WASHINGTON: Police in the US state of New Mexico said Saturday they are investigating the murders of three Muslim men that they suspect are related to a fourth homicide from last year.
The Albuquerque police department said in a statement they had found the latest victim overnight Friday.
They did not identify him but said he was in his mid-20s, Muslim and “a native from South Asia.”
“Investigators believe Friday’s murder may be connected to three recent murders of Muslim men also from South Asia,” the statement said.
Two of the previous victims were Muslim Pakistani men, a 27-year-old whose body was found on August 1 and a 41-year-old who was found on July 26.
Detectives are now investigating whether these murders are connected to the death of a Muslim man from Afghanistan who was killed on November 7, 2021, outside of the business he ran with his brother in Albuquerque, the statement said.
The police urged anyone with information to call a tip line and said the FBI was assisting with the investigation.
New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed outrage at the attacks and solidarity with the southwestern state’s Muslim community.
“The targeted killings of Muslim residents of Albuquerque is deeply angering and wholly intolerable,” Lujan Grisham said on Twitter.
She said she was sending additional state police officers to Albuquerque to help with the investigation.
“We will continue to do everything we can to support to the Muslim community of Albuquerque and greater New Mexico,” she said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the largest US Muslim civil rights group, said Saturday it would offer a $10,000 reward to whoever provides information leading to the killer’s arrest.
“This tragedy is impacting not only the Muslim community — but all Americans,” CAIR national executive director Nihad Awad said in a statement.
“We must be united against hate and violence regardless of the race, faith or background of the victims or the perpetrators.”
US police say killings of four Muslim men may be linked
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US police say killings of four Muslim men may be linked
- Two of the previous victims were Pakistani men, a 27-year-old whose body was found on August 1 and a 41-year-old who was found on July 26
- New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed outrage at the attacks and solidarity with the southwestern state’s Muslim community
Winds fuel fears of new Croatia wildfires
ZAGREB: Firefighters in southern Croatia were on high alert Sunday in fear that expected strong winds could rekindle blazes in the Balkan nation.
Crews, with the help of water bombers, managed to get control Saturday over wildfires on the southern Adriatic coast, after a series of blazes started in recent days.
The fires, near Croatia’s second largest city Split, that started Saturday morning close to the coastal village of Pisak was put under control but were still smoldering.
They have burnt 300 hectares (740 acres) and dozen of houses, authorities said.
According to the Split-Dalmatia county firefighting commander, Ivan Kovacevic during the night several small fires were put down by the firefighters.
“The damage is huge, but it could have been bigger having given the number of structures that were threatened,” Kovacevic said.
No death have been report, while one firefighter and some civilians have suffered minor injuries.
According to Civil protection headquarters at least 94 people, mostly tourists were evacuated in Omis, but late Saturday they returned to their accommodation.
Deputy prefect of Split-Dalmatia county, Stipe Cogelja said the village of Marusic on the Adriatic coast suffered the most damages, adding it was “pure luck” that no one had died.
Police said they are “intensively investigating” the possibility of arson in the fires and called on the citizens to help by immediately reporting any suspicious behavior.
Credit Oman insures $159m in non-oil exports Q1 amid sectoral gains
RIYADH: Oman’s insured non-oil exports reached 61.2 million Omani rials ($159 million) in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 6 percent increase from the same period last year, according to Credit Oman.
The Sultanate’s export credit agency, which provides trade insurance and guarantees to support domestic and international exchange, cited growth in construction materials, petrochemicals, mining, and agriculture as key drivers, the Oman News Agency reported.
This comes as Oman’s broader non-oil exports grew 8.6 percent year on year to 1.61 billion rials, now making up 28.6 percent of total exports. The growth reflects ongoing efforts to boost non-oil trade, support domestic industries, attract foreign investment, localize development initiatives, and offer incentives to the private sector.
The ONA report stated: “Khalil bin Ahmed Al Harthy, CEO of Credit Oman, explained that the volume of insured export sales in the building and construction materials sector witnessed a growth of 24 percent, with a total value of 27.16 million rials.”
Exports in the petrochemicals and plastics sector climbed 45 percent to 9.2 million riyals.
The mining sector experienced the largest percentage growth, jumping 150 percent to 570,000 rials. Meanwhile, agricultural exports surged 96 percent to nearly 5 million rials, driven by increased demand and favorable market conditions.
Despite the overall growth, Al-Harthy noted setbacks in some sectors, including packaging, fisheries, and apparel, adding that the results still reflect the broader progress of the national economy and the government’s continued push for economic development.
“He pointed out that Credit Oman is making significant efforts to support Omani manufacturers and exporters, contributing to boosting their sales both locally and internationally by offering a range of insurance services and overcoming the challenges associated with Omani products entering global and new markets,” the OMA report added.
In its earlier outlook, Credit Oman projected strong growth potential for the country’s non-oil exports in 2025. The agency cited an estimated untapped export capacity of 5 billion rials, according to the International Trade Centre.
However, it emphasized that realizing this potential would depend on evolving global trade conditions, particularly the impact of emerging tariff and non-tariff barriers, geopolitical uncertainty, and shifts in global economic trends.
This growth comes after a challenging 2024, when Oman’s non-oil exports declined 16 percent due in part to a reclassification of high-value fuel-related goods into the oil and gas category.
The 2025 rebound suggests improved export diversification, aided by Credit Oman’s efforts and favorable conditions in sectors like agriculture and plastics.
Pakistan asks distribution companies to ensure uninterrupted power supply to facilitate Muharram gatherings
- Thousands of Pakistanis take part in religious gatherings, processions every year in Muharram
- Energy ministry instructs DISCOs to inspect distribution networks, place teams on high alert
iSLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Energy Ministry on Sunday directed senior officials of distribution companies (DISCOs) to ensure uninterrupted power supply to facilitate religious gatherings next month during Muharram.
Thousands of Pakistanis every year during the Islamic month of Muharram take part in religious gatherings and processions to pay tribute to Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala.
In its letter, the ministry said Muharram is falling in July when heat waves are expected in many parts of the country.
“It is very much imperative that all necessary measures are taken to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to facilitate these religious gatherings and avoid any inconvenience to the public,” the letter said.
The ministry urged DISCOs to conduct thorough inspections of all transmission and distribution networks, particularly in areas where religious gatherings and processions are expected to take place.
It also directed the companies to deploy dedicated emergency response teams on high alert throughout Muharram, especially on the 9th and 10th of Muharram when the main processions take place, to address any power disruptions immediately.
The ministry instructed DISCOs to communicate with consumers, especially mosques and imambargahs, regarding any scheduled maintenance or potential load management measures to minimize inconvenience.
“Assign duty rosters to ensure 24/7 availability of technical and operational staff during Muharram to respond swiftly to any power-related issues,” the letter read.
“The sanctity of Muharram demands our utmost commitment to serving the public with diligence and respect,” it said. “Any negligence in this regard will be viewed seriously.”
The Energy Ministry directed DISCOs to submit a compliance report to the Power Division regarding the measures taken in this regard.
Thousands of people suffer from power outages, lasting several hours each day, during the summers every year in Pakistan.
Pakistan suffers from an energy crisis that stems largely from a gap in its energy supplies and electricity demand. The cash-strapped country lacks adequate resources to run its oil-and-gas-powered plants and imports most of its energy needs.
Most Gulf markets trade up, unfazed by rising regional tensions as US strikes Iran
- US forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites late on Saturday
LONDON: Most stock markets in the Gulf were trading higher on Sunday, relatively unscathed by escalating tension in the region following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, as investors assessed the potential economic impact of the conflict.
US forces struck Iran’s three main nuclear sites late on Saturday, and President Donald Trump warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace.
By around 0915 GMT, Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index TASI had edged 0.4 percent higher, helped by a 0.7 percent rise in the country’s biggest lender, Saudi National Bank. Qatar’s benchmark index QSI had gained 0.2 percent, reversing slight early losses.
“It is admittedly a bit surprising to see regional equities shrugging off the US strikes on Iran with relative ease, with opening losses having pared relatively rapidly,” said Michael Brown, Senior Research Strategist at Pepperstone.
Brown said that the markets had already discounted the probability of a US attack, and investors anticipated a swifter resolution to the conflict following the attacks.
The market is focused on whether the conflict spreads to other nations in the region, with there being no sign of that happening right now, he added.
Bahrain and Kuwait, home to US bases, made preparations on Sunday for the possibility of the conflict spreading to their territory, with Bahrain urging drivers to avoid main roads and Kuwait establishing shelters in a ministries complex.
Kuwait’s premier index reversed early losses to trade 0.3 percent higher by around the same time, while Bahrain’s main index was flat. The Omani share index MSX30 was up 0.5 percent.
Elsewhere in the Middle East, Egypt’s benchmark index EGX30 was trading 1.7 percent higher, while the main index in Tel Aviv was up around 1 percent to reach its all-time high.
How many hostages are left in Gaza?
- 50 hostages remain in captivity
- PM Netanyahu said Israel is committed to returning the remaining hostages even as it wages a new military campaign against Iran
Israel said Sunday that it has recovered the bodies of three more hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that ignited the ongoing 20-month war in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military identified them as Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed during the initial attack and their bodies were taken into Gaza. Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son’s remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan’s 23rd birthday.
The military did not provide details about the operation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is committed to returning the remaining hostages even as it wages a new military campaign against Iran.
Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages in the Oct. 7 attack. More than 55,000 Palestinians in Gaza, mostly women and children, have been killed in the ensuing conflict, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.
Here are details on the hostages:
Total hostages captured on Oct. 7, 2023: 251
Hostages taken before the Oct. 7 attack: 4, including 2 who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015 and the bodies of 2 soldiers killed in the 2014 war
Hostages released in exchanges or other deals: 148, of whom 8 were dead
Bodies of hostages retrieved by Israeli forces: 49
Hostages rescued alive: 8
Hostages still in captivity: 50, of whom Israel believes 27 are dead. Netanyahu has said there are “doubts” about the fate of several more.
The hostages in captivity include four non-Israelis: 2 Thais and 1 Tanzanian who have been confirmed dead, and a Nepalese captive.
