NEWS
Trump’s “Arabian Gulf” Renaming Sparks Fury in Iran
May 8, 2025
Trump’s “Arabian Gulf” Renaming Sparks Fury in Iran
President Donald Trump’s plan to recognize the Persian Gulf as the “Arabian Gulf” during his Saudi Arabia visit has ignited a firestorm in Iran, threatening to escalate tensions amid delicate nuclear talks, The Guardian reported. The move, seen as a…
Israeli Strikes Kill One in Southern Lebanon Amid Fragile Ceasefire
May 8, 2025
Israeli Strikes Kill One in Southern Lebanon Amid Fragile Ceasefire
Israeli airstrikes targeted southern Lebanon’s Nabatiyeh region on Thursday, killing one person and wounding eight, Arab News reported. The Israeli military stated it struck Hezbollah “infrastructure” used to coordinate attacks, including tunnels and weapons sites, calling the operation a response…
Muslim-Majority Nations Show Higher Marriage Rates Than EU in 2024
May 8, 2025
Muslim-Majority Nations Show Higher Marriage Rates Than EU in 2024
New 2024 marriage data reveals a striking divide: Muslim-majority countries maintain nearly double the EU’s marriage rates, with religious values outweighing economic factors in shaping marital trends. Turkey (8.1 marriages/1,000 people) and Malaysia (7.9) led Muslim-majority nations in 2024, far…
India Targets Pakistani Mosques in Cross-Border Strike; Civilian Casualties Reported
May 8, 2025
India Targets Pakistani Mosques in Cross-Border Strike; Civilian Casualties Reported
Indian forces launched missile strikes into Pakistan’s Bahawalpur region early Wednesday, hitting civilian areas including two mosques and killing at least three people, Mehr News reported. The attack left 12 others wounded, with victims including a child, as confirmed by…
UAE Launches Ambitious Islamic Finance and Halal Industry Strategy
May 8, 2025
UAE Launches Ambitious Islamic Finance and Halal Industry Strategy
The UAE has unveiled a bold strategy to more than double its Islamic banking assets and expand halal exports globally, The National reported. Approved by the Cabinet and announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the plan targets increasing Islamic bank…
UNICEF, IRCS Bolster Emergency Education for Iranian Children
May 8, 2025
UNICEF, IRCS Bolster Emergency Education for Iranian Children
UNICEF Iran and the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) have launched a joint initiative to safeguard early childhood education (ECE) during emergencies, targeting Iran’s disaster-prone regions, UNICEF website reported. As Asia’s fourth most vulnerable country to natural disasters, Iran faces…
FDA Explores AI Partnership with OpenAI to Accelerate Drug Approvals
May 8, 2025
FDA Explores AI Partnership with OpenAI to Accelerate Drug Approvals
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in active discussions with OpenAI about integrating artificial intelligence into drug evaluation processes, Wired reported. The collaboration centers on “cderGPT,” a proposed AI system designed to assist the FDA’s Center for Drug…
Switzerland Denies Ethnic-Based Deportation Plans for Afghan Pashtuns
May 8, 2025
Switzerland Denies Ethnic-Based Deportation Plans for Afghan Pashtuns
Switzerland has firmly denied reports suggesting it plans to deport Afghan refugees based on Pashtun ethnicity, calling such claims “completely unfounded,” Khaama Press reported. The clarification came from Afghanistan’s Permanent Mission to the U.N. in Geneva after a Swiss newspaper,…
EU Sets 2027 Deadline to End All Russian Fossil Fuel Imports
May 8, 2025
EU Sets 2027 Deadline to End All Russian Fossil Fuel Imports
The European Union will fully phase out Russian fossil fuel imports by 2027, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reported. The move aims to cut funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine and strengthen EU energy…
ISIS Kills Two SDF Fighters in Eastern Syria Attack
May 8, 2025
ISIS Kills Two SDF Fighters in Eastern Syria Attack
ISIS militants killed two Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters in a machine-gun attack on Tuesday in al-Bahra town, eastern Deir ez-Zor province, Rudaw reported. The Kurdish-led force reported that the assailants fled on motorcycles after clashes. The SDF called this…