Uttarakhand Hindu Man Deepak Kumar Who Shielded Muslim Trader Becomes Social Media Star: 'I Will Not Bow Down To Hatred'
New Age Islam News Bureau
03 February2026
Uttarakhand man who shielded Muslim trader becomes social media star: ‘I will not bow down to hatred’
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· Uttarakhand Hindu man Deepak Kumar who shielded Muslim trader becomes social media star: ‘I will not bow down to hatred’
· Some 4,397 Israeli settlers stormed Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque in January, says Palestinian Authority
· Saudi project clears 2,108 explosive devices in Yemen
· UK Police Review Misconduct Claims After Files Suggest Mandelson Shared State Secrets with Jeffrey Epstein
· Clintons agree to testify on Epstein as vote looms to hold them in contempt of Congress
· Nigerian army announces death of Boko Haram commander Abu Khalid
· President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto invites Islamic groups to discuss Gaza peace board membership
· U.S. Citizens, Rights Groups Sue Over Trump Visa Suspension Affecting 75 Countries
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India
· J&K Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim rejects MLA Sajad Lone’s amendments on Article 370, statehood
· Two British nationals told to leave India for pasting 'Free Palestine' posters in Rajasthan's Pushkar
· Ban entry of non-Hindus at UP temples, says VHP
· Supreme Court refers anti-conversion laws challenge to three-judge bench
· Harassment of Kashmiri Muslims’ sparks furore in J&K Assembly, BJP pushes separate NLU for Jammu
· Maintain status quo on waqf properties on elevated corridor route, says Telangana HC
· Muslim League has rightful claim to Kerala Dy CM’s post, says party leader
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Mideast
· Halt to MSF work will be ‘catastrophic’ for people of Gaza: MSF chief
· What the government takeover of Syria’s largest oil field means for energy security
· Qatar calls for free entry of aid to Gaza with Rafah reopening
· Iran envoy: Saudi Arabia a pivotal partner, relations ‘fortified’
· Jordanian king, French military chief discuss regional developments
· Palestinian president Abbas calls first-ever PLO parliament elections
· Syria begins rehabilitating Deir Ezzor airport after years of closure
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Arab World
· Expo 2030 Riyadh signs strategic partnership with Saudi Media Forum
· ‘Cake not hate’ campaign becomes ‘Dates not hate’ in Madinah
· ALIPH to open first regional HQ in Riyadh
· Jeddah to host Arabic language, literature forum
· Deputy minister receives Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
· Nazaha makes sweeping arrests for fraud cases worth more than $2.6m
· Saudi FM congratulates new Kuwaiti counterpart
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Europe
· Peace with Russia? Not until the EU changes its political class
· Azerbaijani leader meets chief of Muslim Council of Elders in Abu Dhabi
· Regulating Islamic education can strengthen trust and authority, if religious scholars lead the way
· Silverstone to host first Open Iftar during Ramadan
· Everyone’s welcome at Blackburn’s newest mosque
· Islamic Centre of England contacted by regulator over items sold on its premises
· German cities grind to halt amid massive strike
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North America
· Staten Island Muslim community hosts first Islamic Peace Academy
· After months of acrimony, Colombia's Petro is about to meet Trump
· CAIR-Georgia Welcomes News of Judge Stacey Hydrick’s Retirement
· CAIR, CAIR-FL Welcome Court Order Requiring Laura Loomer to Complete Settlement Payments to CAIR
· Historic Legislative Muslim Caucus to Officially Launch at 2026 Maryland Muslim Lobby Day
· Texas governor, lieutenant governor ramp up attacks on state’s Muslim community
· Texas loss delivers stark warning to Republicans in critical election year
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Africa
· Sharia Court hands life sentence to Bauchi man who buried two victims
· Panic In Aba As Suspected Bomb Is Unearthed Inside Church Compound
· China: Ex-Justice Minister Bags Life Imprisonment Over $20 Million Bribery Scandal
· Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Usman Kusfa ‘Rigi-Rigi’, dies at 57
· Malami Asks Court To Vacate Forfeiture Order On Three Properties
· Buhari’s Ex-Chief Of Staff Speaks On ‘Jubril Of Sudan’ Controversy
· Strike: Police Reacts To Planned NLC Protest In Abuja
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Southeast Asia
· Religious tolerance and worship place safety vital for harmony, says Zahid
· receives briefing on Islamic affairs and ummah development
· ‘Nothing controversial’: Anthony Loke defends study on KL mayoral elections
· DPM Fadillah: National halal policy enters final phase, expected to be ready by May
· Estate of Sultan Zainal Abidin III: Lawyers seek heirs to pursue Terengganu land claim
· Travelling to Penang in February? What the CNY and Ramadan convergence means for hotel bookings
· Sabah chief minister: New state religious school in Tawau will have AI concept
· Indonesia allocates $765 million stimulus for Ramadan, Eid
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South Asia
· Doha, Kabul Cooperation Targets Roads, Bridges, and Urban Development
· Afghanistan, Iran to Accelerate Joint Border Demarcation Efforts
· SCO Members Support Resumption of Afghanistan’s Observer Role, Official
· Aid Distribution for Returnees Begins in Herat Under Emir’s Directive
· Kunduz Hosts Coordination Meeting with Media Representatives
· Development Projects Must Be Need-Based to Ensure Proper Use of Funds, Minister
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Uttarakhand Hindu man Deepak Kumar who shielded Muslim trader becomes social media star: ‘I will not bow down to hatred’
Feb 3, 2026
Uttarakhand man who shielded Muslim trader becomes social media star: ‘I will not bow down to hatred’
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DEHRADUN: Deepak Kumar, who introduced himself as ‘Mohammed Deepak' in a widely shared video showing him confronting Bajrang Dal members harassing an elderly Muslim shopkeeper in Kotdwar for using ‘Baba' in his shop's name on Republic Day, said he is unafraid of the consequences of stepping in—and would do so again "whenever needed."
In the week since the incident, Kumar has seen a sharp surge in online visibility. He had about 1,500 followers on Facebook before Jan 26; by Monday, the number had risen to over 4.3 lakh. On Instagram, his follower count jumped from around 1,000 a week ago to over 5 lakh by Monday evening.
Speaking to TOI on Monday, days after an FIR was lodged against him and his friend Vijay Rawat on charges of assault and intimidation, Kumar said the real disruption came not from Kotdwar's residents but from "outsiders" who descended on the town on Jan 31, gathered outside his gym, and shouted communal slogans at his family in full view of police.
The Jan 26 confrontation, which unfolded in a local market, had appeared to end with Kumar's intervention. The video, showing him standing between a group of Bajrang Dal workers and a distressed shopkeeper, soon became a talking point across social media platforms. By the following week, however, the issue had escalated. On Jan 31, a group of 30 to 40 Bajrang Dal members travelled from Dehradun and Rishikesh to Kotdwar, staging a demonstration outside Kumar's home and workplace, raising slogans and filming videos.
View this post on Instagram
"After what happened on Jan 26, a large number of Bajrang Dal members gathered near my gymnasium and house while aggressively raising slogans against me," Kumar said. "But I didn't bow down before them. I will not bow down to hatred and will stand for humanity again, whenever needed. I am carrying out my business as usual, but I am still a little concerned for the safety of my family." He added, "People of Kotdwar have lived peacefully. The trouble didn't begin here. It was brought in from outside."
Later that night, police registered three FIRs. One was against Kumar and Rawat, booked under BNS sections 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), 352 (intentional insult likely to provoke breach of peace), and 191(1) (unlawful assembly), based on a complaint by Bajrang Dal member Kamal Pal, who alleged that the duo had assaulted members of the group on Jan 26 during what he described as a public outreach event.
Kumar, who lives with his wife, mother, and four-year-old daughter, said he viewed the case as retaliation. "This is punishment for standing up for humanity," he said. "People supporting the right-wing group have run social media campaigns targeting me, but at the same time many others have shown support. That itself is proof that there are still people in this country who want peace."
Rawat, who also appears in the video, said they had filed a formal complaint after the Jan 31 protest, naming some of the Bajrang Dal members involved and listing the vehicle numbers they arrived in. "But no action was taken on it," he said. "Instead, police registered a case against 30–40 unidentified members. We are not scared because we did nothing wrong. We have always respected all religions but have considered humanity the greatest religion since childhood."
A senior Kotdwar police officer said Kumar's complaint had been included in the investigation, and that a separate FIR was not registered "since a case for the same offence already exists." The officer added that no arrests had been made and efforts were underway to identify the 40 individuals mentioned.
Two more FIRs were registered in connection with the events. One, on the basis of a complaint by the shop owner, named two Bajrang Dal workers — Gaurav Kashyap and Shakti Singh Gusain — and two unnamed persons. The other, filed by police suo motu, charged around 40 individuals under BNS sections including 121(2) (voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant), 126(2) (wrongful restraint), 191(2) (rioting), and 196(2) (promoting enmity between religious groups), for blocking NH-534 and shouting communally charged slogans outside Kumar's gym.
National political leaders have also weighed in. Congress MP and leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi expressed support on social media, calling Kumar a "lion" in a post urging him not to be afraid. AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi praised Kumar's actions during a public rally, describing his intervention as an act of courage in the face of intimidation.
Bajrang Dal state convenor, Vikas Verma, meanwhile, questioned the attention Kumar has received following his confrontation with members of the organisation. "His sudden social media stardom maked it absolutely clear who all are supporting him. It is the liberals, communists, terrorists and all those who don't want Sanatan to exist in India," Verma told TOI. "But we will soon break this anti-Sanatan strategy and hold a door-to-door campaign in Kotdwar to show the faces of all the anti-national elements who supported him against Bajrang Dal, which always stands for the country."
Verma also claimed that the support Kumar has received is part of a larger political design. "This is a polarisation attempt before the 2027 assembly elections in Uttarakhand," he said. "But we will not allow those anti-nationals to succeed."
Source: indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/i-will-not-bow-down-to-hatred-kotdwar-man-who-shielded-muslim-trader-becomes-social-media-star/articleshowprint/127868375.cms
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Some 4,397 Israeli settlers stormed Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque in January, says Palestinian Authority
February 02, 2026
A Jewish man prays near an empty Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, June 23, 2025. (AFP)
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LONDON: The Palestinian Authority has reported that 4,397 settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem in January.
The Jerusalem Governorate said that the figure indicated a significant escalation by Israeli settlers in their attempts to establish a new status quo while undermining the historic and legal status of the sacred site.
Settlers were sometimes accompanied by Israeli government officials, including the far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. In addition, 7,868 other individuals were permitted by Israeli authorities to enter the site in the “tourism” category, according to the WAFA News Agency.
The governorate reported that settlers had distributed Jewish prayer leaflets during tours, performed dances, and conducted the “epic prostration” ritual.
Israel’s Knesset has also sought to limit Muslim worshippers’ access to Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
The governorate said: “These actions constitute a direct violation of the historical and legal status quo and represent an overt attempt to impose Israeli sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque.”
The governorate also recorded in January 86 demolitions and leveling of homes and structures in Jerusalem belonging to Palestinians. The number includes five forced demolitions and 79 carried out by Israeli machinery, in addition to two land-leveling operations targeting agricultural lands.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631512/middle-east
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Saudi project clears 2,108 explosive devices in Yemen
February 02, 2026
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada. (SPA)
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RIYADH: Members of Saudi Arabia’s Project Masam removed 2,108 explosive devices from various regions of Yemen last week.
The total included 2,000 unexploded ordnances, 75 anti-tank mines, 31 anti-personnel mines and two improvised explosive devices, according to a recent report.
The explosives were planted indiscriminately and posed a threat to civilians, including children, women and the elderly.
The demining operations took place in Marib, Aden, Jouf, Shabwa, Taiz, Hodeidah, Lahij, Sanaa, Al-Bayda, Al-Dhale and Saada.
Ousama Al-Gosaibi, Project Masam’s managing director, said the initiative had cleared a total of 534,813 mines since it began in 2018.
Teams are tasked with clearing villages, roads and schools to facilitate the safe movement of civilians and delivery of humanitarian aid.
The project trains local demining engineers, provides them with modern equipment, and offers support to Yemenis injured by the devices.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631528/saudi-arabia
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UK Police Review Misconduct Claims After Files Suggest Mandelson Shared State Secrets With Jeffrey Epstein
03 Feb 2026
Becky Morton
Lord Mandelson was inducted into the House of Lords in 2008, while serving as a Labour minister
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Police are reviewing reports of alleged misconduct in a public office after Lord Mandelson was accused of passing on sensitive government information to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
It comes after the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Reform UK said they had reported the peer to police, while the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and some Labour MPs have also called for the police to investigate.
Email exchanges released by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) appear to show Lord Mandelson forwarded on information to the disgraced financier when he was business secretary under Gordon Brown in 2009.
Lord Mandelson has not responded to requests for comment about the allegations.
Metropolitan Police commander Ella Marriott said: "We are aware of the further release of millions of court documents in relation to Jeffrey Epstein by the United States Department of Justice.
"Following this release and subsequent media reporting, the Met has received a number of reports relating to alleged misconduct in a public office. The reports will all be reviewed to determine if they meet the criminal threshold for investigation.
"As with any matter, if new and relevant information is brought to our attention we will assess it, and investigate as appropriate."
A government spokesperson said: "It is rightly for the police to determine whether to investigate and the government stands ready to provide whatever support and assistance the police need."
Earlier, Downing Street said Sir Keir Starmer believes Lord Mandelson should not be a member of the House of Lords or use his title.
However, the prime minister's official spokesman said he did not have the power to directly remove the peer's title.
Under current arrangements, a new law would be required to remove a peerage.
The government has launched an urgent investigation into Lord Mandelson's contact with Epstein while he was a government minister.
The peer has been on a leave of absence from the House of Lords since taking up the role of US ambassador in December 2024.
He was sacked from the position last September when further details about his relationship with the disgraced financier were made public.
On Sunday, Lord Mandelson also resigned his Labour membership after four decades as a key figure in the party.
It followed the release of more documents by the US DoJ on Friday, which detailed the extent of his contact with Epstein.
Other emails in the tranche of documents appear to suggest:
Lord Mandelson advised Epstein in 2009 that the boss of the JP Morgan bank should "mildly threaten" the UK chancellor over a planned tax on bankers' bonuses
He gave advance notice to Epstein of a €500bn bailout from the EU to save the Euro
Epstein made $75,000 (£55,000) in payments to Lord Mandelson in three separate $25,000 transactions in 2003 and 2004
Epstein sent £10,000 to Lord Mandelson's partner Reinaldo Avila da Silva in 2009.
The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said the revelations were "shocking" and must be fully investigated by the UK government and all appropriate authorities.
In a statement, Brown said he had asked the cabinet secretary to investigate the disclosure of confidential and market sensitive information from the business department during the financial crisis.
The former prime minister said he had already asked the cabinet secretary to investigate information in the Epstein files about communications between Lord Mandelson and Epstein on asset sales in September last year.
Brown said no record could be found of such communications and he was now asking for "a wider and more extensive enquiry" on the disclosure of government papers.
Giving a statement to MPs in the House of Commons earlier, Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said: "The undeclared exchange of funds, the passing on of government information, let alone the facts that those exchanges were to a convicted paedophile, are wholly unconscionable."
He said the government would work with the House of Lords to modernise disciplinary procedures to allow for the removal of peers who had brought the chamber into disrepute.
Jones argued it was better to update procedures so they applied to all peers, rather than introducing complex pieces of legislation for each individual.
Conservative shadow Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart said the government "cannot hide from its responsibility in having made Mandelson its ambassador in the first place", when his relationship with Epstein was known.
A handful of Labour MPs have criticised the government's handling of the row, according to private messages seen by BBC News.
Outlining the government's position in a WhatsApp group for Labour MPs, a Number 10 official said: "It's right that Peter Mandelson has resigned from the Labour party and had he not done so, the party was actively looking at what action could be taken."
One Labour MP replied: "That line on Peter Mandelson is no way strong enough."
Another said: "Agree. Surely had he not resigned the party would have suspended him pending expulsion given the seriousness of conduct."
Emails released in the files indicate that Lord Mandelson - who was then business secretary - discussed the government's plans for a one-off tax on bankers' bonuses with Epstein.
In an email eight days after the plans were announced by then-chancellor Alistair Darling in December 2009, Epstein asked Lord Mandelson whether Jamie Dimon, the boss of JP Morgan, should call Darling.
Lord Mandelson appears to reply and say "Yes and mildly threaten", before Epstein then asks if it "make more sense to offer more for the small business fund in exchange for a reduction in tax".
Other emails suggest that Lord Mandelson forwarded internal government information to Jeffrey Epstein when he was Brown's business secretary and de facto deputy prime minister.
In June 2009, Brown's policy adviser Nick Butler wrote an email to the prime minister about the UK's struggling economy, in which he advocated "releasing value from the very substantial asset base which the government holds" and suggested the government came up with an "asset sales plan".
Butler copied in several people, including Peter Mandelson, and newly released emails indicate that Mandelson then forwarded that email on to Epstein, with the message: "Interesting note that's gone to the PM".
Epstein then replied asking: "what salable [sic] assets?"
Butler told the BBC he was "shocked" by the revelations and Lord Mandelson "should be ashamed of what he's done".
He called for a full investigation, adding that in the period after the financial crisis there was a lot of information "that people like Epstein could have traded on".
A further internal government email, which Mandelson was copied into, was also forwarded to Epstein in August 2009, but it is not clear who forwarded that email to the disgraced financier.
In the August 2009 email, then-government Business Minister Shriti Vadera discussed how to improve financial markets in the wake of the crash and suggested providing funds to struggling companies in exchange for a share of ownership.
In a statement announcing that he was resigning his Labour membership on Sunday, Lord Mandelson said he believed allegations that Epstein made financial payments to him 20 years ago were false.
He has also reiterated his regret that he continued his association with Epstein after his conviction, apologising "unequivocally to the women and girls who suffered".
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgm4rkn7x7po
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Clintons agree to testify on Epstein as vote looms to hold them in contempt of Congress
Sakshi Venkatraman
Feb. 03, 2026
Watch: Why is no one being prosecuted over the Epstein files?
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Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State, have agreed to testify in the congressional investigation into late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
It comes days before a vote on whether to hold the couple in criminal contempt for refusing to appear before the House Oversight Committee after a months-long standoff.
Bill Clinton was acquainted with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019, but has denied knowledge of his sex offending and says he cut off contact two decades ago.
It's unclear when the depositions will take place, but it will be the first time a former US president has testified to a congressional panel since Gerald Ford did so in 1983.
The House Oversight Committee, led by Republicans, approved the measure to hold the Clintons in contempt late last month, with the support of several Democrats.
On Monday evening, Bill Clinton's deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X confirming the couple would appear before the panel.
"They negotiated in good faith," Ureña wrote in a tweet directed at the House Oversight Committee. "You did not.
"They told you under oath what they know, but you don't care. But the former President and former Secretary of State will be there. They look forward to setting a precedent that applies to everyone."
Both Clintons say they previously provided the committee with sworn statements and have already provided the "limited information" they had on Epstein.
The couple had dismissed the legal summonses as "nothing more than a ploy to attempt to embarrass political rivals, as President Trump has directed".
Bill Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing by survivors of Epstein's abuse, and has denied knowledge of his sex offending.
Epstein's private jet logs show that Clinton took four international flights in 2002 and 2003.
The former president also appears at the late financier's estate in photos that were among a batch of records released by the justice department to comply with a law passed by Congress mandating the disclosure of all investigative material relating to the late convicted paedophile.
One picture shows the former president swimming in a pool, and another shows him lying on his back with his hands behind his head in what appears to be a hot tub.
Ureña, Clinton's spokesman, said at the time the photos were released in December that they were decades old and Clinton had stopped associating with Epstein before his crimes came to light.
The Clintons wrote a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer last month criticising his handling of the Epstein investigation.
"The decisions you have made, and the priorities you have set as chairman regarding the Epstein investigation, have prevented progress in discovering the facts about the government's role," the letter said.
They added: "There is no plausible explanation for what you are doing other than partisan politics."
Comer previously noted the subpoenas to the Clintons were approved in a bipartisan vote and said "no-one is above the law".
"We communicated with President Clinton's legal team for months now, giving them opportunity after opportunity to come in, to give us a day, and they continue to delay, delay, delay," said the Kentucky Republican.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c14r685mne4o
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Nigerian army announces death of Boko Haram commander Abu Khalid
Feb.03,2026
Nigeria's armed forces said on Sunday that a key commander of the islamist organisation Boko Haram was killed in a night raid by the armed forces in Borno State.
Abu Khalid was one of the key figures in the islamist terrorist group Boko Haram, which operates mainly in Nigeria's north.
The commander, reportedly the second-in-command for the group's logistics and operations in Sambisa Forest in Borno State, was killed by a recent Nigerian military operation in the area, according to a statement by the armed forces on Sunday.
Aside from Abu Khalid, ten Boko Haram militants also died during the raid. No casualties were reported on the side of the Nigerian military.
The commander's death is one of the rare successes of the Nigerian armed forces, which have been struggling to contain rising levels of violence in the country in the past months. The military is battling on two fronts, trying to reign in both islamist terrorist groups like Boko Haram or its branch ISWAP, as well as armed gangs that kidnap locals and ask for ransom payments.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2026/02/02/nigerian-army-announces-death-of-boko-haram-commander-abu-khalid/
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President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto invites Islamic groups to discuss Gaza peace board membership
February 3, 2026
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has invited representatives of major Islamic organizations to the Presidential Palace to exchange views on Indonesia’s membership in the Board of Peace (BoP) for Gaza, initiated by US President Donald Trump.
Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Cholil Nafis confirmed the invitation when contacted in Jakarta on Tuesday morning, saying the meeting is scheduled for this afternoon local time.
“Yes, I have been invited to this afternoon’s discussion, which I was told will address the BoP,” he said.
Saifullah Yusuf, Secretary General of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) who serves as minister of social affairs, conveyed a similar statement.
"It is true that the meeting will take place at 2 p.m.," he told the media.
Speaking as Secretary of the Muhammadiyah Central Board, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti noted that he will represent Muhammadiyah at the meeting alongside Syafiq Mughni, the organization's chairman.
"Prof. Syafiq Mughni and I will attend the talks on behalf of Muhammadiyah," he said.
The invitations followed public backlash against the government's decision to join the BoP, with the MUI urging Indonesia's withdrawal, saying the initiative conflicts with the country's commitment to Palestine’s struggle for independence.
In response, Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi said on Monday (Feb. 2) that the government would hold talks with the MUI to articulate its policy on joining the board..
“That move is part of our effort to build dialogue. If we do not join the board, how can we engage and convey our views so that the Palestinian people can gain recognition of their independence?” he defended the decision.
President Prabowo joined President Trump and several state leaders in launching the BoP on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22. The board was established with the signing of a charter.
“I think this is a historic opportunity to achieve peace in Gaza,” President Prabowo Subianto told reporters after the launch.
He stressed that the board unites countries sharing Indonesia’s determination to aid the people of Palestine.
Besides Indonesia, the BoP charter was signed by Hungary, Bahrain, Morocco, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Mongolia, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/402666/prabowo-invites-islamic-groups-to-discuss-gaza-peace-board-membership
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U.S. Citizens, Rights Groups Sue Over Trump Visa Suspension Affecting 75 Countries
By Fidel Rahmati
February 3, 2026
A group of U.S. citizens and immigrant rights organizations have filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to suspend immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries.
The complaint argues the administration relied on misleading claims about migrants and unlawfully disrupted established immigration procedures affecting thousands of families seeking legal entry.
The National Immigration Law Center described the policy as discriminatory, saying it blocks families from pursuing lawful immigration pathways and unfairly targets vulnerable communities.
The U.S. State Department said the suspension applies to countries whose migrants are considered more likely to rely on public assistance, affecting nations across Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.
Countries reportedly impacted include Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Bangladesh, and several others, leaving many applicants uncertain about their future migration plans.
U.S. immigration policy has remained a major political issue in recent years, with executive decisions frequently challenged in federal courts by civil rights groups and affected families.
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld broad presidential authority to restrict entry into the country, but legal disputes over specific immigration measures have continued.
Legal proceedings are expected to reignite political and legal debate over immigration policy as affected families and advocacy groups seek to overturn the suspension.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/u-s-citizens-rights-groups-sue-over-trump-visa-suspension-affecting-75-countries/
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India
J&K Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim rejects MLA Sajad Lone’s amendments on Article 370, statehood
Fayaz Wani
03 Feb 2026
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather on Monday rejected amendments moved by Peoples Conference president and MLA Sajad Gani Lone relating to Article 370, Article 35 A, restoration of statehood and rationalisation of the reservation policy.
After Question Hour, Lone objected to the non inclusion of his proposed amendments, arguing that they dealt with issues of critical importance to Jammu and Kashmir.
Lone contended that such amendments could not be sidelined as they directly concerned the political rights, constitutional status and socio economic future of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He urged the Chair to allow the amendments to be taken up for discussion on the floor of the House, emphasising that the Assembly remained the most legitimate forum to deliberate on issues of such profound public importance.
Responding to the objections, Speaker Rather said he had disallowed the amendments as the Rules prohibit discussion on matters that have already been debated or on which the House has taken a decision.
The Speaker also pointed out that the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly had last year passed a resolution on the restoration of the Union Territory’s special status.
Source: newindianexpress.com
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https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2026/Feb/03/jk-assembly-speaker-abdul-rahim-rejects-mla-sajad-lones-amendments-on-article-370-statehood
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Two British nationals told to leave India for pasting 'Free Palestine' posters in Rajasthan's Pushkar
03 Feb 2026
The Rajasthan Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has issued notices to two British nationals, asking them to leave India, for allegedly pasting posters with slogans related to Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, reported PTI.
The posters contained slogans including "Free Palestine, Boycott Israel."
According to the PTI report citing police officials, the two British nationals were on tourist visas in India.
The CID claimed that their actions amounted to a violation of visa conditions, which prohibit engagement in political activities.
Additional Superintendent of Police (CID) Rajesh Meena said that engaging in activities that show disrespect towards other countries while staying in India breaches visa norms.
He said the notices were issued under provisions of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, directing the two to leave the country.
Pushkar is among the tourist destinations in India, frequented by foreigners, including many from Israel.
After the CID's intervention, the posters were removed from public places and the police conducted checks in areas frequented by foreign tourists to ensure no similar material was displayed.
Israel has been facing protests accross the globe for its genocidal war on Gaza that has so far killed 71,769 Palestinians, including 506 people who were killed after a ceasefire brokered by the United States came into effect in October last year.
More than half of those killed by Israeli army in Gaza are women and children. Israel has also targeted and killed over 200 journalists and more than 1000 health care professionals. The country faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Source: newindianexpress.com
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Ban entry of non-Hindus at UP temples, says VHP
Feb 3, 2026
LUCKNOW: VHP demanded Monday a ban on entry of non-Hindus at major temples in UP, including Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya, Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi and Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura, widening a simmering national debate over religious sanctity and public access.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains could be exempted, contending their faiths originated in India. He alleged attempts by “ill-intentioned” non-Hindus to enter temples. On Jan 10, a 55-year-old man from J&K, identified as Ahmed Sheikh, was detained after allegedly attempting to offer namaz inside Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex. Family members said he was not mentally sound.
VHP’s demand follows similar moves in Uttarakhand, where temple committees of Gangotri and Badrinath-Kedarnath have announced plans to bar non-Hindus from shrines starting with upcoming Char Dham Yatra season, after portals of Gangotri and Yamunotri reopen in April. Bansal said temples were places of worship, not tourist attractions. “The temples are not tourist spots for making reels. They are meant for worship,” he said, adding the ban should be strictly enforced to restrict the entry of people whom he described as “anasthawan” (non-believers).
Pressure to restrict access has also come from Haridwar, where Ganga Sabha, a trust managing religious affairs of ghats, has demanded a ban on non-Hindus at 2027 Kumbh Mela.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Supreme Court refers anti-conversion laws challenge to three-judge bench
03.02.26
The Supreme Court on Monday referred to a three-judge bench multiple petitions challenging the constitutional validity of anti-conversion laws enacted by at least 12 states.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also issued fresh notices to Centre and the 12 states seeking their response on a fresh petition filed by the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) within four weeks.
“Having regard to the importance of the matter let it be placed before a three-judge bench,” the CJI Kant ordered after hearing senior advocate Meenakshi Arora for the NCCI and solicitor-general Tushar Mehta for Centre and some of the states.
Notices were issued to Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh.
Arora contended that the anti-conversion laws “incentivises vigilante” groups to file complaints and harass those converting to other religion. Mehta said the Centre and the states were ready with their replies, which would be filed soon.
Arora said Odisha and Rajasthan had also come out with their separate laws, and they were not under challenge in earlier petitions. "There are amendments also in other Acts which are not challenged. Let me serve all the standing counsels," she said.
"Issue notice. Let a copy of each be served on advocate-generals (of states) also. Let a counter affidavit (of the Centre and 12 states) be filed within four weeks. Let respondents file a common counter affidavit. Having regard to the importance, let it be placed before a three-judge bench," the top court said in the order.
The batch of petitions challenging the anti-conversion laws are pending before the top court since 2020, but had never got any substantive hearing. The delay was caused, in part, by the Covid-19 pandemic and paucity of time that three former CJIs — D.Y. Chandrachud, Sanjiv Khanna and B.R. Gavai — encountered.
The apex court had earlier issued notices to the Centre and states on petitions filed by NGO Citizens for Justice and Peace, Jamiat-Ulema-i-Hind and various other organisations and individuals from different states challenging their anti-conversion laws.
The petitioners had earlier sought a stay on the laws that they alleged were being used to target couples involved in inter-religious marriages.
The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), through M. Huzaifa and John Dayal, had challenged the constitutionality of key provisions of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025 that prescribe severe penalties for alleged unlawful conversions, including forfeiture, confiscation and demolition of properties.
The provisions were challenged on the ground that the law was in contravention of the Supreme Court’s 2024 judgment that prohibited demolition of properties without giving proper notice and time to the aggrieved persons to defend themselves.
Source: telegraphindia.com
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Harassment of Kashmiri Muslims’ sparks furore in J&K Assembly, BJP pushes separate NLU for Jammu
Arun Sharma
Feb 3, 2026
Noisy scenes were witnessed in the J&K Legislative Assembly Tuesday as legislators from both Treasury and Opposition benches raised concerns over alleged harassment of Kashmiri Muslims and demanding a separate National Law University (NLU) for the Jammu region.
As the House assembled for Question Hour, National Conference legislator Mubarak Gul alleged harassment of Kashmiri Muslims in different parts of the country, and claimed, without explicitly naming the BJP, that they wanted the land but not the people of Kashmir.
He was joined by another NC legislator, Mir Saifullah, who alleged that phone calls were being received claiming Kashmiris staying elsewhere in the country were not being allowed to step out of their rented accommodation. He alleged that in some cases, 50–100 Kashmiris were confined to their rented rooms, alleging that those allowed to move out were beaten up.
PDP’s Waheed ur Rehman Parra said he had moved an adjournment motion seeking discussion on “hate crime” against Kashmiris staying elsewhere in the country.
The BJP legislators, meanwhile, demanded a separate National Law University for Jammu. Raising the issue, BJP’s Surjit Singh Slathia stood up as the House assembled in the morning, saying students were on the roads demanding a separate law university for Jammu.
If there could be separate central Universities for the Jammu and Kashmir provinces, he asked, why there should not be a separate NLU for Jammu. He was supported by other BJP legislators, who stood up on their benches holding placards displaying the map of J&K.
As the first 10 minutes of Question Hour were taken up by members from both the treasury and opposition benches raising their respective issues, the Speaker urged legislators to allow the proceedings to continue.
While the Speaker told BJP members they would be allowed to raise the issue at another time, he informed NC legislators that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had himself taken up the issue of harassment of Kashmiris with the respective governments. Action had also been taken after the Chief Minister raised the matter with the concerned governments, he added.
Referring to Parra’s adjournment motion, the Speaker said it had been disallowed as the matter could be raised in the House through other means.
Outside the legislative assembly complex, NC legislators also held a demonstration alleging harassment of Kashmiri Muslims staying elsewhere in the country.
Source: indianexpress.com
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Maintain status quo on waqf properties on elevated corridor route, says Telangana HC
Feb 3, 2026
Hyderabad: Telangana high court has directed authorities to maintain status quo on waqf properties in Secunderabad and Bowenpally that would be affected by the NH-44 elevated corridor project. The properties likely to be affected included a dargah, mosques and a Muslim graveyard.
Justice NV Shravan Kumar had issued the interim order on Jan 28 while hearing a petition filed by Mohammed Abid and Mohammed Hafiz Ur Rahman Sharief, challenging the proposed acquisition of the waqf land by the central and state govt authorities.
The petitioners contended that the authorities failed to consider their objections submitted to the district collector, Hyderabad, despite the properties being notified as waqf land. The properties to be affected include Dargah Syed Saheb, two mosques in Secunderabad located in around four acres land and a Muslim graveyard at Bowenpally located in around eight acres.
Petitioners' counsel Aashir Mehtab Khan informed the court that the land comprised religious institutions and burial grounds protected under law, and any disturbance would result in irreversible damage. He argued that the inaction of the authorities in deciding the objections was arbitrary.
He further argued that alternative land parcels were available nearby for the highway project. Taking note of the submissions, the judge directed the authorities to file their counters by Feb 11, while ordering a status quo on the disputed properties till Feb 18.
Source: indiatimes.com
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Muslim League has rightful claim to Kerala Dy CM’s post, says party leader
February 2, 2026
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader and former MLA KNA Khader on Monday said his party has a rightful claim to the deputy chief minister’s post in Kerala if the UDF comes to power in the state in the ensuing elections.
Speaking to the media in Kozhikode on Monday, KNA Khader said the IUML is eligible to get the deputy chief minister’s post and taking into account the Muslim League’s performance in the assembly polls, it is expected that the UDF constituent parties will consider the matter.
The former MLA said he expects the UDF to give the post to his party even without making a request for the same, once the coalition gets majority in the assembly. “If the constituent parties have the opinion that the Muslim League should be placed in its respectful position,it will happen,” he said.
It is expected that every party in the UDF will do so, he said, adding that he expects the constituent parties to have that conviction.
Earlier, the lUML’s all-India secretary, PK Kunhalikitty, said his party won’t demand deputy chief minister’s post, if UDF gets majority in. the polls. He pointed out that earlier, when Oommen Chandy promised deputy chief ministership to the Muslim League, it has refused to accept it.
Source: thestatesman.com
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Mideast
Halt to MSF work will be ‘catastrophic’ for people of Gaza: MSF chief
February 02, 2026
GENEVA: Israel’s ban on Doctors Without Borders’ humanitarian operation in Gaza spells deeper catastrophe for the Palestinian territory’s people, the head of the medical charity told AFP on Monday.
Israel announced on Sunday that it was terminating all the activities in Gaza and the West Bank by the organization, known by its French acronym MSF, after it failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff.
MSF slammed the move, which takes effect on March 1, as a “pretext” to obstruct aid.
“This is a decision that was made by the Israeli government to restrict humanitarian assistance into Gaza and the West Bank at the most critical time for Palestinians,” MSF secretary-general Christopher Lockyear warned in an interview with AFP at the charity’s Geneva headquarters.
“We are at a moment where Palestinian people need more humanitarian assistance, not less,” he said. “Ceasing MSF activities is going to be catastrophic for the people of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.”
MSF has been a key provider of medical and humanitarian aid in Gaza, particularly since war broke out after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
The charity says it currently provides at least 20 percent of hospital beds in the territory and operates around 20 health centers.
In 2025 alone, it carried out more than 800,000 medical consultations, treated more than 100,000 trauma cases and assisted more than 10,000 infant deliveries.
It also provided more than 700 million liters of water, Lockyear pointed out.
‘Impossible choice’
Israel announced in December that it planned to prevent 37 aid organizations, including MSF, from working in Gaza for failing to submit detailed information about their Palestinian employees. The move drew widespread condemnation from NGOs and the United Nations.
It had alleged that two MSF employees had links with Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which the medical charity vehemently denies.
“If Israel has any evidence of such things, then they should share that evidence,” Lockyear said, insisting that “there’s been no proof given to us.”
He decried “an orchestrated campaign to delegitimize us,” calling on other countries to defend efforts to bring desperately-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza.
“They should be speaking to Israel, pressuring Israel to ensure that there is a reverse of any banning of humanitarian organizations.”
Lockyear said MSF, which counts around 1,100 staff inside Gaza, had been trying to engage with Israeli authorities for nearly a year over the requested lists.
But it had been left with “an impossible choice,” he said.
“We’ve been forced to choose between the safety and security of our staff and being able to reach patients.”
‘Can only get worse’
The organization said it decided not to hand over staff names “because Israeli authorities failed to provide the concrete assurances required to guarantee our staff’s safety, protect their personal data, and uphold the independence of our medical operation.”
Lockyear insisted that was a “very rational” decision, pointing out that 15 MSF staff had been killed in Gaza during the war, out of more than 500 humanitarian workers and more than 1,700 medical workers killed in the Strip.
Lockyear highlighted that without independent humanitarian organizations in Gaza, an already “catastrophic” situation “can only get worse.”
“We need to increase massively the humanitarian assistance that’s going into Gaza,” he said, “not restrict it, not block it.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631518/middle-east
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What the government takeover of Syria’s largest oil field means for energy security
ANAN TELLO
February 03, 2026
LONDON: After years under the control of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Syria’s largest oil field, Al-Omar, and nearby gas fields in the eastern governorate of Deir Ezzor fell to interim government forces in late January.
It was a significant development that officials and industry experts say could benefit the country’s fragile economic recovery.
The interim government announced on Jan. 18 that the Al-Omar facility and surrounding gas fields had come under army control, after the SDF said it would redeploy east of the Euphrates River following more than a week of clashes in the northeast.
Days later, the state-run Syrian Petroleum Co. began restarting oil and gas production at the newly seized fields and routing output to the Homs and Baniyas refineries, the state news agency SANA reported on Jan. 24.
A company source told The Syria Report that oil production west of the Euphrates stood
at 10,600 barrels per day. Since the takeover, production has risen to about 26,000 bpd and could reach 45,000 bpd within months, pending maintenance work.
And although experts caution that the takeover is unlikely to deliver immediate relief, it still carries longer-term significance.
Benjamin Feve, a senior research analyst at Karam Shaar Advisory, said the capture of Al-Omar is “not transformative in the short term” but remains “very important” for Syria’s economy.
“Control of Al-Omar and other Deir Ezzor fields gives Damascus revenue potential and strategic leverage,” Feve told Arab News.
“But in 2026, the contribution will be constrained by rehabilitation timelines, transport bottlenecks, and limited refining capacity, which will make the recapturing of the field a stabilizing factor for the budget and energy supply, maybe, but not really a game changer.”
Security risks further complicate the picture.
“We must also take into account the fact that the security situation in Deir Ezzor and around the Al-Omar field is not fully contained,” Feve said. “There are still risks from (Daesh) insurgents.”
Indeed, security briefings to UN bodies and partners of the US-led coalition against Daesh continue to flag Deir Ezzor and the Syrian desert as among the most at-risk areas for a resurgence.
The vast region, once a Daesh stronghold before the group’s territorial defeat in 2019, has seen a rise in “hit-and-run” attacks over the past year, with sleeper cells reportedly concentrated in the Deir Ezzor countryside.
The collapse of Bashar Assad’s regime in December 2024 left a security vacuum in western Deir Ezzor, creating conditions ripe for renewed attacks. By the end of August 2025, the SDF recorded 117 attacks, compared with 73 incidents during all of 2024.
However, recent political and military developments could improve stability.
On Jan. 30, Syria’s interim government reached a deal with the SDF, providing for the gradual integration of Kurdish forces and institutions into the state.
US Envoy Tom Barrack hailed the agreement as “a profound and historic milestone in Syria’s journey toward national reconciliation, unity, and enduring stability.”
In a long post on X, Barrack wrote that the deal paves the way for rebuilding institutions, restoring trust, attracting investment essential for reconstruction, and securing lasting peace.
Ten days earlier, he wrote that the SDF’s “original purpose” as “the primary anti-(Daesh) force on the ground” had “largely expired” as the new government in Damascus is now ready to “take over security responsibilities.”
The agreement followed weeks of violence in the north.
After US-mediated talks stalled over a March 2025 integration deal, clashes erupted in northern Aleppo in January, particularly in the predominantly Kurdish neighborhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh.
After government forces took control of the neighborhoods, they launched a broader offensive against the SDF in the northeast, later seizing Raqqa and Deir Ezzor governorates and parts of southern Hasakah.
Facing major territorial losses, the SDF agreed to a truce on Jan. 18 after talks with US officials, though reports of violations continued.
Under the Jan. 30 deal, the SDF is to withdraw from front lines, its fighters are to join the Syrian army, and its administrative bodies are to be integrated into state institutions.
The agreement also provides for the formation of a military division made up of three brigades of former SDF fighters, the coalition said in a statement on X.
Control of prisons and oil and gas fields was transferred from the SDF to the interim authorities as part of the arrangement.
Syria’s oil wealth, though diminished, remains significant.
In 2015, Oil & Gas Journal estimated the country’s proven oil reserves at 2.5 billion barrels and its gas reserves at 8.5 trillion cubic feet.
Before the civil war erupted in 2011, crude production reached about 386,000 bpd, according to the Ministry of Petroleum. Output plunged to between 24,000 and 34,000 bpd from 2014 to 2019, according to Statista.
By 2021, production averaged 85,900 bpd, though only about 16,000 bpd came from fields under the Assad regime’s control. The rest was produced in areas held by the SDF and US forces.
Gas production that year stood at 12.5 million cubic meters per day — roughly a third of prewar levels.
Early in the conflict, Daesh seized much of eastern Syria’s oil infrastructure. By 2014, the group controlled more than 60 percent of national production, producing about 50,000 bpd, which it sold at very low prices on black markets to finance operations, according to the Financial Times.
Years of fighting and neglect badly damaged oil and gas infrastructure, leaving Syria heavily reliant on Iranian supplies until Assad was overthrown in late 2024.
While the transfer of energy assets to the interim government led by Ahmad Al-Sharaa marks a pivotal moment, experts say Damascus faces many hurdles.
“The main constraints are systemic rather than geological,” Feve said, citing “widespread damage at Al-Omar and neighboring assets, degraded well integrity, reservoir mismanagement caused by years of rudimentary extraction, and a largely nonfunctional midstream network.”
He added that “key pipelines and pumping stations linking Deir Ezzor to the Baniyas refinery are out of service,” forcing the government to rely on “costly trucking to transport crude from Al-Omar to Baniyas” in the coastal region.
While Al-Omar produces light, sweet crude suitable for Baniyas, the route is operationally inefficient.
Sanctions-era shortages of spare parts, financing and qualified contractors mean “even basic rehabilitation” will take time, Feve said, “requiring lengthy technical assessments and phased rebuilding rather than a quick restart.”
Economic sanctions imposed by the US, EU, UK, and others since 2011 crippled Syria’s energy sector by restricting trade, financing and investment. Their gradual easing over the past year offers a path to recovery, though progress is likely to be slow.
Even with full rehabilitation, Al-Omar alone would not meet Syria’s total crude oil and production needs, Feve said, noting refinery constraints and mismatches in production.
“Domestic production could significantly reduce imports and improve energy security,” he said, but Syria “will continue to require substantial external supplies of crude oil and refined products for the foreseeable future, especially if no new oil discoveries are made.”
Feve warned that “depending on how much oil was extracted during the conflict — which remains unknown — calculations suggest Syria could potentially run out of oil by 2052.”
“Even in the long term,” he added, “this represents a serious and certain challenge that must be taken into consideration.”
For now, the energy crisis continues to shape daily life across Syria. Power outages last as long as 20 hours a day or more, even in the capital, while fuel for heating, transport, and generators remains scarce or unaffordable for a nation already struggling in poverty.
Any increase in production is likely to be felt gradually, experts say, and Syrians should not expect immediate relief in prices or exchange rates.
“Any ramp-up in production would first affect availability,” Feve said, including fuel for power plants, transport, and generators.
“Retail fuel prices in Syria are already at market levels. So, additional domestic supply would mainly reduce shortages and fiscal pressure from imports.
“A meaningful impact on inflation or the Syrian pound would likely take several months and depends on sustained production, reduced imports, and improved foreign exchange management.”
The price of a liter of octane-95 gasoline in Syria currently stands at about 100 Syrian pounds, or approximately $0.85, according to GlobalPetrolPrices.com. The global average is about $1.31 per liter.
For now, the return of Al-Omar is less about lowering prices than easing shortages over time, but it is unlikely to translate quickly into broader economic relief.
Source: arabnews.com
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Qatar calls for free entry of aid to Gaza with Rafah reopening
February 02, 2026
DOHA: Qatar on Monday urged the free entry of aid into Gaza and welcomed the partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Palestinian territory as a “step in the right direction.”
“Qatar affirms that the opening of the Rafah land border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip to the movement of Palestinians is a step in the right direction toward addressing the tragic situation of civilians,” the Gulf state’s foreign ministry said.
Qatar also “stressed the necessity for all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and to open the crossings to ensure the sustainable and unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid to the Strip.”
Source: arabnews.com
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Iran envoy: Saudi Arabia a pivotal partner, relations ‘fortified’
ABDULHADI HABTOOR
ASHARQ AL-AWSAT
February 02, 2026
RIYADH: A senior Iranian official said that relations with Saudi Arabia are “fortified” and cannot be undermined, highlighting both nations’ shared commitment to regional security and stability.
Alireza Enayati, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said in an exclusive interview with Asharq Al-Awsat that both countries are committed to preventing escalation and avoiding actions that could destabilize the region.
He added that contacts and coordination between the two countries are taking place at various levels, including visits, meetings and private discussions.
Enayati said: “We must recognize the sensitivity of the current situation amid repeated threats facing the region and the risk of sliding into unprecedented escalation.
“In Iran, we believe that regional stability serves the interests of all countries in the region, and we have repeatedly sensed this affirmation during our meetings and encounters with Saudi officials.”
A senior Saudi official had told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday that reports circulated by some media outlets about a change in the Kingdom’s position regarding escalation in the region were inaccurate.
The source said that Saudi Arabia supports efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful solution to all disputed issues between the US and Iran through dialogue and diplomatic means, stressing the Kingdom’s rejection of the use of its airspace or territory for any military actions against Iran.
Enayati pointed to the existence of “ongoing contacts and exchanges between the two countries at various levels, including visits and meetings — some of which are public, while others are held away from the media.”
The Iranian diplomat said that Tehran “considers Saudi Arabia a pivotal and influential state in the region,” adding that cooperation between the two countries on issues of mutual interest “contributes to strengthening the region’s security and stability.”
He said: “Iran and the Kingdom are keen on the security and stability of the region, and emphasize the need to avoid escalation and steer clear of anything that could disturb regional calm.”
Consultations are taking place between the two sides “stemming from a strategic conviction that has crystallized for both parties and serves their interests as well as those of the region as a whole,” Enayati added.
“The Kingdom views Iran as a reliable partner, while Iran regards Saudi Arabia as an important and effective state in the region, and their cooperation on issues of mutual interest helps consolidate regional security and stability.”
The ambassador said: “These relations are fortified and cannot be undermined, thanks to the leadership of both countries and their understanding of the inevitability of these relations, ensuring their continuity and growth, and the reflection of their positive effects on all.”
Enayati recalled the Saudi position in support of Tehran during its recent war with Israel, saying: “Iran welcomed the Saudi position supporting it during the war imposed on it, as Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the Israeli aggression against Iran, and we received a phone call that morning from the Saudi foreign minister. This stance was not surprising from our Saudi brothers, who stood by us during that phase.”
He added: “Second, any harm to Iran affects the security of the entire region, and this was clearly reflected in constructive positions, including that of the Kingdom. Third, the attack on Iran comes within a series of Israeli attacks that have targeted countries across the region, and no state is immune from these aggressions.”
Regarding talk of a negotiating framework taking shape between Iran and the US, Enayati said that Iran “entered the negotiations in 2015 and 2025 with full seriousness, but the US withdrew from them and dealt with them in a contradictory manner.”
He added: “If the US is serious about an equal dialogue without preconditions, Iran welcomes that, and Iranian officials have repeatedly affirmed this position.
“We recently heard statements indicating that the two sides are working to establish a framework for negotiations; however, negotiations cannot begin with predetermined outcomes. Rather, their results must emerge from the negotiating process itself, not be imposed on it in advance.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during a phone call he received from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian last week, highlighted the Kingdom’s support for any efforts aimed at resolving disputes through dialogue in a manner that enhances regional security and stability.
During the call, the Saudi crown prince stressed Riyadh’s position on respecting Iran’s sovereignty and the Kingdom’s refusal to allow the use of its airspace or territory for any military actions against Iran, or for attacks by any party, regardless of their direction.
Pezeshkian expressed his gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its respect of Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and his appreciation for the crown prince’s efforts and initiatives to achieve regional security and stability.
Source: arabnews.com
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Jordanian king, French military chief discuss regional developments
February 02, 2026
LONDON: King Abdullah II of Jordan discussed regional developments on Monday with the French Chief of the Defense Staff Gen. Fabien Mandon.
They highlighted relations between Jordan and France, and the commitment of both sides to enhance cooperation across various fields, particularly in the military and defense sectors.
Crown Prince Hussein attended the meeting at Al-Husseiniya Palace in Amman, alongside Maj. Gen. Yousef Huneiti, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to Petra news agency.
In 2014, France stationed fighter jets and troops at the H5 air base near Mafraq, near the border with Iraq, as part of international efforts to combat the rise of Daesh in the region.
Source: arabnews.com
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Palestinian president Abbas calls first-ever PLO parliament elections
February 02, 2026
RAMALLAH: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said elections will be held on November 1 for the Palestinian National Council, the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the official news agency Wafa reported Monday.
This is the first time members of the council will be elected by direct popular vote, while in the past they were appointed or co-opted from within the movement.
Abbas, who is president both of the Palestinian Authority and of the PLO, issued a decree saying that: “Elections will be held wherever possible, both inside and outside Palestine, to ensure the broadest possible participation of the Palestinian people wherever they reside.”
The PNC has long served as as the PLO’s parliament in exile.
It is dominated by Fatah, Abbas’s political movement, which was co-founded by Yasser Arafat, the Palestinians’ historic leader who died in 2004.
The Islamist movements Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which are not members of the PLO, are not represented in the council.
Source: arabnews.com
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Syria begins rehabilitating Deir Ezzor airport after years of closure
February 02, 2026
LONDON: Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has begun rehabilitating Deir Ezzor airport as part of a broader initiative to resume operations after years of closure.
In a post on X, Omar Hosari, head of the authority, said the project reflects efforts to reconnect Deir Ezzor with Syrian airspace, in line with operational requirements for the province, and to facilitate travel for residents.
Deputy Chairman Amjad Nakkhal conducted a field inspection of the airport to review the progress of rehabilitation work on infrastructure and operational facilities, the authority said.
The works involve enhancing essential infrastructure and service facilities to ensure safety and operational efficiency ahead of the planned reopening to air traffic, to be announced soon, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.
Deir Ezzor airport, located in eastern Syria, was under the control of the Syrian forces loyal to the regime of Bashar Assad and suffered damage during the civil war, with reported attacks by Daesh militants. It was among several Syrian airports that remained largely unused after international airlines halted flights to the country in 2012 due to security instability.
Since 2025, the airport has been managed by the new administration in Damascus, following a brief period of control by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Source: arabnews.com
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Arab World
Expo 2030 Riyadh signs strategic partnership with Saudi Media Forum
February 02, 2026
RIYADH: Expo 2030 Riyadh has formalized a strategic partnership with the Saudi Media Forum as organizers step up preparations for event.
The agreement was signed on Monday during a ceremony attended by Talal Al-Marri, CEO of the Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, and Mohammed Al-Harthi, chairman of the Saudi Media Forum and president of the Arab States Broadcasting Union.
Under the partnership, Expo 2030 Riyadh will serve as the SMF’s “foresight partner,” in line with the event’s “Foresight for Tomorrow” theme.
The collaboration will also see the expo play a prominent role in this year’s forum, which is currently taking place until Wednesday, highlighting its significant by engaging with Saudi Arabia’s media ecosystem.
SMF has also committed to supporting Expo 2030 Riyadh through opportunities across leading media outlets throughout the year, aiming to strengthen engagement with audiences across the Kingdom.
“Our partnership with the Saudi Media Forum is a key enabler as we progress toward delivering Expo 2030 Riyadh,” said Al-Marri.
“By working closely with a vital platform whose reach extends across the Kingdom, we are strengthening our ability to communicate (the) expo’s vision, purpose and legacy. Through this collaboration, we are looking forward to engaging audiences in Saudi Arabia to build momentum and reinforce the impact of Expo 2030 Riyadh beyond the event itself.
Al-Harthi said the agreement underlined the importance of media in supporting major national initiatives.
“Expo 2030 Riyadh is a significant moment for Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi Media Forum is proud to support its success by amplifying its story and contribution to the Kingdom,” he said.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631508/saudi-arabia
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‘Cake not hate’ campaign becomes ‘Dates not hate’ in Madinah
ZAYNAB KHOJJI
February 02, 2026
LONDON: A British autistic and non-verbal boy who has been visiting UK mosques and distributing cakes to promote solidarity amid an increase in far-right support in the country has taken his message of love to Madinah.
Joshua Harris, or “The Joshie-Man” as the 12-year-old is known to his social media fans, has handed out hundreds of his baked goods to worshipers at mosques in major British cities over the last few months.
The “Cake not hate” campaign came about after an Islamophobic attack on a mosque in his home city of Peterborough in October 2025.
Harris and his father visited Masjid Darassalaam, the mosque that was targeted, with cakes that the boy had baked and distributed them to the congregation soon after the attack. Since then, Harris has visited dozens of mosques in the UK.
On a recent trip to the Middle East, he and his father visited Madinah. In a local twist that pays tribute to the holy city’s famous date varieties including ajwa and ambar, Harris handed out dates to people in the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque. The “Cake not hate” campaign became “Dates not hate” for Saudi Arabia.
“He was greeted really, really warmly. There were some really touching moments where people were kissing his hands and his head. It was really lovely,” his father, Dan Harris, said.
Dan, the founder of global charity Neurodiversity in Business, said being in Madinah exposed him to the true diversity of Islam.
“We met people from all around the world. It was amazing. It’s like the United Nations there, you get people from different countries and it just goes to show you that the Muslim community, or the Ummah more generally, is not a homogeneous group,” he said.
“We saw people from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and it was really interesting for us.”
Dan said his visit to Madinah, considered the second holiest city in Islam after Makkah for Muslims, was “profound and life-changing.”
He added: “I would say it’s my favourite city in the world due to the peace and tranquillity I felt there.”
Dan added that he was very impressed by Saudi hospitality: “Everywhere we went, people were taking down my number and insisting that we come for dinner, insisting they pick us up from the location. They were extremely attentive to Joshie as well, making sure his needs were met. We felt a great sense of welcome, something Saudi Arabia is known for.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631532/saudi-arabia
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ALIPH to open first regional HQ in Riyadh
February 02, 2026
RIYADH: The Ministry of Culture and the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage have signed an agreement to establish ALIPH’s first regional headquarters in Riyadh, reinforcing the Kingdom’s commitment to cultural heritage protection.
The new office will play a pivotal role in efforts to protect and preserve cultural heritage in conflict, post-conflict, and crisis areas, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.
The agreement was signed in Riyadh by Assistant Minister of Culture Rakan Altouq, on behalf of Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, and ALIPH Foundation Board Chair Bariza Khiari.
Saudi Arabia has been an ALIPH member since its founding in 2017. ALIPH has partnered with international organizations, including UNESCO, and operated in countries affected by conflict, environmental disasters, and instability, supporting hundreds of institutions worldwide.
The new agreement between Saudi Arabia and ALIPH underscores the Kingdom’s efforts to preserve and protect cultural heritage.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631527/saudi-arabia
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Jeddah to host Arabic language, literature forum
February 02, 2026
JEDDAH: Jeddah will host the eighth International Conference on Arabic and Literature: Language from Communication to Knowledge Innovation and Literary Creativity from Feb. 6 to 8.
The event attracts local and international participants in a scholarly setting, reflecting the organizing committee’s commitment to advancing research and fostering knowledge exchange among academics and researchers in Arabic language and literature.
Sessions will cover a wide range of topics that promote the development and dissemination of the Arabic language and literature.
Research presentations will explore diverse subjects, enriching scholarly discourse and opening new avenues for study, particularly in the context of digital transformation.
Participants can register through the official conference website kefeac.org/conferences/21.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631526/saudi-arabia
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Deputy minister receives Pakistan’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
February 02, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Deputy Minister Waleed Elkhereiji received Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Ahmad Farooq in Riyadh on Monday.
During the meeting, they reviewed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries across various fields and discussed topics of mutual interest, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh recently received the newly appointed Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria Yousef Al-Balawi in Riyadh.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631529/saudi-arabia
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Nazaha makes sweeping arrests for fraud cases worth more than $2.6m
February 02, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, known as Nazaha, made sweeping arrests of a number of public sector employees involved in fraud cases totaling more than SR10 million ($2.6 million), which were announced on Sunday evening.
A resident project manager working for a Public Investment Fund company was arrested for receiving a payment of SR2.2 million in exchange for awarding contracts for renovation work.
The payment was made by two citizens and a resident CEO of another company, who were also arrested.
An employee working in the health sector was arrested after receiving SR500,000 in exchange for awarding two projects with a total value of SR384.3 million.
Investigations revealed that the total agreed amount was SR10 million of which SR4.5 million had already been received from the CEO of the commercial entity, who was also arrested.
The employee distributed the money to the director of engineering affairs, the assistant director general of engineering affairs and the head of the bid evaluation committee at the same health affairs office.
All those involved were arrested, according to Nazaha.
Three employees working at the Civil Affairs Department were arrested for receiving SR850,000, paid in installments by a citizen who was also arrested. They had paid for illegally registering births and issuing national identity cards.
With the cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, a retired non-commissioned officer was arrested for embezzling SR2.2 million during his service at a police station.
The funds were taken from amounts seized in criminal cases.
A municipal employee was arrested after being caught receiving SR300,000 out of a promised SR800,000 in exchange for facilitating and completing procedures related to issuing permits and approving a planning sketch for a plot of land.
With the cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, a Civil Defense non-commissioned officer in one of the governorates was arrested for requesting money from commercial entities in exchange for refraining from issuing safety-violation fines.
With the cooperation of the Ministry of Interior, a police officer at a regional police station and two citizens were arrested for jointly stealing SR1.4 million from a resident.
A municipal employee was arrested for receiving SR20,000 from a citizen, who was also arrested, in exchange for facilitating the award of a municipal construction and development project, as he was a member of the bid evaluation committee.
An employee of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, and a resident were arrested for receiving money from citizens in exchange for illegally opening files and updating livestock support eligibility through false livestock registrations.
A municipal employee in one of the regions was arrested for receiving money to illegally issue building permits and completion certificates, in coordination with a resident contractor who was also arrested.
An employee of a regional development authority was arrested for arranging the employment of his wife at a company contracted with the authority where he worked, allowing her to receive monthly salaries without performing any duties.
The spokesman of Nazaha in a post on X highlighted continuous efforts to pursue anyone who exploits public office to achieve personal gain or harm the public in any way.
They warned that accountability extends far beyond retirement— as the targeted crimes have no statute of limitations — and that the authority will continue to apply the law with no tolerance of corruption.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631500/saudi-arabia
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Saudi FM congratulates new Kuwaiti counterpart
February 02, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held a phone call on Monday with his newly appointed Kuwaiti counterpart, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.
Prince Faisal congratulated the new minister on his appointment and expressed his hope for continued cooperation to strengthen bilateral relations, enhance joint Gulf action and support shared regional interests.
The two foreign ministers also discussed a number of regional developments and issues of mutual concern, according to a post by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2631492/saudi-arabia
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Europe
Peace with Russia? Not until the EU changes its political class
2 Feb, 2026
By Vitaly Ryumshin
Relations between Russia and the European Union are now at their lowest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union. The economic and cultural ties that once connected us were largely severed in 2022.
Today, our neighbors are effectively finishing the job. They are doing so in two ways: by introducing ever more trade restrictions, and by sustaining a climate of military hysteria that justifies higher defense spending and the gradual dismantling of Western Europe’s welfare model.
Yet even in this bleak landscape, a faint glimmer of hope has appeared. The recent confrontation with the United States over Greenland has forced EU leaders to rethink their place in the global order. For years, the bloc’s members treated the US as a reliable strategic rear. That allowed them to align almost automatically with Washington. But this year, Western European capitals were reminded that America is a power with its own interests, which may sharply diverge from theirs. Unconditional loyalty has suddenly begun to look like a strategic risk.
From this realization flow conclusions that, until recently, would have been politically unthinkable in Western Europe. Dependence on American gas, it turns out, is no better than dependence on Russian gas. Except that imported LNG from across the Atlantic is far more expensive. More broadly, the United States, given its capabilities and assertiveness, can itself become a source of pressure and even a military risk. These thoughts are still spoken quietly, but they are no longer taboo.
Against this backdrop, the first cautious voices in favor of renewing dialogue with Russia have emerged inside the EU. What is notable is that they are not coming from marginal far-right forces, but from mainstream figures such as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Their statements remain hedged: we need to talk, they say, but the time is not yet right. Still, the very fact that the possibility of future relations with Moscow has returned to the political discourse marks a qualitative shift in the thinking of Western Europe’s elites.
If the EU is serious about standing on its own feet, it will eventually have to resolve the Russian question. For now, however, Brussels remains trapped in an outdated worldview. Its foreign policy is still overly ideological, rooted in the early 2010s. Its leaders continue to speak about a “rules-based world order” and to treat states whose political systems differ from their own liberal democratic model as inherent threats. This mindset also explains the EU’s confrontational approach to China, which from the outside often looks strategically self-defeating.
A genuine and pragmatic dialogue with Russia would require Western Europe to move beyond these assumptions. It would also mean abandoning the posture of moral superiority that flows from them. This is not a simple shift: it involves rethinking how the bloc understands power and sovereignty.
A second necessary step would be a sober recognition that the EU’s interests end where Russia’s begin. Just as Moscow once accepted the Baltic state’s accession to NATO as a geopolitical reality, Brussels must accept that Ukraine, in one form or another, will remain in Russia’s strategic focus. Western European policy should be built around this fact, not around ideological narratives about an existential struggle between democracies and autocracies.
Finally, before relations with Moscow can truly improve, the EU would need to distance itself more decisively from Washington. Despite current tensions with the Trump administration, many leaders still hope that the storm will pass and that transatlantic relations will return to their old pattern. But this is likely an illusion. Only once this illusion fades will Western Europe be able to define its own long-term interests clearly, and to see how important cooperation with Russia could be in that context.
None of this will happen quickly. Meaningful change will probably begin only with a partial generational shift in the EU’s political class. Leaders who built their careers on confrontation with Russia will gradually give way to more pragmatic figures. The first signs may appear within a year, with elections in France and Italy. A more decisive turning point could come with the electoral cycle in Germany and Britain in 2029, unless early votes intervene. A European parliament vote is also scheduled for that year.
If, by the end of that cycle, figures like Kaja Kallas are replaced in European diplomacy by politicians closer to the pragmatic line of Giorgia Meloni, it will signal that Western Europe is finally adjusting to a more realistic understanding of the world. That, in turn, could open the door to a gradual de-escalation with Russia. Until then, confrontation will likely remain the dominant framework. Not because it is inevitable, but because the EU has not yet completed its own political and strategic rethink.
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/631840-peace-with-russia-eu/
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Azerbaijani leader meets chief of Muslim Council of Elders in Abu Dhabi
03 February 2026
On February 3, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, in Abu Dhabi.
Abdelsalam recalled with satisfaction his previous visits to Azerbaijan and meetings with President Aliyev. He once again congratulated the president on being awarded the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity, Caliber.Az cites the Azerbaijani president’s website.
President Aliyev thanked him for the congratulations and praised the activities of the Zayed Foundation, as well as the significant role of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in promoting humanitarian legacy and human values.
The awarding of this prize to Ilham Aliyev was seen as a sign of high esteem on the part of Pope Leo XIV, Sheikh Al-Azhar al-Sharif, and Supreme Imam Ahmed Muhammad Ahmed Al-Tayeb for the Azerbaijani president's efforts to establish peace.
In January 2026, President Ilham Aliyev received Mohamed Abdelsalam and members of the judging committee of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity – former President of the European Council Charles Michel and former Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat. The delegation informed the President that the 2026 Zayed Award for Human Fraternity will be presented to him in recognition of his efforts to achieve peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. They announced that the solemn award ceremony will take place on February 4, 2026, in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, and expressed their honour in personally handing the invitation letter to President Aliyev to attend the event as a guest of honour.
The Zayed Award for Human Fraternity was established on the basis of a document signed by Sheikh Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, and the late Pope Francis. The award promotes the humanitarian legacy and values of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and former President of the United Arab Emirates. President Ilham Aliyev’s selection for the award was also described as a reflection of the high appreciation expressed by the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Pope Leo XIV, and the judging committee for the Azerbaijani President’s efforts to establish peace with Armenia.
After studying all peace models worldwide last year, the judging committee decided that the peace agreement model between Azerbaijan and Armenia constitutes an excellent example that can be applied in other regions affected by conflict and war.
Source: caliber.az
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https://caliber.az/en/post/azerbaijani-leader-meets-chief-of-muslim-council-of-elders-in-abu-dhabi
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Regulating Islamic education can strengthen trust and authority, if religious scholars lead the way
February 3, 2026
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for greater regulation of Islamic preachers in Australia in the aftermath of the Bondi terror attack. His comments triggered an immediate backlash.
Many Muslim leaders and commentators heard the remarks as another episode in a long history of government suspicion toward Islam, or as a thinly veiled attempt to crack down on a religious community already under pressure.
That reaction is understandable. Public debates about Islam in Australia are often freighted with fear, moral panic and political opportunism.
Morrison’s comments also came at a tense moment for the country, which helps explain their bluntness and the intensity of the reaction they provoked. It is entirely understandable that Muslim communities would be angered by any conflation with acts of violence committed in Islam’s name.
But focusing only on whether Morrison’s comments were offensive or ill-judged risks missing a deeper issue that has been quietly unresolved for decades.
The real question raised by this controversy is not Islamophobia or security. It is the role of religious authority and accountability in Islamic teaching in a modern, pluralist society.
Why frameworks are important
Every secular democracy regulates institutions that play a role in shaping moral and civic life. Schools are accredited. Childcare and aged-care providers operate under public standards and oversight. Charities and community organisations are subject to transparency requirements.
These arrangements are not expressions of hostility. They are the mechanisms that build trust between institutions and the wider public.
Religion should not, in principle, be exempt from this framework.
Treating religion as untouchable when it comes to government regulation does not protect it. It leaves it vulnerable to crude political interventions, moral panic and collective blame when something goes wrong.
This tension is not unique to Islam. All religious traditions must contend with the fact that religious authority can be claimed and religious teachings distorted by divergent actors. This makes questions of public accountability more pressing, not less.
If done carefully and respectfully, with parameters established in partnership with religious communities, this sort of regulation would not infringe on religious freedom. In fact, such regulation often protects religious freedom by clarifying who speaks with authority and on what basis.
The importance of training local imams
Representative bodies such as the Australian National Imams Council and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils play important advisory and coordinating roles in Islamic education in Australia. However, there is no agreed national standard or framework for Islamic education. Nor is there a common system for training or accrediting imams.
Many imams in Australia are trained overseas. This reflects both the relatively recent development of Islamic institutions in Australia and the longstanding authority of established education centres in the Middle East.
As a result, this religious education takes place in countries with very different political and theological debates.
In addition, mosque governance in Australia is often localised, fragmented and dependent on volunteer leadership. These arrangements are not inherently problematic. However, they do create a structural ambiguity about religious authority in the faith.
That ambiguity affects everyone. For Muslim communities, it leads to uncertainty about:
who represents Islam publicly
who is responsible for religious guidance
how theological disagreements are resolved.
For the wider society, it can produce anxiety about what is being taught, by whom, and under what norms. In the absence of a coherent public framework, suspicion fills the gap.
What can be done?
There is a more productive approach. The first step is recognising that religious authority does not exist in a vacuum.
In a pluralist society, religious leaders shape ethical outlooks, social norms and public behaviour. This comes with great responsibility – not because Islam is suspect, but because it matters.
Governments do not need to strengthen their surveillance or impose heavy-handed controls in response. Rather, religious institutions need to operate with greater transparency, public engagement and institutional maturity.
For starters, governments can play a supporting role in developing pathways for Islamic education grounded in Australian civic life, rather than imposing direct state control. This includes through partnerships with universities, community institutions and established overseas centres.
Religious literacy should be encouraged, both within Muslim communities and beyond.
And, importantly, governments must work with Muslim scholars, educators and community leaders on developing regulatory frameworks or public standards.
These leaders are already grappling with the challenges posed by imported religious authority, fragmented governance and the pressures of representing Islam in a secular society. Their more careful voices are often lost in the noisy, polarised debate.
Islam is not alone here. Similar tensions can be found across many other religious traditions as they adapt to modern pluralist societies, even if they surface differently.
If there is a lesson in the Morrison controversy, it is this: Australia has not yet worked out how Islamic authority fits into its public institutions. Until it does, debates about Islam will continue to oscillate between denial and suspicion, neither of which serves anyone well.
The question is not whether Islam belongs in Australia. It already does belong, deeply and permanently. The question is how religious authority is situated in a society that values freedom, accountability and civic trust. That is a conversation worth having calmly, seriously and without fear.
Source: theconversation.com
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https://theconversation.com/regulating-islamic-education-can-strengthen-trust-and-authority-if-religious-scholars-lead-the-way-274736
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Silverstone to host first Open Iftar during Ramadan
2 FEBRUARY
By James McNeill
Silverstone is set to host its first Open Iftar during the Ramadan Festival 2026.
The event will take place on February 21 (during Ramadan) in partnership with the Ramadan Tent Project, and will be the first time a motorsport venue has hosted an Open Iftar.
The Open Iftar is part of the wider Ramadan Festival 2026, a programme of community events held across the UK during the holy month.
Stuart Pringle, chief executive officer of Silverstone, said: "Silverstone has always been a place where history is made, and we are proud to mark a new and meaningful first by hosting our inaugural Open Iftar in partnership with Ramadan Tent Project.
"Opening our doors during the holy month of Ramadan is a privilege, and an opportunity for us to use this iconic space in a different way, one centred on community, connection and shared experience.
"We are grateful to the Ramadan Tent Project for bringing Open Iftar to Silverstone and for the chance to be part of Ramadan Festival 2026."
Open Iftar, now in its 13th year, invites people of all backgrounds to join the Muslim community in breaking their fast.
Previous venues have included Wembley Stadium, Lord’s Cricket Ground, the Principality Stadium and several Premier League grounds.
For the first time in its 138-year history, Glasgow City Chambers will also host an Open Iftar on March 7.
The Lord Provost of Glasgow, Jacqueline McLaren, said: "As a city that is enriched by many cultures, faiths and traditions, marking religious observances is an important reflection of who we are.
"This first Open Iftar is recognition of how important Ramadan and Islam is to many Glaswegians."
The Welcome Ramadan Conference, held at Soho Theatre Walthamstow, marked the launch of Ramadan Festival 2026 and welcomed more than 500 attendees.
This year’s theme is ‘Hope’ and the festival will feature events in nine cities across the UK.
Other activities include the Fast A Day campaign, encouraging non-Muslim colleagues to experience fasting, and the Ramadan Run Club, promoting inclusivity and wellbeing during the month.
Source: asianimage.co.uk
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https://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/25818643.silverstone-host-first-open-iftar-ramadan/
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Everyone’s welcome at Blackburn’s newest mosque
2 February 2026
The Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council hailed the town’s newest mosque “an impressive and inspiring community asset” following a tour at the weekend.
Masjid E Vali opened in January 2026 on the former site of Westholme Junior School in Preston New Road, Blackburn.
Around five years in the planning and construction, the new mosque is one of the North West’s most significant and ambitious places of worship developments in recent years.
Funded by the Issa Foundation, a charity established by Blackburn with Darwen born brothers and entrepreneurs Zuber Issa CBE and Mohsin Issa CBE, also founders of EG Group, the new mosque development is named in memory of their father, the late Vali Issa.
Zuber Issa CBE said:
Masjid E Vali stands as a tribute to my father’s values of compassion, humility and service to others. He believed in the power of community, in opening doors rather than closing them, and in bringing people together regardless of faith, ethnicity or background.
I hope that Masjid E Vali becomes not only a place of prayer, but also a place of unity, learning, understanding and lasting friendships for generations to come.
Built with a significant investment, Masjid E Vali has been thoughtfully designed to reflect spiritual peace and serenity.
The design and build have been inspired and influenced by similar, beautiful architecture from across the Middle East, as it blends classic, contemporary Islamic design with high-quality local materials, creating a welcoming and uplifting space for the whole community to access and benefit from.
Sustainability has also been an important investment consideration. Solar panels installed on the roof help power the building, and extensive landscaping enhances the surrounding environment, creating an attractive and accessible setting.
Already, Masjid E Vali has welcomed visitors from across the UK and beyond, with many praising both its architectural beauty and its community engagement focus.
During their visit, representatives of Masjid E Vali’s management team guided Council leaders through the building, showcasing its facilities and sharing their vision for the future.
Councillor Phil Riley, Leader of the Council, commented:
Zuber and Mohsin Issa have always been proud of their Blackburn with Darwen roots. Transforming this former school site into such an impressive and welcoming place of worship and education demonstrates a strong commitment to the town and its people.
What impressed me most during the tour was not only the quality of the architecture and final build, but the clear ambition for Masjid E Vali to be a place that brings people together and be a space that all the residents of Blackburn with Darwen can be proud of.
I would like to thank Zuber Issa and the Masjid E Vali management team for their hospitality, and for making us all feel so welcome.
Standing close to St Silas’s Church and Sacred Heart Church in Preston New Road, Masjid E Vali stands as part of a diverse and vibrant spiritual asset for the local community. Visitors enter through marble pillars and pass a tranquil fountain before reaching a welcoming reception area that leads into the main prayer hall, which can accommodate more than 1,000 worshippers.
Masjid E Vali includes dedicated prayer spaces for both men and women, as well as a crèche and children’s play area, the first in Lancashire to offer such facilities.
An adjacent community building provides flexible space for events, educational programmes, wellbeing activities and wider community use.
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Deputy Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Growth and Development, added:
While the mosque will serve worshippers locally and from further afield, the message from the Issa family and the management team is clear that everyone is welcome at Masjid E Vali.
The facility is designed not only as a place of worship, but as a community hub for people of all faiths and none. It has already hosted events such as women’s health days and community safety initiatives, and it has great potential to play an important role in bringing people together across Blackburn with Darwen.
Source: theshuttle.org.uk
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https://theshuttle.org.uk/everyones-welcome-at-blackburns-newest-mosque/
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Islamic Centre of England contacted by regulator over items sold on its premises
02 Feb 2026
The Charity Commission has raised concerns with the Islamic Centre of England’s trustees over items sold on its premises at a recent event, amid an ongoing statutory inquiry.
On 14 December, the charity held a “grand community bazaar” at its London premises, with 87 vendors selling various items to more than 2,000 visitors.
A dossier of images from the event seen by Civil Society appears to show that some of the items being sold bore graphics or messages suggesting support for Hezbollah, a proscribed terrorist group in the UK.
The images include items with apparent silhouettes of former Hezbollah commanders Hassan Nasrallah and Qassem Soleimani, both of whom are now dead.
In response, an Islamic Centre of England spokesperson said the trustees “take all concerns about the centre very seriously”.
“We are currently reviewing matters pertaining to the 14 December event and, in light of this, are unable to comment further at this time,” they added.
Ongoing inquiry
The commission opened its inquiry into the Islamic Centre of England in November 2022 after finding that the charity’s trustees had failed to comply fully with a previous official warning and action plan it had issued.
In May 2023, the regulator appointed an interim manager, a decision which was criticised by 35 civil society groups and individuals.
During its inquiry, the commission removed a requirement from the charity’s governing document for one trustee to be the official UK religious representative of the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the occupant left this role.
The interim manager oversaw the appointment of two new trustees and took steps to improve the charity’s management and governance, before being discharged.
Last year, the commission ordered governance reform at the charity, requiring the trustees to ensure that all religious services, speakers and events further the objects of the charity and are in its best interests.
On the 14 December event, a spokesperson for the commission said: “As part of our ongoing inquiry into Islamic Centre of England, we have raised concerns with the trustees about material sold by third parties at a recent event hosted at the charity’s premises.”
Source: civilsociety.co.uk
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https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/islamic-centre-of-england-contacted-by-regulator-over-items-sold-on-its-premises.html
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German cities grind to halt amid massive strike
2 Feb, 2026
Tens of thousands of public transport workers have gone on strike in Germany, leaving cities across the country paralyzed. The employees are demanding higher pay and better working conditions.
Meanwhile, freezing temperatures have arrived in many parts of the country, with commuters having to seek alternative modes of transportation.
Starting from 3am local time on Monday, most bus, tram, and subway services have been disrupted across almost all German states, except for Lower Saxony.
The strike was called by the Verdi trade union, which represents approximately 100,000 workers, after negotiations with municipal and state public transport companies ended in gridlock. Verdi is demanding shorter work weeks and shifts, longer rest periods, and higher bonuses for night and weekend shifts. However, many cities are facing budget constraints.
Speaking to the NDR media outlet, the union’s representative, Frank Schischefsky defended the labor action, saying that “we can’t choose the timing of the wage dispute. Unfortunately, we can’t wait for better weather.”
The next round of talks is scheduled for February 9. Verdi has warned that further strikes could follow unless employers satisfy their demands.
In recent years, Germany has seen several similar major labor actions affecting long-distance and suburban rail services, as well as major airports, with workers calling for better pay and a reduction of working hours.
Germany’s economy saw two years of recession in 2023 and 2024, and a period of near-stagnation in 2025.
Last December, the country’s central bank warned that Germany is on track to post its largest budget deficit since reunification in 1990, citing increased military expenditure and continued financial support to Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who once chaired the supervisory board of BlackRock in Germany, has repeatedly criticized his compatriots’ work ethic. Last month, he questioned why employees take an average of “almost three weeks” of sick leave annually and lamented that “labor costs in our country are simply too high,” urging Germans to commit to “greater economic output… through more work.”
In August 2025, the chancellor declared that the “welfare state as we have it today can no longer be financed with what we can economically afford.” Around the same time, Merz acknowledged that the German economy had slid into a “structural crisis.”
Source: rt.com
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https://www.rt.com/news/631876-germany-public-transport-strike/
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North America
Staten Island Muslim community hosts first Islamic Peace Academy
Feb. 02, 2026
STATEN ISLAND, NY — Members of the Staten Island Interfaith community celebrated peace, solidarity and heritage at the first-ever Islamic Peace Academy.
This new initiative, which took place on Saturday in Westerleigh at the new Muslim Community Center on Broadway, was created in partnership with the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center and Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), an international peace organization that is affiliated with the United Nations.
“As we might see today, there may be differences in our culture, ethnicity, race and religion. Even within religion we may have differences of opinion, but these things do not change the facts of what all the religious scriptures talk about, every scripture is peace,” shared Andre Fadhel, the general director of the New York Branch of the World Alliance of Religion’s Peace Office.
The event began with a reading from Qur’an by community leader Dr. Sabry Bahlool, which centered around peace and unity. This was followed by speakers from the Islamic community, who shared their hopes of solidarity and communication.
“Our prophet instructs us that a true believer is one who cannot go to sleep while his neighbor is hungry,” said Mazen Ahmed, the imam of the Muslim Community Center of Staten Island. “In another verse and another saying, our prophet says if you prepare a soup then increase the water and share with your neighbors that are in need.”
Tahir Kukaj, the vice president and imam of the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, focused his speech on his hopes for further connection with local elected officials.
“Good connections are important,” the imam who also serves as a New York Police Department chaplain stated. " Peace is not just absence of war. Peace is rather the system that justice is being served. In our system, in this great nation of ours, justice is being served through connections and actions."
The religious leaders were joined by multiple local elected officials, who shared words of unity and support prior to a celebratory meal.
State Assemblymember Sam Pirozzolo and City Councilmember David Carr, both Republicans representing parts of Staten Island, shared their support and hopes for building new bridges with the growing Staten Island Muslim community.
“I see some people here today with very different religions. Whether you’re Jewish, whether you’re Muslim, whether you’re Christian, whether you’re Catholic or Buddhist or Hindu, every religion seems to be centered around peace,” stated Pirozzolo.
“We will do our best to make sure that this government in this city and this state serves you the way it’s supposed to be serving,” said Carr. “We have the opportunities to build trust and collaboration and to really come together.”
Councilmember Kamillah Hanks, a Democrat representing the North Shore, offered her support for the Muslim community.
“This time of year has always brought us together and every year together we celebrate the great holiday,” she said. “We really hope to celebrate many of our iftars together and celebrate Ramadan as we’re coming up on the high holy day.”
State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, a Democrat who represents the North Shore and South Brooklyn, also shared her willingness to help the community with any issues they may face.
“I know what most people want for their own family, is what I want for mine, for you to feel safe where you live, and you want to be able to afford where you live,” she shared. “I just wanted to stop in and say hello and let you know that I am here. I look forward to getting together with all of you and getting to know you better.”
Fadhel concluded the evening by presenting an honorary certificate to Abdallah Salem, the religious director and imam of the Muslim Community Center, which recognized the center’s commitment to harmony and peace amongst the Interfaith community.
Source: silive.com
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https://www.silive.com/news/2026/02/staten-island-muslim-community-hosts-first-islamic-peace-academy.html
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After months of acrimony, Colombia's Petro is about to meet Trump
Cristobal Vasquez
Feb. 03, 2026
Colombian President Gustavo Petro is heading to Washington for a high-stakes trip to meet US President Donald Trump, the first in-person meeting between the two after months of escalating tensions and angry rhetoric.
Venezuela, drug trafficking, oil, security and US strikes on alleged drug vessels will be high on the agenda when they meet at the White House on Tuesday.
While the two men were cordial in a phone call after the 3 January US military operation to seize Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro, Petro has since said he believes that there is a "real threat" of military action against Colombia.
Trump, for his part, has previously said that a military operation in Colombia "sounds good".
Tuesday's meeting follows months of the two leaders trading barbs - with Petro repeatedly criticising the repeat US strikes on the alleged drugs boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, as well as the White House's immigration policies.
In an interview with the BBC last month, Petro went as far as to compare US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to "Nazi brigades" and accused the US of treating other countries as part of its "empire".
On the US side, Trump has accused Petro's government of not doing enough to stop the flow of cocaine heading north, and has vowed to expand strikes to land targets across the region.
But the acrimony seemed to dissipate following a "cordial" phone call between the two leaders, which a Colombian official later described as an 180-degree turn "from both sides".
According to diplomatic sources, one man - Rand Paul, US Senator for Kentucky - was instrumental in setting up the conversation.
"I believe in diplomacy and I thought our relations were going in the wrong way," the senator told the BBC. "And I'd like to see our relations improve."
Paul, who has sometimes clashed with Trump himself, added that he believed the upcoming meeting in Washington could build on the earlier dialogue between the two men.
Ahead of Tuesday's visit, Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio said that much of the conversation would focus on shared US and Colombian concerns over security in Venezuela, with which Colombia shares a 1,367 mile (2,200km) border.
Much of that border is under the sway of the National Liberation Army, or ELN. This Colombian guerrilla group, which was founded in the 1960s, controls drug trafficking, extortion, contraband and illegal mining of gold and coltan in border states such as Zulia, Táchira, Apure, and Amazonas - and works with corrupt elements of the Venezuelan government.
While in Colombia the group operates against the government, in Venezuela it often serves the interests of the state, according to security analysts, and operates as a paramilitary-style organisation.
Insight Crime, a Medellin-based think-tank, estimates that 1,200 of the group's approximately 6,000 members operate in Venezuela, with a presence in eight of its 24 states.
"There will be a constructive conversation about the path forward for stabilising and securing the Venezuelan-Colombian border and US-Colombia relations," Democratic Senator Chris Coons told the BBC ahead of the Trump-Petro meeting.
For Trump, addressing the threat of the ELN will be vital to ensuring security for US firms involved in Venezuela's oil industry after Maduro was seized. The removal of Maduro potentially creates an opportunity for a strategic partnership between him and Petro.
Elizabeth Dickinson, deputy director for Latin America at International Crisis Group, said the ELN had the potential to spoil those ambitions by targeting foreign investors and employees, as it has previously done in Colombia.
Money made by the ELN's mineral and drug trafficking operations, she explained, often included payments to elements of the Venezuelan military.
"That money flowing up and down the system through the Venezuelan armed forces is fundamental to its cohesion," she said. "Asking the same Venezuelan military to go after the ELN would be quite challenging because their interests... are largely aligned."
Following the fall of Maduro, Petro has already ordered 30,000 Colombian soldiers to the Venezuelan border to prevent the group from crossing over.
An equally pressing issue for the two leaders will be the fight against cocaine trafficking from Colombia, the drug's largest producer.
In November, Petro ordered a temporary pause of intelligence sharing with US security agencies after Trump's threats - making reference to the US boat attacks.
The US, for its part, has formally named Colombia as a country which has "demonstrably failed" to uphold its obligations to control drug trafficking, as part of its annual certification of whether several countries are fully co-operating with its counter-narcotics efforts.
It has also imposed sanctions on Colombian officials, including Petro and members of his family.
Despite the tensions, co-operation has continued between the two nations' militaries, as well as between the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Colombian police.
"There is no fight against the cocaine trade without Colombia," said Jeremy McDermott, the co-director of Insight Crime." The threat to cut off Colombian intelligence to the US could also undermine all investigations."
Colombian officials have said that the visit will also serve as an opportunity to showcase their government's counter-narcotics efforts to a sceptical White House.
But even with multiple areas in which the two can cooperate, there still exists the potential for an Oval Office clash of the sort that the presidents of Ukraine and South Africa both experienced with Trump last year.
"Trump loves you one day, dislikes you the next day and reverts to loving you a couple days after," said Brett Bruen, a former diplomat who now runs the Global Situation Room, a Washington-based strategic communications firm.
"My suspicion is that Petro will walk in with some concessions to avoid Trump's ire and any punitive measures," he added. "But one never knows what side of the bed Trump woke up on."
But for Petro, even an ugly encounter could be beneficial.
His presidential term is over in August, and the outcome of the meeting could impact the electoral chances of the man he backs to replace him, Senator Iván Cepeda.
"In some ways, he's kind of in a win-win situation," said Michael Shifter, a Latin American studies professor at Georgetown and the former head of the Inter-American Dialogue. "If it goes well, he takes the air out of one of the core arguments of the opposition, that the left can't have a good relationship with the US.
"If it doesn't, it's not going to cost him his base. He's protecting national sovereignty and trying to negotiate with Trump," he added. "He could turn that in his favour."
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62v187kl1ro
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CAIR-Georgia Welcomes News of Judge Stacey Hydrick’s Retirement
February 2, 2026
The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia), the local chapter of the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy group (CAIR), today welcomed the news of Judge Stacey Hydrick’s retirement from the Superior Court of Dekalb County. Judge Hydrick’s retirement announcement comes at a time when Georgia’s highest judicial watchdog, the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), is investigating Judge Hydrick for public anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim remarks she posted last year.
Judge Hydrick deleted her public remarks after formal complaints were filed with the JQC. The complaints expressed concerns that her remarks undermine public confidence and trust in the impartiality of Georgia’s judicial system and violate Georgia’s Judicial code of conduct. Following public pressure, Judge Hydrick stepped down as investigative chair in February 2025.
In the past, the JQC has previously set a precedent by investigating and removing judges who have made racist remarks and undermined judicial impartiality and public trust.
CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Azka Mahmood stated, “We are relieved that Judge Hydrick will no longer preside over courtrooms in DeKalb County. We hope that Judge Hydrick’s successor will uphold the fundamental principle that every person deserves equal justice under the law, free from personal bias and prejudice. This is integral to protecting the public’s trust in the integrity and impartiality of Georgia’s judicial system. CAIR-Georgia looks forward to the conclusion of the JQC’s investigation in to Judge Hydrick’s conduct.”
CAIR-Georgia’s mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-georgia-welcomes-news-of-judge-stacey-hydricks-retirement/
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CAIR, CAIR-FL Welcome Court Order Requiring Laura Loomer to Complete Settlement Payments to CAIR
February 2, 2026
The national headquarters and Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed a ruling by a federal judge ordering Laura Loomer and Illoominate Media to complete their remaining monthly settlement payments to CAIR, which she began making in 2023.
The payments were mandated by a settlement reached after her failed 2022 lawsuit falsely alleging CAIR forced Twitter to ban her from the social media platform.
In the wake of Governor Ron DeSantis’ unconstitutional and defamatory proclamation smearing CAIR as a terrorist group last year, Loomer filed a motion with a federal court asking for permission to withhold her remaining payments to CAIR. A court has now rejected her request.
In a statement, CAIR Litigation Director Lena Masri said:
“We welcome this judicial ruling ordering Laura Loomer to complete her monthly payments to CAIR Legal Defense Fund and fully satisfy the attorney’s fees she owes us as a result of her failed lawsuit.
“Since Ms. Loomer began sending her payments to CAIR in 2023, our attorneys have used her funds to provide legal representation to the American Muslim community and advance free speech, religious freedom, and civil rights for everyone in our nation.
“We look forward to receiving Ms. Loomer’s final payments and using the funds to once again protect American Muslims and our neighbors from hate.”
In 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed a $125,000 judgment on behalf of CAIR and its Florida chapter (CAIR-Florida) against Laura Loomer and Illoominate Media for attorney’s fees and costs related to Loomer and Illoominate’s failed lawsuit alleging CAIR forced Twitter to ban her from the social media platform.
In 2019, a federal district court dismissed both CAIR and CAIR-Florida from Loomer’s “nonsensical” lawsuit. Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II said Loomer owed $123,761.65 to CAIR and its Florida chapter, plus $661.72 in costs.
The United States Court of Appeals For the Eleventh Circuit ruled: “After three appeals to our Court, this matter should be at an end.”
As part of a settlement reached in 2023 to address her outstanding debt, CAIR agreed to let Loomer pay a total of $73,500 to CAIR in monthly installments, among other terms.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/breaking-cair-cair-fl-welcome-court-order-requiring-laura-loomer-to-complete-settlement-payments-to-cair/
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Historic Legislative Muslim Caucus to Officially Launch at 2026 Maryland Muslim Lobby Day
February 2, 2026
Today, the Maryland office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), in partnership with State Delegate Sean Stinnett, announced that the Legislative Muslim Caucus will officially launch on February 16 during the 2026 Maryland Muslim Lobby Day, and will be formally presented at the State House in Annapolis, marking a historic first within the Maryland General Assembly.
Event Details:
What: 2026 Maryland Muslim Lobby Day & Official Launch of the Maryland Muslim Caucus
[Note: Space is limited and this event is almost at capacity. Book your ticket today to reserve your spot.]
“I’m excited and very thankful to Speaker Pena-Melnyk for giving me the approval and the much-needed support in establishing the first ever MD Muslim Caucus,” said State Delegate Sean A. Stinnett. “This is the time when we need to have those critical conversations within our community and beyond about what’s needed to break down the barriers and come together as one community. The primary mission of the Caucus will focus on peace & unity amongst us all.”
The establishment of the Maryland Muslim Caucus represents a major milestone for civic inclusion, democratic participation, and faith-based representation in state government. It will serve as a collaborative legislative forum dedicated to addressing issues impacting Maryland’s diverse Muslim communities while advancing policies grounded in equity, civil rights, and the public good.
“The launch of the Maryland Muslim Caucus is a historic and affirming moment for Muslim Marylanders,” said CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry. “It reflects the growing civic engagement of our communities and reinforces the principle that people of all faiths belong fully in the democratic process.”
The Maryland Muslim Lobby Day is a statewide advocacy event that brings together community members, faith leaders, advocates, and elected officials from across Maryland to engage directly with lawmakers on shared policy priorities.
The caucus will work in partnership with fellow legislators, community organizations, and constituents to promote inclusive policymaking on issues such as civil rights protections, public safety, social justice, education, economic opportunity, and religious freedom. It also aims to foster dialogue, understanding, and cooperation across faith and cultural lines within the General Assembly.
Maryland Muslim Lobby Day 2026 will feature constituent meetings with lawmakers and a public program recognizing the launch of the caucus as a landmark achievement in Maryland’s legislative history.
About Maryland Muslim Lobby Day
Maryland Muslim Lobby Day is an annual civic engagement initiative that empowers Muslim communities across the state to participate in the legislative process, engage with elected officials, and advocate for policies rooted in justice, dignity, and equal protection under the law.
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/historic-legislative-muslim-caucus-to-officially-launch-at-2026-maryland-muslim-lobby-day/
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Texas governor, lieutenant governor ramp up attacks on state’s Muslim community
Michael Karlis
February 2, 2026
Texas Republicans intensified their attacks against Islam this week, playing on unfounded concerns that the state’s 300,000 Muslims are financing terrorist organizations and wish to implement Sharia Law here.
On Friday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick formally named “preventing Sharia law in Texas” among the state Senate’s top priorities in the 2027 legislative session.
“Only state and federal laws apply in Texas and ‘Sharia law’ or other secondary judicial systems have no place in Texas,” Patrick, who controls the Texas Senate’s agenda, wrote in his memo.
Although there’s no real threat of Sharia Law — a loosely defined legal framework based on the most literal interpretations of the Quran — being implemented in Texas, that hasn’t stopped Patrick from whipping up fears about it.
Specifically, Patrick’s memo demands that the Senate examine entities including the East Plano Islamic Center, or EPIC City, a Muslim-centric planned masterplanned community that’s become the center of controversy and conspiracy theories among the far right.
Patrick’s demands come a year after the U.S. Department of Justice closed an investigation into EPIC City after failing to find any civil rights violations involving the proposed project.
Not to be outdone, Gov. Greg Abbott, in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, demanded Paxton’s office strip the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil-rights organization, of its nonprofit status and eliminate its ability to operate in the state.
“Your office may even seek a lien against all existing property the nonprofit has in this state,” Abbott wrote. “You have used these tools before; I urge you to use them to combat CAIR.”
Abbott’s letter comes after he last fall formally declared CAIR a foreign terrorist organization, despite little evidence that the nonprofit poses a threat to state or national security or has done much beyond its chief role of advocating for U.S. Muslims’ civil rights.
Texas has the fifth-largest Muslim population in the U.S., and CAIR would likely fight any attempt by Texas officials to revoke its nonprofit status in the courts.
In comments to Texas Public Radio about recent claims spread by Abbott and Patrick, CAIR National Deputy Director Ahmed Mitchell said most Muslims aren’t interested in imposing Sharia law, adding that it “defies logic” to think that a minority population wields the power to radically reshape the entire state’s justice system.
He also rejected Abbott’s claim that his organization supports terrorism.
“These are all debunked conspiracy theories that have been spread online for years,” Mitchell said. “I never thought I would see the governor of a state putting them in writing in an official proclamation. This is all nonsense that can be easily rebutted with a simple Google search. For example, CARE has spent 30 years condemning terrorism, very vocally.”
Patrick and Abbott’s rhetoric echoes that of GOP candidates down the ballot this election season, who are heavily leaning into fears about an “Islamic invasion of Texas.”
U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Republican incumbent, facing a tight primary against Paxton, dropped a seven-figure ad buy late last month stating “radical Islam is a blood thirsty ideology” that has no place in Texas. Without offering a shred of evidence, the clip attempts to link CAIR to the Oct. 7 Hamas attack against Israel and December’s Bondi Beach shooting in Australia.
Meanwhile, attorney Aaron Reitz, who’s running to take Paxton’s seat as AG, released an ad declaring that Democratic politicians had “imported millions of Muslims into our country.”
“The result? More terrorism, more crime, and they even want their own illegal cities in Texas to impose Sharia law,” claimed Reitz, a former chief of staff for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
Source: sacurrent.com
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https://www.sacurrent.com/news/texas-news/patrick-abbott-ramp-up-attacks-against-texas-muslims/
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Texas loss delivers stark warning to Republicans in critical election year
Feb. 03, 2026
Anthony Zurcher
Voters in Texas have sent another warning to Republicans that they may be facing fierce political headwinds in a critical election year.
A special election for a state Senate seat on Saturday saw the Democratic candidate, union leader Taylor Rehmet, win by a 14-point margin. But that doesn't tell the full story.
Rehmet defeated a Trump-backed candidate in a district the president won by a 58-41 margin in 2024. It means the result represents a huge 31-point swing towards the Democrats from that presidential election.
The major upset is likely to unnerve Republicans ahead of November's midterm elections. Dan Patrick, the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Texas, said it was a "wake-up call".
"Our voters cannot take anything for granted," he said.
His comments echo those from other Republicans, who had become increasingly concerned that they would lose this race in recent weeks. The president posted two messages in the final days encouraging his supporters to cast ballots for the Republican, conservative activist Leigh Wambsganss.
"The Radical Left Democrats are spending a fortune to beat a true MAGA warrior," Trump wrote, referring to his "Make America Great Again" movement.
It was Republicans, however, who poured considerable resources into the race, spending a combined $2.5m between the campaign and affiliated political committees, according to campaign filings. Rehmet reported raising just over $380,000, mostly in smaller donations.
During the campaign, Rehmet focused on education and affordability issues. Polls have indicated that concerns about the cost of living continue to rank high for Americans – and dissatisfaction with Trump and Republicans contributed to the party's defeats in off-year state and local elections last November.
According to research by the website Downballot, Democrats overperformed 2024 results by nearly 14 percent in special elections held in 2025.
When asked about the Texas election results on Sunday, Trump downplayed their larger significance, calling it a "local Texas race".
"I'm not on the ballot," he said. "So you don't know whether or not it's transferable."
Democrats, however, have been buoyed by the results and view it as further evidence that the party is poised for success in the midterms, where control of Congress is at stake.
"This victory is a warning sign to Republicans across the country," Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin wrote in a statement. "Tonight's results prove that no Republican seat is safe."
Because of the timing of the special election, turnout was down significantly from the 2022 race – from 277,000 to 94,000. The electorate was still majority Republican, however.
Democrat Rehmet prevailed, political analyst Ross Hunt posted on X, because he won independents and some Republican voters.
The surprising result in the Texas legislative race overshadowed another special election in Texas on Saturday, a run-off that determined which Democrat would fill the Houston-area US House of Representatives seat vacated when Congressman Sylvester Turner died in March 2025.
With Christian Menefee's victory, the Republican margin in the House of Representatives has narrowed to 218- 214 with three remaining vacancies.
The results, however, paint a worrying picture for Republicans.
While the president may play down the significance of these elections, his name won't be on the ballot in November, either. And the outcome of those midterm elections will be critical to determining how the remainder of his second term plays out.
Source: bbc.com
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https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgk85kjk8lzo
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Africa
Sharia Court hands life sentence to Bauchi man who buried two victims
Feb.03,2026
By Hafsat Bello
A Sharia Court sitting in Katagum, Bauchi State, has sentenced Ibrahim Umar, popularly known as Maidada, to life imprisonment after convicting him of killing two men identified as Kabiru Idi and Muhammad Bello.
The accused was said to have murdered the victims in Taranka Forest and subsequently buried them in a grave he had dug.
State prosecutor, Barrister Muhammad Ali, told the court that the defendant had admitted his guilt from the outset of the trial and accepted the court’s judgment.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the sentencing, defence counsel, Barrister Ibrahim Umar Abdullahi, said the court had tempered justice with mercy, adding: “Everyone has a right to defence and we presented our case before the court and appealed for leniency since he pleaded guilty, the court granted life imprisonment instead of death by hanging.”
Source: dailypost.ng
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https://dailypost.ng/2026/02/02/sharia-court-hands-life-sentence-to-bauchi-man-who-buried-two-victims/
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Panic In Aba As Suspected Bomb Is Unearthed Inside Church Compound
February 2, 2026
An object suspected to be a bomb was evacuated from the United Evangelical Church, Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill, Aba, Abia State.
According to Vanguard, over 100 people would have ended up losing their lives had the object exploded.
An eyewitness who spoke to the aforementioned publication disclosed that the church members were digging the area around the parsonage for a new fence when they unearthed a large metal object.
One of them was said to have taken the strange object to the nearby water borehole when the priest in charge suddenly suspected it was a bomb and warned them to stay away.
A source further stated that the priest in charge went to a military unit in the city, which led soldiers to storm the parsonage to evacuate the deadly object.
An eyewitness said, ”The road which divides the church building and the parsonage is being expanded by the state government. The church decided to remove the old fence and build a new one to make way for the road’s expansion. It was while the church members were digging the ground for the new fence that they dug out the metal object, which nobody knew was a bomb. The pastor later invited soldiers who evacuated the object.”
Sympathisers who were gathered at the scene expressed gratitude to God for the unexploded object, adding that not less than 100 persons and buildings would have been destroyed as the area is always filled with traders and passersby.
When contacted, Secretary of the Aba Area Conference of the United Evangelical Church (UEC) Rev Thompson Ikpeoha, who confirmed the incident, said he was yet to be fully briefed by the priest in charge of the Ehere/Umuola Church.
A senior military officer in Aba confirmed the incident and disclosed that the Army headquarters has taken over the investigation.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/02/panic-in-aba-as-suspected-bomb-is-unearthed-inside-church-compound/
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China: Ex-Justice Minister Bags Life Imprisonment Over $20 Million Bribery Scandal
February 2, 2026
A Chinese court on Monday sentenced a former Minister of Justice, Tang Yijun, to life imprisonment after finding him guilty of accepting bribes totalling nearly $20 million over a period spanning more than a decade.
Naija News understands that Tang, 64, served as China’s justice minister between 2020 and 2023 and previously held several influential positions, including Governor of Liaoning Province and Chinese Communist Party secretary of Ningbo city.
In a statement, the Xiamen Intermediate People’s Court in eastern China said Tang abused the authority attached to the offices he occupied to unlawfully enrich himself between 2006 and 2022.
According to the court, the former minister exploited “the advantages associated with the positions he successively held” to obtain benefits for “various entities and individuals.”
The court said that in exchange for illicit payments, Tang assisted individuals and companies in securing initial public offerings, obtaining bank loans, acquiring land, and facilitating other business-related matters.
It disclosed that Tang received a total of 137 million yuan, equivalent to $19.7 million, from the illegal transactions.
Describing the scale of the crime, the court said the amount of bribes involved was “particularly high” and had caused “extremely serious damage to the interests of the state and the people.”
Despite the severity of the offence, the court noted that Tang was granted leniency due to several mitigating factors.
The court said it considered the fact that Tang confessed after his arrest, showed remorse, pleaded guilty, and cooperated fully with investigators before handing down the life sentence.
Naija News reports that Tang’s conviction is the latest in a series of high-profile cases linked to President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, which has been ongoing since he assumed power in 2012.
While Chinese authorities describe the crackdown as a necessary effort to clean up governance, critics argue that it also serves as a tool to eliminate potential political rivals.
The development comes after another former justice minister, Fu Zhenghua, was convicted of corruption in 2022. Fu was initially sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, a punishment that was later commuted to life imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities announced last month that they had launched an anti-corruption investigation into Zhang Youxia, one of the country’s most powerful generals. Zhang is the highest-ranking military figure to be targeted by anti-graft investigators in recent decades.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/02/china-ex-justice-minister-bags-life-imprisonment-over-20-million-bribery-scandal/
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Popular Islamic cleric, Sheikh Usman Kusfa ‘Rigi-Rigi’, dies at 57
FEBRUARY 2, 2026
From Maryam Ahmadu-Suka, Kaduna
A popular Islamic cleric based in Zaria, Kaduna State, Sheikh Usman Idris Kusfa, popularly known as ‘Rigi-Rigi’, has died at the age of 57.
The death of the cleric was confirmed to newsmen on Monday by Nasiruddeen Umar, also known as Baharu.
Umar said Sheikh Kusfa passed away in the early hours of Monday at a hospital in Kaduna after battling an illness for several months.
According to him, the late cleric is survived by four wives, 37 children, and several grandchildren.
Umar further disclosed that the funeral prayer for the deceased has been scheduled to hold at Kusfa, Zaria City, by 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
Sheikh Kusfa, a member of the Tijjaniyya sect, was widely known for his unconventional and humorous approach to Islamic teaching. His distinctive preaching style, often infused with comedy and references to unusual names of past Islamic scholars, endeared him to many followers and sparked curiosity among Muslims.
Source: authorityngr.com
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https://authorityngr.com/2026/02/02/popular-islamic-cleric-sheikh-usman-kusfa-rigi-rigi-dies-at-57/
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Malami Asks Court To Vacate Forfeiture Order On Three Properties
Feb.03,2026
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to set aside the interim forfeiture order granted against three properties linked to him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The properties, listed as Nos. 9, 18, and 48 in the EFCC’s ex parte motion, are among 57 assets the commission alleges were acquired through unlawful means and which the court ordered temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government on January 6, 2026.
In a motion on notice filed by his legal team led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), Malami insisted the affected properties were lawfully acquired and duly declared in his Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) asset forms during his time in public office.
“These assets, their value and their root of title have been clearly stated and specifically demonstrated in the various asset declaration forms spanning from 2019 to 2023,” Daudu told the court.
He noted that Property No. 48, the ADC Kadi Malami Foundation Building, valued at ₦56 million, was not even personally owned by Malami but held in trust for his late father’s estate, Kadi Malami.
Malami’s legal team argued that the EFCC obtained the interim order by suppressing material facts and misrepresenting the ownership status of the properties.
“The proceeding is an assault on the applicant’s right to property, his presumption of innocence, and right to live in peace with his family,” the motion stated.
The former AGF is seeking two reliefs from the court: “An order vacating the interim forfeiture order against the three properties, Plot 157, Lamido Crescent, Kano (No. 9); a duplex in Wuse II, Abuja (No. 18); and the ADC Foundation Building (No. 48).
“An order restraining the EFCC from interfering with or taking further action against the listed properties.”
No Link To Criminal Activity, Says Defence
The defence argued that the EFCC failed to provide prima facie evidence linking the properties to any unlawful activity or specific offence, as required under the law.
Daudu said Properties Nos. 9 and 18 were included in Malami’s CCB declarations in 2019 and 2023, adding that the declarations themselves constituted prima facie proof of lawful ownership.
Naija News understands that Justice Inyang Ekwo, sitting as a vacation judge on January 6, granted EFCC’s ex parte application for the temporary forfeiture of 57 properties said to be linked to Malami.
The EFCC’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho (SAN), had told the court that the assets were proceeds of suspected unlawful activities. The judge also directed the EFCC to publish the order in a national daily, giving any interested party 14 days to show cause why the assets should not be permanently forfeited.
Source: naijanews.com
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Buhari’s Ex-Chief Of Staff Speaks On ‘Jubril Of Sudan’ Controversy
Feb.03,2026
Former Chief of Staff to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has dismissed longstanding conspiracy theories suggesting that the late Nigerian leader was replaced by an impostor known as ‘Jubril of Sudan’.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Gambari insisted that Buhari remained the same individual he had worked with during the 1984 military regime and later in his civilian administration.
Gambari said, “I’m sorry to disappoint. I had no doubt at all that the Buhari I knew in 1984 was the same until his death. That was really quite a silly thing to say, that he was a different person, Jubril of Sudan.”
Gambari, who served as Buhari’s Chief of Staff during his second term in office, said the late president often referenced past experiences they shared during the military era.
He said, “This man was talking to me when he offered me the job. He was talking to me about the things we did in 1984 and 1985, down to the details.
“He was talking about the kind of loyalty he got from me.”
Gambari criticised those who peddled the ‘Jubril’ narrative, attributing the rumour to a broader tendency among some Nigerians to distrust leadership.
“The fact is that you have people in this country who actually believe the worst about anything and any government,” he said.
The ‘Jubril of Sudan’ theory, which falsely claimed that President Buhari had died during a medical trip abroad and been replaced by a body double, gained traction on social media in 2018, despite repeated denials by the presidency and Buhari himself.
Buhari, who served as military Head of State from 1983 to 1985, returned to power as a democratically elected president in 2015 and served two terms until 2023.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/03/buharis-ex-chief-of-staff-speaks-on-jubril-of-sudan-controversy/
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Strike: Police Reacts To Planned NLC Protest In Abuja
February 2, 2026
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to reschedule its planned protest in support of striking workers of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) under the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC).
According to a statement signed by the Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the Police have unveiled plans by the members of the Shiite Islamic Sect and other non-state actors to infiltrate and cause violence during the protest.
It therefore appealed to the NLC to reschedule the planned protest to a later date and time in the interest of public peace and security.
The Police noted that the appeal for rescheduling is aimed at forestalling any breakdown of law and order, while also ensuring that the rights of other residents to safety, freedom of movement, and the conduct of lawful daily activities are not infringed upon.
The statement reads: “The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command is aware of a planned peaceful protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council, scheduled to hold tomorrow, Tuesday, 3rd February 2026, within the Federal Capital Territory.
“While the Command recognizes and respects the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful assembly and protest, and remains committed to providing adequate security for all lawful activities, intelligence reports at the disposal of the Police indicate plans by the proscribed Islamic Movement of Nigeria and other non-state actors to infiltrate and hijack the protest for purposes inimical to public peace and security.
“In view of the above, and in the overriding interest of public safety, the FCT Police Command respectfully appeals to the organizers of the planned protest to consider rescheduling the activity to a later date and time.
“This measure is aimed at forestalling any breakdown of law and order, while also ensuring that the rights of other residents to safety, freedom of movement, and the conduct of lawful daily activities are not infringed upon.
“The Command assures residents of the Federal Capital Territory of its unwavering commitment to the protection of lives and property and urges all citizens to continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the collective effort to maintain peace and security.”
Naija News recalls that the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had announced plans to stage a peaceful solidarity rally on February 3.
The unions made this known in a joint statement issued in Abuja and signed by the General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Benson Upah, and the Secretary General of the TUC, Nuhu Toro.
According to the statement, the rally is aimed at backing JUAC, which is currently leading an indefinite strike by FCDA workers over the non-payment of their salaries.
Source: naijanews.com
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https://www.naijanews.com/2026/02/02/strike-police-reacts-to-planned-nlc-protest-in-abuja/
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Southeast Asia
Religious tolerance and worship place safety vital for harmony, says Zahid
3 Feb 2026
Deputy PM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi stresses religious tolerance and safety of places of worship as key to maintaining Malaysia’s multiracial harmony.
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said greater emphasis must be placed on strengthening religious tolerance and ensuring the safety of places of worship to preserve harmony.
He said the need is increasingly significant, especially in urban areas that house various places of worship, requiring mutual respect and high standards of conduct.
Citing Brickfields as an example, he said the area is home to more than 17 places of worship of different religions, including churches and temples.
“We must learn to respect other religions,“ he said when officiating the new additional building of the Madrasathul Gouthiyyah surau in Brickfields.
Ahmad Zahid said the development of places of worship should balance physical infrastructure with their social role as centres for community interaction.
He added that Muslims must set the best example through good character in managing differences.
“Whether among Muslims themselves or with followers of other religions, we must uphold the principle of religious tolerance,“ he said.
The surau’s new building, completed last month, is an expansion project aimed at addressing the increasing number of congregants and improving safety.
The surau began as a madrasah in 1987 and was upgraded to a Friday prayer surau in 2012.
It now faces capacity constraints as the existing building can only accommodate about 800 worshippers, forcing prayers to be conducted outside.
The temporary closure of the main road for about 30 minutes every Friday is currently required to ensure congregant safety. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/religious-tolerance-worship-place/
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King receives briefing on Islamic affairs and ummah development
3 Feb 2026
Sultan Ibrahim grants audience to Religious Affairs Minister Dr Zulkifli Hasan, discussing Islamic teachings and community development initiatives.
KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, granted an audience to Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Senator Dr Zulkifli Hasan today.
The audience was held at Istana Negara, according to a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s official Facebook page.
During the meeting, His Majesty was briefed on Islamic religious matters.
The briefing covered the development of the ummah and initiatives to strengthen Islamic teachings at the federal level.
Also present were the Director-General of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM) Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee.
Federal Territories Mufti Ahmad Fauwaz Fadzil was also in attendance. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
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https://thesun.my/news/malaysia-news/king-islamic-ummah-development/
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‘Nothing controversial’: Anthony Loke defends study on KL mayoral elections
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
03 Feb 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — DAP secretary Anthony Loke today defended the government’s decision to commission a study into the viability of holding elections to elect Kuala Lumpur’s mayor, describing it as “nothing controversial”.
Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh has come under fire from Malay conservatives who oppose any form of local council elections, among them leaders from party aligned with the ruling pact.
They alleged a mayoral election would undermine Malay position in the city.
Loke, who is also a senior Cabinet minister, said Yeoh had only proposed the idea be studied, although the transport minister was seemingly supportive of the proposal, citing mayoral elections as the norm in many countries.
“What the minister proposed was just a study to see if it can be done…so there is nothing controversial about it,” the minister told reporters during a site inspection of the Bandar Tasik Selatan terminal here.
“The concept of electing a mayor is not even a new thing. Everywhere in the world many democratic countries hold mayoral elections so I don’t see this as DAP issue. In fact many parties had proposed this, including Khairy Jamaluddin,” Loke added.
Khairy, an Umno member who have held several ministerial posts, appeared supportive of the view that Kuala Lumpur residents have the right to choose their mayor at a forum to discuss reform of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, alongside other panellists.
He said electing the mayor is one of the best ways to ensure DBKL, which oversees over RM1 billion in yearly revenue, is accountable to its constituents.
Under the present system, KL’s mayor is handpicked by the governing party, a practice critics say is prone to abuse and possibly corruption.
Opposition against local council elections had been largely grounded on claims that Malay interests in the cities would be undermined since the population of urban centres is predominantly ethnic Chinese.
Supporters of local council polls, however, said the fear is unfounded, since official data shows ethnic Bumiputera now form the bulk of KL’s population.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/02/03/nothing-controversial-anthony-loke-defends-study-on-kl-mayoral-elections/207856
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DPM Fadillah: National halal policy enters final phase, expected to be ready by May
03 Feb 2026
BANGI, Feb 3 — The formulation of the National Halal Policy (NHP) is in its final phase and is expected to be completed by May, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
Speaking at the opening of the International Halal Economic Conference (IHEC) 2026 today, Fadillah said the government had agreed to develop the policy to provide clearer and more sustainable direction for Malaysia’s halal sector.
“The policy would serve as a strategic guide to building an inclusive, structured and sustainable halal ecosystem, without undermining existing certification authority under the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) and state Islamic religious councils,” he said.
Prior to this, Jakim said it was committed to strengthening the national halal ecosystem through the National Halal Policy 2025-2035 to maintain Malaysia’s position as a global halal leader.
The initiative includes reinforcing standards and enforcement, as well as implementing an Action Plan for 2025-2030 to ensure more holistic industry development.
Fadillah said Malaysia would focus on three priority areas in the next phase of halal industry development, namely by strengthening certification pathways for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), improving certification systems and mutual recognition, and reinforcing halal clusters.
“These efforts will enable Malaysia to stand firm as a global halal industry leader with integrity and competitiveness,” he said.
He noted that the halal industry remains a major contributor to the economy, accounting for 7.94 per cent or RM118.2 billion of gross domestic product (GDP) as of the third quarter of 2025.
This growth is supported by an increase in registered halal exporters to 1,525 companies, reflecting the sector’s strong competitiveness and growth potential, he said.
The government is also working to expand ISO/IEC 17065 accreditation for Malaysian Halal Certification to state Islamic religious councils and departments, following JAKIM’s success in obtaining the accreditation in 2019.
Fadillah said Malaysia’s globally recognised halal certification system, policy stability and strong institutional governance give it a strategic advantage, but stressed the need for continued policy leadership, innovation, strategic investment and stronger cross-border collaboration.
On IHEC 2026, he said the conference was a vital platform to discuss and shape the future direction of the halal economy in a comprehensive and integrated manner.
“I really hope to be able to share all views, including improving the existing system, how we want to develop the whole value chain or ecosystem related to the halal economy for our country,” he said, adding that feedback from the conference would be shared with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Halal Certification and Industry. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Estate of Sultan Zainal Abidin III: Lawyers seek heirs to pursue Terengganu land claim
02 Feb 2026
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — The surviving heirs of Sultan Zainal Abidin III have been urged to contact Tengku Ibrahim Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah to facilitate the updating and consolidation of information as part of efforts to claim half of the Cap Zuriat Sungai Mengkuang (CZSM) land reclaimed by the Terengganu state government in 1923.
According to a statement issued by Syariah lawyers Tuan Musa Awang and Wan Abdul Halim Wan Harun, who represent Tengku Ibrahim as the holder of Power of Attorney for the heirs, all surviving heirs are requested to get in touch with Razali Ibrahim at 016-375 2488 or Iwan Yaacob at 011-1019 9339 as soon as possible.
The request follows a Faraid (Tarekah) order issued by the Kuala Terengganu Syariah Lower Court on Jan 4, which confirmed the faraid heirs of the late Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, one of the sons of Sultan Zainal Abidin III.
“Our client (Tengku Ibrahim) remains confident that the half share belonging to the late Sultan Zainal Abidin III, calculated from the CZSM land, remains an undivided estate.
“Furthermore, the handover of the CZSM land by Tengku Sri Bijaya Raja to the Terengganu State Government in 1923 did not include the half share of the late Sultan Zainal Abidin III, which subsequently became part of his estate,” the statement said.
The lawyers noted that since the CZSM land—including the half share inherited by the late Sultan Zainal Abidin III from the estate of Tengku Besar Hafsah—has been transferred to the state government, developed under the Felda land scheme and distributed to settlers, substantial development has taken place on the land.
As such, they said the estate land must be replaced through the concept of “istibdal”, involving the substitution of the original land with other suitable land.
“Tengku Ibrahim will continue to pursue the heirs’ claim to half of the CZSM land, covering more than 5,463 hectares, which was acquired by the state government in 1923, so that the original estate land can be replaced with land at another suitable location and returned to the rightful heirs,” read the statement.
In 2005, the Kuala Terengganu Syariah High Court ordered the Terengganu state government to issue a title deed for half of the land in the name of Sultan Zainal Abidin III or to pay compensation deemed appropriate based on the current value of the land.
The court also ordered that the estate be distributed among the rightful heirs.
However, the state government appealed the decision, and on July 16, 2007, the Terengganu Syariah Appeal Court allowed the appeal and declared the earlier ruling null and void.
Subsequently, in August 2020, 309 heirs of Sultan Zainal Abidin III filed an application for a judicial review of the Appeal Court’s decision concerning the status of half of the CZSM land.
On April 10, 2023, the Terengganu Syariah Appeal Court ordered the heirs to submit faraid certificates to support their claim involving more than 5,463 hectares of land in the Kemaman district. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Travelling to Penang in February? What the CNY and Ramadan convergence means for hotel bookings
By Opalyn Mok
03 Feb 2026
GEORGE TOWN, Feb 3 — In a unique convergence of festive seasons, Penang hotels are preparing for a busy Chinese New Year holiday period even as the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins, with industry players expecting a surge in travel from non-Muslim domestic and international tourists.
Chinese New Year falls on February 17 this year, with the month-long Ramadan fasting period expected to begin on February 18 or 19.
Malaysian Association of Hoteliers (MAH) Penang chairman Datuk Tony Goh said that while domestic tourism typically drops during Ramadan, he anticipates high occupancy for the first four days of Chinese New Year as non-Muslims and ethnic Chinese travel for the long break.
“Based on current reservations, we have about 60 per cent occupancy, but we expect this to go up as Chinese New Year draws nearer,” he told Malay Mail, saying that domestic tourists tend to make last-minute bookings,
Goh said that after the initial festive rush, occupancy rates are expected to drop to around 40 per cent for the remainder of the fasting month.
However, he noted that international tourists, supported by an increasing number of direct flights to Penang, will help to bolster bookings during this period.
He added that while room bookings may dip, the food & beverage (F&B) departments in hotels will be busy with buka puasa specials and buffets throughout Ramadan.
“After Hari Raya, it will be back to business as everyone will be back at work, so we will be having more meetings, conventions and medical tourism will pick up again,” he said.
Source: malaymail.com
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Sabah chief minister: New state religious school in Tawau will have AI concept
03 Feb 2026
KOTA KINABALU, Feb 3 — A new State Religious Secondary School (SMAN) with an artificial intelligence (AI) concept is set to be built on an approximately 20-acre site at Taman Sawit Balung, integrating naqli (Islamic religious) knowledge and aqli (academic) learning with modern technological advancement.
At the same time, this SMAN project is seen as paving the way for a new approach in the comprehensive application of cutting-edge AI technology, including within administrative and delivery systems, as well as teaching and learning processes in schools.
Currently, Sabah has five SMANs, namely SMAN Beaufort, SMAN Tambunan, SMAN Sandakan, SMAN Kota Marudu and SMAN Putatan.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the plan was introduced as a strategic step to strengthen balanced Islamic education that combines spiritual enrichment, knowledge and technological progress.
“The site has already been identified and is located adjacent to the State Religious School (SAN) Apas Balung,” he said at the Majlis Ihya Ramadan – Malam Mencari Kekasih at Tawau Community Hall, on Sunday.
Hajiji said the new SMAN would also be placed under the coordination of the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis) and the Sabah State Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jheains), similar to other SMANs.
He added that the commitment reflects the State Government’s seriousness in continuously supporting efforts to empower Islamic education and develop religious institutions.
“The State Government will remain committed to supporting initiatives to strengthen Islamic education and develop religious institutions through cooperation with various parties,” he said.
According to him, the strength of a state does not depend solely on physical development, tall buildings and economic achievements, but is also anchored in moral values, strength of faith and the flourishing of knowledge based on religious principles.
In fact, the development of Islamic education does not merely involve the provision of infrastructure, but constitutes a long-term investment in building well-balanced human capital in terms of spirituality, intellect and character.
“That is why the State Government gives serious attention to the development of SMANs as part of efforts to produce a knowledgeable, ethical and competitive generation.
“This effort is also in line with the Hala Tuju Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) roadmap, which places human capital development as the main pillar of the State’s progress,” he said.
Hajiji also took the opportunity to visit and officiate the opening of SAN Apas Balung, which made history as the first SAN in Malaysia to introduce an AI-based teaching and learning system.
Touching on the introduction of the initiative, Hajiji expressed confidence that the installation of Smart White Boards in classrooms would support more interactive and dynamic teaching methods in line with the needs of 21st-century education.
“Such an approach proves that religious education is not left behind in the wave of technological advancement, and is in fact able to progress in tandem with current innovation without compromising values of etiquette, morals and Islamic identity.
“This is where our children are not only nurtured with religious knowledge and the Quran, but are also equipped with technological skills and critical thinking to face future challenges,” he said.
He added that sustainable State development must be based on a balance between material progress and spiritual strength to ensure social stability, community harmony and Sabah’s overall advancement. — Daily Express
Source: malaymail.com
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Indonesia allocates $765 million stimulus for Ramadan, Eid
February 3, 2026
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has prepared Rp12.83 trillion (about US$765.4 million) in economic stimulus for the first quarter to support consumption during the Ramadan and the Eid al-Fitr holiday from February to March.
"We are preparing a stimulus package that reflects Indonesia's economic growth," Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said at the Indonesia Economic Summit 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The stimulus package includes transportation ticket discounts, toll road tariff cuts, and social assistance.
Of the total budget, around Rp200 billion is allocated for transportation discounts, while approximately Rp12 trillion is set aside for social assistance.
The government will offer airline ticket discounts of up to 16 percent through value-added tax incentives borne by the government for economy-class domestic flights.
State airport operator Angkasa Pura will provide a 50 percent discount on airport service charges, while aviation fuel prices will also be reduced.
Ticket fare discounts of up to 30 percent will be applied to sea transportation and railway services.
The government is also preparing toll road tariff discounts of up to 20 percent.
Social assistance will be provided in the form of 10 kilograms of rice and cooking oil for each beneficiary household over two months.
Hartarto said the stimulus package will be distributed during the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr holiday period in 2026.
Source: antaranews.com
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https://en.antaranews.com/news/402690/indonesia-allocates-765-million-stimulus-for-ramadan-eid
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South Asia
Doha, Kabul Cooperation Targets Roads, Bridges, and Urban Development
February 3, 2026
DOHA: The municipalities of Doha and Kabul are moving forward with strengthened cooperation to improve urban infrastructure, focusing on roads, bridges, and capacity-building programs.
Mohammad Suhail Shaheen, the Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Qatar, met with Abdullah bin Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Attiyah, Qatar’s Minister of Municipality, to discuss joint initiatives aimed at enhancing municipal services in both cities.
During the meeting, key areas of collaboration were identified, including the construction and repair of roads, development of pedestrian and vehicular bridges, and programs to strengthen the technical and administrative capacity of municipal staff, the embassy said in a statement the other day.
Both sides emphasized the importance of sharing expertise and resources to ensure sustainable urban development.
The discussions also laid the groundwork for future partnerships in other urban development projects.
The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining regular dialogue and implementing practical initiatives that will enhance the quality of life in both capitals.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/doha-kabul-cooperation-targets-roads-bridges-and-urban-development/
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Afghanistan, Iran to Accelerate Joint Border Demarcation Efforts
February 3, 2026
KABUL: Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs Mullah Noorullah Noori met with Iran’s Ambassador to Kabul, Alireza Bikdeli, to discuss the demarcation of the shared border and the renewal of border markers, according to a statement from the ministry on Monday.
Ambassador Bikdeli said Iran is prepared to accelerate work on the joint border demarcation process and expand cooperation.
Minister Noori assured full cooperation to facilitate the process, resolve technical issues, and advance all related activities.
He added that the formal launch of the border demarcation and marker-renovation project will begin in the near future.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/afghanistan-iran-to-accelerate-joint-border-demarcation-efforts/
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SCO Members Support Resumption of Afghanistan’s Observer Role, Official
February 3, 2026
MOSCOW: The Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate to Russia, Mawlavi Gul Hassan Hassan, said that member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) believe Afghanistan’s active participation in the organization is feasible and practical.
Speaking to Russian media, he expressed hope that Afghanistan will be able to attend the upcoming SCO meetings as an observer state.
The envoy noted that Afghanistan, as a prospective observer, is ready to resume cooperation with the SCO, which works to strengthen political, economic, and security ties among Central Asian countries, Russia, and China.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/sco-members-support-resumption-of-afghanistans-observer-role-official/
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Aid Distribution for Returnees Begins in Herat Under Emir’s Directive
February 3, 2026
HERAT: The distribution of assistance for returnees in Herat Province officially began in line with the directive of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate, the provincial governor press office said in a statement on Monday.
Addressing a ceremony, Governor Islamjar stated at the launch ceremony that from the first days of the returnees’ arrival, essential services, including food, medicine, transportation, and other urgent needs were provided.
He noted that designated camps had also been established for the temporary accommodation of returnee families.
He added that the people of Herat, demonstrating a spirit of brotherhood, have welcomed the returnees alongside the government. Some residents used their personal vehicles to transport families to the city, while others voluntarily offered a floor of their homes to host returnees.
Governor Islamjar further said that, according to the directive of the Amir al-Mu’minin, work has begun across the country to establish residential townships for the long-term settlement of returnees.
As winter temperatures drop, the distribution of wheat and cash assistance for eligible returnees has now commenced.
Meanwhile, Mawlawi Ataullah Omari, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and Livestock, stated that the allocated assistance includes tens of thousands of tons of wheat, which will be distributed to eligible returnees across all 34 provinces of the country.
The Minister also called on the people of Herat to warmly welcome the returnees and support them to the best of their ability.
It is noteworthy that in Herat Province, assistance packages have been designated for 1,200 returnee families. Each family will receive 250 kilograms of wheat and 5,000 Afghanis in cash as part of the ongoing support program.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/aid-distribution-for-returnees-begins-in-herat-under-emirs-directive/
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Kunduz Hosts Coordination Meeting with Media Representatives
February 3, 2026
KABUL: The Directorate of Information and Culture of Kunduz held a coordination meeting with local media outlets, journalists, spokespersons, and government press officers to improve public awareness and strengthen cooperation.
The session also focused on enhancing relations between media and government departments and promoting greater transparency in administrative work, the Ministry of Information and Culture said in a statement on Monday.
Spokespersons and press officers reaffirmed their commitment to sharing updates, progress, and achievements of their respective departments with the media promptly.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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Development Projects Must Be Need-Based to Ensure Proper Use of Funds, Minister
February 3, 2026
KABUL: Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor, the Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, underscored the importance of implementing development projects according to genuine community needs, stating that such an approach is essential for the effective and appropriate use of financial resources.
In a coordination meeting with representatives of various organizations, Mullah Mansoor highlighted that development efforts must be guided by local priorities to ensure long-term impact and transparency, according to a statement from the ministry on Monday.
“When the projects reflect the actual requirements of communities, resources are invested in the right places and bring meaningful improvements to people’s lives,” the statement quoted him as saying.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working closely with partner organizations to facilitate balanced and need-driven development across the country.
The minister encouraged all institutions to enhance coordination and ensure that ongoing and future initiatives are aligned with the real needs of the population.
Source: thekabultimes.com
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https://thekabultimes.com/development-projects-must-be-need-based-to-ensure-proper-use-of-funds-minister/