IslamiCity

Iran says a religious decree, or fatwa, forbids the development and use of nuclear weapons, reiterating a long-standing position by Iranian officials that such arms are banned under Islamic law. The claim comes amid ongoing international debate over Iran's nuclear programme. Critics have repeatedly questioned whether the decree is binding or verifiable, while Iran's government points to it as proof that its nuclear activities remain peaceful.

BBC economics editor Faisal Islam reports that the UK chancellor must make two major calls ahead of the upcoming Budget. The analysis focuses on the difficult fiscal choices facing the Treasury as it weighs tax and spending decisions against economic pressures. It is being shared amid growing attention to the government's economic strategy and speculation about what the Budget will contain.

A former schoolfriend of Shamima Begum, the British woman who joined Islamic State in Syria as a teenager, has been arrested in connection with a suspected terrorism-related offence. The arrest revives attention to the Bethnal Green schoolgirls' case a decade on, with reports noting investigators are examining the suspected links. Details of the allegations and the person's identity have not been fully confirmed.