‘Beef Biryani’ Scene In Malayalam Film ‘Haal’:CBFC’s Directions For The Deletion Of Dialogue That Involves Eating Beef Biryani
New Age Islam News Bureau
10 October 2025
The makers of the film, starring Shane Nigam, have approached the Kerala High Court against what they said were the CBFC’s demands to remove the scene and the dialogue before the film is given a screening certificate. (JVJ Productions/YouTube)
---------
· ‘Beef Biryani’ Scene In Malayalam Film ‘Haal’:CBFC’s Directions For The DeletionOf DialogueThat Involves Eating Beef Biryani
· Hamas Chief: Group Received Guarantees From Mediators, US Confirming Gaza War Ended
· Tuberville Call To Ban ‘Sharia Law’ Shows ‘Dangerous Hatred Against American Muslims’:CAIR Advocate Says
· Islamist Terror Suspect ‘Joined Jewish Facebook Groups To Find Target’
· Saudi Arabia Grants Citizenship To Uber Co-Founder, Red Sea Global CEO
-----
India
· Ahead Of Delhi Meet, Taliban Seek India’s Recognition For Islamic Emirateof Afghanistan
· Indore Municipal Corporation Ousted Congress Corporator Over ‘Love Jihad’ Case
· Muslim Vote Holds The Key Ahead Of Bypoll In Jubilee Hills Constituency Of Hyderabad
· Amit Shah reviews J&K security post-Pahalgam attack, urges ruthless anti-terror action
· Congress slams PM Modi’s praise for Netanyahu, calls it ‘morally atrocious’ amid Gaza ceasefire deal
· Jailed MP Er Rashid’s party to field own candidate in J&K RS polls, refuses to support BJP or NC
------
Mideast
· Palestinian President Meets Israeli Peace Activists, Speaks To Israeli Media
· Israeli Cabinet Approves ‘Outline’ Of Deal To Release Hostages Held By Hamas
· Trump Gets Long Sought Gaza Hostage Deal With A Whole Lot Of Help From Arab And Muslim Allies
· US sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor ceasefire deal in Gaza
· Hamas Insists Gaza Ceasefire Deal Marks ‘Permanent End’ To War
· Foreign ministers of France, Jordan discuss next moves in Gaza
· President Aoun welcomes Gaza ceasefire, urges Israeli restraint in Lebanon
· 400,000 Syrian refugees to return home from Lebanon this year, UN agency says
· Israeli forces raid offices of Union of Charitable Societies in Jerusalem
-----
North America
· Violent Attack On Muslim Man In Markham Prompts Urgent Calls To Combat Islamophobia
· 'What Gives Them The Right?' MAGA Senator Melts Down Over Muslims Praying Outdoors
· ‘No Upgrade To Pakistan’s Current Capabilities’: US Denies Reports Of Missile Sale To Pakistan
· American Jews and Muslims celebrate ceasefire deal, but cautiously
· Trump: Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday
-------
Europe
· Old Library To Become Mosque After Legal Challenge Called Off
· Man inside Peacehaven mosque arson attack left 'traumatised'
· Two more people arrested in mosque arson investigation
· Mosque open day 'a message of unity after graffiti attack'
· Islamic State supporter 'hero-worshipped' mastermind of 2015 Paris attacks, court told
· OIC expects most Muslim countries to invest in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories
· Universities risk sanctions over Gaza protests, watchdog says
-----
Arab World
· War On Gaza ‘Far From Over’: Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Former Ambassador To The US
· Al-Jabal Al-Bahri stands as historic witness to Jubail’s fishing, pearling heritage
· Exhibition celebrating cultural and creative legacy of the date palm opens in Dhahran
· University of New Haven to open Riyadh campus next year
· SFDA approves registration of Qalsody for ALS treatment
· Saudi FM arrives in Paris for Gaza meeting
· Kingdom to announce major biotech, pharmaceutical partnerships at Global Health Exhibition
-----
Africa
· Sudan Army Used Chlorine Twice In Khartoum Area Attacks In 2024: Report
· Religious genocide: Why are Nigerian Muslims not victims?
· Islamic Scholar Calls For Radical Action Against Illegal Mining
· American Senator, Ted Cruz Lied About Killing Of Christians In Nigeria – Ndume
· Nnamdi Kanu: ‘You Are Nothing More Than An Anarchist’ – Presidency Blasts Sowore, Atiku
· Madagascar’s youth protests escalate, demanding president’s resignation
· South Sudan president ousts military chief, reinstates predecessor
------
Southeast Asia
· Malaysia Prefers Diplomacy Over Islamic Military Alliance For Gaza Conflict
· Minister Calls For Collaboration To Bolster Muslim-Friendly Tourism
· Focus on peace, not politics, Anwar tells Malaysians as Trump’s visit looms
· Nurul Izzah demands accountability over ‘illegal’ Israeli interception of Global Sumud Flotilla
· Anwar: Erdogan personally assisting efforts to secure release of Malaysian flotilla members detained by Israel
· Malaysia to send observers to Myanmar’s long-delayed elections, says military govt
· Government committed to empowering MSMEs in international halal industry
-----
South Asia
· India Upgrades Kabul Mission To Embassy, Announces More Direct Flights, Aids, Projects
· Afghan Government Firmly Opposes Foreign Military Bases on Its Soil, Kabulov Says
· Pakistani Fighter Jets Hit Barmal District in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province
· Pakistan Defence Minister Says Afghan Refugees Must Leave Immediately
· Shaheed Jihad's soul to suffer if his dream remains unfulfilled: Tarique Rahman
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/beef-biryani-malayalam-film-dialogue/d/137184
-----
‘Beef Biryani’ Scene In Malayalam Film ‘Haal’:CBFC’s Directions For The DeletionOf DialogueThat Involves Eating Beef Biryani
by Shaju Philip
October 10, 2025
The makers of the film, starring Shane Nigam, have approached the Kerala High Court against what they said were the CBFC’s demands to remove the scene and the dialogue before the film is given a screening certificate. (JVJ Productions/YouTube)
-----------
The makers of the Malayalam film, Haal, have moved the Kerala High Court against the Central Board of Film Certification’s directions for the deletion or modification of several lines of dialogue and scenes, including one that involves eating beef biryani.
Lines of dialogue that the CBFC wants removed include those with references to “Dhwaj Pranamam”, a salutation associated with the RSS; “Ganapati Vattam”, which is what the BJP suggested Wayanad district’s Sulthan Bathery be renamed as; and “abhyantara shatrukkal”, which means internal enemies.
The board also sought the deletion of a scene involving the eating of beef biryani and a sequence in a song where a woman uses a burqa to hide her identity.
Admitting the petition, the Bench of Justice N Nagaresh sought a response from the CBFC in the next hearing, set to be held on October 14.
The regional office of the CBFC informed the producer that the revising committee and the board have come to the conclusion that the film is not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, but may be suitable for public exhibition restricted to adults after making deletions and modifications. “The narrative of the film deals with socio-cultural dynamics and also involves religious sensitivities. Hence, the revising committee unanimously recommended grant of ‘A’ (certified as suitable for adults only) with modifications to the film,” the CBFC informed JVJ Productions.
Apart from the deletions, the makers of the film were also asked to modify several parts, including a police interrogation scene, blur the name of ‘Holy Angels College of Nursing’, and to get the consent of the Thamrassery Bishop regarding the scenes in which he is depicted. “The police and Kerala state authorities have been depicted in the film in a bad light. Hence, suitably modify the scene depicting discrimination against certain religious groups, wherever it occurs,” the makers were told.
The director of the film, Veera, said the CBFC’s regional office in Thiruvananthapuram had earlier agreed to issue a screening certificate. “Later, without informing us, the movie was referred to the revising committee in Mumbai, which denied the certificate and wanted cuts and modifications made,” he said.
“They (CBFC) allege that we have a hidden agenda behind the movie. Our film does not depict violence or cruelty. It is about an interfaith love story, where there is pressure for religious conversion. But both the bride and bridegroom decide to stick to their faith. We are sending a positive message that nobody should clash over religion,” he said.
The director also questioned why the film would be given an adults only certification even if the cuts and modifications were made.
The petitioners in the High Court case, producer Juby Thomas and director Veera, sought a direction from the court to the CBFC that the film be given a screening certificate at the earliest. They also sought the framing of fresh guidelines for considering censorship applications by the Union government and the CBFC. The petitioners asked the court to appoint an advocate commission to watch the movie and report its contents before the court.
Source: indianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/haal-malayalam-movie-beef-biryani-scene-cbfc-high-court-10297421/
------
Hamas Chief: Group Received Guarantees From Mediators, US Confirming Gaza War Ended
October 09, 2025
Exiled Hamas chief Khalil Al-Hayya made the remarks during a televised speech broadcast by a Qatar-based TV channel on Thursday evening. (Screengrab)
-------------
CAIRO: Exiled Hamas chief Khalil Al-Hayya said on Thursday the group has received guarantees from the United States, Arab mediators, and Turkiye that the war in Gaza has permanently ended.
Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza that has upended the Middle East.
Under the deal, fighting will cease, Israel will partially withdraw from Gaza, and Hamas will free all remaining 48 hostages it captured in the attack that precipitated the war, in exchange for prisoners held by Israel. At the White House, Trump said he believed it would lead to “lasting peace.” Hamas is expected to release the 20 living hostages together, 72 hours after the ceasefire begins.
Hayya, who survived an attempt by Israel to kill him and other Hamas leaders in Qatar a month ago, said the agreement Hamas signed with Israel ends the war in Gaza, opens a key crossing with Egypt, and sees the release by Israel of all jailed Palestinian women and children.
In addition, Israel will release 250 Palestinians serving long terms in Israeli prisons, as well as 1,700 others who have been arrested since the war erupted on October 7, 2023, Hayya said.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618348/middle-east
-----
Tuberville Call To Ban ‘Sharia Law’ Shows ‘Dangerous Hatred Against American Muslims’:CAIR Advocate Says
Oct. 09, 2025
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., believes that anyone “practicing” sharia law in the U.S. should be “deported immediately.”
Tuberville made the comments Wednesday during a 13-minute speech on the Senate floor alongside a poster that says, “BAN SHARIA LAW.”
Throughout the speech Tuberville mentioned that “radical Islamic extremists” were a threat to America and even stated that these extremists “want every single freedom loving American dead, bottom line.
“They have proven over and over again that they’re willing to do whatever it takes to kill just one American citizen, whatever it takes and it isn’t just happening overseas,” Tuberville said. “It has been allowed to fester and is alive and well in our very own country, just waiting for the right opportunity to attack.”
Throughout the years many conservative politicians have invoked the prospect of “sharia law” taking over America as an Islamophobic and anti-Muslim trope.
In a statement to AL.com, Deputy Director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Edward Ahmed Mitchell, said that Tuberville’s remarks were “dangerous hatred against American Muslims” and he could learn about Islam if he took up a months-old offer to visit a Birmingham mosque.
“If Senator Tuberville ever takes up the community’s offer to visit an Alabama mosque, he will learn that Alabama Muslims are following sharia—which means the way to water—when they pray five times a day, fast in Ramadan, give in charity, and follow the laws of the land in which they live,” Mitchell said.
“Senator Tuberville will also learn that American Muslims have consistently opposed all forms of unjust violence, from terrorist attacks by Al-Qaeda and ISIS, to the genocide perpetrated by Israeli government in Gaza. This is called moral consistency, and Senator Tuberville should try it.”
CAIR invited Tuberville to a mosque in June after he said that people attempting to come to Alabama from blue states were not welcome if they brought a, “communist, Islamic atmosphere.”
Tuberville also claimed that three prominent Muslim Democratic politicians, Zohran Mamdani, Illhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, were supporters of Hamas.
Each of them have been targets of Islamophobic right-wing attacks as Omar most recently was equated to being a “Muslim terrorist” by fellow congressman Rep. Randy Fine, R-FL.
None of these politicians have ever stated support for Hamas rather they have continuously condemned Israel as an apartheid state committing what the United Nations has found to be a genocide.
According to a report by CAIR earlier this year, instances of anti-Muslim and Islamophobic discrimination were at an all time high since the organization began tracking the data in 1996.
Source: al.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.al.com/politics/2025/10/tuberville-call-to-ban-sharia-law-shows-dangerous-hatred-against-american-muslims-advocate-says.html
-----
Islamist terror suspect ‘joined Jewish Facebook groups to find target’
Neil Johnston
9 October 2025
Walid Saadaoui (left) and Amar Hussein (right) are accused of preparing a terrorist attack Credit: Elizabeth Cook/PA
-----------
An alleged Islamic State-inspired terrorist joined Jewish Facebook groups to try to find an event at which he could launch an attack, a court has heard.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, from Wigan, “hero-worshipped” the mastermind of the 2015 Paris terror attacks and withdrew £90,000 in cash in preparation for “martyring” himself, the court was told.
He is on trial alongside Amar Hussein, 52, accused of preparing a terrorist attack by making plans for an attack, conducting reconnaissance and arranging the purchase and delivery of firearms.
Mr Saadaoui was arrested by undercover police in a car park in Bolton in May last year as he took delivery of the weapons, which he believed had been smuggled into the country.
On the second day of the trial, Preston Crown Court heard that Mr Saadaoui used Facebook accounts to promote Islamic State, encourage attacks and stalk his targets, and also hoarded cash to give to his family for when he became a “martyr”.
The court heard he used one of his Facebook accounts, in the name of Will Alba, to join a group called Manchester Jewish Community in December 2023 after claiming he had been a member of a synagogue in Croydon and had recently moved to Manchester.
He also joined the Facebook group of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester, which contained details of a March Against Anti-Semitism which had been held in Manchester on Jan 21 last year.
There were suggestions on that page that some 6,500 people had taken part in that march.
Harpreet Sandhu KC, prosecuting, told jurors: “Walid Saadaoui was interested in finding similar events to launch an attack with Amar Hussein and do what they dreamed of, and that was killing many Jewish people.”
He added that Mr Saadaoui’s other Facebook accounts were used “to spread his extremist views” and the posts left “no room for doubt that he embraced Islamic extremism wholeheartedly and that he condoned and encouraged the use of violence in the name of Islam”.
Paris terror attacks
He said that on Jan 18 2023, Facebook removed a post praising Abd al-Hamid Abaaoud, the organiser of the Paris attacks, because it breached “community standards on dangerous individuals and organisations”, but Mr Saadaoui posted it again under another name.
In the posting he stated: “Abd al-Hamid Abaaoud at only the age of 26 he humiliated the most notorious heretic states, Belgium and France, and broke their strength. He made the streets run with their impure blood.”
The court was told that Abaaoud was a Belgian-born Islamic State terrorist who spent time in Syria and was behind multiple terrorist attacks in Belgium and France as well as the Paris attacks.
Mr Sandhu told the court: “The sort of firearms Walid Saadaoui had arranged to have smuggled into the UK were the sort of weapons which had been used to kill 130 people and injure hundreds more in Paris.
“Abd al-Hamid Abaaoud’s actions in France, which led to those deaths and those injuries, were a source of inspiration for Walid Saadaoui. He wanted to replicate what Abaaoud had done. Walid Saadaoui hero-worshipped that terrorist. When he spoke of Abaaoud, he did so with pride and with reverence.”
The two defendants were said to be “united in their hate for the Jewish people”, and material posted on Mr Saadaoui’s Facebook page demonstrated his deep hatred. One post, in December 2023, stated: “I pray to you Allah not to catch me until I break my thirst with Jewish, Christians and their proxies blood.”
He also allegedly supported Islamic State, posting that “the best thing that happened on the face of the Earth under this coercive rule is the birth of the Islamic State”.
The men were said to hold meetings in a private house, and in July 2023 Mr Saadaoui posted about how he found mosques to be the “most repugnant places to me” because those who visited them did not adhere to his brand of religion.
The court was told that Mr Saadaoui said it was time to start coordinating between “brothers” and raising funds for their planned attack and asked a man called Farouk – who was actually an undercover operative – if there was a large gathering of Jews in Belgium, where Farouk had said he was from.
“That is important,” Mr Sandhu added. “It was Walid Saadaoui’s aim to identify a mass-gathering of Jewish people and attack them, and he told Farouk to find people to purchase firearms from.
“Walid Saadaoui did not need any encouragement to make these pronouncements of the terrorist attacks he would be engaging in. Indeed, he was the one who encouraged Farouk.”
‘Plenty of cash’
The court heard that Mr Saadaoui had previously lived in Great Yarmouth, where he owned a restaurant, which he sold before buying a house in Wigan without a mortgage.
Mr Sandhu told the jury that Mr Saadaoui had “plenty of cash left over” and added: “He did not work following his move to Wigan – his focus was on planning his terrorist attacks.”
Between July 28 and Aug 4 2023, he withdrew £11,500, and on Aug 11 withdrew a further £7,000. On Aug 25 he withdrew £70,000 in cash, leaving his bank accounts empty.
He told Farouk he did that to ensure that once investigations into his terrorist activities began, the authorities would not be able to seize that money and it would be available for his family to use after he had died as a “martyr”.
The court heard that after Mr Saadaoui was arrested, police lifted a metal grill in a brick outhouse in the garden and found a plastic pipe underneath.
When they lifted the pipe and dug into the soil, they uncovered a safe, which contained a rucksack filled with £74,000 in cash in separate plastic bags.
The trial, expected to last 12 weeks, continues. Both Mr Saadaoui and Mr Hussein deny the charges.
Source: yahoo.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/islamist-terror-suspect-joined-jewish-161820435.html
------
Saudi Arabia grants citizenship to Uber co-founder, Red Sea Global CEO
October 09, 2025
Royal approval has been issued to grant Saudi citizenship to American businessman Travis Kalanick (R) and Chief Executive Officer of Red Sea Global John Pagano. (Supplied)
--------------
RIYADH: A royal approval has been issued to grant Saudi citizenship to American businessman Travis Kalanick and Chief Executive Officer of Red Sea Global John Pagano.
They join the ranks of distinguished scientists, innovators, experts in rare specializations and entrepreneurs who have been granted Saudi citizenship.
This comes as part of the Kingdom’s commitment to supporting distinguished scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 directives, which aim to enhance an attractive environment that fosters investment in human capabilities and attracts exceptional and creative individuals.
This is due to the added value they represent for the Saudi economy, which focuses on developing promising sectors and increasing their contribution to the gross domestic product.
Kalanick and Pagano, who recently converted to Islam, have successful careers in establishing technology companies and startups, as well as in developing promising tourism sectors.
Kalanick is one of the most prominent entrepreneurs to have ventured into founding start-ups, with more than 26 years of hands-on experience in the field.
He is the co-founder and former CEO of Uber, which reached a market value of $150 billion between its inception and 2017.
Kalanick currently serves as CEO of CloudKitchens, a leader in cloud kitchens focused on delivery in more than 400 locations worldwide.
The company’s operations include the Middle East under the name KitchenPark (in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE), where Kalanick has led a major deal to attract investors to pump an estimated $1.25 billion into the company, accelerating the company’s expansion.
He is also the founder of the 10100 Fund, aimed at investing in real estate, e-commerce and emerging innovations in China and India.
John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea International, brings more than 40 years of experience.
In 2006, he served as president of Bahama Mar, a luxury resort and residential development company in the Bahamas, and oversaw the $3.6 billion development of the Baha Ma resort.
Currently, he oversees the Red Sea and AMAALA projects, following the 2022 merger of the Red Sea Development Company and AMAALA.
Pagano was also recognized by Forbes Middle East as one of the “Travel and Tourism Leaders” for 2024, in acknowledgment of his pivotal role in the Kingdom’s emerging international tourism sector.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618332/saudi-arabia
-------
India
Ahead Of Delhi Meet, Taliban Seek India’s Recognition For Islamic Emirateof Afghanistan
Oct 10, 2025
The Taliban are seeking an upgrade of their relationship with India in the form of diplomatic recognition, as the Afghanistan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi meets external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Friday. Muttaqi arrived in Delhi Thursday for a 6-day visit that is expected to boost India’s fast growing economic ties and people-to-people contacts with Kabul, even without a formal recognition for the regime in Kabul.
On the eve of Muttaqi’s meeting with Jaishankar here, a top Taliban leader told TOI it’s time for both governments to elevate the relationship by granting recognition to the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), the name used by the Taliban for the country.
“It is the first high level visit by our foreign minister to India and is very significant. We expect it will initiate a new phase of relations between the two countries. There are a lot of areas which can be explored for mutual cooperation during this visit,” said the head of Taliban’s political office and Afghanistan’s ambassador to Qatar Suhail Shaheen.
“I think it is time for leadership of both countries to raise the diplomatic level by granting recognition to IEA government and thus paving the way for bilateral cooperation and expansion of relations in various fields,” added Shaheen.
The UN Security Council earlier waived a travel ban on Muttaqi to allow him to travel to India. That India was keen to host Muttaqi is a sign of growing trust in the relationship as the Taliban urge India to expand its economic footprint in the country. The visit also helps India further capitalise on the dramatic deterioration in the Taliban’s ties with Pakistan, which accuses Kabul of funding and arming the Pakistan Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Recognition for the Taliban, however, remains a tricky issue for India as the Indian government wants its position to be in consonance with that of the international community. That position is unlikely to change with Muttaqi’s visit. As multiple sources here told TOI, the visit is only indicative of an enhancement in bilateral relations and diplomatic engagements.
As the government has said in the past, India seeks a sovereign, democratic and peaceful Afghanistan, where the interests of all sections of Afghan society including women, children and minorities are protected. Additionally, despite credible assurances by Kabul that it won’t allow Afghanistan to be used against India, the Indian government still has concerns about links between Pakistan-based terror groups and forces in Afghanistan. While several countries have accepted Taliban-appointed officials as diplomats, Russia remains the only country to have formally recognised the government in Kabul.
This lack of recognition is unlikely to come in the way of India’s efforts to ramp up its ties with the Taliban as it maintains its ties are guided by historical relations and friendship with the people of Afghanistan. While India already has projects across the 34 provinces of the country, it has also committed to engaging in more development projects soon, while continuing with its ongoing humanitarian assistance programme, buoyed by the support it has received from the Taliban.
Apart from Delhi, Muttaqi is also likely to travel to Agra and Deoband. He was earlier also planning to travel to Mumbai and Hyderabad but that has now been cancelled.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/ahead-of-delhi-meet-taliban-seek-indias-recognition-for-islamic-emirate/articleshow/124434189.cms
-------
Indore Municipal Corporation Ousted Congress Corporator Over ‘Love Jihad’ Case
Anuraag Singh
10 Oct 2025
Cong corporator ousted over ‘Love Jihad’ case
The Indore Municipal Corporation has ended the membership of Congress Corporator Anwar Qadri, also known as Anwar Dacoit. The decision was passed by voice vote amid a walkout by Congress members. Qadri had surrendered before a local court in a June 2025 case that alleged funding of men to target and convert women from other communities. He is also accused in several other criminal cases in Indore, including forcing women into prostitution. The corporation followed rules that provide for dismissal after such charges. Once a strong local leader, Qadri now faces political isolation.
Warm farewell for two women IAS officers
Two women IAS officers known for their people-friendly work got touching farewells on their transfers. In Seoni, Collector Sanskriti Jain was carried in a golden palanquin by her colleagues as film songs played. Her two little daughters joined the procession. She takes charge as Bhopal’s new municipal commissioner. In Rewa, SDM Vaishali Jain, loved for her drive against land and hoarding scams, was honoured by advocates who wanted to weigh her in laddoos. She smiled, folded her hands and politely declined to stand on the scale. Vaishali moves to Ratlam, leaving behind an image of humility and honest service.
BJP leaders who lost polls may get posts
This Diwali could bring good news for several BJP leaders who have been out in the cold since losing the last Assembly elections. The state government is likely to appoint former ministers and MLAs as heads of boards and corporations that have been vacant since December 2023. Those likely to be named include Kamal Patel, Umashankar Gupta, Giriraj Dandotiya, Anchal Sonkar, and Ramniwas Rawat. Over 40 posts of chairpersons and vice-chairpersons are expected to be filled soon. The move will bring back many old faces who have been without a role for more than a year. For them, Diwali could mark a return to relevance.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/10/bhopal-diary-congress-corporator-ousted-over-love-jihad-case
-------
Muslim Vote Holds The Key Ahead Of Bypoll In Jubilee Hills Constituency Of Hyderabad
Oct 10, 2025
done: arun
Hyderabad: With over one lakh Muslim voters in the Jubilee Hills onstituency—who are likely to play a decisive role in the upcoming bypolls—both the ruling Congress and BRS are actively courting the minority community. According to caste surveys and various studies, Muslims constitute nearly 30% of the total electorate in the constituency, making their support crucial for any party aiming to secure a win.
Jubilee Hills ranks just behind seven other assembly segments in the state in terms of Muslim population, all of which are represented by AIMIM MLAs. Bahadurpura tops the list with about 87% Muslim voters, followed by Nampally at 55%. Jubilee Hills, with approximately 30%, comes next.
Among the six municipal divisions in the constituency, AIMIM had earlier won Shaikpet and Erragadda, though these seats are now vacant due to the deaths of the corporators. Other divisions like Yousufguda, Borabanda, and Rahmatnagar also have substantial Muslim populations. Notably, Borabanda went to AIMIM in the previous GHMC elections, highlighting pockets of strong influence.
The uncertainty over whether AIMIM will field a candidate in the bypoll has added to the political calculation, with both Congress and BRS hoping to capture the party's vote share if it stays out. Party insiders believe this could significantly shape the outcome.
The Congress has taken proactive measures to win over Muslim voters, sanctioning developmental works and allocating land for Muslim graveyards in Erragadda and Shaikpet to address the acute shortage of burial space in Bharatnagar, Erragadda, and HF Nagar.
While there was a dispute over Shaikpet land due to defence objections, the party has also pledged further development in minority colonies. Key minority leaders, including Telangana Waqf Board chairman Syed Azmatullah Hussaini and Borabanda corporator Baba Fasiuddin, have been roped in to engage voters and local leaders directly.
Meanwhile, the BRS is intensifying efforts to maintain its support base among Muslims. Party leaders point to continued backing from the local community during the 2023 assembly elections, even when AIMIM contested. A senior BRS leader highlighted welfare schemes such as Shaadi Mubarak and other minority-focused initiatives, expressing confidence that Muslim voters will continue to support them.
Political analysts note shifting voting patterns in the constituency. While Muslim voters largely supported BRS in previous assembly polls, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw them lean towards the Congress. "Although Union minister G Kishan Reddy won Secunderabad in 2024, Congress outperformed BJP in Nampally and Jubilee Hills assembly segments," pointed out a senior AIMIM leader.
As the bypoll approaches, both parties are leaving no stone unturned, recognising that the support of Jubilee Hills' significant Muslim minority could well tip the scales, making the constituency one of the most closely watched battlegrounds in Telangana. Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/muslim-vote-holds-the-key-ahead-of-bypoll-in-jubilee-hills-constituency-of-hyderabad/articleshowprint/124435576.cms
------
Amit Shah reviews J&K security post-Pahalgam attack, urges ruthless anti-terror action
Imran Ahmed Siddiqui
10.10.25
Union home minister Amit Shah on Thursday held a security review meeting here to assess the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir post the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and called for “ruthless” action against infiltration and acts of terror, government sources said.
“We are committed to cripple the terror ecosystem in J&K. Our security forces will continue to have full freedom to crush any attempt to threaten peace and security in the region,” Shah said in a post on X.
He reaffirmed the Modi government’s unwavering commitment to achieving the goal of a terrorism-free Jammu and Kashmir and said that because of the determined efforts of the security agencies, the terrorist network nurtured by "enemies of the nation" in the Union Territory had been almost crippled, the home ministry said in a statement.
“Shah assured that all necessary resources will continue to be provided to sustain these efforts. He also said that our security forces will continue to have full freedom of action to crush any attempt to threaten peace and security in the region,” the statement said.
The home minister, during the meeting, appreciated the steps taken by the UT administration and security agencies following the Pahalgam terror attack, which have helped strengthen the overall security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir.
Emphasising the vital role of all security agencies in working in a coordinated and vigilant manner to eliminate terrorism from the region, he said that with the onset of winter, security forces must remain fully prepared to ensure that terrorists do not exploit snowfall to infiltrate across the border, the ministry said.
After the Pahalgam attack, there are continuous operations to dismantle the terror network in the Union Territory while also ensuring that tourism returns to normal.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/amit-shah-reviews-jk-security-post-pahalgam-attack-urges-ruthless-anti-terror-action-prnt/cid/2127030
------
Congress slams PM Modi’s praise for Netanyahu, calls it ‘morally atrocious’ amid Gaza ceasefire deal
09.10.25
The Congress on Thursday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what it called his “unqualified praise” of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing it as “shameful and morally atrocious.”
The Opposition party also accused Modi of maintaining “total silence” on the future of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine.
Launching a scathing attack on the prime minister, Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh wrote on X: “The Prime Minister has welcomed the new developments regarding Gaza and hailed President Trump. That eagerness to do so is not surprising. But what is shocking, shameful, and morally atrocious is Mr. Modi’s unqualified praise for the Israeli PM Mr. Netanyahu — who has unleashed a genocide in Gaza over the past twenty months.”
“Mr. Modi has also maintained a total silence on the future of an independent, sovereign state of Palestine that was recognised by India way back in Nov 1988, and that is now recognised by over 150 countries. Mr. Modi has also said nothing on the continued expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank,” Ramesh added.
The remarks came after Modi welcomed the agreement on the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s West Asia peace plan, under which Israel and Hamas have decided to pause fighting in Gaza — a development seen as the biggest breakthrough in the devastating two-year-old war.
In a post on X earlier, Modi said, “We welcome the agreement on the first phase of President Trump’s peace plan. This is also a reflection of the strong leadership of PM Netanyahu. We hope the release of hostages and enhanced humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza will bring respite to them and pave the way for lasting peace.”
The Congress reiterated its long-standing criticism of the Modi government’s stance on the Gaza conflict, saying India’s silence on “horrific atrocities” amounted to “moral cowardice.”
Last week, the party alleged that Modi’s refusal to speak out against the violence in Gaza represented a “total betrayal” of India’s traditional foreign policy values.
Last month, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had also expressed “profound distress” over what it called the “genocide of innocent civilians in Gaza,” declaring that “India has always been a beacon of moral conscience and the champion of the post-colonial world, it has now shamefully been reduced to a silent spectator. Our foreign policy has now acquired a moral taint.”
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/congress-slams-pm-modis-praise-for-netanyahu-calls-it-morally-atrocious-amid-gaza-ceasefire-deal/cid/2126960
------
Jailed MP Er Rashid’s party to field own candidate in J&K RS polls, refuses to support BJP or NC
Fayaz Wani
10 Oct 2025
SRINAGAR: In a significant political move, the Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) of jailed Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) MP Er Rashid has announced that it won’t support either the opposition BJP or the ruling National Conference (NC) but instead will field its own candidate in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha polls in the J&K Union Territory.
The AIP has a lone legislator in the 90-member J&K Assembly. Talking to TNIE, AIP chief spokesman Inam-un-Nabi said the party, after thorough discussion, has decided not to support the BJP or NC in the RS polls. The polls for four vacant RS seats in J&K would be held on October 24.
Inam said that had the party abstained from voting, it would “provide advantage to BJP, which is our enemy. Similarly, since the NC government is a failure, we don’t want to vote for it." The party, he said, has decided to field its own candidate in the RS polls.
“Our party’s Parliamentary Affairs Committee will discuss modalities in this regard. We will approach the Assembly Secretariat to ascertain necessary procedures for fielding our own candidate,” Inam said.
“We don’t have a choice either to abstain or cast a vote for NC. In such a situation, we will field our own candidate and even if we get only one vote that is sufficient for us,” he said, adding, “Our decision reflects a commitment to principled politics”.
Er Rashid, who is the Lok Sabha MP from the Baramulla seat in north Kashmir, is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail under the UAPA since 2019. Despite his incarceration, Rashid’s political influence continues to resonate in parts of north Kashmir. He won the parliamentary election from Baramulla LS seat last year despite being in jail. He defeated two political heavyweights including Omar Abdullah of NC and Sajjad Gani Lone, former minister and Peoples Conference chairman.
Political observers term AIP’s move as “symbolic and significant”. “With just a single MLA, the AIP has no chance of securing a Rajya Sabha seat but by fielding its own candidate, the party signals its intent to remain equidistant from both the National Conference and the BJP," observers suggest.
The Rajya Sabha election is a high-stakes contest for both the NC and the opposition BJP, which is eyeing to strengthen its position in the Union Territory.
The voting for the four vacant RS seats would be held on October 24 between 9 am and 4 pm, and counting of votes would take place on the same day at 5 pm.
The four RS seats from J&K had fallen vacant in February 2021 after the end of the terms of PDP MPs Mir Mohammad Fayaz and Nazir Ahmed Laway, BJP MP Shamsher Singh, and former Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the downgrading and bifurcation of the erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories, the election for the 90-member J&K Assembly was held last year.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/10/jailed-mp-er-rashids-party-to-field-own-candidate-in-jk-rs-polls-refuses-to-support-bjp-or-nc
------
Mideast
Palestinian president meets Israeli peace activists, speaks to Israeli media
October 09, 2025
RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories: Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas met with Israeli activists in Ramallah on Thursday to discuss long-term peace after Israel and Hamas agreed a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.
“I welcome the agreement signed today, the end of the war, and the release of the hostages,” Abbas told dozens of representatives from Israeli peace organizations assembled at the presidential palace in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.
“A few months ago, (US President Donald) Trump had a plan to expel the Palestinians, but later he forgot about it,” he added.
“Nevertheless, we will remain in our homeland and establish a Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem,” he said.
Speaking from a podium in the presence of Arab-Israeli Knesset member Ayman Odeh and the Palestinian Authority’s vice president Hussein Al-Sheikh, a jovial Abbas spoke to a friendly audience, sometimes exchanging smiles and jokes with activists.
Two power cuts momentarily left all attendees in the dark, an AFP journalist reported.
Among them was Iddo Ilam, an activist and refusnik who explained why he chose not to serve in the Israeli army, as Abbas gestured to him with two thumbs up.
“We are asking for a different future, peace between Jews and Palestinians,” said Rula Daoud, co-director of Standing Together, an Israeli grassroots movement aiming to bring together Palestinians and Jewish Israeli communities.
Absent from the conversation were the details of the ceasefire agreement struck early Thursday between Israel and Hamas — an adversary of Abbas’s Fatah party.
Abbas, in a rare interview with Israel’s Channel 12 network Thursday, expressed hope that peace would prevail between Palestinians and Israelis following the signing of a Gaza ceasefire agreement.
“What happened today is a historic moment. We have been hoping — and continue to hope — that we can bring an end to the bloodshed taking place in our land, whether in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, or East Jerusalem,” Abbas said.
“Today, we are very happy that the bloodshed has ceased. We hope it remains this way, and that peace, security, and stability will prevail between us and Israel.”
The deal is expected to free the remaining living hostages still held in Gaza within days, in a major step toward ending the two-year war that has killed tens of thousands and unleashed a dire humanitarian crisis.
The deal would also see Israel release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and allow a surge of aid into Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has all but rejected the option of the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority (PA) ruling over post-war Gaza.
Nonetheless, its vice president Hussein Al-Sheikh said on X on Thursday that the PA had conducted all preparations to govern the post-war Gaza Strip and oversee its reconstruction.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618323/middle-east
------
Israeli Cabinet approves ‘outline’ of deal to release hostages held by Hamas
October 10, 2025
CAIRO: Israel’s Cabinet early Friday approved President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the remaining hostages held by Hamas, a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year war that has destabilized the Middle East.
A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the Cabinet approved the “outline” of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.
The broader ceasefire plan included many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appeared closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.
The war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault, and 251 were taken hostage. In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded.
In the hours leading up to the Israeli Cabinet’s vote, Israeli strikes continued. Explosions were seen Thursday in northern Gaza, and a strike on a building in Gaza City killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.
At least 11 dead Palestinians and another 49 who were wounded arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said Israel was hitting targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition. Hamas blasted Israel over the strike, saying Netanyahu was trying to “shuffle the cards and confuse” efforts by mediators to end the war in Gaza.
A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech Thursday laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and withdrawing from Gaza.
Khalil Al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.
“We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people,” Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.
In other developments, US officials announced that they would send about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a broader, international team. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release.
Cautious celebrations
In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, reactions to the announcement of a ceasefire were relatively muted and often colored by grief.
“I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. ... The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.”
In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced the deal.
In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with some others.
“We are so excited this morning. We cried all morning,” she said. “It’s been two years that we are in horror.”
Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.
In a short video posted by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.
“They are all coming back on Monday,” said Trump, who is expected to visit the region in the coming days.
Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for transport into Gaza when they are given a green light.
How the deal will unfold
The deal, which was expected to be signed in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.
Israel will publish the list of the prisoners, and victims of their attacks will have 24 hours to lodge objections.
The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations. The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.
Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.
The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The US would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.
The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.
The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects.
What comes next for Netanyahu
The days ahead could be politically tricky for Netanyahu, who has been shadowed by an ongoing corruption trial as he navigated the Gaza war.
His grip on power has been largely contingent on the support of hard-line, far-right coalition partners who have urged him to continue operations against Hamas until the group is eliminated.
But Trump on Thursday suggested Netanyahu’s political standing has been bolstered by the ceasefire and hostage deal.
“He’s much more popular today than he was five days ago,” Trump said. “I can tell you right now, people shouldn’t run against him. Five days ago, might not have been a bad idea.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618373/middle-east
-------
Trump gets long sought Gaza hostage deal with a whole lot of help from Arab and Muslim allies
October 10, 2025
WASHINGTON: After months of gridlock, President Donald Trump finally landed a long-sought Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza — an agreement that only came together after a weekslong diplomacy blitz and a whole lot of help from some Arab and Muslim allies.
The breakthrough is designed to bring about a pause in the fighting unleashed by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. The group is expected to release 48 hostages — about 20 of them believed to be alive — in the coming days.
The brutal war finally reached a turning point because a badly battered Hamas recognized the hostages had become more of a liability than an asset, according to two senior US officials who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations.
One of the officials said negotiators, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, believed they finally had an opening when they sensed that “Hamas had enough.”
Still, the way to an agreement had remained complicated, leaving the US administration in the difficult position of negotiating through a thicket of distrust between Israel and its Middle East neighbors that was in danger of further metastasizing.
Major questions remain, including over governance and reconstruction of a territory that largely has been destroyed as well as whether Hamas will disarm — a key Israeli demand that the militants have not yet publicly accepted.
But for now Trump appears to be headed toward a delicate truce and making good on his campaign promise to bring home all remaining hostages.
An Israeli strike on a US ally
In early September, long-running ceasefire talks mediated by the US, Egypt and Qatar were at a standstill.
Witkoff had walked away weeks earlier, blaming Hamas. The militant group then accepted a proposal that mediators said was almost identical to one approved by Israel, but there was no public response from Israel or the US
Hamas stuck to its position that it would only release the remaining hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected those terms, saying the war would only end with Hamas’ surrender and the return of all the captives, with Israel maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza.
On Sept. 9, explosions rocked Doha. Israel had carried out an airstrike on Hamas leaders and negotiators as they had gathered to consider the latest ceasefire proposal in Qatar, a close US ally and mediator. The strike killed five lower-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari security forces member.
It infuriated Gulf Arab leaders and angered the White House. Trump quickly went into damage control, seeking to reassure Qatar.
The strike alarmed US allies across the region, including countries like Turkiye and Egypt that have hosted Hamas political leaders. The war that Trump had pledged to end was at risk of spiraling across the Middle East once again.
But the Qataris remained engaged with Witkoff and Kushner, helping Trump’s chief negotiators tailor what would become the president’s 20-point peace plan before he would ultimately present it to other Arab and Muslim countries for support, the US officials said.
Two weeks after the Doha strike, Trump met with the leaders of eight Arab and Muslim nations on the sidelines of an annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations that highlighted Israel’s growing isolation. The president said it was his “most important meeting.”
The president returned to Washington while Witkoff checked into the luxury Regency New York, staying near Kushner’s New York apartment so the two could continue coordinating as they fine-tuned the document.
All the while, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, they continued to meet and hold calls with Arab and Muslim country leaders to try to build support.
A ceasefire plan and an ultimatum
Less than a week later, Witkoff and Kushner were back in Washington with the finalized plan, as the president was set to meet with Netanyahu for the Israeli leader’s fourth visit to the White House this year.
Witkoff and Kushner had come up with the idea of nudging Netanyahu to make a visible gesture toward reconciliation with the Qataris for the strike.
Trump dialed up Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and spoke to him before handing the phone to Netanyahu. The prime minister read from a written apology, expressing his regret for Israel violating Qatari sovereignty with the strike.
The White House later published photos of a grim-faced Trump with the phone awkwardly perched in his lap as Netanyahu delivered the apology.
In a press conference in Washington after the Sept. 29 meeting, Netanyahu said he had accepted Trump’s plan.
Rubio said Trump’s negotiators then stepped up their efforts through intermediaries in Qatar and Egypt to get Hamas on board, while Trump held phone calls and meetings with world leaders.
The US plan calls for Hamas to release all the remaining hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, to give up power in Gaza and to disarm.
A crucial move by Trump
Hamas during negotiations made clear its willingness to release all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and to give up power to other Palestinians. But it said other elements of Trump’s plan required more negotiation and offered nothing about disarming, a key Israeli demand.
The response was clearly a “yes, but.”
The US and Israel could have taken it as a “no” and blamed Hamas for the failure to reach a ceasefire on Israel’s terms, as they had in the past. Israel could have vowed to press ahead with its invasion of Gaza City or even expand it.
But when the Hamas response landed late Friday, Israel was largely shut down for the Sabbath, and Trump was first to respond, concluding he believed Hamas was ready for peace.
In a brief statement later that night, Netanyahu said Israel was preparing for the implementation of the “first stage” of Trump’s plan — the release of hostages — and was still committed to ending the war according to its own principles.
It made no mention of the fact that Hamas had not accepted some key demands.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Fox News on Thursday that he and many other Israeli officials were skeptical about Hamas’ heavily qualified acceptance. But he said Trump’s decision to frame it as a sign of momentum created opportunity.
In an interview with Fox News host and ally Sean Hannity after announcing the agreement, the president said he hoped it would help repair Israel’s international standing.
“I spoke to Bibi Netanyahu just a little while ago,” Trump told Hannity, using the Israeli prime minister’s nickname. “I said, ‘Israel cannot fight the world, Bibi.’ They can’t fight the world. And he understands that very well.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618386/middle-east
------
US sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor ceasefire deal in Gaza
October 10, 2025
WASHINGTON: The United States is sending about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal in Gaza as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private sector players, US officials said Thursday.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release, said US Central Command is going to establish a “civil-military coordination center” in Israel that will help facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid as well as logistical and security assistance into the territory wracked by two years of war.
The remarks provide some of the first details on how the ceasefire deal would be monitored and how the US military would have a role in that effort. After Israel and Hamas agreed this week to the first phase of a Trump administration plan to halt the fighting, a litany of questions remain on next steps, including Hamas disarmament, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and a future government in the territory.
One of the officials said the new team would help monitor implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the transition to a civilian government in Gaza.
The coordination center will be staffed by about 200 US service members who have expertise in transportation, planning, security, logistics and engineering, said the official, who noted that no American troops will be sent into Gaza.
A second official said troops would come from US Central Command as well as other parts of the globe. That official added that the troops already have begun arriving and will continue to travel to the region over the weekend to begin planning and efforts to establish the center.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618370/middle-east
-------
Hamas Insists Gaza Ceasefire Deal Marks ‘Permanent End’ To War
October 10, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
Hamas has declared that the newly signed ceasefire agreement with Israel represents a “permanent end” to the Gaza war, following assurances from the United States and regional mediators.
The head of Hamas’s negotiating team, Khalil al-Hayya, said on Thursday that the group had been given firm guarantees.
“We have received assurances from the brotherly mediators and the US administration, who have confirmed that the war is completely over,” Al-Hayya said.
His remarks came hours after both Hamas and Israel signed the first phase of a truce deal proposed by US President, Donald Trump.
Under the agreement, Hamas is expected to release 20 living hostages within 72 hours of the ceasefire taking effect. In exchange, Israel will free 250 Palestinians serving long prison terms and another 1,700 arrested since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, according to Al-Hayya.
The truce is the first step in a wider 20-point peace plan presented by the Trump administration. However, not all issues have been settled, particularly the question of Gaza’s long-term governance.
Despite talk of a ceasefire, reports emerged that an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in central Gaza City less than an hour before Al-Hayya’s statement.
Israel’s security cabinet earlier convened to deliberate on the proposal, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government expected to vote on its full adoption.
Announcing the agreement in Washington, Trump said the release of hostages could happen by early next week. He also disclosed plans to travel to the region to “mark the moment” once the truce takes effect.
But in an interview with Qatar’s Al-Araby TV, senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, stressed that a formal statement declaring the war over must precede any hostage release.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/10/hamas-insists-gaza-ceasefire-deal-marks-permanent-end-to-war/
------
Foreign ministers of France, Jordan discuss next moves in Gaza
October 09, 2025
LONDON: Jordan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi has met his French counterpart in Paris, Jean-Noel Barrot, to discuss the situation in Gaza following the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The two ministers expressed their approval of the agreement and the necessity of implementing its terms, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Israel and Hamas agreed early on Wednesday on the first phase of a Gaza plan put forward by US President Donald Trump, in which the two sides will exchange captives by next week.
The discussions on Thursday took place before a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, and included the foreign ministers of Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and an Emirati state minister.
Safadi emphasized the need to end the conflict in Gaza and address its consequences through a practical and effective approach to deliver humanitarian aid, aiming to alleviate the famine caused by Israeli aggression, Petra added.
Safadi commended Trump for proposing the plan to end the conflict, deliver aid, prevent displacement, and rebuild Gaza, as well as his commitment to prevent Israel from annexing the West Bank.
He highlighted the essential results of the UN meeting organized by France and Saudi Arabia in September to garner support for a two-state solution and to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region.
France is hosting a ministerial meeting to discuss the US plan for Gaza and the steps to achieve its 20 points.
Representatives from various Arab, Islamic, and European countries are attending the meeting, along with Kaja Kallas, the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, and vice president of the European Commission.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618340/middle-east
-----
President Aoun welcomes Gaza ceasefire, urges Israeli restraint in Lebanon
NAJIA HOUSSARI
October 09, 2025
BEIRUT: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Thursday welcomed the initial ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the war in Gaza.
Aoun expressed hope that this first step would lead to a permanent ceasefire and end the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians in Gaza.
He called for sustained international and regional efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in line with the Arab Peace Initiative adopted in Beirut in 2002.
The president also urged Israel to heed calls from Arab and global leaders to cease hostilities in the rest of Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria, fostering an environment conducive to lasting stability in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Lebanon continues its internal efforts to assert state sovereignty over arms.
In early September, the government approved the army’s confidential plan to monopolize weapons and retrain and redeploy forces throughout Lebanese territory.
Kamal Chehade, Lebanon’s minister of displaced persons and minister of state for technology affairs, on Thursday highlighted the importance of extending army authority nationwide as a foundation for stability.
He said that “the government has adopted the security plan and is closely monitoring its implementation, as it moves forward with its decision to restrict weapons and prevent their transfer across Lebanese territory.”
Speaking to “Beirut Today,” the minister revealed that the army commander’s report to the Cabinet detailed the first phase of transferring weapons under state authority — a process scheduled to last one to three months, of which about a third has already elapsed.
“The report included encouraging figures showing clear progress in the south, where the number of individual missions carried out by the army in the area south of the Litani River exceeded 4,200 – double the previous rate,” he said.
“The army’s response rate to the demands of the ‘mechanism’ (i.e., the committee charged with monitoring the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement) reached 85 percent. Seven tunnels have been completely sealed, and the army is working to close four additional tunnels,” he added.
Chehade also noted that the army had found some weapons under the rubble of destroyed buildings, explaining that retrieving them will take time.
The Trump administration recently provided an important boost to the mission, when Washington unlocked $230 million in funding for Lebanon’s security forces, including $195 million to the Lebanese Army, double what it had previously provided.
Chehade credited US diplomacy, particularly the efforts of Morgan Ortagus, for securing the funds in time, just ahead of the US government shutdown, and noted ongoing French, Saudi, and wider Arab initiatives to convene an international conference in support of the Lebanese Army.
Chehade said the army has begun containing armed incidents across Lebanon, including along the Syrian border and near Palestinian camps, noting that the southern phase is expected to be completed within 50 days.
Despite Israeli attacks, he admitted that only Hezbollah knows the location of its weapon stockpiles.
“The party has withheld this information from the army, and there is no cooperation concerning tunnels and booby traps,” he said.
Since the army’s first report was submitted in April, Chehade and other ministers have pushed for greater transparency.
“The army commander has promised to appoint an official spokesperson responsible for communicating with the media and documenting missions for the public,” he said.
He emphasized that the government’s efforts “are rooted in protecting Lebanon and its people,” adding that citizens have the right to be informed about ongoing developments.
“The state has made a sovereign and diplomatic decision: that Lebanon’s protection relies on the self-sustaining capabilities of the army, internal security forces, and political and diplomatic relations,” the minister said.
The government has formally begun to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701, he added, but warned that the process will take time.
“The government’s decision is not subject to bargaining. Our goal is reconstruction, the liberation of the five regions, the return of prisoners, and putting all weapons, including Hezbollah’s and those of all armed factions, under Lebanese Army control,” the minister said.
Chehade identified the greatest obstacles to disarmament as the army’s limited resources, difficulty accessing weapon caches, and ongoing Israeli attacks. Still, he maintained that “progress is ongoing and there is a will to accomplish the mission,” calling on Hezbollah to accelerate the handover of its arms and cooperate with the army if it truly wants to “protect the south.”
According to Chehade, diplomats revealed that Israeli strikes are likely to continue until Hezbollah relinquishes its weapons south of the Litani River, after which the focus will move to areas north of the river.
“The government’s policy is clear: a complete monopoly on arms,” he said.
He noted that the first part of the initial phase is nearly complete, but that the second part may require 50 more days to finish.
US diplomats have reportedly told Lebanon that no reciprocal Israeli response should be expected before both segments are done, after which the army is committed to advancing to subsequent phases.
“The political decision has been made, and there will be no turning back. No government since 1969 has dared to take such a step,” Chehade said.
Turning to politics, the minister emphasized that Cabinet and Parliament are the appropriate venues for dialogue and challenged opponents to “head to the polls” rather than “circumvent” legitimate institutions.
“We are living in a parliamentary democracy that answers to the ballot box.”
Separately, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received Dr. Christian Turner, political director and director general for geopolitical affairs at the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, accompanied by British Ambassador to Lebanon Hamish Cowell to discuss political developments.
Talks covered British support for the Lebanese army and the importance of achieving a full Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon.
In a significant diplomatic move, the UK this week floated the idea — first reported by pro-Hezbollah Al-Akhbar newspaper — to appoint a special envoy to negotiate with the party to disarm and fully integrate into the state.
Reports named Jonathan Powell, national security adviser under the government of Keir Starmer and former chief of staff under Tony Blair, who has experience in dealing with rebel forces or those classified as terrorist organizations.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Youssef Rajji received Charles Fries, deputy secretary-general for peace, security, and defense at the European External Action Service, accompanied by EU Ambassador to Lebanon Sandra De Waele and a delegation from the EU.
Discussions included ways the EU could support Lebanon, particularly by enhancing the capabilities of the army so it can carry out its duties in implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Rajji expressed gratitude to the EU for its multifaceted support to Lebanon, emphasizing the importance of maintaining assistance for the Lebanese Armed Forces, which will assume increased responsibilities after the conclusion of UNIFIL’s mandate at the end of 2026 — a mission in which several EU member states participate.
He urged the EU to increase pressure on Israel to cease its daily attacks, withdraw from occupied Lebanese territory, and release prisoners.
Rajji also affirmed the government’s commitment to the reform process, underscoring that it answers both public demand and international requirements.
For his part, Fries reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to Lebanon and its armed forces, outlining proposals to assist Lebanon after UNIFIL departs.
He welcomed the progress of Lebanon’s reforms and noted that they will deepen the strategic partnership, attract financial support, and enhance broader EU-Lebanon relations.
Fries reiterated EU backing for Lebanon’s position on the return of Syrian refugees in accordance with international law.
Additionally, Rajji met a delegation from the Economic and Social Council, led by Charles Arbid, who briefed him on preparations for the “Beirut One” Investment Conference scheduled for Nov. 18-19, 2025, organized in partnership with the ESC and under the patronage of President Aoun.
The delegation highlighted the foreign ministry’s role in promoting active participation by the Lebanese diaspora, whose contributions are essential to reviving Lebanon’s economy and ensuring a sustainable recovery.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618339/middle-east
------
400,000 Syrian refugees to return home from Lebanon this year, UN agency says
October 09, 2025
LONDON: The number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon who have returned to their home country is expected to reach 400,000 by the end of this year, the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees said on Thursday.
About 300,000 Syrians have already returned to their country from Lebanon since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, it added.
Lisa Abu Khaled, a spokesperson for the UN agency, said that a further 180,000 refugees have expressed a desire to also return home as part of a UN repatriation program launched in July.
Abu Khaled and officials from the Lebanese General Security and the International Organization for Migration accompanied 163 Syrian refugees, who were part of the fourth convoy organized by the UN program, as they crossed the border north of Tripoli on Thursday and returned to their country.
The Syrians, who were bound for the Idlib and Homs areas, did not have to pay border fees on the Lebanese side, highlighting the country’s commitment to the safe and dignified return of displaced people, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.
The Lebanese Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations are assisting Lebanon in its efforts to facilitate the return of refugees. Millions of people were displaced from Syria by the civil war in the country, which began in March 2011. An estimated 2.1 million of them ended up in Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Social Affairs.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618325/middle-east
-----
Israeli forces raid offices of Union of Charitable Societies in Jerusalem
October 09, 2025
LONDON: Israeli forces raided the offices of the Union of Charitable Societies in the Wadi Al-Joz neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday and detained the current and former heads of the union.
Forces and intelligence prevented a social event announced by the union under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority, before detaining Majdi Al-Zughayer, the current president, and Youssef Qari, the former president of the UCS.
The raid was conducted following an order from Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli minister of national security, according to the Palestine News Agency.
The Israeli government has cracked down on several Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, shutting down some of them and prohibiting meetings of clubs and associations engaged in cultural and sports activities, arguing that they are connected to the PA.
These measures are part of Israel’s policy to limit the activities of institutions in Jerusalem and prevent any national or social actions within the occupied city, WAFA added.
The UCS is a non-governmental charity founded in 1958 during the rule of Jordan and before the occupation of East Jerusalem by Israel. At least 150 Palestinian charitable organizations are members of the UCS and operate across Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, the Jordan Valley, Ramallah, and Al-Bireh.
Israeli authorities stopped the Al-Quds Fund and the General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions from operating in the city in April.
In addition, six schools run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East were closed in September in Jerusalem for the first time in the agency’s history. The closure followed an Israeli ban imposed in May.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618320/middle-east
----
North America
Violent attack on Muslim man in Markham prompts urgent calls to combat Islamophobia
Oct 09, 2025
The family of a Muslim man who was brutally beaten while working at a Markham hotel last month say their lives have been forever altered by what police are calling a “violent, hate-motivated” attack that some advocates say is one of the worst they’ve ever seen.
Police say the 54-year-old man was assaulted in the early morning hours of Sept. 28, following a verbal altercation where the suspect’s “demeanor changed when he learned the victim was Muslim," police said in a news release.
At a news conference organized by the National Council of Canadian Muslims Thursday, the wife of the victim said she and her children have watched her husband struggling to breathe, move and eat while recovering in hospital from the life-altering injuries he suffered.
“The man we know — strong, patient and full of life — now carries pain that no one should ever have to endure,” she said.
“No wife should have to see her husband like that. No children should have to see their father like that. This was not just an assault, this was an act of hate.”
The man’s family doesn’t want to disclose their names due to fears for their safety. His wife said the attack has shattered their belief that Canada is a safe country.
“It has filled our hearts with fear, sadness and disbelief. Our home is no longer filled with laughter. It is filled with worry, with sleepless nights and with the sound of our prayers,” she said.
“I'm speaking today because I do not want any other family to leave this nightmare. I do not want another wife to sit in a hospital bed praying for husband to survive an act of hate.”
Anger, frustration over attack
Several officials and advocates spoke at Thursday’s news conference about their frustration, anger and disbelief over the attack — while calling for action to combat Islamophobia across the country.
“I am not just disappointed or sad. More than anything, I am angry,” said Omar Khamissa, the chief mobilization officer for National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM).
“Like all my colleagues and so many in our community, I have seen Muslims across Canada be subjected to continuous attacks. This one just might be one of the worst. It is disgusting.”
The attack comes less than a month after a 54-year-old man was charged with allegedly threatening to blow up a mosque and a Muslim family's house in Newmarket.
York Regional Police have charged a 31-year-old Toronto man with assault causing bodily harm and uttering threats in connection with the attack.
Deputy Chief Kevin McCloskey said Thursday that police are discussing with Crown prosecutors whether those charges could be upgraded to something more severe.
In March of this year, Durham Regional Police charged a 25-year-old woman with allegedly trying to attack a hijab-wearing woman in a public library in Ajax. At the time of the incident, police said the accused grabbed a lighter and attempted to set the hijab on fire but the woman screamed for help and security intervened.
Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s special representative on combatting Islamophobia, said these kinds of attacks show that Islamophobia remains an ongoing threat that demands urgent, immediate action from all levels of government, police authorities, schools and beyond.
“Muslims in Canada deserve safety, deserve dignity, deserve inclusion in every corner of Canadian life,” she said at Thursday’s news conference.
“Everyone must stand against Islamophobia and pursue efforts to counter the divisive and dangerous rhetoric and the hateful narratives that are fueling a dangerous climate.”
Source: .cbc.ca
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/markham-attack-muslim-man-9.6933863
------
'What gives them the right?' MAGA senator melts down over Muslims praying outdoors
David Edwards
October 9, 2025
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) suggested that Muslims did not have the right to pray outdoors in the United States.
During a Thursday interview with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, Tuberville expressed outrage at Muslims expressing their faith.
"I mean, this is out of control!" the senator exclaimed. "What gives them the right, Alex, to go out in the middle of the street in a lot of these big cities and do their prayer? You got a mosque, go to your mosque!"
"You don't do that in your countries, only you do it where you want to, as you said earlier, you want to mark your ground," he continued. "And that's what they're doing. They're taking over slowly but surely. We have to fight back. Sharia law needs to be banned in this country."
"And if we don't do it, we're going to lose the United States of America to a bunch of people coming over here that want to kill us."
Tuberville blamed "socialist communists" for permitting freedom of religion.
"That's who lets it happen, and we've got to stop it, and people just need to wake up and understand," he said. "And every day they dream about either raping our people or killing our people. And that's got to stop."
Source: rawstory.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rawstory.com/tommy-tuberville-sharia-law/
-----
‘No upgrade to Pakistan’s current capabilities’: US denies reports of missile sale to Pakistan
10.10.25
In a statement issued on Friday, the United States has denied claims that it approved the sale of new AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Pakistan under a recently modified defence contract.
The clarification followed stories in Pakistani and international outlets that interpreted the department of war’s September 30 contract announcement as evidence of a fresh missile sale.
“The sustainment does not include an upgrade to any of Pakistan's current capabilities,” the embassy said in a statement. It added that the department of war’s announcement “referred to an amendment to an existing foreign military Sales contract for sustainment and spares for several countries, including Pakistan.”
“Contrary to false media reports, no part of this referenced contract modification is for deliveries of new Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Pakistan,” the statement further said.
The Department of War had announced on September 30 that Raytheon Missiles & Defense had received a USD 41.7 million modification to an existing AMRAAM production contract, bringing the total value to approximately USD 2.5 billion.
The work, to be completed by May 30, 2030, involves foreign military sales to over 30 allied nations — including the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.
While Pakistan’s name appeared on the list, the embassy emphasised that its inclusion pertains only to sustainment support. Such sustainment typically involves maintenance, technical support, and spare parts for previously supplied systems — not new sales or enhancements.
The clarification comes against the backdrop of recent tensions and shifting regional alignments following Operation Sindoor, a brief air engagement between India and Pakistan earlier this year.
Reports of a potential AMRAAM delivery had sparked concerns that Washington was providing Islamabad with a capability boost amid improved diplomatic ties between the two nations.
According to Pakistan’s Express Tribune, the modification to the Raytheon contract had led to speculation that Islamabad might receive newer AMRAAM variants to upgrade its F-16 fleet.
The United States now has clarified that the agreement “does not constitute a new sale or enhancement of Pakistan's air combat capabilities.”
Pakistan had previously purchased around 700 AMRAAMs in 2007 for its F-16 aircraft — one of the largest international orders for the missile system at the time.
Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh demanded an explanation from the Modi government on Russia’s decision to supply advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistan’s fleet of Chinese JF-17 fighter jets.
“The Modi government must explain why Russia – once India’s most reliable strategic ally – has chosen to ignore New Delhi’s appeals and proceed with supplying advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistan’s fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. The latest Block III variant of this aircraft will feature the upgraded engine and the same PL-15 missiles believed to have been used against our country during Operation Sindoor,” Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
Ramesh also criticised Modi’s diplomacy, stating it “prioritises image-building and global spectacle over national interests,” and said India “remains unable to diplomatically isolate Pakistan.”
“According to multiple news reports, this deal is moving forward despite direct interventions by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar in June 2025. The government owes the nation an explanation as to why a long-time and trusted partner like Russia is now providing military support to Pakistan, even as India continues to purchase S-400 missile systems and negotiates for Su-57 stealth fighters from Moscow,” added Ramesh.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/world/no-upgrade-to-pakistans-current-capabilities-us-denies-reports-of-missile-sale-to-pakistan/cid/2127092
-------
American Jews and Muslims celebrate ceasefire deal, but cautiously
Yonat Shimron
October 9, 2025
(RNS) — As the first phase of a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza appeared imminent, major religious groups, Jewish, Muslim and Christian, issued near-unanimous statements of relief and gratitude. But they also tempered their statements with notes of caution.
“While we’re all celebrating the immediate win,” said Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J Street, the liberal pro-Israel advocacy group, “to really have a long-run success here is going to require probably not just months but years of work ahead. It’s going to take real dedication. So, we’re cautious and optimistic at the same time.”
The exchange of hostages and prisoners and end to military hostilities, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump over the past week, is expected to be ratified on Thursday (Oct. 9) in a vote by Israel’s Cabinet. If the Cabinet approves the deal, it would end two years of devastating bloodshed and free some 20 living hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Jewish organizations and leaders from around the world celebrated what they hoped were the first steps toward ending the war permanently, including the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Anti-Defamation League, the Conservative and Reform movements, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the World Jewish Congress, among many others.
American Jews have been torn apart by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in which Hamas infiltrated Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Most sharply disapproved of Israel’s retaliatory incursion in Gaza, according to surveys. A recent Washington Post poll that found 61% believed Israel had committed war crimes.
According to Gazan officials, the Israeli military has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of them women and children, and its chokehold on the coastal strip has provoked a massive humanitarian crisis, including starvation.
American Muslims have sided with Palestinians and are highly critical of the war and the United States’ support for it. A Pew poll last year showed only 6% of American Muslim adults believed that the U.S. was striking the right balance between the Israelis and Palestinians. The issue became a top policy concern for many Muslim Americans who were critical of both the Biden and Trump administrations for arming Israel with billions of dollars in military aid.
The Israel-Gaza war has not only been a foreign policy issue for Muslim Americans, who have seen members of their community detained for speaking out against the war and expressing pro-Palestinian sentiment. It has also become a domestic issue involving the First Amendment cause.
“There’s even higher levels of exhaustion and worry for our communities than immediately following 9/11,” said Haris Tarin, vice president of policy and programming at the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations on Thursday welcomed the announcement of agreement on the first phase of a new ceasefire deal.
“The world must ensure that the next stages of this agreement lead to the reconstruction of Gaza free from Israeli occupation or Western colonial oversight, as well as a clear path to ending the broader occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people so that a just, lasting peace can be established,” the statement from CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad said.
While celebrating the deal, Muslims voiced mistrust of Israel’s intentions. “Many members of the community are viewing this deal with a great deal of caution and skepticism because promises have been made before, and have been broken by Israel and Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu, especially regarding the actual cessation of violence and the allowance of aid to enter,” said Dalia Mogahed, a researcher with the Muslim-led Institute for Social Policy and Understanding in Washington, D.C.
The question of the Israeli government’s reliability was also raised by Tarin. “The challenge is that there’s not a lot of trust in the Netanyahu government in actually fulfilling their end of the commitment,” he said.
A new ISPU poll of the American Muslim community to be released later this month, Mogahed said, shows that American Muslim and American Jewish attitudes toward the war and the rights of Palestinians are indistinguishable when it comes to the war in Gaza.
Christians groups also saluted the news of a deal.
The National Religious Broadcasters, representing a wide swath of U.S. evangelicals, hailed the agreement and congratulated Trump for pushing it forward.
“We call upon the entire Church — across the United States and around the world — to stand in steadfast prayer: that this ceasefire holds, that all hostages are safely returned, that further phases of the agreement are honored, and that this agreement will open the door to enduring peace, justice, and security for both Israel and her neighbors,” an NRB statement said.
“For sure, there will be other obstacles,” said Catholic Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. “But now we have to rejoice about this important step that will bring a little more trust for the future and also bring a new hope, especially to the people, both Israeli and Palestinians.”
Source: religionnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://religionnews.com/2025/10/09/american-jews-and-muslims-celebrate-ceasefire-deal-but-cautiously/
-------
Trump: Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday
Oct 10, 2025
US President Trump said on Thursday the Gaza hostages should be released on Monday or Tuesday and that he hopes to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt and address the Israeli Knesset.
Trump opened a White House cabinet meeting by discussing a deal reached on Wednesday under which the hostages held by Hamas militants are to be released in the first phase of a broader Gaza plan. He said he believed it would lead to “lasting peace.” Trump said under the plan, Gaza is going to be “slowly redone,” a reference to plans to rebuild the Palestinian enclave. He did not provide details other than to say “we’re going to create something where people can live. You can’t live right now in Gaza.”
Hamas is expected to release the 20 living hostages together, 72 hours after the ceasefire begins. “We are getting the hostages back on Tuesday-Monday or Tuesday — and that’ll be aday of joy,” Trump said.
Trump said it may be difficult to retrieve all the remains of the hostages who died in captivity immediately, “because some of the bodies are going to be a little bit hard to find.”
He said he was going to try to make the trip there to attend a signing ceremony in Egypt. The White House has been scrambling to work out the details of the hastily arranged trip. The Israeli Knesset has asked Trump to speak, and the president said he was planning to do so if requested.
While questions remain about what happens in the region in the long term, Trump said he hoped it would lead to “an everlasting peace.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s deputy foreign minister, Sharren Haskel, said in an interview with Bloomberg TV, that a ceasefire was in effect as of Thursday.
Army troops will start withdrawing from their positions in the 24 hours following the start of the truce, an Israeli official said, asking not to be identified by name discussing sensitive matters. A source within Hamas told AFP the group will exchange 20 living hostages all at the same time for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, with the swap to happen within 72 hours of the plan’s implementation.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he would bring the hostages home “with God’s help”, and an official source added the premier’s cabinet would meet Thursday to approve the deal.
“Thank God for the ceasefire, the end of bloodshed and killing,” said Abdul Majeed Abd Rabbo in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. “I am not the only one happy, all of the Gaza Strip is happy, all the Arab people, all of the world is happy with the ceasefire.” Einav Zaugauker, whose son Matan is one of the last hostages, rejoiced in Tel Aviv’s so-called Hostages Square, where families of those seized in the Hamas attack that triggered the war two years ago have long assembled. “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, Ican’t explain what I’m feeling ... it’s crazy,” she said. By Thursday afternoon, crowds of Israelis were gathering on the square in anticipation of govt’s announcement that it had ratified the deal.
The Gaza health ministry said at least three Palestinians were killed on Thursday.
An Israeli govt spokesperson said the ceasefire would go into force within 24 hours of govt meeting. After that 24hour period, the hostages held in Gaza would be freed within 72 hours. Twenty Israeli hostages are still believed to be alive in Gaza, while 26 are presumed dead, and the fate of two is unknown. Hamas has indicated that recovering the bodies of the dead may take longer.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/trump-gaza-hostages-should-be-released-on-monday-or-tuesday/articleshow/124441916.cms
-------
Europe
Old library to become mosque after legal challenge called off
Jonathon Hill
09 Oct 2025
A threatened legal challenge to a decision allowing a former library to be converted into a mosque in Monmouthshire has been dropped.
Three county councillors and one resident had sent a pre-action letter to Monmouthshire County Council in September warning they planned to seek a judicial review of the decision to lease the disused 120-year-old Grade II-listed Abergavenny library building to the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association, who intend using it as a community centre and mosque.
Conservative councillors Louise Brown and Rachel Buckler, alongside independent Simon Howarth, had previously attempted unsuccessfully to reverse the decision through the council's call-in procedure for reviewing cabinet decisions. For the biggest stories in Wales first sign up to our daily newsletter.
Christian advocacy organisation Christian Concern and its legal arm, the Christian Legal Centre, had backed the three councillors and resident John Hardwick in their proposed judicial review challenge.
The group had demanded the council withdraw the 30-year lease offer and initiate what it termed "a new transparent tender process", setting a September 19 deadline for the authority to respond before launching legal proceedings.
Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed it has now received notification the judicial review will not proceed.
It is believed the decision to abandon the challenge was made after the council provided its response to the initial ultimatum.
A spokesman for Monmouthshire County Council said it had previously acknowledged receiving the pre-action protocol letter and would respond "accordingly".
The spokesman said: "The council can now confirm that it has received confirmation that there will be no judicial review.
"The council has absolute confidence in its decision-making and governance arrangements.
"Any attempt to frustrate the democratically agreed position of the council will be met with an appropriate challenge.
"That said there will be no comment on any new or additional legal matters until they are concluded."
Monmouthshire's Labour-controlled cabinet voted in May to lease the building, which it had declared surplus to requirements the previous November, to the Muslim Community Association who currently meet at the Abergavenny Catholic Church parish hall.
The library, constructed for £4,000 with funding from the Carnegie Foundation established by Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, shut in 2015 when the service moved to the town hall and was most recently used as a pupil referral unit for children unable to attend mainstream school.
Source: walesonline.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/old-library-become-mosque-after-32642105
-------
Man inside Peacehaven mosque arson attack left 'traumatised'
10 Oct 2025
By Ramy Abou-Setta
A man that was inside a mosque during a targeted arson attack is so traumatised that he can’t leave the house.
Peacehaven Community Centre and Mosque trustee Muhammed Khan has spoken out after the attack on the mosque in Phyllis Avenue on October 4.
Mr Khan has thanked the local community for “rallying” to support the mosque and for raising tens of thousands of pounds in a short amount of time.
He told The Argus: “A lot of people have shown so much solidarity and so much support. We're actually overwhelmed with that.
“People have come through yesterday and the day before. The MPs and all the local religious representatives from the Jewish community, from the Christian faith, so many other people.
“So, we are grateful and happy about that.”
Sussex Police is treating the incident as a hate crime.
Two people were inside the building at the time of the fire but were not injured. However, significant damage was caused to the mosque and a car outside.
Mr Khan explained that he is trying to get one of those who were inside the mosque at the time to come back, but he is “too traumatised”.
He added: “We're happy to have the facility back. I thought this place might be locked up for much longer for the investigations. It's just really good to have the hall and the rooms back so we can do the positive work we do.
“The victim is still traumatised in the house, and he hasn’t left since. I'm trying my best to make him even come to the mosque.
“And it's all been really difficult.”
Footage showed two people wearing masks and dark clothing approaching the front door before spraying accelerant on the entrance of the mosque and igniting a fire.
The trustee has said they emphasised the fact that mosque needs extra security whilst things “settle down”.
Sussex Police has provided round the clock police presence, with a vehicle stationed outside the mosque.
He added that he wouldn’t have asked for the security if it wasn’t for the “disgusting comments” he has been seeing across social media.
“There's so many people that are writing some very disgusting comments online,” Mr Khan said.
“We've even had some really silly comments online saying the incident is an insurance fraud or something like that, and it really hurts.
“Since 2019 to now, we've never even claimed anything from the government in terms of gift aid, any support, any grants. All we've done is self-funded.”
The trustee explained that the Peacehaven Mosque purchased the property with a £350,000 loan from a donor who they've been paying off.
He said that charity is down to an amount less than £150,000 of the loan which has been paid by their “personal pockets".
Mr Khan added: “There wasn't much damage inside, thankfully, but the debris and the things that happened inside means a lot more testing and everything else needs to happen.
“On Tuesday (October 7) we had the council come and some professional surveyors that had a bit of a walk through.
“A lot of damage that they said that we need to repair and there are a lot of other security measures that they said we need to put in place that are more eminent than anything.
“They said they're going to support us on that.”
At the time of writing, more than £37,000 has been raised through a fundraiser.
A second arrest has been made in connection with an arson attack at a mosque earlier this week.
A 46-year-old man from Littlehampton, who was arrested on Monday afternoon (October 6) on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, has been released on conditional bail while enquiries continue.
On Tuesday, a 25-year-old man, of no fixed address, was also arrested on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life. He remains in police custody at this time.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cullimore from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team said: “We believe there are people in the community who know who is responsible for this appalling and reckless attack and we are urging anyone with information which could be vital to our investigation, to come forward. Please contact us or ring 101, quoting Operation Spey.”
Superintendent Rachel Swinney added: “We continue to work with our local religious communities to support them and ensure their concerns are heard and acted upon.
“Sussex Police takes a zero-tolerance approach to hate crime and there is no place for hate across the county.
“If you have concerns for your safety or experience any hate or criminal behaviour, please speak to an officer or contact us online or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.”
Source: theargus.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25531445.man-inside-peacehaven-mosque-arson-attack-left-traumatised/
------
Two more people arrested in mosque arson investigation
09 Oct 2025
Two more people have been arrested by police as they investigate the arson attack at a mosque in Peacehaven on Saturday night (4 October).
Sussex Police said this evening (Thursday 9 October): “Detectives investigating a report of arson at a mosque in Peacehaven have now made further arrests.
“Emergency services were called to the building in Phyllis Avenue at around 9.50pm on Saturday 4 October.
“Footage showed two people wearing masks and dark clothing approaching the front door before spraying accelerant on the entrance of the mosque and igniting a fire.
“Sussex Police and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service promptly attended the scene and were able to extinguish the fire.
“Fortunately, those inside at the time were not injured but significant damage was caused to the mosque and a nearby vehicle.
“A total of four people have been arrested so far on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life since Monday (6 October) by detectives from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team.
“These include a 46-year-old man and three other men aged 25, 27 and 22.
“They have all been released on conditional bail while inquiries continue.”
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cullimore said: “Our investigation continues at pace and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries including house to house, forensic and gathering intelligence.
“We are determined to identify and arrest those who are responsible for this shocking attack and we continuing to urge anyone with information which could be vital to our investigation to come forward.”
Anyone with information was urged to report it online or to call 101, quoting Operation Spey.
Superintendent Rachel Swinney said: “We will continue to engage directly with all communities impacted by this incident to support them and ensure their concerns are heard and acted upon.”
Source: brightonandhovenews.org
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2025/10/09/two-more-people-arrested-in-mosque-arson-investigation/
------
Mosque open day 'a message of unity after graffiti attack'
9TH OCTOBER
By Fintan McGuinness
A mosque will open its doors to the community in a message of unity - a week on from a graffiti attack.
Crosses were sprayed on North Watford Jamia Mosque last Sunday (October 5) - with similar attacks at the former St Thomas Church in Langley Road - which is due to be refurbished into a mosque - and The Imam Hussein Foundation Centre in North Approach.
Between 2pm and 4pm on Sunday, October 12, the mosque will host an open mosque day at its North West Avenue site as “a powerful chance to respond with compassion and unity”, with people of all faiths invited.
“Our message is simple — hate has no home in Watford,” said Shazad Rashid, on behalf of Watford Mosque Committee.
“This open day is about opening hearts and doors. We want our neighbours to know they are always welcome here.”
Attendees will be able to meet neighbours, take a tour, and enjoy tea, cakes, sandwiches, samosas, and biryani.
Leggatts ward councillor Asif Khan added: “Moments like this remind us that what unites us is far stronger than what divides us.
“We’re proud to stand with Watford and show that togetherness is the true spirit of our town.”
Danny Manning, 26, from Watford, has been charged weapon possession offenses as well as one count of criminal damage in relation to the graffiti at the former St Thomas Church.
Source: watfordobserver.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/25530711.mosque-open-day-a-message-unity-graffiti-attack/
------
Islamic State supporter 'hero-worshipped' mastermind of 2015 Paris attacks, court told
9 October 2025
An Islamic State supporter was said to have "hero-worshipped" the mastermind of the 2015 Paris attacks, a court has heard.
Walid Saadaoui, 38, of Abram, Greater Manchester, is accused along with Amar Hussein, 52, of preparing a terrorist attack by making plans for an attack, conducting reconnaissance and arranging the purchase and delivery of firearms.
Preston Crown Court heard how he paid thousands of pounds to buy six firearms for a terrorist cell planning to attack Jewish people in Manchester.
Saadaoui was arrested by undercover police in a car park in Bolton on 8 May last year as he took delivery of the weapons.
The court was told that on 18 January 2023, Saadaoui had posted praise on Facebook of Abdelhamid Abaaoud - an Islamic State terrorist behind the 2015 Paris attacks.
2015 Paris attacks a 'source of inspiration'
Harpreet Sandhu KC, prosecuting, said the terrorist was a "source of inspiration" for Saadaoui.
He added: "The sort of firearms Walid Saadaoui had arranged to have smuggled into the UK were the sort of weapons which had been used to kill 130 people and injure hundreds more in Paris.
"He wanted to replicate what Abaaoud had done. Walid Saadaoui hero-worshipped that terrorist."
The court heard that Saadaoui was contacted on Facebook by an undercover officer called Farouk - using the name Abu Bilal - in December that year
At that time, Saadaoui was said to be using an image of Abaaoud as a profile picture. The undercover officer asked him: "Peace and blessing of god, how did you get to know the martyr brother Abdul Hamid?"
Saadaoui later told Farouk: "I can use a knife in the operation, but this will not be enough to take revenge, only the automatic gun. I want to kill as many as possible."
Mr Sandhu told the court that in January 2024, Farouk sent a video to Saadaoui showing a Kalashnikov being loaded and then unloaded.
In later messages to the undercover officer, Saadaoui said: "I have two others with me... One of them is a brother who said that he doesn't wish to continue to live."
Saadaoui and Hussein face trial alongside Saadaoui's younger brother, Bilel, 36, of Hindley near Wigan.
The younger brother is charged with failure to disclose information about an act of terrorism.
All three defendants deny the allegations.
Before the trial started, the judge told the jury that the background of the case was "coincidental" to last week's attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester.
He said: "You must try them fairly without reference or thought to what happened there."
Source: .sky.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://news.sky.com/story/islamic-state-supporter-hero-worshipped-mastermind-of-2015-paris-attacks-court-told-13447718
------
OIC expects most Muslim countries to invest in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories
09 October 2025
The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) intends to expand trade relations with Azerbaijan and expects that most Muslim countries will show interest in investing in the liberated territories, a senior OIC official said.
Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo, Adviser to the OIC Secretary-General on Economic Affairs, told domestic media:
“As Azerbaijan restores territories liberated from occupation — including the city of Shusha and other regions — we hope that most Muslim countries will invest in their development. Azerbaijan is an important OIC member and plays a key role in many areas, actively participating in all major organisational events and hosting some of them. We are grateful to the Azerbaijani government for this cooperation and believe that these ties will grow even stronger in the future,” he said.
The adviser added that the OIC seeks to benefit from Azerbaijan’s extensive experience in oil and gas, agriculture, and food security. He emphasised that Azerbaijan has numerous export products, and further expansion of trade relations is expected through cooperation mechanisms.
“Azerbaijan occupies a strategic location and is an important transport hub, facilitating connections with Central Asia. Many Azerbaijani products, including foodstuffs, are already exported to Central Asian countries. It is expected that Azerbaijan will also increase its economic activity in Africa and the Arab world,” the OIC representative noted.
He said several important events will take place in Azerbaijan in the coming months: “The most important is the planned OIC Summit in Baku in 2026. In addition, the annual meeting of the Islamic Development Bank will also be held in Baku next year.”
Sengendo also referred to the 2nd Azerbaijan Halal Business Forum (AZHAB) held in Baku, calling it a promising initiative for developing the halal industry in the region: “Baku is expected to become a centre for halal industry development in the region, producing both halal and related products to serve the Muslim Ummah.”
From January to August this year, trade turnover between Azerbaijan and OIC countries amounted to approximately $6 billion. About 11,000 companies from OIC countries operate in Azerbaijan.
After regaining independence, Azerbaijan was the first of the former Soviet republics to apply for OIC membership and was admitted as a full member on December 8, 1991, at the 5th OIC Conference of Heads of States and Governments held in Dakar.
Source: caliber.az
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://caliber.az/en/post/oic-expects-most-muslim-countries-to-invest-in-azerbaijan-s-liberated-territories
-----
Universities risk sanctions over Gaza protests, watchdog says
10 October 2025
Joshua Nevett
Universities could face sanctions if pro-Palestinian protests descend into harassment and discrimination against Jewish students on campus, the free speech director at the watchdog for higher education in England has said.
Arif Ahmed, from the Office for Students (OfS), told the BBC freedom of speech did not mean the freedom to intimidate, harass, and discriminate against Jewish students.
He said he was concerned about antisemitism on campuses and warned universities the OfS was "prepared to act" if Jewish students were not protected.
The regulator has the power to issue fines, cut off access to public funding and revoke the ability to award degrees if universities breach its rules.
Mr Ahmed - who champions free speech on campuses in his role - spoke to the BBC's Political Thinking podcast following a wave of pro-Palestinian protests on the second anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.
The protests went ahead despite the pleas of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who urged students not to take part, warning of "rising antisemitism on our streets".
Sir Keir said it was "un-British to have little respect for others" by staging demonstrations on the anniversary and argued the protests had been used by some as a "despicable excuse to attack British Jews".
Students from London universities took part in a joint march on 7 October, while rallies took place in Edinburgh, Belfast and Sheffield.
Protest group UCL Action For Palestine, which took part in the London march, posted on social media that it would not be "silenced or intimidated" and stood in solidarity with the thousands of Palestinians killed before and prior to October 2023.
The protests came days after two Jewish men were killed in a terrorist attack at a Manchester synagogue on Yom Kippur.
Security has been stepped up at synagogues across the country in response to the attack.
In his interview with Political Thinking, Mr Ahmed said he was concerned about the protests on 7 October and antisemitism against Jewish students.
"Universities and colleges also have a duty to take steps to protect students from harassment and that includes antisemitic harassment," he said.
"And we in the OfS will be prepared to act if we think universities are not meeting those duties."
He said if there was "unlawful support for proscribed organisations" on campus "then that's absolutely not something that freedom of speech protects and it is something that we would expect universities to address".
Universities and colleges must be registered with the OfS if they want certain benefits, including access to student loan funding.
If universities are deemed to have breached the conditions of registration, they can be sanctioned by the OfS.
In March this year, the University of Sussex was fined £585,000 by the OfS for failing to uphold freedom of speech.
The OfS said the university's policy statement on trans and non-binary equality, including a requirement to "positively represent trans people", could lead to staff and students preventing themselves from voicing opposing views.
Risk of political violence
In an earlier interview with Political Thinking, Mr Ahmed said the assassination of American conservative activist Charlie Kirk was "an appalling tragedy" and warned democracy would not survive if differences could not be settled through speech.
"You must allow people to express their views on really controversial topics, because alternatively, there will be no alternative to violence," Mr Ahmed said.
"And that will be the abyss that we end up falling into."
Mr Ahmed also said the OfS was "ready to act" to punish universities for not protecting academics and students from harassment and intimidation from foreign dictatorships.
Mr Ahmed said he had seen evidence of visiting foreign scholars threatening academics in the UK, whispering in their ears "we're following you, we're watching you".
He said: "If your business model involves breaking the law, if your business model involves unlawfully suppressing academic freedom and freedom of speech at the behest of a foreign dictatorship, then you need another business model."
Mr Ahmed said the OfS had powers to force universities to take action.
"We can remove their titles to universities. We can fine them. We can ultimately cut off their access to public funding."
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crl5gn3499eo
------
Arab World
War On Gaza ‘Far From Over’: Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia’s Former Ambassador To The US
Hebshi Alshammari
October 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s former ambassador to the US, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, said that Israel’s war on Gaza is “far from over,” adding “the work is still in progress.” He called on the international community to advance what he described as the “broader and more comprehensive framework” championed by Saudi Arabia and France — a pathway toward a lasting peace built on the two-state solution and an end to hostilities between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
Speaking at a panel hosted on Thursday by the Dr. Ibrahim Al-Muhanna Chair for Energy and Specialized Media at King Saud University, Prince Turki said that Saudi Arabia had taken the initiative back in 2002 through the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz’s peace proposal, which sought to achieve “a comprehensive solution benefiting all parties involved.”
The veteran intelligence figure struck a cautious tone on the prospects for peace in Gaza, warning against premature optimism. “Let’s not cheer or celebrate until we see what truly unfolds,” he said. “These well-intentioned efforts remain unfinished, and their outcome is far from certain.”
Prince Turki added that only the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan had been signed, with additional stages still pending. He said that Israel had previously agreed to a ceasefire “but reneged when it came time to implement the second phase, resuming its brutal and inhumane bombardment of Palestinians — not only in Gaza but across the West Bank as well.
“Let’s wait and see where the next steps will lead,” he said.
Prince Turki also highlighted the powerful influence of social media on societies worldwide, describing it as a driver of a “profound and positive transformation” in global public attitudes toward the Palestinian cause.
“It’s a miracle,” he said, “to see hundreds of thousands across the world taking to the streets and squares, calling for freedom, independence and the establishment of a Palestinian state. I never imagined witnessing this before the advent of social media.” He added: “Social platforms have broken the barriers that once constrained public expression.”
While urging the international community to agree on unified frameworks to regulate artificial intelligence, Prince Turki voiced concern over the dark web, saying it contains “unacceptable activities and money laundering,” a result, he said, of the absence of early regulation when the internet was first created.
Prince Turki described the joint defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan as a “foregone conclusion,” adding that the relationship has always been one of strategic alignment — even in the absence of a formal accord. He pointed to a “shared intellectual and emotional harmony” between the two countries, highlighting several examples that reflect their mutual commitment to national and religious priorities.
Shifting to the role of the media, Prince Turki urged Saudi media leaders to adopt a more open and assertive stance in communicating the Kingdom’s message. “We have no fear of opening our doors and windows for others to see for themselves,” he said, acknowledging a “shortfall” in the performance of media institutions. “There must be greater engagement — one cannot conceal what takes place at home, whether good or bad.”
Addressing Western criticism head-on, he called on officials not to fear the “fierce campaigns” waged by some outlets against Saudi Arabia, and highlighted the importance of “presenting the truth and ensuring that the Kingdom’s statements and data reach others clearly.”
Prince Turki expressed satisfaction with Saudi Arabia’s cooperation with several African nations, saying it stems “not only from geographic proximity, but from a human and cultural continuity rooted in the Kingdom’s values, principles and social fabric.” He recalled that throughout history, interaction between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa flowed through corridors such as the Sinai Peninsula and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait.
He added that some Saudi tribes still have a presence on the African side, and that large African communities live and work in the Kingdom — many of whom have acquired Saudi citizenship. Prince Turki said that this enduring connection across the Red Sea should serve the interests of both sides, and highlighted the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening ties with African nations and supporting peace across the continent.
Prince Turki also called for greater focus on establishing research centers across Saudi Arabia, describing them as vital engines of intellectual progress and social contribution.
“Such institutions play a key role in fostering the exchange of ideas and cultivating independent thought,” he said, adding that their “degree of autonomy from official sources” allows for a freer and more dynamic flow of perspectives.
The former ambassador welcomed what he described as a rising “research and intellectual awareness” across the Kingdom’s various fields, reflecting a broader shift toward innovation and open dialogue.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618357/saudi-arabia
------
Al-Jabal Al-Bahri stands as historic witness to Jubail’s fishing, pearling heritage
October 10, 2025
RIYADH: Al-Jabal Al-Bahri, which is located northeast of Jubail City, rises as a timeless landmark, bearing witness to a rich maritime history that has shaped one of the Arabian Gulf's most important fishing and pearl trading hubs.
The city itself even derives its name from this unique, historic site.
Al-Jabal Al-Bahri is among the most prominent landmarks in Jubail Governorate. Historic accounts indicate that the name “Jubail” originates from the mountain. In his book “The Geographical Dictionary of Saudi Arabia,” Hamad Al-Jasser notes that “Jubail” is derived from a small mountain located within the port.
This gives the site symbolic significance that goes beyond its natural form, making it an integral part of local identity deeply rooted in the memory of the city’s residents.
Before the era of oil, Al-Jabal Al-Bahri was not just a natural formation but a vital center of economic and social life. Its surroundings witnessed vibrant commercial activity as fishing and pearl trading flourished, making the mountain a living testament to the prosperity tied to the sea and its bounty.
In the 1950s and 1960s Al-Jabal Al-Bahri became a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors and hikers.
It retains historic names that tell stories of the past. Ancient inscriptions and writings carved into its rocks remain visible, turning it into an open-air, natural museum.
Heritage and tourism advocates are calling for the development of the site in a way that honors its historic and geographical value, making it a major tourist destination once again.
Such development would represent a promising investment opportunity that would enhance Jubail’s economic and tourism profile while preserving its authenticity.
It would also contribute to diversifying income sources, creating job opportunities, and strengthening the link between the region’s ancient past and its prosperous present, ensuring that the enduring landmark continued to tell the story of a maritime heritage steeped in antiquity and authenticity.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618363/saudi-arabia
------
Exhibition celebrating cultural and creative legacy of the date palm opens in Dhahran
October 09, 2025
DHAHRAN: “Baseqat: The Palm Tree,” an exhibition exploring the cultural heritage and creative legacy of the date palm, considered a symbol of the history and identity of the Arabian Peninsula, has opened in Dhahran at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra.
Curated by Samer Yamani and Razan Masri, the exhibition features 15 works by 25 artists from Saudi Arabia and beyond. Organizers said visitors can discover the ways in which the date palm has helped shape life across the centuries and civilizations, from ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt to modern-day Arabia, through its contributions to food, shelter, medicine and crafts.
Saudi Arabia has more than 33 million palm trees, about 27 percent of the world’s total. The UNESCO-recognized Al-Ahsa Oasis alone contains 2.5 million trees, making it the largest date palm oasis in the world.
“Baseqat invites makers, families and young learners to take part in a rooted practice we continue to build together,” said Farah Abushullaih, the head of museum at Ithra.
“In doing so, palm wisdom is carried hand to hand, generation to generation, renewing heritage through care, creativity and community-led continuity.”
The exhibition is organized into thematic sections titled Oasis, Roots, Trunk, Fronds, Dates and the Lab, which combine artistic exploration with hands-on workshops and film screenings, including filmmaker Mahmoud Kaabour’s short documentary “Sa’fa” about the palm weavers of Al-Ahsa Oasis.
Featured artworks include: “Al-Kar” by Saudi artist Fatimah Al-Nemer, a woven rug created in collaboration with local craftswomen using palm fibers; “Bouhattam” by Tunisian artist Mohammed Amine Hamouda, a sculptural installation made from oasis waste; and “La Cabra Chair” by Mexican designer Daniel Valero, which merges rural tradition with contemporary design.
Other highlights include “Toob Toob Ya Bahar” by Bahraini artists Abdulla Buhijji and Noor Alwan; “Palm Ladies” by Saudi artist Sumaya Shelbi; and “Palm in Eternal Embrace” by Saudi artist Obaid Alsafi, winner of Ithra’s 2023 Art Prize, which is described as a reflection on climate change and resilience.
The exhibition also showcases works by local, regional and international artists, including the Kingdom’s own Bashaer Hawsawi, whose pieces “The Chain that Rebelled Against the Earth” and “Holy Thirst 4” explore themes of memory, belonging and craftsmanship.
The exhibition is running at Ithra until March 2026.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618347/saudi-arabia
------
University of New Haven to open Riyadh campus next year
RAY HANANIA
October 09, 2025
CHICAGO: Opening a campus of the University of New Haven in Riyadh will give students a stronger foundation of understanding and learning to strengthen career goals while better positioning them to succeed in a global environment, the university’s president told Arab News on Thursday.
The campus, which will open in the autumn of 2026, will provide a wide range of academic offerings in a country that is a “gateway” to opportunities in the Middle East and the world, said Dr. Jens Frederiksen.
The University of New Haven is the first American educational institution to receive approval to open a campus in Saudi Arabia.
“We have a mandate to deliver students who are better than ready to join the workforce and drive the future, because I think the labor market is shifting so dramatically,” Frederiksen said, adding that the Riyadh campus is slated to serve up to 13,000 students.
“The mass diversification of the entire (Saudi) economy, and the whole modernization initiative, is nothing short of inspiring and ambitious.
“Thus, very early on in my tenure, I went to see our team that’s in Saudi Arabia, and I felt like the educational mission and vision of the University of New Haven aligned incredibly well with many of the sectors and targets outlined in Vision 2030.”
The partnership, he said, will place American and Saudi students in a “world environment” that will strengthen their career goals and successes.
He added that the Riyadh campus will feature a College of Business and Digital Innovation, a College of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, and a College of Arts and Applied Sciences.
Undergraduate and graduate degrees will be offered alongside executive education and micro-credentials to support lifelong learning.
Students will have access to both the university’s main campus in West Haven, Connecticut, and the one in Tuscany, Italy, which opened in 2012.
They will also enjoy the numerous educational and career-related resources available to all the university’s students, he said, adding that the masters in sports management “is a top 10 global program and the demand for it, given what’s happening in the Kingdom, is strong.”
The university and Saudi Arabia, he said, are committed to creating connections with business and industry to support academic programs, internships and recruitment pathways for students; identifying sponsors for student scholarships; and establishing educational and training partnerships that achieve the Kingdom’s workforce development goals.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618338/saudi-arabia
-------
SFDA approves registration of Qalsody for ALS treatment
October 09, 2025
RIYADH: The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has approved the registration of Qalsody (Tofersen) for the treatment of adults with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis linked to mutations in the SOD1 gene, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
ALS is a rare neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells responsible for voluntary movement, gradually causing muscle weakness and leading to loss of mobility over time.
According to the SPA, the approval is part of the SFDA’s efforts to facilitate patient access to treatment, as Qalsody has been designated an orphan drug for the treatment of rare diseases.
Normally, the SOD1 protein helps eliminate toxic byproducts produced during regular cellular activity.
In cases where a genetic mutation in the SOD1 gene causes ALS, a defective protein that fails to protect the cell from toxins is produced. The faulty protein accumulates within the cell, disrupting normal cellular processes.
The SFDA said that Qalsody works to reduce the production of the defective SOD1 protein through a novel therapeutic approach known as antisense therapy. This technique employs small molecules called nucleotides, designed to bind precisely to a specific sequence of mRNA generated by the genetic mutation that causes the protein to misfold. This process limits the cell’s ability to produce the defective protein, reducing its accumulation in the body.
The authority added that the drug’s approval followed a thorough assessment of its efficacy, safety and quality. Clinical studies of patients who received the drug showed a reduction in key indicators of nerve damage, most notably neurofilament light levels, compared with patients who received a placebo. A decrease was also observed in the concentration of the defective SOD1 protein in cerebrospinal fluid, confirming that the drug is acting on its intended molecular target. The authority said, however, that the long-term benefits are still under evaluation and that these early findings are not a substitute for confirmed clinical outcomes.
The SFDA reported that the most commonly observed side effects in clinical studies were muscle and joint pain, fatigue, injection site discomfort, fever and increased levels of certain proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid.
The approval reflects the SFDA’s commitment to expanding access to effective treatments for rare and hard-to-treat diseases through the Orphan Drugs Program, a key strategic initiative designed to accelerate the availability of promising therapies and address unmet medical needs.
It aligns with the goals of the Health Sector Transformation Program, one of the key initiatives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which seeks to improve the quality of healthcare services.
An orphan drug is defined as a medication developed to treat rare diseases that affect fewer than five in 10,000 people in the Kingdom.
The orphan drugs guide is available on the authority’s website at
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618329/saudi-arabia
-------
Saudi FM arrives in Paris for Gaza meeting
October 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Paris on Thursday to participate in a ministerial meeting on the US plan for Gaza and the next steps toward a ceasefire.
The meeting will be attended by the foreign ministers and representatives of several Arab, Islamic, and European countries, as well as the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Israel and Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s initiative to end the war in Gaza.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618322/saudi-arabia
-------
Kingdom to announce major biotech, pharmaceutical partnerships at Global Health Exhibition
October 09, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector is set for another round of strategic expansion, with new biotechnology and pharmaceutical partnerships expected to be unveiled at the Global Health Exhibition 2025 in Riyadh later this month.
Held with the support of the Ministry of Health, the eighth edition of the event will run from Oct. 27-30.
The event will serve as a platform for the Kingdom to attract investment and accelerate progress toward the goals of Vision 2030 to improve healthcare quality and boost the sector’s contribution to the economy.
The value of Saudi Arabia’s healthcare industry is projected to rise from SR199 billion ($53 billion) in 2020 to SR318 billion by 2030, with the private sector’s contribution expected to double to SR145 billion.
The ministry said it was working to create a more competitive investment environment, simplify regulatory processes, and support innovation across fields including biotechnology, vaccine production, pharmaceuticals, health tourism, and digital health solutions.
These areas are seen as central to positioning the Kingdom as a regional and global hub for healthcare innovation and manufacturing.
Last year’s Global Health Exhibition generated investments of more than SR50 billion, including major deals such as the SR4 billion drug manufacturing partnership between NUPCO, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi; the SR5 billion expansion plan by Fakeeh Care Group; and acquisition agreements worth over SR4 billion by Dallah Healthcare.
The ministry said this year’s edition would build on that momentum, with new agreements expected in biotech, advanced medical technologies, artificial intelligence, and digital health, further supporting the Kingdom’s drive toward self-sufficiency and an innovation-led healthcare ecosystem.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618312/saudi-arabia
-----
Africa
Sudan army used chlorine twice in Khartoum area attacks in 2024: report
October 09, 2025
PARIS: The Sudanese army, at war with paramilitaries since April 2023, used chlorine gas in two 2024 attacks north of the capital Khartoum, according to a media report released Thursday.
In June, Washington imposed sanctions on Sudan's army-allied government over the use of chemical weapons but did not specify where or when they were used.
The investigation by France24 shows the army appears to have dropped two chlorine barrels in September 2024 around the al-Jaili oil refinery north of Khartoum.
The RSF controlled the area and Sudan's largest oil facility at the time.
Human Rights Watch said: "The apparent use of a common industrial chemical as a weapon creates a disturbing precedent".
Sudan's government has repeatedly denied the US allegations, calling them "baseless" and "political blackmail".
Last month, it said an internal investigation had revealed "no evidence" of chemical contamination in Khartoum state.
France24 used open source data, footage circulating on social media and the opinions of five experts to confirm the use of chlorine gas.
They verified videos showing an industrial chlorine barrel, evidently dropped from a plane on September 5, 2024 on the Garri military base near al-Jaili, that had released a yellow cloud of gas consistent with chlorine.
The report traces the barrel to an Indian company that had exported it to Port Sudan in August 2024. The company told the French outlet its intended use was "solely for the treatment of drinking water".
France24 also verified reports of a second barrel dropped from an aircraft on September 13, 2024, on the Jaili oil refinery.
The RSF has throughout the war launched drone strikes, but does not have demonstrated combat aircraft capabilities, which the Sudanese army has used extensively.
Since April 2023, the war in Sudan has killed tens of thousands of people and created the world's largest hunger and displacement crises.
It has also unleashed countless atrocities on Sudanese civilians, with both sides accused of war crimes including indiscriminate bombing and targeting civilians.
Both sides are under US sanctions, with Washington determining in January the RSF had committed genocide in the western region of Darfur.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2618313/middle-east
--------
Religious genocide: Why are Nigerian Muslims not victims?
10th October 2025
Tunji Ajibade
It is a question well-meaning Nigerians should ask those who claim that only members of one religion are victims in the current state of insecurity. Their narrative demarkets Nigeria to foreigners, it’s divisive, one reason I express my views on it as the campaigners continue in their quest. So, the latest tag they give the outcome of insecurity in Nigeria is ‘religious genocide’. They’ve moved on from “religious persecution”, “ethnic cleansing”, “genocide”, to ‘religious genocide’. The Federal Government responded strongly against this tag lately.
I find it unbelievable that any religionist can ignore Muslims who have also died, but advocate for members of one religion. Religionists aren’t concerned about the plight of fellow humans who belong to other faiths. Even Muslims from the south don’t speak up for Muslims up north. Meanwhile, one shouldn’t be surprised by some of the characters (that security agencies would be happy to lay their hands on for treasonable offences) who help push the latest tag online. One of them has been demarketing Nigeria for long, publishing state secrets, thereby putting the lives of Nigerian soldiers at risk. Call them by any name, including influencers, I don’t take these characters seriously. Read the things they post about our nation, relationships, marriage, parenting, values and money, and a thoughtful person would feel like running for cover. Their comments undermine everything that helps society to stand, thus misleading the younger ones. These were the kind of fellows the FG responded to lately over their allegation of ‘religious genocide’.
Recently, one of them posted online what he said was a list of religionists killed in Nigeria. It contained members of one religion, no Nigerian Muslims. Similar mischief was perpetrated by the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa, whose reports misled the US Congress recently. ORFA is dedicated to advocacy for only one religion. Yet, it was ORFA’s report on insecurity in Nigeria that the US Congress said it depended on at its hearings, where it concluded that insecurity was genocide of members of one religion. On April 4, 2025, The PUNCH, I noted thus, “In one report, ORFA said that between October 2019 and September 2023 at least 55,910 Nigerians were killed, and 16,769 of this number were Christians. So, members of which religion make up the rest 39,141? ORFA doesn’t think they (Muslims) matter to be advocated for.”
Some Nigerians find religion convenient to prey on, knowing they’ll find gullible consumers. So, they dub the outcome of insecurity as ‘religious genocide’, and they’ve done extensive damage by demarketing Nigeria to outsiders. Since the outcome of insecurity is now deliberately misrepresented by one side as religious genocide, Nigerian Muslims, too, should have compiled their own long list of Muslim victims across the north, post it on X, and submit a copy to the White House. All Nigerian religionists could thereafter go to Washington to claim ‘religious genocide’; that way, officials there would have two perspectives on this matter.
In a statement released to refute the latest label of religious genocide, the FG says, “The Nigerian story (insecurity) is not one of religious genocide or persecution.” Since I’m always focused on how to find solutions to a problem, rather than engage in conversations that offer no solutions, I asked a question on this page in the recent past: How does this labelling peddled by some even begin to resolve the crisis on the ground? Any clear-headed person dedicated to a cause ought to ask this question. By the way, how many of these online characters making religious genocide claims, particularly those from southern Nigeria, have lived in the north? I’ve been part of the north, so I know the reality on the ground. Here, I express my view, which is spurred by my concern for the well-being of Nigeria and all Nigerians.
We know that we have insecurity. There’s something curious about it, however, which no one is talking about. When attacks happen in many of the northern states, it’s reported to be carried out by “bandits”. In only about three states out of the 19 in the north, attacks are constantly said to be carried out by “suspected Fulani herders”. No one asks why. Every incident is attributed to “suspected Fulani herders”. Journalists in the south who have never been to any troubled spots in the north echo the same, citing no sources for their claims. Last September, “Fulani militia” were accused after crops were cut down on farmlands in Plateau State. This happened overnight, yet locals who weren’t on their farms knew it was carried out by “Fulani militia”. This is the general area where consequences of general insecurity, as well as ongoing reprisals for the initial herder-farmer incidents on farmlands years ago, are now categorised as genocide, and lately as religious genocide.
Meanwhile, there are parts of the north where the Fulani themselves are victims of farmer-herder crises as well as bandits. In the 1990s, under military rule, for instance, and long before the herder-farmer crisis became rampant in the north-central, farmers in the northeast who were Muslims told me how herders used to come in from the Niger Republic with herds that ate their crops. Sometimes a farmer would be killed. The Fulani town residents who had farms were among the victims. Years later, similar attacks on farmlands happened in non-Muslim locations, reprisal attacks followed in communities, and the narrative was that this was an attempt to exterminate people of a particular religion. Some even denied the original herder-farmer problems on farmlands, claiming that militias from one ethnic group woke up one day and began to invade their communities.
If they could peddle such falsehoods, they would peddle anything, including claims that only one set of religionists were victims of insecurity. It’s what they’ve vowed to do, and they’ve recruited some to peddle the misrepresentation that’s ‘religious genocide’ online. Now, who goes about demonising and thinks they’re doing something novel? Globetrotting to demonise when it offers no relief to potential victims in their villages just points to a mindset that’s not smart. As for their collaborators online, how does the tagging they do solve this problem? These fellows are like those who stayed online pre-2023 elections in Nigeria, shouting that their presidential candidate would win. Meanwhile, politicians who understood Nigerian politics were telling their supporters to collect a voter’s card and ensure they voted. They won. Clever people know results are achieved on the ground, not online.
While some go about looking for people they could trigger to hate a Nigerian ethnic group just for hate’s sake, others in northern Nigeria are working hard to provide solutions to insecurity. In the North-West, localised arrangements are made to sort out issues with bandits at meetings. In Katsina State, the governor recently planned to procure weapons for vigilantes and hunters to ensure localised security that doesn’t depend on the FG’s soldiers and police in the first instance. In Gombe State, the government has for years announced the period herders should pass through, while farmers are enjoined to bring in their harvests before herders pass through farmlands. Regarding security, Gombe experiences relative tranquillity. I knew this was the outcome of conscious efforts made by the state government because I saw the extensive local security network when I visited some remote communities.
After the latest cutting down of crops on farmlands in Plateau State, some called on the FG to provide security as usual. We know federal police can’t protect humans and protect farmlands. Farmers and vigilantes can arrange to protect crops for the few weeks left to harvest. Farmers often do this when the quela birds invade. Local government councils can help farmers in this regard. By the way, in states where religious genocide is alleged, state governors hold on to the funds meant for the LGAs.
If the LGAs have such funds, they can effectively organise localised security networks to monitor and ensure outsiders don’t invade farmlands until harvest is over. The arrangement can also help with intelligence gathering needed by the FG’s security agencies. This doesn’t always happen at the moment. Yet, these are the kinds of things those who want to alleviate the problems of their people should advocate, rather than globetrot to misrepresent issues. And since they’re religionists, it’s in order if one calls the attention of those who go around spreading all manner of lies to a promise in the holy book they use: “A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape.”
Source: punchng.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://punchng.com/religious-genocide-why-are-nigerian-muslims-not-victims/
-------
Islamic Scholar Calls For Radical Action Against Illegal Mining
Oct - 09 - 2025
Renowned Islamic scholar and humanitarian leader, Sheikh Yousuf Umar Jallo, has made a passionate appeal to the government and institutions involved in tackling illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, to take decisive and radical action to end the destructive practice.
Speaking on behalf of the Annur Organisation for Humanitarian Services, which he founded, Sheikh Yousuf emphasised that the public interest must take precedence over private gain, especially when the consequences of galamsey threaten the well-being of entire communities and the environment.
“With these words, we appeal to the government and the institutions that carry out galamsey to find a radical solution to the problem.
The public interest is more influential than private interest, because Islam came to achieve the interests of the servants in this world and the hereafter,” he stated.
Priority
Quoting the famous Islamic scholar Sheikh Ezz El-Din ibn Abd al-Salam, known for his work ‘Rules of Judgment in Reforming People’, Sheikh Yousuf underscored the ethical imperative of prioritising collective well-being over individual benefit.
“If two interests conflict, the higher one is achieved by missing out on the lower one,” he quoted, stressing that Islamic law is deeply rooted in the protection of essential human values, religion, life, intellect, honour and wealth.
He clarified that, in both Islamic jurisprudence and modern civic frameworks, the concept of public interest is based on real, tangible benefits that serve the larger society, rather than imagined or self-serving gains.
“Galamsey poses a real danger to the lives, health, and future of our people,” Sheikh Yousuf said. “It is not just an environmental crisis; it is a moral and national crisis that undermines our collective future.”
Public interest
He further asserted that the responsibility of protecting public interest is not limited to state officials or religious leaders, but falls on every Ghanaian.
“Considering common interests is one of the foundations of nation-building and civilisation,” he said When people come together, they develop essential interests that they all share a dire need for.”
Illegal mining has become one of Ghana’s most pressing environmental and social challenges, with widespread deforestation, river pollution, and land degradation threatening the country’s natural resources and agricultural livelihoods.
While various administrations have launched campaigns to curb the practice, enforcement remains inconsistent and, in some areas, ineffective.
Sheikh Yousuf ended his statement with a heartfelt prayer:
“I ask God to protect our country from all harm and to grant our leadership what benefits the country and its people,” he added.
As the leader of Annur Organisation for Humanitarian Services, Sheikh Yousuf Jallo has long been an advocate for peace, development, and moral leadership.
His call adds to the growing chorus of voices urging the government to uphold justice, protect Ghana’s environment, and prioritise long-term national interests over short-term private gains.
Source: graphic.com.gh
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-islamic-scholar-calls-for-radical-action-against-galamsey.html
-------
American Senator, Ted Cruz Lied About Killing Of Christians In Nigeria – Ndume
October 10, 2025
By Oladipo Abiola
Borno South lawmaker, Senator Ali Ndume, has denounced the claim by United States lawmaker, Senator Ted Cruz, that Christians in Nigeria are victims of genocidal killing.
Ndume, during an interview with Channels Television on Thursday, said the claim by Cruz and others on killings in Nigeria is totally false.
He warned that such claims could send the wrong message to the international community about the security situation in Nigeria.
“What Ted Cruz and co said is not true. It is not true to say Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria.
“This thing came from Ted Cruz and it dates back to 2020. In fact, Donald Trump, in his first term, designated us as CPC — Countries of Particular Concern — where a group of religious believers of any type are being persecuted. That means sanctions will be applied,” Ndume said.
The Borno Senator clarified that insecurity in Nigeria is not based on religion or ethnicity, as victims of attacks cut across different faiths and ethnicities.
He urged the international community to disregard the claims that there is religious persecution against Christians in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the federal government of Nigeria has strongly condemned and categorically refuted recent allegations suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians.
In a statement obtained by Naija News on Sunday, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.
He stated that portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality.
Idris said while Nigeria, like many countries, has faced security challenges, including acts of terrorism perpetrated by criminals, couching the situation as a deliberate, systematic attack on Christians is inaccurate and harmful.
He said the claim oversimplifies a complex, multifaceted security environment and plays into the hands of terrorists and criminals who seek to divide Nigerians along religious or ethnic lines.
According to the Minister, violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any particular religious or ethnic community, stressing that these criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/10/american-senator-ted-cruz-lied-about-killing-of-christians-in-nigeria-ndume/
------
Nnamdi Kanu: ‘You Are Nothing More Than An Anarchist’ – Presidency Blasts Sowore, Atiku
October 9, 2025
By Rachel Okporu Fadoju
The presidency has slammed the African Action Congress (AAC) 2023 presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, over the proposed protest at Aso Rock to demand the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Naija News reports that Kanu had been in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in 2021 under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Recently, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, challenged the former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, Atiku and other South East leaders to join the march to Aso Rock, demanding the release of Kanu.
In a post shared on his Instagram page, Sowore urged South East leaders and politicians to stop empty noise and demand the release of Kanu.
Reacting in a post on his social media pages on Thursday, Atiku called on the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration to release the IPOB leader immediately.
According to the former Vice President, defying court orders that granted him bail is an abuse of power and an assault on justice.
In response, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a post via 𝕏, berated Atiku and Sowore over plans to cause breakdown of law and order through protest.
Onanuga also faulted Atiku for supporting the planned mob action, stressing that as a statesman, the former VP should know better that matters of justice are not resolved on the streets but in the law court.
He wrote, “You are nothing more than an anarchist masquerading as a rights activist. You very well know that Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial for treason, and you want to cause a breakdown of law and order by mobilising for a protest? Is this the kind of revolution you envisage for Nigeria, where the rule of law will be violated and your idea of justice would be the law of the jungle?
“I am surprised that ex-VP Atiku Abubakar, who is always opportunistic, has supported the planned mob action. As a statesman, he should know better that matters of justice are not resolved on the streets but in the law court.
“While the wheel of justice can sometimes be grindingly slow, partly caused by Kanu’s lawyers, Nnamdi Kanu will eventually get the justice he deserves for his alleged transgressions.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/09/nnamdi-kanu-you-are-nothing-more-than-an-anarchist-presidency-blasts-sowore-atiku/
------
Madagascar’s youth protests escalate, demanding president’s resignation
October 10, 2025
For a third consecutive week, Madagascar’s capital was rocked by violent clashes as roughly 1,000 demonstrators, largely masked and mobilizing under the "Gen Z Madagascar" banner, confronted police who used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds. The sustained unrest marks the most significant challenge to the government in years.
The protests were initially sparked by widespread water and electricity shortages but have rapidly expanded into a broader movement against alleged government corruption and nepotism.
Despite the escalating crisis, which the UN reports has left 22 dead, protesters have rejected dialogue, underscoring their deepening distrust of the administration.
A government shakeup fails to quell anger
In a direct response to the pressure, President Andry Rajoelina dismissed his entire cabinet.
However, the move has failed to pacify the youth-led movement, which is now unequivocally demanding the president's own resignation.
Their refusal to attend talks with him on Wednesday signals a hardened stance and a clear rejection of symbolic concessions.
A Nation’s history of turmoil resonates
The protests draw inspiration from successful youth-led uprisings in Nepal and Sri Lanka, gaining momentum online and adopting symbols like the pirate skull seen globally.
This new wave of activism unfolds in a nation with a history of political upheaval, where extreme poverty affects 80% of the population, creating a fertile ground for demands for systemic change.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/09/madagascars-youth-protests-escalate-demanding-presidents-resignation/
------
South Sudan president ousts military chief, reinstates predecessor
October 10, 2025
In a sudden move, South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir has dismissed the current military chief after just three months in the role and reinstated his predecessor, Paul Nang Majok, who was removed in July.
The announcement was made via the state broadcaster, without any public explanation. The former chief, Dau Aturjong, has been reassigned as a technical adviser to the defense ministry.
This reshuffle is the latest in a pattern of frequent changes in the country’s military and government leadership. Analysts interpret President Kiir’s decision as a maneuver to maintain control over competing factions amid growing internal tensions and ongoing armed conflict.
Kiir, who has led South Sudan since its 2011 independence, is operating within a fragile transitional government after repeatedly delaying national elections. His longtime rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, is currently facing treason charges over alleged support for militia activity — a development that has stoked fears of renewed civil war.
Observers view the reinstatement of Majok as an attempt by Kiir to balance loyalties within the military and to reassure segments of the security establishment unsettled by Aturjong’s appointment. The precise motivations behind this sudden change, however, remain unclear.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.africanews.com/2025/10/09/south-sudan-president-ousts-military-chief-reinstates-predecessor/
-----
Southeast Asia
Malaysia prefers diplomacy over Islamic military alliance for Gaza conflict
theSun Local
2025-10-09
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia continues to favour peaceful diplomatic solutions over forming an Islamic military alliance to counter Israel’s policies in Gaza.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin said Malaysia’s foreign policy follows the United Nations Charter and international law.
He firmly stated Malaysia’s opposition to the Zionist regime’s oppression of Palestinian people.
Mohamad responded to questions in Parliament about Iraq’s proposal for an Islamic military alliance.
“Malaysia believes cooperation should be comprehensive, not limited to military aspects,“ he said.
He emphasised the importance of including humanitarian assistance and capacity-building efforts.
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s September 14 proposal was not raised during the recent Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit in Qatar.
Mohamad confirmed Malaysia’s readiness to join UN-led peacekeeping missions in Palestine.
Malaysian forces already serve in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
Malaysia continues providing aid to Gaza through ministry coordination with government agencies and NGOs.
Regional representatives play a key role in distributing aid on the ground.
“Closer cooperation among Islamic nations could strengthen Muslim solidarity,“ Mohamad noted.
Such coordination would enhance effectiveness in assisting Palestinian people.
Regarding Colombia’s UN proposal for an international military coalition, Malaysia supports UN-mandated peacekeeping.
“If such a proposal is made by the UN, we will follow suit,“ Mohamad stated.
Malaysia remains bound as a UN member to participate in authorised military peacekeeping missions.
On the 20-point peace plan, Malaysia has taken note and welcomed the proposal.
US President Donald Trump presented the plan on September 29 in Washington DC.
Trump announced Israel and Hamas agreed to implement the plan’s first phase.
This marks a positive step toward ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian aid delivery.
The first phase involves ceasefire implementation and detainee exchanges.
It includes Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza to agreed perimeter lines.
Humanitarian aid will enter the enclave without restrictions.
The peace plan opens important avenues to end genocide and destruction in Gaza.
It initiates an international humanitarian mission involving Qatar, Egypt and Turkiye.
Malaysia will leverage existing good relations to support Sharm el-Sheikh negotiations.
These talks should become the starting point for full ceasefire and immediate humanitarian missions. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/malaysia-prefers-diplomacy-over-islamic-military-alliance-for-gaza-conflict-KC15060497
------
Minister calls for collaboration to bolster Muslim-friendly tourism
October 9, 2025
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has called for cross-sector collaboration to strengthen Muslim-friendly tourism in Indonesia, emphasizing the need for consistent and clear standards.
“By involving domestic and global partners, we can build harmony in setting standards, exchange best practices, and expand promotion,” she said at a press conference during the 7th International Halal Tourism Summit on Thursday.
The minister stressed that Muslim-friendly tourism must be grounded in inclusive economic participation. She noted that government policies and industry partnerships should empower local businesses and communities to ensure that the sector’s growth contributes to public welfare.
Wardhana cited CrescentRating data showing that international Muslim tourist arrivals reached 176 million in 2024 and are projected to rise to 245 million by 2030, with spending estimated at US$235 billion.
She said the growing number of Muslim travelers is shaping the future of global tourism. Even countries outside the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have started adapting their facilities and services to cater to Muslim visitors.
“As the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia has a strong foundation to set global standards for halal tourism,” Wardhana said, adding that the nation’s abundant natural resources and rich cultural heritage give it a unique advantage.
“Our aspiration is clear, Indonesia must set the standards for developing Muslim-friendly tourism,” she remarked.
To achieve that goal, the 2025 Indonesia Muslim Travel Index will be developed by Bank Indonesia (BI), the Enhaii Halal Tourism Center (EHTC), and CrescentRating.
According to the minister, the index will highlight Indonesia’s strengths and provide insights to further develop the nation’s tourism industry.
She added that key priorities in enhancing Muslim-friendly tourism include developing and promoting attractions, improving accessibility, and standardizing facilities.
Wardhana also highlighted several Islamic cultural heritage sites with strong tourism potential, such as the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Aceh District and the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta.
Source: antaranews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.antaranews.com/news/385169/minister-calls-for-collaboration-to-bolster-muslim-friendly-tourism
-------
Focus on peace, not politics, Anwar tells Malaysians as Trump’s visit looms
By Muhammad Yusry
10 Oct 2025
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 10 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim called on Malaysians to support global efforts for peace in Gaza and to refrain from stirring political discord at home.
He said the world’s attention, including from Egypt, Qatar and Hamas, is now on ensuring the success of reconciliation efforts in the region, especially after the recent announcement that Israel and Hamas had agreed on the first phase of his Gaza peace plan.
“The focus of the entire world, including Egypt, Qatar and Hamas, is to find a way to ensure that this peace process succeeds. So we in Malaysia are also praying for that,” he told reporters after performing Friday prayers at Presint 11 here.
“Let us not raise objections to the visits or similar matters, because right now we are appealing to all countries, including our plea to President Donald Trump, to ensure that this agreement is signed and subsequently implemented,” he added, referring to the US president’s upcoming visit to the Asean Summit in KL this month.
“I hope that spirit will prevail. We are, of course, praying, but we also want to achieve results,” he added.
Anwar said that Malaysians must not lose sight of human suffering in Gaza, where civilians continue to be killed and displaced.
“People are being killed. Their land is occupied. Children and women continue to be murdered. What we want is to stop all that,” he said.
Anwar said he was disheartened by attempts to politicise Malaysia’s efforts for peace, calling such actions unhealthy and counterproductive.
He also praised Malaysians who took part in humanitarian missions such as the Gaza flotilla, describing them as brave individuals willing to risk their lives to help others.
“Not everyone is willing to risk their lives to help the people of Gaza.
“To those who have, we express our gratitude and prayers. This, I hope, will be the attitude among Muslims and all Malaysians,” he said.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/10/focus-on-peace-not-politics-anwar-tells-malaysians-as-trumps-visit-looms/194112
------
Nurul Izzah demands accountability over ‘illegal’ Israeli interception of Global Sumud Flotilla
10 Oct 2025
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — PKR deputy president Nurul Izzah Anwar has called for accountability over what she described as the illegal interception of the Freedom Flotilla and urged for a permanent end to the ongoing siege on Gaza.
In a statement today, she said while reports on the release of nine Malaysian humanitarian activists were a relief, it did not absolve the crimes committed by Israeli forces.
“Their detention is part of a systematic campaign of brutal aggression by Israeli forces in international waters, which stands among the most egregious violations of maritime law,” she said.
Nurul Izzah said the interception formed part of an escalating pattern of aggression, pointing to the illegal seizure of humanitarian vessels including the cargo ship Annie in June, which carried over 5,000 tonnes of life saving aid.
She added that the attacks continued in July with the violent seizure of the lead ship Handala, which had departed from Syracuse, Italy, carrying activists, medics, lawyers, journalists and humanitarian supplies.
“This crime leaves no doubt: we are witnessing a regime that operates with utter impunity, defying international courts, violating maritime law, and collectively punishing a civilian population,” she said.
Nurul Izzah said the assault was carried out in defiance of international legal institutions, including preliminary rulings by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and findings by the United Nations on the plausibility of genocidal acts in Gaza.
“To attack a humanitarian flotilla in this context is to spit in the face of international law and the institutions designed to uphold it,” she said, adding that the act violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the principle of freedom of navigation.
She described the attack as piracy intrinsically linked to the ongoing and illegal blockade of Gaza, reiterating reports by Amnesty International and other rights groups that accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war.
“The Flotilla’s mission was a direct challenge to this blockade, a blockade the ICJ has ordered must be lifted to allow aid to reach a population facing famine,” she said.
Nurul Izzah also condemned recent Israeli strikes that killed over 50 Palestinians just hours after a ceasefire announcement, saying this proved that the regime’s contempt for peace and international law continues unabated.
She praised the bravery of the Malaysian delegates, including Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin Mohd Ali, Dr Fauziah Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi, Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh and their colleagues, whose mission was coordinated by Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE).
Nurul Izzah said while Malaysia’s diplomatic efforts helped secure their release, global attention must now move beyond individual detentions to addressing the systemic injustices that sustain the siege on Gaza.
In total, about 150 volunteers from 25 countries took part in the mission, with MyCARE leading the Malaysian delegation
Eight Malaysians onboard the Conscience are Malaysian delegation chief Prof Emeritus Dr Mohd Alauddin, Dr Fauziah Mohd Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman, Dr Ili Syakira Mohd Suhaimi, Prof Dr Mohd Afandi Salleh, Dr Noorhasyimah Ismail, Norsham Abu Bakar and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil, while another medical doctor, Dr Maziah Muhammad was onboard the Umm Saad. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/10/nurul-izzah-demands-accountability-over-illegal-israeli-interception-of-global-sumud-flotilla/194114
------
Anwar: Erdogan personally assisting efforts to secure release of Malaysian flotilla members detained by Israel
By Muhammad Yusry
10 Oct 2025
PUTRAJAYA, Oct 10 — The Malaysian government is working closely with Turkiye to secure the release of nine Malaysians detained by Israeli forces following the interception of a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza earlier this week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.
Anwar said he had been in direct contact with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the matter and expressed hope that the group would be safely brought to Istanbul soon.
“Our citizens, the nine of them, are being handled together with the Turkish president. We pray, Insya Allah, they will arrive in Istanbul,” he told reporters after performing Friday prayers at Presint 11 here.
Anwar added that Erdogan had promised to call him at 3.30pm today for further updates on the ongoing efforts.
“So I will make the announcement during the tabling of the Budget,” he added.
The nine Malaysians are among participants of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens To Gaza humanitarian mission, which involved around 150 activists from 25 countries aboard nine ships, including the Conscience and Umm Saad.
According to local humanitarian organisation MyCARE, eight Malaysians were aboard Conscience, with three doctors, Dr Fauziah Hassan, Dr Hafiz Sulaiman and Dr Ili Syakira Suhaimi, among them.
The group, led by academic Alauddin Ali, also included lecturers Afandi Salleh and Noorhasyimah Ismail, MyCARE trustee Norsham Abu Bakar, and Astro Awani journalist Syafik Shukri Abdul Jalil.
Another Malaysian academic, Maziah Muhammad, was on Umm Saad.
The flotilla was intercepted by Israeli forces on October 8 at about 10.50am Malaysian time, when it was under 120 nautical miles from Gaza.
The activists, who were carrying aid supplies for Palestinians, were reportedly detained at the Ketziot Prison in the Negev desert, southern Israel.
The Freedom Flotilla was part of an international effort to break the blockade on Gaza and deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/10/anwar-erdogan-personally-assisting-efforts-to-secure-release-of-malaysian-flotilla-members-detained-by-israel/194111
------
Malaysia to send observers to Myanmar’s long-delayed elections, says military govt
10 Oct 2025
YANGON, Oct 10 — Myanmar’s junta said today that Malaysia would send observation teams to its long-delayed election, as it battles multiple rebel forces opposed to the poll.
A civil war has consumed Myanmar since the military snatched power in a 2021 coup, jailing democratic figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi and deposing her civilian government.
The military has touted elections—due to start in phases on December 28 -- as a path to reconciliation.
However, monitors are slating the poll as a ploy to legitimise continuing military rule, while it is set to be boycotted by many ousted lawmakers and blocked by armed opposition groups in enclaves they control.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan arrived in capital Naypyidaw yesterday to meet with Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing.
State-run Global New Light of Myanmar said Friday that Mohamad “vowed to send election observation teams to Myanmar”.
As chair of the ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations, Malaysia “guaranteed that ASEAN will emphasize the best cooperation with Myanmar in its endeavours,” it said.
The Malaysian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
A statement from the Malaysian foreign ministry Thursday said that Myanmar’s planned elections, as well as the cessation of hostilities, were on the meeting agenda.
Global New Light of Myanmar also said that 57 political parties “that comply with legal requirements” and over 5,000 candidates would run in the national election.
The military-led government has said that polls would be held in phases, starting on December 28, with a result date expected at the end of January. — APF
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/10/malaysia-to-send-observers-to-myanmars-long-delayed-elections-says-military-govt/194088
------
Government committed to empowering MSMEs in international halal industry
theSun Local
2025-10-09
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is committed to expanding Malaysian Halal Certification recognition to empower micro, small and medium enterprises in the global halal industry and enhance the country’s export value chain.
According to the Prime Minister’s Department, Malaysia’s halal exports were valued at RM39.44 billion in the second quarter of this year, involving 1,499 halal exporting companies.
The department stated that 956 companies are MSMEs which play an important role in strengthening Malaysia’s participation in the international halal market.
This response addressed a parliamentary question from Datuk Idris Ahmad regarding the government’s strategy to widen halal certificate recognition for MSMEs in international markets.
The PMD said halal export achievements involving MSMEs were contributed by various strategic overseas initiatives to strengthen global acceptance of Malaysian halal certification.
Among key strategies implemented is strengthening international recognition through mutual recognition arrangements with foreign halal certification bodies.
Jakim has recognised 92 halal certification bodies from 47 countries to date through these strategic collaborations.
Meanwhile, total investment recorded in HALMAS-accredited industrial parks reached RM16.7 billion as of August 2025.
HALMAS is a government initiative to recognise industrial parks meeting halal infrastructure and support service standards for systematic industry growth.
Halal industry training programmes and technical guidance are conducted by State Islamic Religious Councils and State Islamic Departments to increase MSME readiness for domestic and international markets.
Programmes implemented include halal certification workshops, MS1500 compliance seminars, halal clinics, documentation guidance, and technical courses on Good Manufacturing Practices and HACCP.
The halal sector contributed 7.94% to gross domestic product in the second quarter this year with an estimated value of RM38.76 billion, showing continued encouraging performance. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/government-committed-to-empowering-msmes-in-international-halal-industry-FC15064054
------
South Asia
India Upgrades Kabul Mission to Embassy, Announces more direct flights, aids, projects
By Ayanangsha Maitra
October 10, 2025
India has upgraded its Kabul mission to a full-fledged embassy, announcing new direct flights, expanded development projects, and increased humanitarian aid to strengthen engagement with Afghanistan.
India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has announced the landmark upgrade of India’s diplomatic mission in Kabul from a technical set-upto a full-fledged Embassy during maiden visit of Afghanistan’s Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday. He further announced additional flights between Kabul and New Delhi and consignment of food supplies.
Accompanied by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the Joint Secretary for Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, Anand Praksh and other officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, Dr. Jaishankar said, “I am pleased to announce today the upgrading of India’s Technical Mission in Kabul to the status of Embassy of India.” The announcement was made in the presence of foreign minister Muttaqi and his contingent .
Addressing Foreign Minister Muttaqi “Excellency”, Dr. Jaishankar warmly said, “Your visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan.”
Standing beside Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi – adorned in a traditional white Perahan and draped in his signature black-and-white “zebra crossing” scarf, Dr. S Jaishankar, presented a composed, metered smile. Clad in a full-sleeve black business suit accented by a carmine pocket square, Jaishankar detailed India’s readiness to launch six new infrastructural projects, pending further discussions. “A gift of 20 ambulances is another gesture of goodwill; I would like to hand over five of these to you personally as a symbolic step,” he affirmed. India will simultaneously equip Afghanistan hospitals with advanced MRI and CT scan machines and supply vaccines for immunization and cancer treatment. Consignments of drug rehabilitation materials will continue in partnership with UNODC, with a pledge for expanded cooperation.
Emphasizing India’s unwavering support for Afghanistan’s recovery and development, Dr. Jaishankar Marking a tangible commitment to people-to-people ties, Dr. Jaishankar said “We have a shared interest in boosting trade and commerce.”He welomed Afghanistan invitations for Indian business participation in Afghanistan’s mining sector.
Without naming Pakistan, Dr. Jaishankar expressed India’s deep concern on dignity of Afghan nationals, who were forcibly repatriated: “The plight of forcibly repatriated Afghan refugees is a matter of deep concern. Their dignity and livelihood is important. India agrees to help construct residences for them and continue providing material aid to rebuild their lives,” he said.
In a notable expansion of bilateral cooperation, India has agreed to enter talks with Afghanistan authorities on maintaining completed projects, resuming unfinished ventures, and advancing water resources management.
“Our educational and capacity building programmes have long nurtured the Afghan youth. We will expand avenues for Afghan students to pursue studies at Indian universities.
Sports is another longstanding connection. The emergence of Afghanistan’s cricket talent has been truly impressive. India is glad to deepen its support for Afghanistan cricket,” Jaishankar informed the Afghan delegation on Friday.
Sources in Afghanistan familiar with the developments indicate an upcoming delegation of senior Afghan officials will soon visit India to deepen these engagements, following Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s visit and elevation of India’s mission in Kabul.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/india-upgrades-kabul-mission-to-embassy-announces-more-direct-flights-aids-projects/
------
Afghan Government Firmly Opposes Foreign Military Bases on Its Soil, Kabulov Says
October 9, 2025
KABUL: Russia’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, has said that the Afghan government will not permit any foreign country to establish a military base on Afghan territory, including the former U.S. base in Bagram.
Speaking at the Moscow Format meeting, Kabulov quoted Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who had explicitly emphasized this position.
Kabulov also clarified that Russia itself has no intention of establishing any military presence in Afghanistan.
The statement reinforces the Islamic Emirate’s repeated assertion that Afghan soil will not be used for foreign military activities under its rule.
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/afghan-government-firmly-opposes-foreign-military-bases-on-its-soil-kabulov-says/
------
Pakistani Fighter Jets Hit Barmal District in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province
By Fidel Rahmati
October 10, 2025
Pakistani fighter jets reportedly bombed targets in Afghanistan’s Paktika province late Friday, striking homes and shops in Barmal district amid rising cross-border tensions and militant activity.
Pakistani fighter jets reportedly carried out airstrikes late Friday night in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, local sources told media outlets on Saturday.
The strikes occurred around midnight in the Marghi Bazar area of Barmal district, where several homes and shops were damaged. Witnesses said the bombardment caused heavy financial losses.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, and Taliban authorities in Paktika have not issued a statement on the incident.
Islamabad has not commented on the operation, but reports suggest the strikes targeted suspected hideouts of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants near the border.
This comes amid a recent reports indicate that a high-profile drone strike struck Kabul’s “Amperial” (Imperial) Hotel, reportedly killing Noor Wali Mehsud, the emir of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). According to multiple sources, Mehsud was residing in Kabul at the time and was targeted by a Pakistani drone amid ongoing cross-border counterterrorism operations. While the Taliban government in Kabul has acknowledged explosions and launched an internal investigation, neither Islamabad nor the TTP has officially confirmed the killing.
Mehsud’s reported death follows a pattern of targeted strikes against TTP leadership on Afghanistan soil, heightening tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities.
These strikes come amid Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, underscoring persistent India-Pakistan enmity and rising regional friction over militancy and cross-border security.
In recent months, Pakistan has accused the TTP of launching cross-border attacks from Afghanistan territory, an allegation the Taliban administration in Kabul has repeatedly denied.
Cross-border airstrikes have heightened tensions between the two neighbours, with analysts warning that such actions risk destabilising the already fragile border regions and endangering civilians.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/pakistani-fighter-jets-hit-barmal-district-in-afghanistans-paktika-province/
-------
Pakistan Defence Minister Says Afghan Refugees Must Leave Immediately
By Fidel Rahmati
October 10, 2025
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said millions of Afghan refugees must leave, warning Islamabad can no longer bear the economic and security costs of hosting them.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said late Thursday that millions of Afghan refugees must return home, warning that the country can no longer bear the “heavy cost of hospitality.”
In a post on X, Asif accused former prime minister Imran Khan of bringing thousands of Taliban members into Pakistan and providing them shelter during his tenure. He said Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party continues to advocate negotiations with militants even as “the blood of Pakistani soldiers and civilians keeps being shed.”
The minister said years of dialogue with the Taliban had failed to reduce violence, noting that border attacks continue and that “every day, the bodies of our soldiers return from the frontier.”
Asif estimated that around six million Afghan refugees remain in Pakistan, adding that the country has paid “for six decades of hospitality with its blood.”
His comments came amid reports of airstrikes hitting parts of Kabul on Thursday night, which local media outlets linked to Pakistan’s ongoing operations against Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants.
The remarks underscore Islamabad’s growing frustration over cross-border militancy and the financial burden of hosting millions of Afghan refugees amid worsening security conditions.
Analysts say Pakistan’s stance signals a harder line toward Kabul and could further strain relations between the two neighbours already divided over militancy, border control, and refugee management.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-defence-minister-says-afghan-refugees-must-leave-immediately/
-------
Shaheed Jihad's soul to suffer if his dream remains unfulfilled: Tarique Rahman
09 Oct 2025
DHAKA, Oct 9, 2025 (BSS) - BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman said today that the soul of Shaheed Nazir Uddin Ahmed Jihad will continue to suffer unless his dream of restoring democracy in Bangladesh is fully realized.
In a statement marking the 35th anniversary of Jihad's martyrdom, Tarique paid tribute to the late student leader, who was shot dead during an anti-Ershad protest in Dhaka on October 10, 1990.
"Jihad sacrificed his life with the firm resolve to re-establish democracy and lay its foundation on solid ground," Tarique said, adding, "His soul will remain in agony if we fail to realize that vision."
Nazir Uddin Ahmed Jihad, an activist of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal from Ullapara upazila in Sirajganj, was among the prominent student leaders during the anti-autocracy movement that intensified in the early 1990s.
His death became a pivotal moment in the nationwide agitation against the then military ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
"On the occasion of Shaheed Jihad Day, I offer my deepest respects to this fearless soldier of the anti-autocracy movement," the BNP leader said. "I pray for the eternal peace of his soul."
Tarique Rahman described Shaheed Jihad as an "unforgettable name in the struggle for democracy," recalling how his death galvanized a mass uprising that ultimately led to the fall of the Ershad regime.
"That bloody movement aimed to restore multiparty democracy, freedom of expression, and press freedom," he said.
"While leading the movement, Shaheed Jihad took a police bullet to his chest and embraced martyrdom. The wave of protest that followed his death marked a turning point in our democratic journey," he added.
Criticizing the former autocratic regime, Tarique said, "The dictator Ershad destroyed democracy. To ensure the democratic process remains alive, fair elections must be held. But democracy is not limited to voting -- it includes the protection of people's rights and freedoms."
He urged party activists and citizens to stay united against "domestic and foreign conspiracies," drawing inspiration from Jihad's ultimate sacrifice.
"Guided by the selflessness of Shaheed Jihad, we must defend our independence, uphold our sovereignty, and work tirelessly to restore genuine democracy in the country," he added.
Source: bssnews.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bssnews.net/news/319438
-------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/beef-biryani-malayalam-film-dialogue/d/137184