Cost of living crisis reshapes Eid spending in Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria – Seated on a plastic chair inside his modest madrassa in Abuja, Yunus Akanji listened as children recited verses from the holy Quran in soft, rhythmic tones. Some sat on mats, others on long wooden benches. The Islamic teacher occasionally corrected a pronunciation or repeated a line, but his attention drifted. For years, Akanji, who teaches at the Nurul Bayan Islamic School, travelled with his wife and children to Saki in Oyo State to reunite with his extended family for Eid al-Adha, often called Sallah in Nigeria. When he did not make the trip, he would buy a ram for Eid and host a modest celebration with his family and students. This year, neither is happening. Yunus Akanji, an Islamic tutor at Nurul Bayan Islamic School, guides his students during recitation of the Quran [Hussain Wahab/Al Jazeera] “I have concluded that we will just celebrate with whatever we have,” he told Al Jazeera. The annual Muslim festival, marked by communal prayers and the ritual sacrifice of animals, is approaching amid deep economic strain in Nigeria. In Abuja, rising food and transport costs are quietly changing how many families are preparing for Eid. No travel home Akanji said even parents and community members who usually support his madrassa are struggling. “Most of them have not even paid,” he said, referring to tuition fees that help keep the school and his household running. The pressure is not confined to the classroom. It shows up in bus stations, in markets, and in the small calculations people make before deciding whether to travel or stay. Advertisement Nafisa Ibrahim from Ogun, currently in Abuja doing a mandatory one-year programme for graduates under the National Youth Service Corps, said she has dropped her plan to go home for Eid. Transport costs alone made it impossible. There is also no guarantee her family will even be able to slaughter an animal this year. “Transportation is about 35,000 naira [about $26], compared to the 15,000 naira [about $11] I paid when I came to Abuja in February,” she said. Opeyemi Ibrahim, a fashion designer based in Byazhin district, said customer patronage has dropped sharply despite the approaching festivities. Opeyemi Ibrahim at his fashion shop in Byazhin, where he says business has slowed [Hussain Wahab/Al Jazeera] He said rising fuel costs and erratic electricity supply have pushed up his operating expenses. “When there is no electricity, we have to run the generator,” he said. “Filling it costs about 10,000 naira [$7]. But without it, the shop becomes too hot, and we still need power to iron customers’ clothes.” Inside Kubwa livestock market At a livestock market in Kubwa, visited by Al Jazeera ahead of Eid, the strain is obvious before anyone even speaks. Men stand beside rams tied to wooden posts. Buyers move from one animal to another, ask a few questions, then drift away. Malam Ibrahim, a livestock seller who has been in the trade for years, sat near the feed, watching most of his customers leave empty-handed. “People come, ask for prices, and walk away,” he said. Malam Ibrahim, a livestock seller at Kubwa market, rests during a slow sales day [Hussain Wahab/Al Jazeera] He pointed to a ram nearby, with black-and-white markings on its body. “This ram is selling for 600,000 naira [about $438],” he said. “Last year, the same size was below 350,000 naira [$255].” Getting animals down from northern Nigeria, Sokoto, Kaduna and beyond, has become more expensive. Fuel prices, transport fares, everything feeds into the final cost. “Even the sellers are suffering,” Ibrahim said. If sales stay slow, he worries the animals will remain unsold after Eid, when their value drops further. “We do not pray to take them back home, but with the looks of things, I fear so,” he said. Eid cutbacks One woman who had come to buy two rams left with only one. Buhari Yishau, a fruit seller, works at Kubwa village market, where sales have slowed ahead of Eid [Hussain Wahab/Al Jazeera] Inflation has been steady in Nigeria for years now, but what people feel most is the gap between rising prices and stagnant incomes. The naira may look more stable against the United States dollar than last year, traders say, but moving goods across the country still costs more every month. Advertisement At Kubwa village market, buyers kept moving, but few stopped to buy. Vendors selling tomatoes, onions, rice and cooking oil said sales were slower than usual, with many families cutting back even on basic festive food. “We used to celebrate Eid with joy,” one trader said quietly. “Now we just calculate what we can afford.” Adblock test (Why?)
Netanyahu vows to ‘smite’ Hezbollah with ‘overwhelming’ force
NewsFeed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to ‘smite’ Hezbollah with ‘overwhelming’ force following a drone attack that killed an Israeli soldier in Northern Israel. A total of 23 Israeli soldiers have been killed by Hezbollah fighters since March. Published On 26 May 202626 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Istanbul’s Bilgi University reopened after police crackdown
Students celebrated after days of protests against the closure decree that would have shut Bilgi University mid-year. Students at Istanbul’s Bilgi University celebrated after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reversed a decision to shut down the institution following days of protests and a police crackdown. Published On 26 May 202626 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)
Cockroach Janta Party: Founder Abhijeet Dipke moves Delhi HC against blocking of X account
Dipke, whose satirical political outfit became a viral sensation on social media platforms, has also alleged that the party’s Instagram account, website, and backup social media handles were taken down as part of a wider government crackdown on the campaign.
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner embraces democratic socialism at Bernie Sanders rally in Portland
Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner appeared alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., on Monday and echoed several Sanders-style progressive themes, criticizing five-term Republican Sen. Susan Collins, criticizing and U.S. weapons spending tied to conflicts in Gaza and Iran. Platner, the presumptive Democratic nominee seeking to unseat Collins in November, made the fiery remarks during a “Fighting Oligarchy” rally led by Sanders in Portland — an event aimed at mobilizing progressive activists and expanding grassroots organizing efforts ahead of the midterm elections. The Portland event was one of Sanders’ Maine stops with Platner and gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson. During the rally, Platner leaned heavily into anti-corporate rhetoric, telling a crowd of cheering progressives they must build a “political revolution” and take back “what is ours.” “We are taking back what is ours. We’re going to take it back from the corporations that seek profit, no matter the cost from the billionaires for whom greed is the point, and from corrupt politicians like Susan Collins, corrupt politicians who have sold us out,” Platner said. ‘MAINE’S MAMDANI’: MAINE GOP CHIEF ISSUES WARNING ABOUT NEW CHALLENGER LOOKING TO OUST SUSAN COLLINS “It is a system that is the politics of Susan Collins, a politics that turns politicians into millionaires, but tells you to be grateful for crumbs.” Throughout the evening, Platner echoed Sanders’ economic talking points, accusing health insurance executives of “lining their pockets with our blood, sweat, and tears.” BERNIE SANDERS TO FORCE SENATE VOTE ON BLOCKING ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL He also made sharp comments regarding the Middle East, claiming American tax dollars are being weaponized to “blow up someone else’s children.” “Our tax dollars can build schools and hospitals in America instead of bombs to drop on them in Gaza and Iran,” he said. Sanders later took the stage and cast Platner’s election as a key moment for the progressive movement, telling supporters, “You elect Graham Platner senator, you’re going to transform America.” The Vermont senator explicitly tied Platner to his tax proposals targeting the ultra-wealthy. “I introduced legislation, which Graham will be by my side in fighting for, which says that we are going to impose a 5% annual wealth tax on 938 billionaires in America,” Sanders said. Sanders introduced legislation earlier this year proposing a 5% annual wealth tax on 938 U.S. billionaires. Platner was also portrayed as an ally in battling major tech billionaires such as Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, warning that a “handful of billionaires” could otherwise control the future of artificial intelligence and robotics. “Graham understands… we are not going to let a handful of billionaires control the future of this country,” Sanders said.
Trump calls on Arab nations to sign Abraham Accords
President Donald Trump is pressuring Muslim-majority nations to join the Abraham Accords if they want to participate in a developing Iran agreement, according to multiple reports. The Abraham Accords are a series of agreements aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab and Muslim-majority nations. PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS DEAL WITH IRAN IS ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ Trump said Saturday that he urged Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey and Jordan to normalize relations with Israel during a phone call with regional leaders. “I stated that, after all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. TRUMP SAYS MORE NATIONS LINING UP TO JOIN ABRAHAM ACCORDS AFTER KAZAKHSTAN The president also said he planned to speak with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The UAE and Bahrain became the first two nations to sign the accords in 2020. Trump also floated the idea that Iran could eventually become part of the Abraham Accords. US MILITARY IS ‘IRON SHIELD’ PROTECTING AMERICAN BASES, LIVES FROM IRAN PROXIES: HEGSETH “In speaking to numerous of the Great Leaders mentioned above, they would be honored, as soon as our Document is signed, to have the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of the Abraham Accords. Wow, now that would be something special,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. U.S. and Israeli officials do not expect the UAE to move forward on the issue until after Israel’s elections in September.
New Jersey governor, Democratic senator spend Memorial Day protesting ICE facility
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., met with the families of detainees being held at a migrant detention facility that critics say should be shut down amid “unacceptable” conditions and an ongoing hunger strike. Kim and Sherrill, both Democrats, have asked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for access to the Delaney Hall center in Newark, where hundreds of illegal immigrants are being held. “I’m back at Delaney Hall with @GovSherrillNJ and other members of the NJ delegation to meet with families of detainees and listen to community advocates,” Kim wrote Monday on X. “We’re working together to make sure they’re heard and to speak out with them. Delaney Hall must be shut down immediately. ICE cannot be allowed to continue operating in this way.” BUMPY WEATHER OVER NEWARK: HOUSE DEMOCRATS COULD FACE CONSEQUENCES FOR DELANEY HALL INCIDENT Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said Kim personally called Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and that he was allowed in the facility to conduct his congressional oversight responsibilities. However, the spokesperson criticized Sherrill over he appearance at the detention center. “Governor Sherrill’s visit to Delaney Hall is nothing more than a political stunt on Memorial Day when visitation is currently suspended due to riots outside the facility,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “Yesterday, approximately 125 agitators surrounded Delaney Hall Detention Facility, many carrying anti-ICE signs and Antifa flags. They formed a human chain around entrances to the facility and set up barricades, blocking all entries and exits.” On Sunday, protesters clashed with authorities outside the privately run facility — which was revamped as an immigration detention center last year — where some detainees have gone on a hunger strike to protest allegedly poor conditions inside. Sherrill said she was “deeply disturbed” by the conditions inside Delaney Hall, noting that she has always opposed private detention facilities and advocated against them. “I will continue to call for the closure of Delaney Hall because of reports like these,” she wrote Sunday on X. “I have contacted ICE to gain access to the facility and my office remains in close coordination with our federal delegation and with advocates, and I commend their continued oversight and work to hold DHS accountable.” Kim and Rep. Rob Menendez, D-N.J., arrived at Delaney Hall on Sunday but were denied entry. Critics of the facility allege that detainees endure squalid conditions and mistreatment from staff. US ATTORNEY ALINA HABBA ANNOUNCES REP. MCIVER HIT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES OVER NEWARK ICE CLASH “In sum, Delaney Hall is dangerous for those being detained, their loved ones, and all who care about immigrants’ rights, fundamental constitutional freedoms, and democracy,” the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey said in February. “Yet in the face of these cruel conditions, community members and families have united in fierce opposition to Delaney Hall’s existence and the abuse of human beings therein.” All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day, clean water, clothing, bedding, showers, soap, and toiletries, “DHS said. “Illegal aliens also have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers,” the agency said. “Certified dieticians evaluate meals. In fact, ICE has higher detention standards than most U.S. prisons that hold actual U.S. citizens.” “It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody,” the statement continued. “This includes medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. For many illegal aliens this is the best healthcare they have received their entire lives.” Democrats have repeatedly called for Delaney Hall to be closed. In May 2025, protesters — including three congressional lawmakers and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — gathered outside the facility and clashed with authorities. They allegedly rushed past security through the gates, which had opened to allow an ICE bus inside. U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., faces a federal three-count indictment for allegedly assaulting, resisting and impeding federal law enforcement officers that day. She allegedly shoved and struck officers to prevent the arrest of Baraka. At the time, then-Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin categorized some of the detainees inside Delaney Hall as “murderers, terrorists, child rapists and MS-13 gang members” while questioning why the lawmakers continued to advocate for them.
Rahul Gandhi slams PM Modi over CBSE evaluation row: ‘This very youth will shatter your arrogance’
Gandhi claimed that a student seeking correction of his answer sheet is being abused and labeled “anti-national” on social media. He added that lakhs of students have raised concerns over numerous issues in the evaluation process, but no proper action has been taken so far.
Rubio pushes back on India’s concerns over US visa curbs, says policy must be ‘America First’ under Trump
Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against criticism of President Donald Trump’s immigration reform as Indian officials and media raised concerns that U.S. visa and immigration reforms may curb migration from India. “What I want to leave clear is that the changes, while they may be having a disproportionate impact on a place like India that provides so many high-skilled workers to the U.S. economy, it is not a system that is targeted at India,” Rubio said during a Sunday news conference in New Delhi, India. “It is one that’s being applied globally.” India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar pushed back in his remarks. THIS JULY 4TH, HERE’S HOW MY FAMILY EARNED THE RIGHT TO BE CALLED ‘AMERICANS’ – LEGALLY “I apprised Secretary Rubio of challenges that legitimate travelers face in respect of visa issuance,” Jaishankar said. “While we cooperate to deal with illegal and irregular mobility, our expectation is that legal mobility would not be adversely impacted as a consequence. After all, this is very relevant to our business, technology, and research cooperation,” he said. Ultimately, Rubio – a son of Cuban immigrants – stressed that the U.S. values India as a “strategic ally” and vital trade partner, but immigration policy must be America First under Trump. AMERICA NEEDS WORKERS, BUT TRUMP’S POLICIES ARE SHARPLY CUTTING LEGAL IMMIGRATION “Everything that you do as a country needs to be in your national interest, and that includes your immigration policy,” Rubio continued. “The United States, I believe, is the most welcoming country in the world on immigration.” “Every single year, a million people, roughly, become permanent residents of the United States and contribute greatly,” he said. “Modernization” was the keynote to Rubio’s reply to concerns about the “contribution that Indians have made to the U.S. economy,” noting “over $20 billion have been invested in the U.S. economy by Indian companies.” ‘AMERICA FIRST’ IMMIGRATION OVERHAUL BILL WOULD CODIFY TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN PROMISES ONCE AND FOR ALL “The changes that are happening now or the modernization of our migration system into the United States is not focused – it’s not India-specific; it is global,” Rubio stressed. “It’s being applied across the world.” “We are in a period of modernization, and I’ll be frank and honest with you, because it’s important to talk about this: We’ve had a migratory crisis in the United States,” he said. “This is not because of India, but broadly, we had over 20 million people illegally enter the United States over the last few years, and we’ve had to address that challenge.” THEIR PLAN WAS A FLOOD OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. OUR ANSWER IS AN IMMIGRATION MORATORIUM The reforms were “long overdue,” he added. “It has to be a process that’s adjusted in every era to the realities of the modern times in which you live, and we are, and it’s long overdue,” Rubio added. “So the United States is currently undergoing a process of reforming the system by which we choose how many people come into our country, who comes in, when they come in, et cetera.” HOUSE REPUBLICAN GREG STEUBE INTRODUCES BILL TO NIX CONTROVERSIAL H-1B VISA PROGRAM Rubio urged India to give the reform process time during the period of deepest adjustment. “Anytime you undertake a reform, anytime you undertake a change in the system by which you admit people, or frankly, anytime you undertake a reform in any system – not just on immigration – there are going to be – there’s going to be a period of transition that’s going to create some friction points and some difficulties and so forth,” he said. “Ultimately, we think when this process is in place, once this process has been modernized – and that’s really what it is – we are modernizing the U.S. immigration system for the 21st century so that it is an immigration system that’s not just good for America but it’s also good for the people that are coming.” JENNIFER WELCH TARGETS RUBIO IN RANT ABOUT HOW ‘BROWN-SKINNED’ MAGA SUPPORTERS ARE WHITE NATIONALISTS The U.S. and India will be stronger in the end, according to Rubio. “We’re going to wind up with a system that’s more efficient and even better than the previous system, and in some ways may prove to be even more beneficial than the previous system was to people from India that seek to enter the United States to work and innovate,” he concluded. “But obviously, there’s going to be a period of adjustment along the way. “We’re in a period of transition, and like any period of transition there’s going to be some bumps on that road. But we think ultimately our destination is going to be a better system, a more efficient system, one that works better than the one that we had in place previously, and more sustainable, by the way,” Rubio said. Rubio also addressed allegations of anti-India racism in America, urging India to not listen to the “stupid people.” “I’ll take that very seriously about the comments,” Rubio said. “Look, I’m sure that there are people that have made comments online and other places, because every country in the world has stupid people. I’m sure there are stupid people here.” “There are stupid people in the United States that make dumb comments all the time. I don’t know what else to tell you other than the United States is a very welcoming country,” Rubio said. “Our nation has been enriched by people who come to our country, have come from our country from all over the world, have become Americans, have assimilated into our way of life, and have contributed greatly.”
Iran says deal with US ‘not imminent’ despite progress
NewsFeed Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei says a ‘large portion’ of issues with the US have been resolved, but that a deal is not imminent. He added that there were no guarantees the US would honour the agreement. Published On 25 May 202625 May 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)