist groups.
Onoja also disclosed that a 20-year-old suspected terrorist, identified as Fannami Ali, surrendered to troops in Monguno, Borno State.
In the North-Central region, troops of Operations Savannah Shield, Enduring Peace and Whirl Stroke recorded several successes against kidnappers and criminal elements in Niger, Plateau, Benue, Kogi and Taraba states.
The military spokesman said troops rescued six kidnapped passengers along the Hawan Kibo-Rafin Sayin road in Plateau State after responding to reports of an attack.
He added that another two abducted passengers were rescued in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area after security operatives launched a search-and-rescue operation.
In Kogi State, troops rescued two kidnap victims, including a bar manager and a sales girl, after terrorists abandoned them while attempting to evade military interception.
Crackdown On Oil Theft, Kidnappers
Onoja said troops of Operation Delta Safe sustained operations against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in the Niger Delta.
According to him, illegal oil bunkering facilities, stolen petroleum products and illegal refining infrastructure were discovered and dismantled in Rivers, Delta, Edo and Akwa Ibom states.
He added that troops arrested five suspected kidnappers in Edo State who allegedly confessed to involvement in kidnapping activities over the past two years.
In the South-East, Onoja said troops of Operation Udoka, working alongside other security agencies, arrested suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network.
He disclosed that troops recovered large caches of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, a General Purpose Machine Gun, an RPG-7 launcher, hand grenades, magazines and hundreds of rounds of ammunition during raids in Enugu and Abia states.
“The coordinated exploitation of intelligence obtained from earlier arrested suspects significantly degraded the operational capacity of the proscribed group,” he said.
Onoja reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces to sustaining pressure on terrorists, kidnappers, oil thieves and other criminal elements across the country.
He said ongoing operations were aimed at dismantling criminal networks, disrupting logistics chains and restoring peace and security in affected communities.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/17/troops-rescue-388-kidnap-victims/
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I Regret Any Embarrassment To The Senate – Oshiomhole Clarifies Position On Akpoti-Uduaghan Suspension
June 17, 2026
By Justina Otio
The lawmaker representing Edo North in the Senate, Adams Oshiomhole, has clarified his comments regarding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Naija News reports that the lawmaker made the clarification in a statement on Tuesday.
He asserted that comments during an interview on AIT’s Politics Today programme on Monday were misrepresented, insisting that he never claimed any senator’s signature was forged.
The former Edo State governor said his position was consistent with that of the Senate spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no senator’s signature was forged because no lawmaker had complained to him about such.
He, however, explained that the only issue he raised was that a senator who served on the committee had claimed that attendance signatures of some lawmakers were attached to the final report.
Oshiomhole said, “The insinuation that I said signatures of Senators were forged is a complete misrepresentation of what I actually said.
“I agree absolutely with the spokesperson of the Senate, Distinguished Senator Yemi Adaramodu, that no signature of Senators was forged in Natasha Akpoti’s suspension. This is because no Senator complained to me that his or her signature was forged.
“The only comment I made is that one Senator, who is a member of the Committee, claimed’ that the signatures of attendance of some Senators were attached to the final report.”
The Edo North senator added that any suggestion that he accused anyone of forging signatures was “completely untrue” and should be disregarded.
Oshiomhole said the issue of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had been concluded, adding that the Senate had moved on.
“Finally, I regret if my comments may have caused embarrassment to any Senator or the 10th Senate as an institution,” he stated.
His clarification came hours after the Senate dismissed claims that the suspension process was manipulated, accusing Oshiomhole of attempting to reopen a settled matter.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/17/oshiomhole-position-akpoti-uduaghan-suspension/
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Insecurity: We Will Go To War If That’s What You Want – Peter Obi Declares
June 17, 2026
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has said his administration would engage individuals and groups willing to embrace peace, but would deploy state force against those who choose violence.
Naija News reports that Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, stated this during an interview on BlackBox with Rufai Oseni, where he spoke on his approach to national unity, security and reconciliation.
“In uniting the country, anybody who wants peace, I will talk with him; I will negotiate with him. Anybody who wants war, we will go to war,” Obi said.
The NDC candidate did not directly mention bandits in his remarks, but his comments come amid a broader national debate over the place of dialogue, rehabilitation and military action in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
Obi said the country must create room for dialogue with those who are ready to renounce wrongdoing and contribute meaningfully to national development.
According to him, nation-building requires a balance between justice, security, forgiveness and the willingness to reintegrate those who genuinely want to change.
He argued that societies make progress when they provide opportunities for redemption instead of permanently condemning people for past mistakes.
The former governor said any person willing to turn away from violence or criminality and become part of a productive society should be given a chance under a lawful and structured process.
‘We Must Tell Ourselves The Truth’
To illustrate his position, Obi recalled a visit to a university in the United States, where he said several members of the institution’s leadership had previously served prison terms before rebuilding their lives and careers.
He said, “I once visited a university in America where the entire faculty are people who came out of prison.
“From the dean to the registrar, professors spent years in prison for one offence or the other.
“So, if you say you want to change and be part of this new Nigeria we are talking about, we have reached a point where we have to tell ourselves the truth.”
Obi said Nigeria must be honest about the causes of disunity and insecurity if the country hopes to achieve lasting peace.
The NDC presidential candidate also linked security to national unity, insisting that every part of the country must feel represented in government and national development.
He said his vision for Nigeria would be anchored on fairness, inclusiveness, equal opportunities and justice for all citizens, irrespective of tribe, religion or region.
According to him, no ethnic group or section of the country should feel abandoned or marginalised under his administration.
“I will unite the country and ensure that nobody is left behind. No tribe is left behind; there would be inclusiveness. We will show love and care for everybody,” Obi said.
He maintained that a government that treats all citizens with fairness and dignity would be better positioned to rebuild trust and reduce the grievances that fuel division and instability.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/06/17/insecurity-war-peter-obi/
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Southeast Asia
Sultan Nazrin receives RM18.76m zakat contributions from Maybank, Tabung Haji, TNB and others
17 Jun 2026
IPOH, June 17 — Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah yesterday consented to receive RM18.76 million in business zakat (tithe) contributions from six corporate entities for Zakat Perak Al Ridzuan (Zapar) at Istana Kinta here.
In a statement, the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk) said the contributions was led by Empayar Indera Sdn Bhd, represented by its general manager Datuk Hasrin Abdul Rahman, amounting to RM200,000.
This was followed by Maybank Islamic Financial Group, represented by its president and group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Khairussaleh Ramli, contributing RM4.087 million.
Lembaga Tabung Haji, represented by its group managing director and chief executive officer Mustakim Mohamad, contributed RM6,497,476.64, while Public Islamic Bank Bhd, represented by its chief executive officer Syamsul Azuan Ahmad Fauzi, handed over RM300,000.
TNB, represented by its president and chief executive officer Datuk Ir Ts Shamsul Ahmad, contributed RM7.285 million, while YP Nominees Holdings Sdn Bhd, represented by its chief executive officer Rozita Ramli, contributed RM385,802.13.
Sultan Nazrin later presented the zakat contributions to MAIPk president Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini.
Earlier, the ceremony also saw the presentation of a letter of appointment to Perak Youth and Sports Department director Asmori Sa’ahari as a member of MAIPk.
MAIPk said the zakat contributions reflected the continued trust and commitment of zakat payers in strengthening the development of the ummah.
It said Zapar remained committed to managing and distributing zakat funds efficiently, transparently and accountably to ensure assistance reached eligible asnaf recipients.
“Between January and March 2026, a total of RM63,144,266.41 was distributed to asnaf groups in Perak through various assistance schemes.
“This achievement demonstrates that the trust placed by zakat payers continues to translate into tangible benefits for those in need,” it said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Anwar hails TV AlHijrah’s role in Islamic broadcasting as station turns 16
17 Jun 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that broadcasting grounded in values, knowledge and wisdom continues to hold a special place in society despite rapid changes and growing challenges in the media landscape.
In a Facebook post marking the 16th anniversary of TV AlHijrah today, he expressed hope that the milestone would spur the station to further progress as a platform for public enlightenment.
He said the anniversary should serve as a catalyst for TV AlHijrah to advance its role in promoting moderate Islamic understanding, nurturing human values and supporting the Malaysia MADANI vision.
TV AlHijrah began trial broadcasts on Nov 1, 2010, before officially going on air on Dec 7 of the same year, which was 1 Muharram 1432H. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Army corporal Norazmi laid to rest in Merbok with full military honours after Gurun grenade blast
17 Jun 2026
SUNGAI PETANI, June 17 — The remains of the army personnel who died in an explosion while undergoing training at Hobart Camp, Gurun were buried at Al Busyra Mosque Muslim Cemetery, Merbok near here at 5.25am today according to military ceremonies.
Earlier, the post-mortem on the remains of Corporal Norazmi Abu Bakar, 40, was completed at 2.30am at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar before being bathed and shrouded at the hospital.
The body was then taken back to their family home located in Kampung Tupah Lama, Merbok at 3.35am.
After that, the remains were taken to the Al Busyra Mosque, Merbok for prayers led by the Religious Staff Officer of the Sixth Malaysian Infantry Brigade, Major Mohd Sobri Che Hassan.
The funeral for the deceased was conducted according to military ceremonies in appreciation of his services and sacrifices in the national security forces.
The symbolic handover of the Flag was handed over by the Commanding Officer of the Sixth Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Wazir Syafiq Nodin to the Commander of the Sixth Brigade of the Malaysian Infantry, Brigadier General Mohd Fouzi Sulaiman before it was handed over to the deceased’s wife, Siti Fairus Mohamad Yussof, 38.
The deceased Norazmi left behind two children, Nurliana Danishah, 14, and Muhammad Rizhan Darwish, 8.
In the incident at about 10.57am yesterday, the deceased Norazmi from the Sixth Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment (RAMD) along with another member, Private Siti Khadijah Sungip, 24, from the First Squadron of the Royal Engineer Regiment (RAJD) were reported to have suffered injuries from the explosion.
Both members were rushed to the Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital (HSAH) for further treatment, however, both were confirmed dead on the way.
Both were said to be undergoing grenade throwing training in the Royal Engineer Regiment (RAJD) 2nd Malaysian Infantry Division Combat Enhancement Training which was carried out at Hobart Camp, Gurun. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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No more ‘green wave’?: PAS sounds the alarm over parties going after the 40pc youth vote
17 Jun 2026
KOTA BHARU, June 17 — PAS is concerned with the emergence of new political parties specifically designed to attract young voters ahead of the next general election, describing the trend as a significant strategic challenge.
PAS vice-president Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah noted that these new entities appear to have meticulously mapped out their target demographics, focusing on youth who remain unaligned with any existing political party, NST reported.
“What they say can easily influence the minds of young voters. This is one of the challenges for PAS. They seem to have identified areas where they believe they have support.
“They have assessed the political landscape and chosen their platforms accordingly,” he said during the Pengkalan Chepa PAS meeting, which was opened by Menteri Besar Datuk Mohd Nassuruddin Daud today.
Amar, who also serves as the Panchor assemblyman, pointed to a new party’s decision to hold an upcoming event in Kijang as a prime example of this targeted strategy.
“I am still puzzled as to why they chose Kijang, but perhaps they have their own assessment. I believe more new parties will emerge as the election draws nearer,” he said.
Despite his party’s strength, Amar admitted a lingering uncertainty regarding whether the landslide majority he secured in the 15th general election (GE15) would be repeated.
While he remains confident in PAS’s ability to retain its base, he warned that the modern electorate is increasingly volatile.
“I am confident, but we must ensure that these voters remain with PAS. I say this because political developments today are difficult to predict. Young voters make up about 40 per cent of the electorate, yet we cannot accurately read their thinking,” he said.
Amar observed a fundamental shift in how the youth perceive power, noting that they no longer view politics through traditional ideological lenses. In this new landscape, the personality and appeal of the candidate have become more influential than party dogma.
“The way young people approach politics is different. Their thinking is not the same as before and they do not necessarily make decisions based on ideology. Candidates are also important in influencing their choices.
“That is why we must engage with them in ways that resonate with them,” he said.
Source: malaymail.com
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Frameworks alone not enough, Anwar urges businesses and innovators to drive Asean‑Russia cooperation
17 Jun 2026
KAZAN, June 17 — Finalisation of the Asean-Russia Strategic Programme on Trade and Investment Cooperation 2026-2035 is a shot in the arm for the next leap in economic ties, but an enabling environment is key to turning them into reality, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
The programme, set to be adopted later this year, provides the roadmap for the next phase of economic relations between the 11-member bloc and Russia, focusing on trade and investment, emerging technologies, and climate resilience.
“But frameworks alone are not enough. Governments can create the enabling conditions; they can establish policies, remove barriers, and facilitate collaboration.
“Yet it is businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and innovators who will ultimately transform aspirations into outcomes,” the Prime Minister said during the Asean-Russia Business Forum.
The forum was attended by more than 400 corporate and business leaders from Russia and Asean member states.
Anwar said forums like the one held today are crucial for building connections, partnerships, and ideas that enable cooperation to move beyond rhetoric and deliver tangible results.
He emphasised that Asean remains firmly committed to a rules-based international trading system, and that it continues to believe that economic progress is best advanced through cooperation rather than confrontation, and through engagement rather than exclusion.
The Prime Minister also urged Asean and Russia to guard against allowing these concerns to erode openness and connectivity.
“Economic resilience should complement international cooperation, not replace it,” he said.
Anwar stressed that the multilateral trading system remains an indispensable pillar of global prosperity.
“Yet it must continue to evolve in response to contemporary realities while preserving its fundamental purpose: providing stability, predictability, and opportunity for all nations, regardless of size,” he said.
In this regard, he said, Asean and Russia can contribute meaningfully by strengthening practical cooperation based on mutual respect, openness, and shared interests.
“By building stronger links between our businesses, institutions, and our people, we can help foster a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous global economy.
“The past 35 years have provided a strong foundation for Asean-Russia relations. The task before us now is to ensure that this relationship remains relevant to the realities of a changing world,” he said.
He added that Asean and Russia must strengthen connectivity, deepen economic cooperation, and seize opportunities emerging from technological transformation and economic change.
“Let us transform goodwill into partnerships, partnerships into projects, and projects into tangible benefits for our people.
“If we succeed, the next chapter of Asean-Russia relations will be defined not merely by stronger economic ties, but by a shared contribution to stability, resilience, and prosperity across our regions,” he said.
Anwar is in Kazan, the capital and largest city of Tatarstan, Russia, to attend the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit from June 17-18.
During the two-day working visit, the Prime Minister is also expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Here comes the boom: Malaysia inks deal for France’s Caesar mobile artillery and local tech transfer
17 Jun 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 — Malaysia has significantly upgraded its land-based firepower, securing 18 Caesar artillery systems in a deal announced yesterday at the Eurosatory 2026 international defence and security exhibition.
The acquisition signals a strategic shift in the Ministry of Defence’s commitment to modernising the Malaysian Armed Forces.
Representatives from KNDS and local industrial partner Advanced Defense System (ADS Sdn Bhd) inked the deal on Tuesday. Beyond the hardware, the contract includes a critical licence for technology transfer, enabling the assembly of these systems directly within Malaysia.
With this move, Malaysia becomes the 15th nation to adopt the Caesar, a global benchmark in wheeled artillery proven in high-intensity combat.
With 800 units already deployed worldwide, the system is prized for its mobility, rate of fire, and precision. It can discharge six rounds in under one minute at a range of 40 km and relocate in less than two and a half minutes, providing a decisive tactical advantage on the battlefield.
In 2018, KNDS and Malaysian authorities reached a similar milestone with the local assembly of 105LG lightweight towed artillery guns. That programme demonstrated KNDS’s ability to support sovereign capabilities, ensuring that the 105LG’s high mobility and rapid repositioning capabilities provide discretion and survivability in complex operational environments.
The current order of 18 Caesar systems in a regimental configuration directly bolsters the operational edge of the Malaysian Army.
By prioritising know-how transfer and advanced industrial localisation through ADS, the contract aligns with the Malaysian National Defence Industry Policy (NDIP), which seeks to build an autonomous, sustainable, and resilient national defence ecosystem.
“We are particularly proud to support the Malaysian Army through the delivery of world-class artillery systems that meet the highest operational standards,” said Nicolas Groult, chief executive officer of KNDS France.
“This new milestone in KNDS’s history in Malaysia reflects our determination to support our partners over the long term in developing their defence capabilities and to meet their expectations in terms of industrial localisation.”
Source: malaymail.com
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Energy sector in focus as Anwar says Tatarstan’s oil strength offers Malaysia downstream and petrochemical opportunities
17 Jun 2026
KAZAN, June 17 — Malaysia and the Republic of Tatarstan have vast potential to expand cooperation in various fields, including trade, investment, education, tourism, the halal industry, technology and talent development, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said the matter was discussed during a bilateral meeting with the Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, shortly after his arrival here on Tuesday.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said the energy sector was among the key areas of discussion, given that Tatarstan is one of the major oil-producing regions in Russia.
“Upon arriving in Kazan, I met with my friend and the Rais, or Head, of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, to exchange views on bilateral relations and cooperation opportunities that could be explored for the benefit of both sides.
“We see broad opportunities for cooperation in the oil and gas industry, including downstream activities, refining and petrochemicals,” he said in a Facebook post.
Anwar said he and Minnikhanov also discussed the role of the Kazan Forum in strengthening business ties while creating new opportunities in innovation, the digital economy and strategic investments.
“May this meeting further strengthen relations between Malaysia and Tatarstan and open up more opportunities for cooperation that bring tangible benefits to the people and economies of both sides,” he said.
Anwar also congratulated Kazan on its recognition as the Islamic World Cultural Capital 2026 by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, reflecting the city’s role as a centre of Islamic scholarship, culture and innovation.
He also expressed appreciation for the vision of President Vladimir Putin in establishing the Strategic Vision Group, which serves as an important bridge between Russia and the Islamic world in strengthening dialogue and meaningful cooperation.
Anwar arrived in Kazan for a two-day working visit to the capital and largest city of Tatarstan, Russia, to attend the Asean-Russia Commemorative Summit, which begins today and runs for two days.
The special aircraft carrying Anwar landed at Kazan International Airport at 10.20pm local time (3.20am Malaysian time on Wednesday).
He was accompanied by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, as well as officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry.
The Asean-Russia Summit is the highest-level engagement platform between Asean and Russia, reflecting a relationship that has grown significantly since dialogue relations were established in 1991.
Russia became a full Asean Dialogue Partner in 1996, and the relationship was elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2018, underscoring both sides’ commitment to expanding cooperation in political and security, economic, and socio-cultural fields.
Located at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka rivers in the European part of Russia, about 800 kilometres east of Moscow, Kazan has a population of around 1.3 million and is often referred to as Russia’s “third capital” after Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
The city has a history spanning more than 1,000 years and is widely recognised as one of the country’s most important centres of Islamic culture and heritage. — Bernama
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South Asia
Holy Ashura on June 26 Muharram moon sighted
17 June 2026
Holy Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), will be observed in the country on June 26 as the Muharram moon was sighted in Bangladesh sky yesterday.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held at the conference room of Islamic Foundation’s Baitul Mukarram office with Additional Religious Affairs Secretary Md Fazlur Rahman in the chair, according to a press release.
Holy Ashura is observed on 10th of Muharram in the Hijri year commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), grandson of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
On this day in the Hijri year of 61, Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) along with his family members and 72 followers embraced the martyrdom in the hands of soldiers of Yazid at the desert of Karbala to uphold the teachings of the Prophet (SM).
Source: thedailystar.net
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Mirza Fakhrul urges unity to protect press freedom
16 June 2026
LGRD Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today called on those who fought for democracy and press freedom to remain united, saying the government is committed to protecting media independence.
"Freedom has been achieved through a long struggle. A space has now been created to ensure freedom of the press. The present government is working to protect this freedom," Fakhrul said while addressing a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) jointly organised the event to mark "Black Day for Newspapers".
"From the experience of my long political life, I have realised that Awami League and democracy never go together," Fakhrul said.
The minister warned that "different groups" were attempting to undermine law and order through false propaganda on social media, urging collective resistance against these efforts.
He stated that the BNP does not support division based on religion, caste or identity, affirming the party's commitment to equal rights for all citizens.
Fakhrul claimed that journalist repression and torture reached their lowest levels under BNP administrations, though he acknowledged that newspaper owners continue to unfairly oppress journalists despite the government's commitment to press freedom.
Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon attended as special guest. BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury presented the keynote, while DUJ President Shahidul Islam chaired the discussion.
Other speakers included Journalist Welfare Trust Managing Director Bashir Jamal, Jatiya Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, and editors from some major outlets.
Source: thedailystar.net
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Newly Appointed UN Deputy Special Representative Begins Mission in Afghanistan
By Fidel Rahmati
June 16, 2026
Bruno Lemarquis on Tuesday officially assumed his duties as the United Nations’ deputy special representative, resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator for Afghanistan, as the country continues to face severe humanitarian and development challenges.
The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Lemarquis began his mission in Kabul on June 16 and will oversee the coordination of all UN agencies, funds and programmes operating in Afghanistan. He will also lead UNAMA’s development activities in the country.
Lemarquis brings decades of UN experience to the role. Most recently, he served as deputy special representative of the UN Secretary-General, resident coordinator and humanitarian coordinator in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He previously held senior positions in Haiti and at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), focusing on crisis response and recovery.
His appointment comes at a time when Afghanistan remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian emergencies. Millions of Afghans rely on humanitarian assistance, while aid agencies have repeatedly warned of growing food insecurity, malnutrition and funding shortages affecting vulnerable communities across the country.
The country also continues to face major development challenges, including high unemployment, widespread poverty and limited economic opportunities. Humanitarian organizations say the prolonged economic downturn has left many families struggling to meet basic needs.
Restrictions on women and girls remain a key concern for the international community. Limits on education, employment and public participation have significantly affected women’s rights and have also complicated the delivery of humanitarian and development programmes in parts of the country.
The United Nations has repeatedly stressed that access to education for girls and greater participation of women in public life are essential for Afghanistan’s long-term stability, economic recovery and sustainable development.
Before joining the United Nations in 1992, Lemarquis worked with an international non-governmental organization in Haiti and Ethiopia. He holds a degree in tropical agriculture engineering from France and speaks both French and English.
UNAMA’s leadership transition comes as the UN continues efforts to coordinate international assistance and support millions of Afghans affected by economic hardship, humanitarian needs and ongoing social restrictions.
Source: khaama.com
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UNICEF Warns of $542 Million Funding Gap for Afghanistan Aid Response
By Fidel Rahmati
June 17, 202
UNICEF has warned that its humanitarian response in Afghanistan faces a funding shortfall of more than $542 million, threatening assistance for millions of people amid one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
The agency said it requires $949 million for its 2026 operations in Afghanistan but has received only 43% of the requested funding so far. UNICEF stressed that continued international support is essential to prevent further deterioration of living conditions across the country.
Afghanistan continues to face a severe humanitarian emergency driven by economic hardship, climate-related disasters, weak public services and restrictions affecting women and girls. Nearly 22 million people, including 11.6 million children, are expected to need humanitarian assistance this year.
UNICEF said food insecurity remains widespread, with an estimated 17.4 million people facing acute food shortages. The agency also warned that millions of children are at risk of malnutrition, while funding shortages are placing additional pressure on the country’s fragile health system.
The crisis has been compounded by the return of more than five million Afghan migrants from neighbouring countries since late 2023, increasing pressure on already strained communities and public services.
UNICEF added that women and children remain among the most vulnerable groups, facing growing challenges in accessing healthcare, education and other essential services. The agency called for increased donor support to sustain life-saving programmes and protect vulnerable families across Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
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IEA Diplomat Attends International Religious Leaders Conference in Malaysia
June 17, 2026
KABUL: Naqibullah Ahmadi, the Head of Afghanistan’s Embassy to Malaysia, participated in the Third International Conference of Religious Leaders 2026, which brought together religious scholars, international representatives, and faith leaders from various countries.
The conference was attended by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, prominent religious leaders, scholars, and international delegates, RTA reported on Tuesday.
The event focused on promoting religious harmony, peaceful coexistence, social understanding, youth empowerment, and the constructive role of religious leaders in addressing contemporary challenges.
Participants exchanged views on strengthening cooperation among faith communities and fostering mutual respect and dialogue.
The conference highlighted the importance of religious leadership in promoting unity, tolerance, and social development at both national and international levels.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Muttaqi Calls for Regional Cooperation, Research on Economic Opportunities
June 17, 2026
KABUL: The country’s Foreign Minister Mawlavi Amir Khan Muttaqi emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation among strategic studies centers, describing research and dialogue as essential tools for addressing regional challenges and expanding economic opportunities.
Speaking at a joint forum of research and strategic studies centers from Afghanistan and Central Asian countries in Kabul, Muttaqi said the gathering was organized to enhance coordination, solve common problems, and promote cooperation among research institutions from Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Azerbaijan, according to a statement from the ministry on Tuesday.
He noted that the region faces a range of security, climate, and environmental challenges that require joint efforts and practical solutions.
The foreign minister also highlighted economic and transit opportunities as key areas that deserve greater academic and policy research, stressing that strategic studies centers can play a significant role in identifying pathways for regional development and connectivity.
Muttaqi described the meeting as an important platform for strengthening relations, promoting mutual understanding, advancing diplomatic cooperation, and exploring economic opportunities among participating countries.
During his remarks, he also welcomed the reported agreement between the United States and Iran, describing reduced tensions and dialogue as a positive development for regional stability.
He expressed hope that the agreement would be implemented effectively and contribute to lasting peace and cooperation.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Disaster Management Authority, IFRC Discuss Early Warning Systems
June 17, 2026
KABUL: The General Director of the National Disaster Management Authority, Haji Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, in a meeting with a delegation from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), discussed disaster prevention initiatives, emergency preparedness, and enhanced cooperation in disaster management.
Turabi outlined the authority’s work across five key areas: prevention, preparedness, response, mitigation, and reconstruction, the authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
He emphasized that preventive measures remain the authority’s primary focus because they are among the most cost-effective and efficient approaches to disaster risk management.
According to Turabi, nearly 300 preventive projects are currently being implemented across Afghanistan.
He highlighted the existence of search-and-rescue teams and a nationwide network of volunteers who assist in responding to emergencies, and noted that disaster management teams and officials in provinces remain on standby to provide rapid assistance whenever natural disasters occur.
Turabi further stated that all necessary facilities and cooperation have been provided to humanitarian organizations operating in the country and called on donors and international partners to continue supporting disaster management efforts without political considerations, stressing the humanitarian nature of the authority’s work.
Representatives of the IFRC welcomed the ongoing cooperation and said they are exploring ways to work jointly with the Disaster Preparedness Authority, the Afghan Red Crescent Society, the Meteorological Department, and the Ministry of Water and Energy to strengthen preventive activities and improve early warning systems.
They pledged to share the authority’s proposals with senior IFRC officials and continue efforts to expand bilateral cooperation.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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