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A look at Eid al-Fitr and how Muslims celebrate the Islamic holiday

CAIRO, March 18, 2026 (AP) — Muslims around the world are bidding farewell to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and will soon start celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr. Eid is typically greeted with joy and excitement and is marked with congregational prayers and festivities that usually include family visits, gatherings, outings and new clothes. But this year, Eid is approaching amid the Iran war, which has been roiling many countries in the Middle East and leading to far-reaching consequences beyond. In the United States, many Muslims observed Ramadan’s religious and social traditions this year under a cloud of

Shashi Shashi Tharoor calls for Indian govt to “take lead” in demanding end to West Asia conflict

New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Amidst the escalating West Asia conflict, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that he has been publicly urging the Indian government to take a proactive lead in demanding an immediate end to the conflict. Speaking to ANI, he argued that neither side was benefiting from the ongoing hostilities, as other nations suffer, given severe disruptions in the global oil, gas and other supplies. The Congress leader said that both American and Iranian objectives have largely been met, making continued conflict detrimental to global interests. “I have been calling publicly for the government to now take

About 90 ships cross the Strait of Hormuz as Iran exports millions of barrels of oil despite the war

HONG KONG, March 18, 2026 (AP) — About 90 ships including oil tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz since the outset of the war with Iran and it is still exporting millions of barrels of oil at a time when the waterway has been effectively closed, according to maritime and trade data platforms. Many of the vessels that passed through the strait were so-called “dark” transits evading Western government sanctions and oversight that likely have ties to Iran, maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence said. More recently, vessels with ties to India and Pakistan have also successfully crossed the

Federal Reserve could signal no interest rate cuts this year in wake of Iran war

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2026 (AP) — A key question hangs over the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting that ends Wednesday: Will central bank policymakers still reduce short-term interest rates this year, now that the Iran war has sent oil prices higher and gas prices spiking? Or will they have to stand pat for months to see how the conflict plays out? Fed Chair Jerome Powell is almost certain to announce Wednesday that the central bank has kept its key rate unchanged for the second straight meeting at about 3.6%. But the Fed will also release a set of quarterly projections, and

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