Group of women and children with alleged ISIL ties returns to Australia
Australian Federal Police have not made any arrests but say inquiries are ongoing. A group of 19 women and children with alleged links to ISIL (ISIS) has returned to Australia, with the government warning that anyone found to have engaged in criminal activity will be prosecuted. The six women and 13 children arrived from a Syrian refugee camp on Tuesday, with one group landing in Sydney and the other in Melbourne. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list It is the second cohort of Australian women and children to return from Syria this month. Responding to criticism over their arrival, the Australian government said it had not assisted them in any capacity. “These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation,” Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said. Australian women began travelling to Syria to marry members of ISIL in 2012, with some allegedly taken against their will. At the height of its power in 2015, ISIL controlled territory across Syria and Iraq roughly equivalent in size to the United Kingdom. Australian Federal Police did not arrest any members of the group upon their arrival but said that investigations were ongoing. The group’s return has sparked anger in some sections of Australian society. According to local media, a large police presence was deployed at Melbourne airport, where a scuffle reportedly broke out as the group of women and children was escorted out through a side entrance. Australia is one of several Western countries that have shown reluctance to repatriate citizens who travelled to the Middle East to join ISIL about a decade ago. Advertisement Both France and the UK have expressed opposition to allowing former ISIL members to return. In 2022, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child said that France’s failure to repatriate children born to French nationals in Syria violated their right to life and exposed them to inhumane treatment. Meanwhile, the UK stripped British national Shamima Begum of her citizenship in 2019 on national security grounds. In February, the Australian government issued a temporary exclusion order against a woman in Syria, preventing her from returning home. Her child, who was not barred from returning, chose to stay with her. The order prevents the woman from returning to Australia until February 2028, and her family is currently challenging the decision. Afzal Ashraf, a visiting fellow at Loughborough University specialising in international relations and security, said the risk posed by people returning from countries including Syria needs to be viewed proportionately. “There will be some security challenges, because people like this are likely to suffer from issues such as PTSD,” Ashraf told Al Jazeera. “The fact of the matter is that there are security challenges in Australia and other countries, but statistically speaking, the return of these nationals doesn’t increase that risk very much, while the threat to life from terrorism is far lower than the threat posed by road accidents, for example.” “That said, these threats can be reduced by providing comprehensive mental health support for returnees and ensuring they are reintegrated into society in a positive way, with follow-up programmes to address any dangerous ideas they may have adopted,” Ashraf said. “It’s worth remembering that ISIL has killed far more Muslims than Westerners.” Earlier this month, four women and 13 children arrived in Australia from Syria. Three of the women were arrested upon arrival. Adblock test (Why?)
Brazil’s Flavio Bolsonaro meets with Trump amid troubled presidential bid
Son of former President Jair Bolsonaro is fighting to recover from a scandal that has rocked his presidential campaign. By Reuters Published On 27 May 202627 May 2026 Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has shared a photo that appears to show him meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as he seeks to bolster his image amid a scandal that threatens to derail his presidential campaign in Brazil. Bolsonaro shared a photo on Tuesday of him standing by Trump’s side in the Oval Office, with a caption showing the thumbs-up emoji. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Flavio is the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, a right-wing Trump ally who is serving a 27-year prison sentence in connection with a coup attempt after his re-election loss in 2022 to current leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The younger Bolsonaro has replaced his father as the standard-bearer of Brazil’s political right and is seen as the top contender challenging Lula in the South American country’s election in October. But his campaign has struggled to regain its balance following a report that he sought funds from a disgraced banker convicted of fraud to finance a film about his father. Bolsonaro has acknowledged requesting the money, but denied any impropriety or wrongdoing. Recent polls suggest that the scandal has set back his campaign, with Lula retaking the lead from the younger Bolsonaro after previous polls had shown them in a close race. Media reports in recent days stated that Bolsonaro had sought a meeting with Trump, who previously placed tariffs on Brazil in a bid to have the case against the elder Bolsonaro thrown out. Flavio then travelled to Washington without a guaranteed appointment in the hope of meeting with the US president. Trump has yet to share information about the meeting on his social media website. Advertisement While tensions have remained between Trump and Lula, the two leaders have built a more cordial relationship in recent months, with the Brazilian leader visiting his US counterpart at the White House earlier this month. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump-backed Paxton topples Senator Cornyn in Texas primary run-off
Ken Paxton defeats John Cornyn in Texas race, setting up a November election that could decide control of the US Senate. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, boosted by President Donald Trump’s endorsement, has defeated four-term US Senator John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary run-off, according to US media projections. The result, quickly called by Fox News and CNN after polls closed on Tuesday, highlighted Trump’s continuing influence over the Republican Party and dealt a major blow to the party establishment in Washington, DC. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Cornyn, a longtime establishment conservative and former Republican whip, had represented Texas in the Senate since 2002 and entered the race as the favourite, backed by major donors and senior Republican figures. But the senator struggled to connect with Trump’s political base. Cornyn had previously criticised Trump and angered some conservatives by supporting bipartisan gun legislation after the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, while Paxton presented himself as one of Trump’s strongest allies. Trump’s backing reshaped the race, making Cornyn the latest Republican incumbent to lose after falling out of favour with the president. “Tonight, we’ve come up short,” Cornyn told reporters after the race was called. “I’ve always supported the Republican ticket,” he said, adding that he intended “to do so again”. The defeat makes Cornyn the first Republican senator from Texas to lose his party’s nomination for re-election and is likely to end his Senate career next year. “Tonight, we just made history,” Paxton told cheering supporters, praising Trump’s endorsement as “the most powerful force in politics”. Advertisement This month, Trump’s endorsement of Republican primary challengers ousted incumbents including Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy and Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, left, in Dallas and Senator John Cornyn in Austin, Texas, on March 3, 2026 [Julio Cortez, Jack Myer/AP] Controversies and midterm race Paxton has spent years facing legal, ethical and personal controversies, including a 2023 impeachment by the Republican-led Texas House of Representatives, allegations of bribery and misconduct, and a high-profile divorce. The 63-year-old was later acquitted by the Texas Senate and has repeatedly dismissed the allegations against him as politically motivated attacks. Paxton will now face Democratic state Representative James Talarico in a closely watched November race that could help decide control of the US Senate. Talarico, 37, has attracted moderate and independent voters, while some Republicans privately fear Paxton could struggle in a general election despite his popularity with Trump supporters. An internal Republican Senate campaign memo circulated last year warned that a Paxton nomination could give Democrats a rare opportunity to flip Texas and force Republicans to spend heavily defending a seat long considered safe. “Without a shadow of a doubt, I will be the Democrats’ number one target in November,” Paxton said. The candidate also predicted that Talarico is “going to raise more money than any Democrat in America”, and urged his followers to donate to his campaign. “If Republicans lose this state, we lose the country,” Paxton warned. Within minutes of Paxton being declared the winner of the Republican primary run-off for US Senate, the Democrat called him “the most corrupt politician in America” in a social media post. “He embodies the broken system we’re running against,” Talarico wrote on X. In another post, he invited Cornyn’s supporters to vote for him. “You have a place in our campaign,” Talarico wrote. Adblock test (Why?)
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?)
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?)
Could Israel sabotage US-Iran deal?
NewsFeed As the US and Iran move closer to a peace deal, Israel says it reserves the right to keep attacking regional ‘threats’, including in Lebanon, despite any US‑brokered ceasefire. Meanwhile, criticism within Israel is growing over Netanyahu’s handling of the war. 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?)
Baloch separatists ‘take advantage’ of Pakistan’s entanglements
NewsFeed The Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for a train bombing that killed at least 30 people in Pakistan. Kamran Bokhari of the Middle East Policy Council argues that the separatist BLA is timing its attacks to exploit Pakistan’s other entanglements. 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?)
Bahrain jails nine defendants for life for ‘cooperating’ with Iran’s IRGC
Convictions handed down amid an intensified crackdown by Bahraini authorities on individuals accused of having ties to Tehran. Published On 24 May 202624 May 2026 Bahrain has sentenced nine people to life in prison for carrying out what authorities describe as “hostile and terrorist acts” in cooperation with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Two other defendants were also jailed for three years each after being convicted of collaborating with the IRGC in what prosecutors described as “terrorist and espionage” activities, state media reported on Sunday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The convictions were handed down during an intensified crackdown by Bahraini authorities on individuals accused of ties to Tehran. The crackdown followed a wave of Iranian strikes on Bahrain after the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February. Iran began striking all of its Gulf neighbours in response, saying it was targeting American interests, including military bases. Prosecutors said some of the defendants photographed vital and strategic sites in Bahrain on behalf of the IRGC. Others were accused of facilitating the transfer of funds from Iran to Bahrain, including through cryptocurrency transactions, to finance the operations. Authorities also alleged that individuals inside the country were recruited to support some of the plans. Bahrain began arresting individuals allegedly linked to Iran in March, shortly after the conflict began. Earlier this month, authorities detained a further 41 people. Less than two weeks later, more than 60 people were stripped of their citizenship for allegedly supporting Iranian attacks on Bahrain and “colluding with foreign entities”. Advertisement The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy described the move as “dangerous” and said it constituted a clear violation of international law. Other Gulf states have also arrested individuals accused of cooperating with Iran. Last month, the United Arab Emirates said it had dismantled a group allegedly planning to carry out what officials described as “terrorist acts”. Bahrain is home to a large Shia population. Many of its members have long accused the authorities of political and economic marginalisation. The government denies discriminating against Shia citizens, accusing Iran of fuelling unrest in the country. Adblock test (Why?)