Islam, Jihad Not About Killing Non-Muslims – Sultan of Sokoto
New Age Islam News Bureau
04 October 2025
· Islam, Jihad Not About Killing Non-Muslims – Sultan of Sokoto
· Allahabad HC Rejects Plea To Stay Mosque Demolition In Sambhal
· Australian ‘Daesh Brides’ Smuggle Themselves Out Of Syria
· It’s Déjà Vu for Muslim Americans as Anti-Muslim Playbook Follows Zohran Mamdani’s Success
· Villa Hegra: Saudi Arabia’s First Saudi-French Cultural Hub Debuts In Alula
-----
Africa
· Declare State Of Emergency On Boko Haram – Ex-Defence Chief, Irabor Tells FG
· I Thought Boko Haram Would Hand Over Their Guns To Buhari – Goodluck Jonathan
· Buhari Escaped A Bomb Attack On His Life By Boko Haram – Garba Shehu Blasts Jonathan
· Afenifere Raises Alarm Over Fresh Attacks In Kwara, Kogi
----
India
· UP Poster Controversy Surrounding, ‘I Love Muhammad ‘Reaches Jalandhar; Protest, FIR
· Gujarat HC Refuses To Stop Partial Demolition Of ‘400-Year-Old’ Mancha Masjid, For Road-Widening Project
· Protest in Coimbatore condemns Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Palestine
· Allahabad HC grants bail to man accused of posting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ on social media
· Chief Justice Gavai Defends Rule Of Law In India, Denounces Bulldozer Justice Trend
· ‘Must Be Held Accountable’: India Slams Pakistan Over ‘Horrific’ Rights Abuses In PoK Protests
· Year after communal violence in UP's Bahraich, NSA invoked against eight accused
-----
Mideast
· Netanyahu ordered drone attacks on Gaza-bound aid boats off Tunisia last month, CBS News reports
· Israeli army ‘dropped grenades’ near Lebanon UN peacekeepers
· UK Foreign Office ‘very concerned’ about Gaza flotilla detainees
· Trump sets Hamas Sunday deadline to agree peace deal
· Hamas agrees to free hostages under Trump's Gaza proposal
· 45 Thousand Palestinians perform Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque
· Iran & Pakistan Stress Importance Of Islamic Action To End Genocide In Palestine
-------
North America
· CAIR Condemns Neo-Nazi Vandalism Targeting New Mexico School
· Concerns around Holy Land Foundation trial resurface after arrest of Muslim activist
· Dearborn residents push city to curb noise levels from mosque's call to prayer
· Senate stalemate sends US shutdown into second week
-----
Arab World
· Oman To Build Sultanate's First 3D Printed Mosque
· Saudi finance minister heads Kingdom’s delegation to GCC’s financial, economic meeting
· Ithra leads Saudi students to top 10 at Aramco STEM Racing World Finals
· Forests at heart of regional dialogue as Saudi Arabia hosts 27th session of Near East Forestry and Range Commission
------
Europe
· Man Aged 45 Arrested After 'Kill All Muslims' Graffiti Appears In Lisburn
· Hampshire man with knife threatened people outside mosque
· Scots mosque 'attacked with metal pole' with children inside as man charged
· Italians stage strike in support of Gaza Palestinians
· Blackout in Spain and Portugal 'first of its kind', report finds
· Ukrainian drones strike school in Gorlovka – mayor
----
Southeast Asia
· Indonesian Govt Aims To Strengthen Mosques As Hubs For Empowerment
· Calling GSF participants ‘terrorists’ outrageous: PM
· Malaysia sees Hamas’ conditional acceptance of Trump’s peace plan as step towards lasting truce, says foreign minister
· Malaysia receives international aid to free activists detained by Israel
-------
South Asia
· Jamaat May Leave Up To 100 Seats For Allies: Porwar
· Islamic Emirate Reaffirms Full Support for Schools, Madrasas Nationwide
· Education Ministry to Establish Elite School for Top Students in Kabul
· Iran Seeks Stronger Agricultural Ties with Afghanistan, Highlights Private Sector Role
· Russia Slams U.S. Over Bagram Airbase Ambitions: “A Shameful, Bloody Exit Cannot Be Rewritten”
· Afghan Cleric Shot Dead in Pakistan’s Peshawar
· Collaboration Between Broadcasters Strengthens News Access for Afghans
· 8 injured as BNP, Jamaat activists clash
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islam-jihad-killing-non-muslims-sultan/d/137108
-----
Islam, Jihad Not About Killing Non-Muslims – Sultan of Sokoto
October 3, 2025
By Richard Ogunsile
The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has strongly rejected the widespread notion that Islam encourages the killing of non-Muslims in the name of Jihad.
Speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of the book, Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor (retd.), the monarch said Jihad has been misinterpreted for decades.
“Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim by a Muslim. Jihad means to strive, and in whatever you do in life, you strive to be the best you can be. You strive to be a good Muslim, you strive to be a good Christian, you strive to be a good farmer, or a good engineer. So, Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim; that’s a wrong notion people have been airing out for decades,” he stated.
Naija News reports that the Sultan also addressed the misconception that Islamism is about seizing political power, stressing that Islam’s focus is on justice and good governance, not domination.
“Islamism is not aimed at seizing power at any particular forum. Islam is after good governance in society. President Goodluck Jonathan was President; we gave him 100 per cent support. Throughout his presidency, nobody said anything negative against him… So, Islamism is not what you think it is. It is not to seize power. We’re after good governance,” he explained.
The monarch further cautioned against extremism, noting that Islam has a clear code of conduct based on the Qur’an, the Hadith, and the consensus of Islamic scholars (Ulama).
“And these are written. So, we have a code of conduct; we have ways and means of life. Anybody coming outside these to say things that he really doesn’t know about is not for Islam because Islam abhors extremism. You cannot be an extremist and then claim to be a good Muslim,” he said.
He warned Nigerians to be cautious in their choice of words when discussing insecurity, urging unity and cooperation across religious and ethnic lines.
Misunderstood Positions
Recalling some past controversies, the Sultan said he was once accused of attacking former President Muhammadu Buhari’s second-term bid after delivering a lecture on Islam and leadership in 2019.
“After giving my talk, the following day, the papers carried it [that] I was aiming at President Buhari’s second term because I said things that a good Muslim should do as a leader and what he should not do,” the revered Islamic leader explained.
The Sultan of Sokoto urged Nigerians to work together as “one big family with different backgrounds,” stressing that unity is essential for building a better nation.
“So, let’s come closer as one big family… to make this country a better country, because there is nothing anybody can do,” he said.
The Sultan commended Gen Lucky Irabor for his service to the nation and for documenting his experiences in tackling insecurity through his new book, describing it as a valuable contribution to Nigeria’s collective memory.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/03/islam-jihad-not-about-killing-non-muslims-sultan/
-------
Allahabad HC rejects plea to stay mosque demolition in Sambhal
October 4, 2025
Photo: IANS
---------
The Allahabad High Court on Saturday rejected a petition filed by the Sambhal mosque committee seeking a stay on the demolition of a mosque constructed on pond and government land in Sambhal district.
The matter was taken up in a special hearing today morning at 10:00 am before a single-judge bench of Justice Dinesh Pathak, which declined to grant any interim relief to the petitioners.
The court directed the petitioners to file an appeal in the trial court for any relief against the demolition. Following this, the High Court dismissed the petition.
This was the second consecutive day the court heard the case during a holiday as a special case. During Friday’s hearing, the court had sought documents related to the mosque land. These documents were submitted by the petitioners on Saturday.
According to the petitioners’ counsel, Arvind Kumar Tripathi, the demolition order was received only after the court’s intervention. He alleged that the administration had begun the demolition drive without issuing a formal order.
The petition filed in the High Court had sought a stay on the demolition of the mosque, a marriage hall, and a hospital, claiming that the structures were under threat. It was filed on behalf of Masjid Sharif Gosulbara Rawan Buzurg and the mosque’s Mutawalli Minjar.
The mosque side counsel argued that the marriage hall had already been demolished and that the administration chose October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti and Dussehra) for the demolition, a day when large crowds were present, which could have led to a major accident or communal riot or tension.
Authorities claim that the marriage hall was built on pond land, while a portion of the mosque stands on government land. The mosque committee, however, stated that it had already demolished the illegal portion manually using hammers.
The state government, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, Sambhal, the Additional District Magistrate (ADM), the Tehsildar, and the Gram Sabha have been made parties to the petition.
Advocates Arvind Kumar Tripathi and Shashank Shri Tripathi appeared for the petitioners, while Chief Standing Counsel JN Maurya and Standing Counsel Ashish Mohan Srivastava represented the state.
Source: thestatesman.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thestatesman.com/india/allahabad-hc-rejects-plea-to-stay-mosque-demolition-in-sambhal-1503494761.html
--------
Australian ‘Daesh brides’ smuggle themselves out of Syria
October 04, 2025
There are about 40 Australians – most of them children – held in detention camps in north Syria. (AP)
------------
SYDNEY: Two Australian women with links to Daesh terrorists and their four children have smuggled themselves out of Syria and returned home, with Canberra saying on Friday it was “monitoring” their situation.
The so-called “Daesh brides” and their children left Syria and were detained in neighboring Lebanon as they did not have valid travel documents, but were given Australian passports by Canberra’s agencies.
An official spokesperson said the government “is not providing assistance and is not repatriating individuals” in Syrian camps holding people suspected of ties to Daesh members.
“Our agencies have been monitoring these individuals for some time,” they added. “If any of those people find their own way to return, our security agencies are satisfied that they are prepared and will be able to act in the interests of community safety.”
In 2023, an Australian woman rescued from a squalid Syrian detention camp faced court on charges linked to her former husband’s role within Daesh.
Mariam Raad was repatriated in October the previous year as part of a humanitarian mission to free Australian women and children from Al-Hol and Roj camps. The women were in most cases the wives of Daesh fighters, who said they were forced or tricked into following their husbands to Syria.
Human Rights Watch has praised the government for rescuing Australians from “horrific” conditions.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617721/middle-east
------
It’s Déjà Vu for Muslim Americans as Anti-Muslim Playbook Follows Zohran Mamdani’s Success
3 October 2025
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attends a news conference to address the cost of rent on October 01, 2025 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Getty Images/AFP
------------
Zohran Mamdani ’s swift rise in New York City’s mayoral race has made him into a national symbol — both as a point of pride among many Muslim Americans and a political foil for the right.
His campaign has been met by a surge in anti-Muslim language directed at the Democratic nominee, who would become the city’s first Muslim mayor if elected in November.
Republican Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee called him “little muhammad” and urged deportation. On social media, GOP Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina referenced 9/11 alongside a photo of Mamdani dressed in a kurta, a loose collarless shirt common in South Asia.
Far-right activist Laura Loomer claimed without evidence that “NYC is about to see 9/11 2.0.”
On many levels, Mamdani’s run is a significant moment for the country and New York City, which endured 9/11 and the rise in Islamophobia that followed.
“He really does hold so much symbolism,” said Youssef Chouhoud, a political scientist at Christopher Newport University. The campaign is a reminder of anti-Muslim discrimination, he said, but also of Muslim Americans asserting their right "to lead this society moving forward.”
Politicians from both major parties have attacked Mamdani’s progressive politics and criticism of Israel. Conservatives have leaned more heavily into religious attacks and anti-immigrant sentiments.
President Donald Trump singled him out for censure and falsely questioned his US citizenship, echoing “birther” rhetoric he once aimed at former President Barack Obama.
At the National Conservatism Conference, multiple speakers used Mamdani’s name and religion as attack lines, with former Trump adviser Steve Bannon calling the democratic socialist a “Marxist and a jihadist.”
The rhetoric is all too familiar for many Muslim Americans, including Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, who faced slurs and death threats as the first Muslim woman to run for Congress in New Jersey in 2020.
“We’re at a crossroads,” she said via email. “On one hand, Muslims are achieving unprecedented visibility and influence in political spaces. On the other, our dehumanization has never been so normalized and widespread.”
The threat of political violence
Before his assassination last month, conservative activist Charlie Kirk wrote on social media that, “America’s largest city was attacked by radical Islam 24 years ago, and now a similar form of that pernicious force is poised to capture city hall.”
Mamdani condemned Kirk’s killing while decrying America's plague of political violence.
In September, a Texas man was charged with making death threats against Mamdani, including calling him a terrorist and saying “Muslims don’t belong here,” prosecutors said.
Mamdani’s campaign responded by saying these types of threats “reflect a broader climate of hate that has no place in our city.”
“We cannot and will not be intimidated by racism, Islamophobia and hate,” the statement read.
Islamophobia from 9/11 until now
Anti-Muslim bias has persisted in different forms since Sept. 11, 2001.
New York City police ran a now-disbanded Muslim surveillance program. There was furor in 2010 over plans to build a Muslim community center in lower Manhattan. Nationwide, dozens of states introduced legislation aimed at banning Islamic law.
“At its core, anti-Muslim rhetoric is the same: that Muslims don’t belong in this country, that they are perpetual foreigners, that they are a threat to American society and government,” said Eman Abdelhadi, a sociologist at the University of Chicago.
Critics of Obama, a Christian with Muslim ancestry, sought to use his connections to Islam as a political liability. As president, he spoke about his childhood years in Indonesia and his father’s Muslim family in Kenya as assets in diplomacy.
Trump amplified criticisms of Obama’s background, stoking so-called “birther” rumors by falsely questioning whether Obama was born in the US.
“He’s really created this new permission structure for people to more openly voice their anti-Muslim rhetoric,” Chouhoud said.
A similar playbook is being used with Mamdani. Born in Uganda to parents of Indian descent, he has lived in New York City since he was 7 and became a US citizen in 2018. He was elected to the state Assembly in 2020.
Despite that record, Trump has echoed a false allegation denying Mamdani’s citizenship and immigration status.
Democrats and the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war
Islamophobia and antisemitism have risen during the war in Gaza. Accusations of both have played out in the race for mayor of New York, a city home to the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in the US.
Before dropping out, Mayor Eric Adams joined another Democrat, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in calling Mamdani “dangerous.” Cuomo accused him of “fueling antisemitism” with sharp criticism of Israel.
An outside group supporting Cuomo, who's now running as an independent, prepared a flyer that appeared to lengthen and darken Mamdani’s beard, which Mamdani called “blatant Islamophobia.” Cuomo's campaign disavowed it and the mailer was never sent.
Other Democrats have distanced themselves from Mamdani’s progressive platform, critiques of Israel and staunch support for Palestinian rights.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York apologized to Mamdani after incorrectly saying he referenced “global jihad.” At issue was his refusal to condemn other people's use of the slogan “globalize the intifada.” He later said he would discourage its use. Some see the phrase as a call for Palestinian liberation and rights, others as a call for violence against Jews.
In an emotional news conference ahead of his primary win in June, Mamdani accused his rivals of using antisemitism to score political points. “I’ve said at every opportunity there is no room for antisemitism in this city, in this country.”
Pride and hope from fellow Muslims
Despite the controversies, many American Muslims are upbeat about a possible Mamdani victory.
“The abiding emotion ... is a really deep sense of hope,” said Chouhoud, whose Brooklyn accent speaks to his New York roots.
Shahana Hanif, a Mamdani ally and the first Muslim woman elected to the New York City Council, is optimistic. She said Islamophobia is being used as a fear tactic “and it’s just not working.”
Hanan Thabet, a born-and-raised New Yorker and a Mamdani supporter, said his campaign has energized her family after two years of grief over the killing and starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
So much so that her children — ages 10 and 8 — helped her phone bank for him. “They’re super excited to see this young energetic brown man, Muslim man, you know, potentially be our next mayor.”
As a mother, she feels like it's “impossible to explain why it has become so socially acceptable to dehumanize Muslims and Arabs, and why our lives seem to matter the least.”
“That is what makes Zohran’s candidacy not only historic,” she said, “but necessary.”
Source: aawsat.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://english.aawsat.com/features/5193338-it%E2%80%99s-d%C3%A9j%C3%A0-vu-muslim-americans-anti-muslim-playbook-follows-zohran-mamdani%E2%80%99s
-------
Villa Hegra: Saudi Arabia’s first Saudi-French cultural hub debuts in AlUla
GHADI JOUDAH
October 03, 2025
Villa Hegra, the first joint Saudi-French cultural institution, was officially launched on Thursday in AlUla during a ceremony held at its premises. (All photos by Saad Sultan)
------------
ALULA: Villa Hegra, the first joint Saudi-French cultural institution, was officially launched on Thursday in AlUla during a ceremony held at its premises.
It was inaugurated by Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al-Saud, minister of culture, governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, and chairman of the Villa Hegra Foundation.
The ceremony brought together prominent officials and cultural leaders from Saudi Arabia and France.
Villa Hegra marks a significant milestone in cultural collaboration, reinforcing the deep ties between the two nations.
A product of the strategic partnership between RCU and the French Agency for the Development of AlUla, the initiative is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.
It aims to harmonize AlUla’s cultural heritage with its global aspirations, positioning the region as a hub for arts, culture and sustainable tourism.
Feriel Fodil, CEO of Villa Hegra, described the institution’s distinctive position within the global network of cultural villas.
“Villa Hegra is quite unique in the network of cultural villas in the world. It’s the first Saudi-French cultural institution in the Kingdom, born from the friendship between the two countries,” she told Arab News.
She emphasized that the villa was designed to serve local, regional and international audiences through its diverse programs. These include creative workshops for children and teenagers, artist residencies jointly led by Saudi and French artists, and collaborations with French institutions such as the Philharmonie de Paris.
Fodil traced the origins of Villa Hegra to a 2018 intergovernmental agreement between Saudi Arabia and France, aimed at developing AlUla as a major cultural and tourist hub.
“Another agreement in 2021 laid the foundation for this new villa, positioning it as part of a major global villa network,” she said, referring to its alignment with other prestigious French cultural villas such as Villa Medici in Italy and Villa Kujoyama in Japan.
The governance structure of Villa Hegra reflects a balanced collaboration between Saudi Arabia and France.
Fodil said: “The villa is unique because it’s a space of co-direction and co-creation between Saudi Arabia and France. The goal is to ensure that there is a partnership between the two countries, enhancing what’s best in France and enhancing the dialogue between Saudi Arabia and France.”
She said that this partnership was evident in the villa’s curatorial direction, which was jointly overseen by Saudi and French curators.
Together, they guided artist residencies and programs that blend the cultural strengths of both countries. For example, Fodil said: “We have a Saudi artist, Badr Ali, working with USM to produce artwork, and a French artist, Paul Emilieu Marchesseau, working with local artisans from AlUla to produce the furniture for the villa.”
In addition, the villa’s partnership with the Philharmonie de Paris will bring music workshops to children in AlUla, reflecting its commitment to nurturing local talent. “This dialogue is part of the DNA of the villa,” Fodil said.
Saudi artist Badr Ali, who contributed to Villa Hegra’s design, told Arab News, “As a painter, my practice has always been within intimate spaces — gallery walls, where you are told not to touch the work or cross the line.”
Ali said that when invited to be part of Villa Hegra, “it brought me into a completely different realm, transforming my work into functional art that’s part of daily life.”
He added that his work for Villa Hegra included interactive pieces that allowed people to sit on them, store their belongings, and use them in daily life.
Ali also spoke about his collaboration with USM, a Swiss brand known for its modular furniture systems. “I visited factories in Switzerland to see how the materials were made and how they could be adapted into furniture and public spaces.”
His experience, Ali said, gave him insight into how functional art could blend practicality with creativity.
Ali further reflected on the significance of this shift in the Saudi art scene. He said that functional art was still new in Saudi Arabia, but was gaining traction as people moved away from viewing art as a “precious object” to something that is interactive and useful.
“It’s a welcome change, especially in Saudi Arabia, where functional art is still new. It adds a layer of creativity and practicality to the arts scene,” he said.
Villa Hegra not only seeks to enhance the cultural landscape of AlUla but also aims to establish itself as a landmark in the international arts scene.
Fodil explained that the villa embodied both local and global ambitions. “The villa is positioned with global ambitions, on top of having a local ambition to enhance the cultural landscape of AlUla.”
Ali echoed this sentiment, emphasizing how the villa represented a broader cultural shift. “It’s about moving beyond the precious art object and creating something interactive and invaluable — a reflection of how art can seamlessly integrate into everyday life. It’s exciting to see this shift happen here, in AlUla.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617683/saudi-arabia
-------
Africa
Declare State Of Emergency On Boko Haram – Ex-Defence Chief, Irabor Tells FG
October 4, 2025
By Enioluwa Adeniyi
A former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (retd.), has said that the Boko Haram insurgency has dragged on for more than a decade because of the sect’s guerrilla warfare, extremist ideology and weak political responses.
Naija News gathered that Irabor, in excerpts from his new book, Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, also accused some politicians of making reckless statements that indirectly embolden insurgents while undermining the unity of the country.
According to him, Boko Haram’s resilience stems from its ideology, which promises “eternal reward” for fighters, making the group difficult to defeat.
Irabor said, “The war against Boko Haram has lasted over a decade, and the main reason the group persists is due to the guerrilla tactics it employs and the ideology that motivates it, which suggests there is eternal reward to be gained from fighting.”
He noted that the sect sustains itself by taxing farming and fishing communities and by leveraging external financial and technical support.
More critically, he warned that tacit support from some local populations and irresponsible political rhetoric serve as incentives for the group’s operations.
The retired General faulted politicians and influential Nigerians who, in his words, “inadvertently or otherwise eulogise Boko Haram activities” just to criticise government policies.
“Such behaviour is a disservice to the cause of peace and unity of the country,” he wrote, stressing that partisan politics had weakened the collective fight against insurgency.
Irabor further argued that Nigeria’s response to the insurgency had been crippled by the lack of political will.
He called on the Federal Government to proclaim a state of emergency, backed by the National Assembly, to consolidate all elements of national power in the war against Boko Haram.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/04/declare-state-of-emergency-on-boko-haram-ex-defence-chief-irabor-tells-fg/
-------
I Thought Boko Haram Would Hand Over Their Guns To Buhari – Goodluck Jonathan
October 3, 2025
By Justina Otio
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once chose the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.
According to him, the insurgents chose Buhari after his then-administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.
Jonathan made the revelation on Friday while speaking at the public presentation of “Scars,” a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.) in Abuja.
Jonathan said, “One of the committees we set up then, the Boko Haram nominated Buhari to lead their team to negotiate with the government.
“So I was feeling that, oh, if they nominated Buhari to represent them and had a discussion with the government committee, then when Buhari took over, it could have been an easy way to negotiate with them and they would have handed over their guns. But it was still there till today.”
Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.
Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigerians to begin asking the right questions concerning the Boko Haram menace plaguing the country
He lamented that Boko Haram insurgency had now become part of the daily lives of Nigerians.
He shared his reservations on Friday at the unveiling of the book, ‘Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,’ authored by a former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor, in Abuja.
Obasanjo, who wrote the foreword for the book, said, “Boko Haram is now virtually becoming part of our life. Should we accept that? If we should not accept it, what should we do?
“How much do we know? Even from the other side, and from this side, have we been active enough? Have we been proactive enough?
“I think we have to ask ourselves the necessary questions to be able to deal with this thing that is now becoming a monster within our country.”
He, therefore, called for more critical discussions to proffer solutions to the Boko Haram menace in Nigeria.
Obasanjo, however, said that the former CDS showed courage by sharing his insider experience in the war against terrorism in the book for posterity.
Also, in attendance at the event are former President Goodluck Jonathan, service chiefs, former and serving governors, and clerics
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/03/i-thought-boko-haram-would-hand-over-their-guns-to-buhari-goodluck-jonathan/
------
Buhari Escaped A Bomb Attack On His Life By Boko Haram – Garba Shehu Blasts Jonathan
October 4, 2025
By Justina Otio
Former Presidential spokesman to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, has berated ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan over claims that his principal was a negotiator for Boko Haram.
Naija News reports that Jonathan had earlier claimed that Boko Haram had asked Buhari to represent them while dealing with the federal government.
Jonathan stated that it was for this reason that he believed the insurgency would end after he took over power.
Reacting to Jonathan’s claim via a statement, Shehu asserted that Boko Haram did not nominate Buhari.
In a statement, Shehu said, “We are compelled to make a response to a terrible statement made on the late president Muhammadu Buhari by his predecessor in office, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to the effect that Boko Haram had nominated him to represent them in a dialogue with the government.
“If this is a campaign statement towards his bid for the presidency in 2027, we want to say to him that Mr Jonathan, you are making a false start.
“Muhammed Yusuf or Abubakar Shekau, the deceased leaders of the Boko Haram terrorist group, never nominated Muhammadu Buhari for any such role. In fact, Shekau routinely denounced and threatened Buhari, and their ideologies were in direct opposition.
“In 2014, Muhammadu Buhari escaped a bomb attack on his life by Boko Haram in Kaduna, in which his personal staff suffered various degrees of injury.
“Buhari’s campaigns focused on fighting Boko Haram and restoring security to Nigeria whenever he became president, putting him in direct opposition to the terrorist group’s leader.
“Contrary to the news making the rounds in those years that the radical Islamist extremist, Boko Haram, had nominated General Muhammadu Buhari as the mediator between them and the Federal Government of Nigeria in the proposed peace talks, the retired Military General denied knowledge of his nomination.”
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/04/buhari-escaped-a-bomb-attack-on-his-life-by-boko-haram-garba-shehu-blasts-jonathan/
------
Afenifere Raises Alarm Over Fresh Attacks In Kwara, Kogi
October 4, 2025
Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has warned that the recent attacks on communities in Kwara and Kogi states were deliberate attempts by “territory expansionists, terrorists, and disgruntled elements” to destabilise Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, the group also sympathised with the governments and people of both states over the insecurity and a recent boat mishap.
According to Afenifere, the sacking of communities in Kwara, Kogi, and other parts of the Middle Belt was a grim reminder of the dangers terrorism poses to the South-West and other regions.
Ajayi said, “The method of operation of the terrorists in Kwara went beyond those who are kidnapping for ransom or just seeking fodder for livestock. The type of weapons they use, the derring-do manner with which they attack, and the intensity of the damage clearly indicate that they have very powerful people sponsoring them both locally and internationally.”
Naija News reports that he stressed that the deliberate use of the word “very” was to underline the depth of involvement of powerful interests behind the violence.
The group further alleged that the violence might be linked to so-called “illegal miners” and other shadowy backers profiting from instability.
“Kwara, known as the ‘State of Harmony’, was lately invaded with lives lost, properties destroyed, and socio-economic activities severely disrupted. However, those supporting, collaborating and sponsoring the evil doers need to remember that when the country is destabilised, they are not going to be immune,” Afenifere secretary warned.
It added that global examples such as Afghanistan and Libya should serve as lessons for those aiding terror.
Ajayi further cautioned that the same violence being nurtured by sponsors could one day consume their families.
“Hard-hearted elements with power can be very deadly. Not only that, they do not have respect for human rights at all, as events in various parts of the world and in some Nigerian communities show. Children and family members of terrorists’ sponsors cannot escape from the wrath they are bringing upon the land either,” he said.
Source: naijanews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.naijanews.com/2025/10/04/afenifere-raises-alarm-over-fresh-attacks-in-kwara-kogi/
-------
India
UP Poster Controversy Surrounding, ‘I Love Muhammad ‘Reaches Jalandhar; Protest, FIR
Oct 4, 2025
Jalandhar: The controversy surrounding the poster, ‘I Love Muhammad', which originated in Uttar Pradesh, reached Jalandhar on Friday evening, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a political protest.
An altercation occurred between a Hindu youth and Muslim protesters who had gathered to submit a memorandum addressed to the President regarding the UP incidents. Later, local BJP leaders and other Hindu groups launched a protest and staged a dharna at the busy BMC Chowk, demanding the registration of a case.
Advocate Naeem Khan, president, Muslim Sangathan Punjab, said that his group was gathered to submit a memo to the commissioner of police outside the district administration complex when a man on a scooter, identified as Yogesh Maini, ran into them and raised slogans.
"Cops were present, and they intervened. The situation was soon sorted out, but then it was made into a big issue," Khan claimed.
However, Yogesh Maini, a local resident, alleged that he was stopped and forced to raise religious slogans, but he instead raised ‘Jai Sri Ram' slogans, after which he was "assaulted".
Maini said he was saved by local residents Rajesh Jain and Amit Bhatia. Both are active leaders of the BJP and RSS. When questioned, Bhatia denied knowing Maini, stating they only intervened when they saw he was surrounded by an "angry and aggressive crowd" after raising the ‘Jai Shri Ram' slogan.
The incident was captured on cameras, and the video quickly went viral, fueling the tension. Following the videos circulation, local BJP leaders, VHP, and various groups of Shiv Sena mobilised to the site and commenced a protest.
The groups later moved to BMC Chowk and staged a dharna for over two hours. Key participants included Punjab BJP vice-president K D Bhandari, former MLA Sheetal Angural, and district BJP President Sushil Sharma. The protesting Hindu groups also called for a further demonstration at Company Bagh Chowk on Saturday.
Later, police registered an FIR on the statement of Maini. The case was filed against unidentified persons for offences including voluntarily causing hurt, wrongful restraint, criminal intimidation, and hurting religious sentiments under sections 115, 126, 351, and 296 of BNS.
Maini later submitted a supplementary statement to the police, adding a few local leaders of the Muslim community to the list of accused.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Pargat Singh issued an appeal to all communities in Jalandhar to maintain peace and brotherhood. "Punjab has always lived in harmony, and no one will be allowed to disturb this unity. Let the law take its own course. I urge everyone to cooperate with the administration and ensure calm," he posted on his social media accounts.
Source: indiatimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/protest-fir-as-up-poster-row-reaches-jalandhar/articleshow/124297618.cms
------
Gujarat HC Refuses To Stop Partial Demolition Of ‘400-Year-Old’ Mancha Masjid, For Road-Widening Project
Scroll Staff
Oct 4, 2025
The Gujarat High Court on Friday declined to interfere with an order refusing to stop the partial demolition of a mosque said to be about 400 years old in Ahmedabad, Live Law reported. A part of the structure is being set back to widen a road leading to the Sabarmati railway station.
A division bench of Justices AS Supehia and LS Pirzada noted that the mosque, known as Mancha Masjid, was not being completely demolished.
The bench agreed with a September 23 order issued by a single-judge bench that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation followed the required procedure before deciding to set back a part of the premises of the mosque in Saraspur.
The mosque’s mutawalli, or custodian, had filed an appeal after the single judge had rejected his petition challenging the municipal corporation’s action.
Before the single judge, the mutawalli had submitted that the name of the mosque appeared in the revenue records, Live Law reported. He added that the structure had been reconstructed and renovated several times, and that it had its own significance in the Muslim community.
The property in question was also controlled and supervised by the waqf board, he added.
A waqf is an endowment under Islamic law dedicated to a religious, educational or charitable cause. Each state has a waqf board led by a legal entity vested with the power to acquire, hold and transfer property.
The state government, however, told the single judge that the road alignment plan prescribed by the municipal commissioner was needed to regulate traffic and allow emergency vehicles to move efficiently.
It contended that individual inconvenience may be ignored against the larger public interest, particularly when statutory powers were exercised by the authority after following due procedure under provisions of the law.
Before the division bench, the counsel for the mutawalli argued that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation had rejected all objections raised in the matter without addressing concerns after a notice was issued for the partial demolition.
The mutawalli had also claimed that the municipal corporation failed to follow legal precedents with regard to the road-widening project.
The counsel argued that the single judge had incorrectly interpreted legal precedents of the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act read together with protective laws dealing with waqf properties.
On the other hand, the counsel for the municipal corporation had told the court that show cause notices had been issued to all stakeholders and the rules under the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations Act had been followed.
The counsel noted that the final decision on setbacks was with the municipal standing committee, which had considered all objections, including that of the mutawalli, before approving the plan.
On Friday, the division bench noted that the road-widening affected many properties.
“We have noticed that there are a number of properties including commercial properties, residential as well as temple have also been included for demolition due to widening of the road,” Live Law quoted the court as saying.
The court said that the law allowed the commissioner, with the approval of the standing committee, to take a decision on pulling down any building or part thereof, which was in the regular line of a street.
“It is not in dispute that there are numerous properties, including residential areas and commercial as also a religious properties which are included for demolition in the road widening,” Live Law quoted the division bench as saying. “One of the properties is of the appellant.”
After reviewing the single-judge order, the division bench dismissed the appeal.
Source: scroll.in
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://scroll.in/latest/1087278/gujarat-hc-refuses-to-stop-partial-demolition-of-400-year-old-mosque-for-road-widening-project
-------
Protest in Coimbatore condemns Israel’s ‘genocide’ in Palestine
October 03, 2025
The Coimbatore District United Jamath, the Federation of Islamic Organisations and Muslim-centric political parties staged a protest in Coimbatore on Friday, accusing Israel of committing a ‘genocide’ in Palestine.
Leaders and members from Coimbatore District United Jamath, Jamiat Ulama Sabhai, Indian Union Muslim League, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Manithaneya Makkal Katchi, Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi, Jammiyyathu Ahlil Quran Val Hadees, India Thowheed Jamaath, Yegathuva Muslim Jamaath, Welfare Party of India, Kerala Muslim Educational, and Wahdat-e-Islami Hind took part in the protest.
A release stated that Israel has blockaded all land, sea and air routes, denying the people of Gaza access to basic necessities such as food, water, electricity, and life-saving medicine.
The Israeli Zionist occupation government, with the support of superpowers including the United States, is carrying out the greatest genocide of our time, disregarding international law and various UN resolutions, it alleged.
Relief supplies for the people of Gaza, including medicines and baby food, continue to be stopped and spoiled at the Rafah border with Egypt. Israel has also attacked a Gaza aid flotilla carrying more than 500 human rights activists and volunteers, it said.
The protesters wanted the Government of India to change its stance on the Israel occupation of Palestine and stand with the victims.
Source: thehindu.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/protest-in-coimbatore-condemns-israels-genocide-in-palestine/article70121984.ece
--------
Allahabad HC grants bail to man accused of posting ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ on social media
04.10.25
The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to a man accused of sharing a post praising Pakistan on social media.
Sajid Chaudhary, a resident of Meerut, was booked under Section 152 (endangering India's sovereignty) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and had been in jail since May 13, 2025.
The post in question allegedly read: "Kamran Bhatti Proud of You, Pakistan Zindabad".
Allowing the bail plea, Justice Santosh Rai observed that while posting such a message may provoke anger or disharmony among citizens could be punishable under Section 196 (promoting enmity) of the BNS, it did not attract the stringent provisions of Section 152 of the BNS.
The applicant's counsel argued that Chaudhary had been falsely implicated due to ulterior motives, and he had only forwarded the post and not posted or circulated any video anywhere.
He further submitted that the accused had no criminal history and there was no likelihood of his tampering with evidence if released on bail.
The government counsel opposed the plea, claiming the applicant was a separatist and had previously engaged in similar activities.
In the order dated September 25, 2025, the court observed that the government counsel had not submitted any evidence proving that the accused had made any statement against the integrity and sovereignty of India.
The court also observed that Section 152 of the BNS was a newly introduced provision without an equivalent in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and cautioned that it should be invoked only with reasonable care.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/allahabad-hc-grants-bail-to-man-accused-of-posting-pakistan-zindabad-on-social-media/cid/2126110
-------
Chief Justice Gavai defends rule of law in India, denounces bulldozer justice trend
04.10.25
Chief Justice B.R. Gavai on Friday told a gathering in Mauritius that the Indian legal system is governed by the rule of law and “not by bulldozer”, referring to the trend of the government razing houses of those accused in criminal cases.“The judgment sent a clear message that the Indian legal system is governed by the rule of law, not by the rule of the bulldozer,” Chief Justice Gavai told the gathering at the inaugural Sir Maurice Rault Memorial Lecture 2025 on “Rule of Law in the Largest Democracy” in Mauritius, where he is on a three-day official visit.
Last year, a bench led by Chief Justice Gavai issued guidelines restraining authorities from indiscriminately razing the houses of accused persons with bulldozers.
The court mandated that authorities must give prior notice to the affected persons before initiating any move to demolish their houses because they were constructed illegally.
He said that the Supreme Court had elaborated on the rule of law being the antithesis of lawlessness and the breakdown of public order.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/chief-justice-gavai-defends-rule-of-law-in-india-denounces-bulldozer-justice-trend-prnt/cid/2126049
------
‘Must be held accountable’: India slams Pakistan over ‘horrific’ rights abuses in PoK protests
03.10.25
India on Friday said Pakistan must be held accountable for its "horrific" human rights violations against innocent protesters in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Several areas in PoK have witnessed widespread protests with people demanding basic rights, justice and an end to what they described as systemic oppression.
"We have seen reports on protests in several areas of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, including brutalities by Pakistani forces on innocent civilians," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
"We believe that it is a natural consequence of Pakistan's oppressive approach and its systemic plundering of resources from these territories, which remain under its forcible and illegal occupation," he said.
Jaiswal was responding to a question at his weekly media briefing.
"Pakistan must be held accountable for its horrific human rights violations," he said.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/must-be-held-accountable-india-slams-pakistan-over-horrific-rights-abuses-in-pok-protests/cid/2126011
-------
Year after communal violence in UP's Bahraich, NSA invoked against eight accused
Namita Bajpai
03 Oct 2025
LUCKNOW: A year after communal violence in Bahraich that left one person dead, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police have invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against eight accused who are currently jailed on charges of murder and rioting.
Communal clashes erupted in the Maharajganj area of central UP on October 13, after locals allegedly asked for the music to be turned off during a Durga idol immersion procession passing through a Muslim-dominated locality.
A heated argument escalated into clashes and stone-pelting between the two communities. The situation worsened when gunshots were allegedly fired, and a resident, Ram Gopal Mishra, 22, sustained a bullet wound while trying to replace a green flag on a building with a saffron one. Mishra was rushed to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The incident intensified the violence, and several properties, including business establishments and houses, were set ablaze. Rioters also clashed with the police, and it took over a month for normalcy to return, during which heavy security forces remained deployed.
According to Circle Officer (CO) of Mahsi area, Dhirendra Kumar Srivastava, the DM had endorsed the recommendation to invoke the NSA against the eight accused two days ago. The eight accused are Maroof Ali, Nankau, Mohammad Fahim, Mohammad Afzal, Mohammad Zeeshan, Javed, Shoaib Khan, and Saif Ali.
Earlier, the government had approved the NSA against five other accused in the same case after the administration made a recommendation. Following the violence, police had also booked rioters from the other community for indulging in arson, and many of them were sent to jail.
District Magistrate Akshay Tripathi, while justifying the action, said, “This step has been taken in the interest of public peace, law, and security. If anyone attempts to disturb peace in the future, strict action will be taken on similar lines.”
The Uttar Pradesh government has directed strict enforcement of law and order across the state. Under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980, the eight accused have been formally detained, and further proceedings are underway as per government orders.
Source: newindianexpress.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/03/year-after-communal-violence-in-ups-bahraich-nsa-invoked-against-eight-accused
------
Mideast
Netanyahu ordered drone attacks on Gaza-bound aid boats off Tunisia last month, CBS News reports
October 04, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly approved military operations on two vessels last month that were part of the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian supporters, CBS News reported on Friday, citing two U.S. intelligence officials.
Israeli forces on September 8 and 9 launched drones from a submarine and dropped incendiary devices onto the boats that were moored outside the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said, causing a fire, according to the report.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617718/middle-east
------
Israeli army ‘dropped grenades’ near Lebanon UN peacekeepers
October 03, 2025
BEIRUT: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said Friday that the Israeli military had dropped grenades near its peacekeepers in south Lebanon the day before, urging the army to stop such attacks.
UNIFIL peacekeepers have been working with the Lebanese army to support a November ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between Israel and militant group Hezbollah that culminated in two months of open war.
The latest incident comes a month after UNIFIL said Israeli drones had dropped four grenades near peacekeepers, with Israel insisting at the time that there was “no intentional fire” directed at the force on that occasion.
“Yesterday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) dropped grenades near peacekeepers working alongside Lebanese soldiers to provide security for civilian workers” in Maroun Al-Ras near the Israeli border, a UNIFIL statement said Friday, adding that nobody was hurt.
The workers “were trying to clear the ruins of homes destroyed due to the war,” and peacekeepers had informed the Israeli army of the activity in advance, UNIFIL added.
In one incident, the statement said, two groups of peacekeepers “heard a grenade explode near an excavator” around 500 meters (yards) away.
“Moments later, the first group saw a drone fly overhead and witnessed an explosion about 30-40 meters away,” it added.
Soon after, “the second group saw another drone drop a grenade that exploded just 20 meters over their heads.”
Under the US-brokered ceasefire, Hezbollah and Israel were both required to withdraw from south Lebanon, while UNIFIL deployed there alongside the Lebanese military, in part to help dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure.
Israel has kept up regular strikes on what it says are Hezbollah targets despite the truce, and has maintained its troops in five locations it deems strategic.
UNIFIL said Friday’s attack demonstrated disregard for peacekeepers “and the stability they are working to restore.”
“Such actions also constitute a serious violation of (United Nations) Security Council resolution 1701,” it added, referring to a resolution that ended a 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and formed the basis of the November ceasefire.
The statement urged the Israeli army “to cease attacks on or near peacekeepers, civilians, and Lebanese soldiers and allow us to carry out our mandated tasks without obstruction.”
UNIFIL has been deployed since 1978 to separate Israel and Lebanon, and numbers some 10,000 personnel from almost 50 countries.
In August, the Security Council voted to end UNIFIL’s mission in 2027.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617689/middle-east
------
UK Foreign Office ‘very concerned’ about Gaza flotilla detainees
October 03, 2025
LONDON: The UK Foreign Office has voiced its concern over the fate of around 470 activists set to be taken by Israeli authorities to a prison in the Negev Desert.
The activists — including environmentalist Greta Thunberg, Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla Mandela and a former Royal Air Force pilot — were part of the Global Sumud Flotilla trying to break the siege of Gaza.
They were arrested by Israeli forces in international waters before being transferred to the city of Ashdod for processing.
Before being boarded, Thunberg posted a video message to social media saying: “If you’re watching this video, I’ve been abducted and taken against my will by Israeli forces. Our humanitarian mission was non-violent and abiding by international law.”
Many of the activists will be taken to Ketziot prison, which is known for violent treatment of Palestinian detainees, for several days before they are deported.
Clare Azzougarh, daughter of 72-year-old RAF veteran Malcolm Ducker, told The Times: “This is where they keep Palestinians accused of terrorism, so I have concerns about their welfare — this looks punitive.
“They said it is because there are so many of them and they need to keep them together but I don’t believe that for a second.”
She said she had seen footage of her father being hit with water cannons fired by Israeli military vessels.
“The people on his boat all decided to ditch their phones when they were intercepted to avoid their data and contacts being taken by the Israelis,” she added.
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister, posted on X: “I think they must be kept here in an Israeli prison for a few months, so that they can smell the scent of the terrorist wing.
“There can be no situation in which the prime minister sends them again and again and again to their countries — and this sending causes them to return again and again and again.”
The UK Foreign Office said it is “very concerned” about the wellbeing of the activists, with South Africa, Colombia, Spain, Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan lodging official protests with Israel at their detention.
A Foreign Office spokesman said in a statement: “We are very concerned about the situation with the Sumud flotilla. We are in touch with the families of a number of British nationals involved and we have been in contact with the Israeli authorities to make clear that we expect the situation to be resolved safely, in line with international law and with due respect for the rights of all those on board.
“The aid carried by the flotilla should be turned over to humanitarian organisations on the ground to be delivered safely into Gaza.”
Four Italian MPs aboard the flotilla were released quickly, the country’s Foreign Ministry said, after Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni claimed that the flotilla could endanger peace talks to end the war in Gaza and condemned strikes in her country in protest against the arrests.
Around 30,000 people took to the streets of Milan on Friday as train services nationwide were canceled.
The day before, protesters targeted a conference in Turin due to host EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, while 10,000 people marched through Rome on Wednesday.
Protests were also held in Florence and Bologna, as well as in Greece, Germany, Tunisia and Turkiye. On Thursday, as many as 150,000 people marched through Barcelona in Spain.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617687/middle-east
------
Trump sets Hamas Sunday deadline to agree peace deal
October 03, 2025
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip: US President Donald Trump said Friday that Hamas must agree to a proposed peace deal by Sunday evening, threatening an even greater military onslaught nearly two years into the war sparked by the Oct. 7 attack into Israel.
Trump appears keen to deliver on pledges to end the war and return dozens of hostages ahead of the second anniversary of the attack on Tuesday. His peace plan has been accepted by Israel and welcomed internationally, but key mediators Egypt and Qatar, and at least one Hamas official, have said some elements need further negotiation, without elaborating.
“An Agreement must be reached with Hamas by Sunday Evening at SIX (6) P.M., Washington, D.C. time,” Trump wrote Friday on social media. “Every Country has signed on! If this LAST CHANCE agreement is not reached, all HELL, like no one has ever seen before, will break out against Hamas. THERE WILL BE PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.”
Trump’s plan would end the fighting and return hostages
Under the plan, which Trump unveiled earlier this week alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Hamas would immediately release the remaining 48 hostages — around 20 of them believed to be alive. It would also give up power and disarm.
In return, Israel would halt its offensive and withdraw from much of the territory, release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and allow an influx of humanitarian aid and eventual reconstruction. Plans to relocate much of Gaza’s population to other countries would be shelved.
The territory of some 2 million Palestinians would be placed under international governance, with Trump himself and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair overseeing it. The plan provides no path for eventual reunification with the Israeli-occupied West Bank in a future Palestinian state.
A Hamas official told The Associated Press this week that some elements of the plan are unacceptable and need to be amended, without elaborating. Palestinians long for an end to the war, but many view this and previous US proposals as strongly favoring Israel.
US and Israel seek to pressure Hamas
Israel has sought to ramp up pressure on Hamas since ending an earlier ceasefire in March. It sealed the territory off from food, medicine and other goods for 2 1/2 months and has seized, flattened and largely depopulated large areas of the territory.
Experts determined that Gaza City had slid into famine shortly before Israel launched a major offensive aimed at occupying it. An estimated 400,000 people have fled the city in recent weeks, but hundreds of thousands more have stayed behind.
Olga Cherevko, a spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office, said she saw several displaced families staying in the parking lot of Shifa Hospital during a visit on Thursday.
“They are not able to move south because they just cannot afford it,” Cherevko told The Associated Press. “One of the families had three children and the woman was pregnant with her fourth. And there were many other vulnerable cases there, including elderly people and people with disabilities.”
Trump wrote that most of Hamas’ fighters are “surrounded and MILITARILY TRAPPED, just waiting for me to give the word, ‘GO,’ for their lives to be quickly extinguished. As for the rest, we know where and who you are, and you will be hunted down, and killed.”
Most of Hamas’ top leaders in Gaza and thousands of its fighters have already been killed, but it still has influence in areas not controlled by the Israeli military and launches sporadic attacks that have killed and wounded Israeli soldiers.
Hamas has held firm to its position that it will only release the remaining hostages — its sole bargaining chip and potential human shields — in exchange for a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal. Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying Hamas must surrender and disarm.
Second anniversary approaches
Thousands of Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, attacking army bases, farming communities and an outdoor music festival, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians. They abducted 251 others, most of them since released in ceasefires or other deals.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were civilians or combatants. It says women and children make up around half the dead.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties.
The offensive has displaced around 90 percent of Gaza’s population, often multiple times, and left much of the territory uninhabitable.
Both the Biden and Trump administrations have tried to end the fighting and bring back the hostages while providing extensive military and diplomatic support to Israel.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617684/middle-east
--------
Hamas agrees to free hostages under Trump's Gaza proposal
OCTOBER 03, 2025
The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) announced Friday that it has submitted its response to US President Donald Trump's plan to cease the war in the Gaza Strip to the mediators.
In a statement, the movement said it had held extensive consultations to reach a "responsible position" on the US president's plan, out of its desire to halt the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.
It expressed its appreciation for Arab, Islamic, and international efforts, as well as the efforts of US President Donald Trump, calling for an end to the war on the Gaza Strip, an exchange of prisoners, the immediate entry of aid, and the rejection of the occupation of the Strip and the displacement of the Palestinian people from it.
It added: "We announce our agreement to the release of all prisoners, alive and dead, in accordance with the exchange formula included in President Trump's proposal and with the provision of field conditions for the exchange process," stressing its readiness to immediately enter negotiations through the mediators to discuss the details.
The movement also renewed its agreement to hand over the administration of the Gaza Strip to a Palestinian body of independent technocrats, based on Palestinian national consensus and Arab and Islamic support.
The statement continued saying that the other issues included in President Trump's proposal related to the future of the Gaza Strip and the inherent rights of the Palestinian people are linked to a comprehensive national position and based on relevant international laws and resolutions. These matters will be discussed within a comprehensive Palestinian national framework, of which Hamas will be a member and to which it will contribute responsibly, the statement said.
Source: gulf-times.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.gulf-times.com/article/712025/region/hamas-announces-agreement-to-release-hostages-seeks-negotiations
------
45 Thousand Palestinians perform Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque
03 Oct 2025
45 thousand Palestinians performed Friday prayers today at Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards despite the intensified restrictions and heavy presence imposed by the Israeli enemy forces and its settlers during this period coinciding with the so-called "Jewish holidays".
Palestinian sources reported that the Palestinians performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards despite the restrictions imposed on women, children, and young men.
Worshippers flocked from Quds towns and neighboring cities to perform Friday prayers and participate in mass marches rejecting the plan of US President Donald Trump and the war of genocide on the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli enemy police stopped those heading to the mosque, checked their IDs, and closed the roads leading to the Old City, while opening squares for settlers to perform their rituals.
The enemy forces also closed the Ammariya road, the only passage for vehicles to the Old City in Quds, to secure settlers during the Hebrew "Yom Kippur."
In a parallel context, Palestinian calls were launched to consider this Friday a day of rejection of the surrender plan imposed by "Trump" and "Netanyahu" on the Palestinian people, and to go out in mass marches and vigils in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and the occupied interior, denouncing the crime of the Zionist enemy in hijacking the global Steadfastness Flotilla heading to Gaza.
The calls emphasized the necessity of wide mobilization in the marches to support the factions in their decision to defend the Palestinian cause and the freedom of the Palestinians.
These calls come amidst appeals to all free people in the world to go out in global marches in all squares, declaring their broad rejection of the surrender plan imposed by Trump and Netanyahu on the Palestinian people.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3564308.htm
------
Iran & Pakistan stress Importance of Islamic action to end genocide in palestine
03 Oct 2025
Tehran - Saba: The foreign ministers of Iran and Pakistan considered the Palestinian issue one of the most important issues in the Islamic world, calling for immediate and effective action by Islamic countries to end the genocide of Palestinians and hold the perpetrators accountable.
In a telephone call, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar discussed bilateral relations and international developments, according to the Iranian Fars News Agency today.
The two sides emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two countries in all areas of mutual interest.
The agency added that the two ministers stressed the need to enhance coordination and cooperation at the bilateral level and within the framework of international organizations to maintain regional and international peace and stability.
The Iranian foreign minister thanked Pakistan for its responsible stance in the UN Security Council in opposing the misuse of the dispute resolution mechanism in the nuclear agreement by the three European countries (Britain, Germany, and France) to restore expired Security Council resolutions, stressing that UN Security Council Resolution 2231 must be considered expired in accordance with its provisions and the text of the nuclear agreement by the specified date of October 18, according to the agency.
Source: saba.ye
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.saba.ye/en/news3564230.htm
-------
North America
CAIR Condemns Neo-Nazi Vandalism Targeting New Mexico School
October 3, 2025
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned neo-Nazi vandalism targeting Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
That school sent a letter to parents saying the vandalism consisting of eggs being thrown at structures and a Nazi swastika spray-painted on a side of a building.
CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison said:
“We unequivocally condemn this hateful act of neo-Nazi vandalism targeting Eldorado High School. Symbols of racist hate and white supremacy have no place in our communities, let alone near institutions of learning. We stand in solidarity with the students, families, and educators affected by this disturbing incident, and we urge law enforcement to investigate it as a possible hate crime. It is imperative that we confront and reject rising extremism wherever it appears.”
He said Washington, D.C., based CAIR and the American Muslim community stand in solidarity with all those challenging antisemitism, systemic anti-Black racism, xenophobia, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and all other forms of bigotry.
Source: cair.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-condemns-neo-nazi-vandalismctargeting-new-mexico-school/
-------
Concerns around Holy Land Foundation trial resurface after arrest of Muslim activist
Fiona André
October 3, 2025
(RNS) — Advocates raised concerns about what they see as the Trump administration’s efforts to criminalize pro-Palestinian activism at the Arab Convention in Dearborn, Michigan, last weekend. The arrest of Marwan Marouf, a Dallas Muslim community leader placed in United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention last week, was seen by some as a wake-up call.
During an ArabCon panel, Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ San Francisco Bay Area chapter, said Muslim and Arab American activists and organizations could be disproportionately affected by recent legislation constraining criticism of Israel. One speaker cited anti-boycott, divestment and sanctions policies and antisemitism awareness acts, which tend to consider much criticism of Israel as antisemitism, passed in dozens of states.
“Everything we lost in 2001, we don’t really have it back,” Billoo said, referring to what she called civil rights Arab and Muslim Americans lost in the wake of 9/11 amid the “war on terror.” “… Whatever passes now, stays in place and we have to keep that in mind when we are fighting. … And the people we lose will stay behind bars.”
Billoo quickly transitioned to the case of Marouf, whose green card was denied allegedly due to his donations in the 1990s to the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a prominent Muslim charity later charged with providing funds to Hamas-run groups. Arguments used in 2002 to bring criminal charges against the Holy Land Five — the charity’s leaders convicted of diverting funds to Hamas-run groups — were used in Marouf’s case, she noted. She said Marouf is now “facing consequences decades later.”
Recently, connections to the now-defunct foundation have been used as evidence of support for terrorism by governmental agencies and some conservative lawmakers. For Muslim American advocates and nonprofit watchdogs, seeing the foundation cited in this context has prompted angst, as some believe the trial was conducted amid flawed litigation procedures of the post-9/11 years.
Marouf, who is being detained at the Texas Bluebonnet Detention Facility, has a bond hearing scheduled for Monday (Oct. 6). Born in Kuwait, Marouf is a Jordanian citizen of Palestinian heritage. The 54-year-old moved to the U.S. 30 years ago on a student visa to pursue his master’s degree.
In an emailed statement to Religion News Service, Tricia McLaughlin, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary, said Marouf “had overstayed his visa” and was denied a green card because of his “involvement with a foundation that provided material support for Hamas, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.”
“A green card is a privilege, not a right,” McLaughlin said in her statement. “If you are pushing Hamas propaganda, supporting terrorist organizations, and conducting other anti-American actions, you will face consequences.”
The Muslim Legal Fund of America, which is representing Marouf in his immigration case, argued his green card application, which he started around 2012, was denied after ICE “started throwing up roadblocks by mischaracterizing his charitable effort.” On Friday (Sept. 26), MLFA denounced his arrest as being “part of a campaign from the Trump administration to retaliate against Palestinians and their allies.”
“Let us be clear: Marwan’s arrest and detention is pretextual and emblematic of this administration’s broader campaign to weaponize immigration law as a tool to silence Palestinians, their allies, and others whose viewpoints it finds inconvenient or threatening,” the group’s statement reads.
MLFA’s statement said Marouf donated to and volunteered with HLF in the 1990s, before the organization lost its tax-exempt status in November 2003, as part of the Islamic obligatory practice of donating to charity known as zakat. Marouf’s volunteer work included assisting at fundraising events, according to MLFA. He was never an HLF employee, and “there was no way for Marwan — or the thousands who donated and volunteered alongside him — to know that HLF would later be accused of prohibited activities,” the statement said.
The government’s decision to consider Marouf’s activities with the HLF as “material support” for terrorism sets “a dangerous precedent, opening the floodgates to punish entire communities for lawful, good-faith humanitarian activity,” Marouf’s lawyers argued.
Founded in 1989, HLF was a common recipient of Muslim Americans’ donations in the 1990s, particularly during Ramadan. The organization, which raised $13 million in 2000, sent donations to Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.
After Hamas was designated a terrorist group in 1995, HLF’s donations prompted a high-profile criminal trial in 2002, resulting in the 2008 conviction of five of its leaders to prison sentences between 15 and 65 years. During the trial, prosecutors highlighted meetings between HLF founders and Hamas leaders and invitations to speak at HLF fundraising events addressed to Hamas leaders, as evidence that HLF leadership knew zakat committees — the local groups collecting and distributing donations made by faithfuls — benefited some Hamas members. The defendants, who denied they intended to send money to Hamas but sent funds for humanitarian purposes, claimed they were being targeted for their political beliefs and Palestinian identity.
Kay Guinane, the founder of the nonprofit watchdog organization Charity & Security Network, referred to the trial as a “selective prosecution,” as other charities that donated to the same types of causes, including the U.S. Agency for International Development, didn’t face legal action.
“This case was something of an outlier because it violated so many constitutional norms and was so politically hot of an issue that it hasn’t served for much of a legal precedent for anything,” she said. “But politically, it’s had a very serious, chilling impact.”
Guinane, who ran a program aimed at protecting nonprofits’ constitutional rights at the now-closed Center for Effective Government at the time of the trial, said concerns over a lack of due process were brushed aside amid the climate of fear that prevailed after 9/11.
“It’s hard to describe the atmosphere in the country at that time, but there was just in the air kind of a lot of Islamophobia,” she said. “And these people, because they spoke very strongly about Palestinian rights and (were) very critical of Israel, that constituted for them (prosecutors), knowledge of Hamas connections.”
Recently, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, requested the IRS review CAIR’s nonprofit status for its alleged “deep ties to terrorist organizations,” citing evidence from the HLF trial.
In an email statement to RNS, CAIR said Cotton’s allegations were based on “debunked conspiracy theories” and an “un-American political stunt straight from the McCarthy era.”
At CAIR, leaders have begun discussing strategies to protect members from retaliation for their activism, particularly those who aren’t U.S. citizens, Billoo said.
“Being private doesn’t protect them from the fact that they’re Arab or Muslim or Palestinian, or somebody looked at them and thought they were suspicious,” Billoo told RNS at the convention. “You see organizers say, ‘I won’t get in trouble if I don’t do the political.’ It’s like, ‘No, your existence is political.’”
Source: religionnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://religionnews.com/2025/10/03/concerns-around-holy-land-foundation-trial-resurface-after-arrest-of-muslim-activist/
-------
Dearborn residents push city to curb noise levels from mosque's call to prayer
By Kristine Parks
October 3, 2025
In Dearborn, Michigan, some neighbors are pressing city officials to enforce its noise ordinance, saying a nearby mosque's daily call to prayer is disruptive and intrusive.
Andrea Unger, who has lived in Dearborn for 40 years, said the loudspeakers at a mosque about a quarter-mile from her home carry the call to prayer multiple times a day, often lasting about five minutes. She said the sound is so loud it can be heard clearly inside her home, sometimes as early as 5:30 a.m.
She has been raising concerns with the police department and city council for the past two years, but said the problem continues.
"Our city ordinance does not permit unusual, annoying sounds for five minutes or longer, but the mosque continues to violate our privacy inside our home daily," she told Fox News Digital. "It's not like going down to the park and people will ask you about God or someone comes to your door. This is coming into your home, and you have no choice."
At the Sept. 23 city council meeting, Unger presented a petition signed by 40 neighbors urging enforcement of the city’s noise ordinance, which prohibits "the continuance of any unreasonably loud, disturbing, unusual or unnecessary noise which annoys, disturbs, injures, or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the limits of the city."
The city ordinance states that noise in residential areas cannot exceed 55 decibels at night (after 10 p.m.) or 60 decibels during the day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.). Loudspeakers are prohibited between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.
Unger told Fox News Digital she recorded the call to prayer for 30 consecutive days and found it consistently exceeded 70 decibels.
She emphasized that her concerns are not about religion, but about fairness and equal enforcement.
"The Supreme Court has stated that no public school may have a specific prayer to a specific God. Yet this prayer to Allah is prayed on loudspeakers over our school grounds and our playgrounds daily. There is no atheist, Christian, Jewish, Catholic, or other group that is allowed to use loudspeaker to blast a five-minute prayer into the homes of people in the East Dearborn community," she added.
Unger said that some of her neighbors were hesitant to speak out, fearing they would be labeled anti-Muslim.
"I have heard a lot of people say, 'I'm glad you said something,' because people are afraid they'll get called names like ‘Islamophobic,’ like our mayor [Abdullah H. Hammoud] called [Dearborn resident and Christian minister] Ted Barham, because you disagree," she said. "We're not Islamophobic, we're not anti-Muslim, we are not anti-Jewish. We just want to live in the community that it's always been [before] something changed two years ago to allow this," she told Fox News Digital.
City Council President Mike Sareini told residents last week at the city council meeting that police were investigating and had already found ordinance violations.
"It’s not legal, nor do we support it," Sareini said, noting that he was waiting for a full report from the police chief before pursuing enforcement.
The Islamic Institute of Knowledge, the mosque at the center of Unger's complaint, lists seven daily prayer times on its social media pages.
Multiple attempts to reach the mosque for comment were unsuccessful.
Another mosque in the city told Fox News Digital it had voluntarily lowered its sound system in response to community concerns.
"We always respect our neighbors," said Nabeel Bahalwan, director of the Dearborn Community Center, which had also been mentioned in conversations around the issue. He said the center had shut off its microphone broadcasting the call to prayer until the matter is resolved.
Dearborn’s city council drew widespread attention in September after Mayor Abdullah H. Hammoud called Christian minister and Dearborn resident Ted Barham a "racist," "bigot" and an "Islamophobe" after he raised objections over street signs being renamed to honor a controversial Islamic leader.
The Dearborn police department and city council did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Source: foxnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.foxnews.com/media/dearborn-residents-push-city-curb-noise-levels-from-mosques-call-prayer
------
Senate stalemate sends US shutdown into second week
October 4, 2025
Bernd Debusmann Jr
US Senators have for a fourth time failed to pass spending proposals to reopen the federal government, extending the ongoing shutdown into next week.
Two separate spending proposals - one from the Democrats and one from Republicans - failed to reach the required 60-vote threshold.
With both sides deadlocked, the White House on Friday said it would be left with the "unenviable task" of mass lay-offs to keep essential government services operating if the shutdown continues, which Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described as "fiscal sanity".
The scope of those potential lay-offs remain unclear but the White House has been in discussions with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB.
Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have dug in their heels on the main point of disagreement: healthcare. Democrats have hoped to capitalise on the impasse to ensure health insurance subsidies for those with low-income do not expire and reverse the Trump administration's cuts to the Medicaid health programme.
Republicans, for their part, have repeatedly accused Democrats of shutting down the government in a bid to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants - a charge that Democratic leaders have denied.
A total of 54 Senators voted in favour of a Republican-led proposal to fund the government, with 44 against and two not voting.
A separate, Democrat-led proposal also failed, with 45 voting in favour and 52 against.
Both sides have continued to blame the other for the shutdown, with little sign of any progress in negotiations.
"We can vote and vote and vote," Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley told the BBC. "But it's up to basically five people."
During a news briefing at the White House, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of holding Americans "hostage over their demands".
"The economic consequences of this shut down are piling up every day," she added, noting that $15bn (£11.1bn) in GDP could be lost each week as unemployment rises.
White House officials have repeatedly vowed to lay off federal workers if the shutdown continues, and earlier this week President Donald Trump posted that he would meet with Russell Vought, who heads OMB, to examine "which of the many Democrat agencies" that should be cut.
The White House has provided no scope or timeline for any potential lay-offs or cuts to agencies. Leavitt said that most of those cuts would come from agencies that "do not align with this administration's values of putting our country first".
As part of the federal government's response to the shut down, Vought on Friday announced the suspension of $2.1bn in federal infrastructure funding for Chicago, in addition to the previous freezing of $18bn in infrastructure spending in New York City and the cancellation of approximately $8bn in funding for federal energy projects in some Democratic-run states.
On the Senate floor, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats are fighting the healthcare issue because "we know Americans want this".
"And we know many of my Republican colleagues want this as well," he said. "But failure to act would be devastating, and Republicans know it."
Some Democrats - including Connecticut Senator Richard Bluementhal and Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman - said they want to hear directly from the president about the ongoing stalemate.
Citing a bipartisan border bill that the president ultimately rejected last year, they said they fear that any negotiations with Senate Republicans could ultimately be contradicted by Trump.
Early polls have suggested that Americans are deeply split on the shutdown, with one Washington Post poll conducted on 1 October finding that 47% of US adults blame Republicans, compared to 30% who blame Democrats.
Another 23% said they were unsure.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce32eegrlpko
-------
Arab World
Oman to build Sultanate's first 3D printed mosque
October 03, 2025
Dubai: Oman’s Dhofar Governorate has signed an agreement to build the country’s first mosque using 3D printing technology, Oman News Agency (ONA) reported.
The mosque will be constructed by Innotech Oman, a pioneer in 3D printing for construction, in partnership with Oday Architecture. Its architectural concept is inspired by a spiral ribbon, creating shaded walkways and tiered green spaces.
The design will feature energy-harvesting technologies, capturing motion, wind, and solar power, while the oval prayer hall will be illuminated by a central oculus, allowing natural light to filter through in a symbolic gesture of divine guidance.
The minaret, inspired by the Omani sail and traditional incense burner, will be crowned with an Islamic crescent, blending heritage and modernity. Upon completion, the mosque will become a spiritual and urban centerpiece, harmonizing authenticity with innovation.
The agreement, part of the Dahariz Waterfront Development Plan in Salalah, was signed in the presence of Sayyid Marwan bin Turki Al Said, Governor of Dhofar. It brings together the Dhofar Municipality, led by Dr. Ahmed bin Mohsen Al Ghassani, and project sponsor Engineer Yasser bin Said Al Barami.
Dr. Al Ghassani said the project embodies the governorate’s vision to create innovative urban spaces that reflect Islamic identity while embracing sustainability. “This mosque will stand outas a spiritual, architectural, and cultural landmark along Dahariz Beach,” he noted, adding that 3D printing will help minimize material waste, accelerate construction, and integrate natural lighting, renewable energy, and coastal-friendly materials.
He explained that the landscape design includes salt- and wind-resistant plants, reinforcing Dhofar’s commitment to sustainable urban identity.
Source: gulfnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/oman/oman-to-build-sultanates-first-3d-printed-mosque-1.500293530
-------
Saudi finance minister heads Kingdom’s delegation to GCC’s financial, economic meeting
October 03, 2025
KUWAIT CITY: Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan headed the Kingdom’s delegation in Kuwait at the 124th meeting of the GCC’s Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee.
The ministers looked at topics related to enhancing cooperation among the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, and followed up on developments to achieve this goal.
They also discussed progress made by the Customs Union Authority and the course of its program — which supports the completion of the authority’s requirements — and the periodic report on the implementation of GCC Common Market tracks.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617707/saudi-arabia
------
Ithra leads Saudi students to top 10 at Aramco STEM Racing World Finals
October 03, 2025
RIYADH: Saudi students have showcased their creativity on the global stage and achieved a new milestone for the Kingdom.
With the support of the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Saudi teams secured two prestigious awards at the 20th Aramco STEM Racing World Finals, which were held in Singapore from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1.
The competition brought together more than 90 teams from 50 countries in what is recognized as the largest global celebration of engineering, science, and innovation.
STEM racing involves students building and racing miniature Formula One vehicles.
And the remarkable achievement was delivered by four Saudi teams — Rimah, Yalla, Giddam, and Sadeem — who advanced to the event after winning the Saudi National STEM Racing Finals hosted at Ithra in Dhahran earlier in the year.
In an unprecedented result, the Saudi teams broke into the global top 10, making the Kingdom the only nation to feature multiple times among the top rankings — a first since the competition’s inception.
Maha Abdulhadi, head of the STEM Racing KSA Program at Ithra, said: “Winning two international awards is a proud moment for Saudi Arabia, and a testament to the ambition and resilience of our youth.
“Earning a place among the global top 10 proves the Kingdom’s capacity to lead in applied education and innovation. This achievement is not an endpoint, but the beginning of a greater journey toward even more international success.”
The achievement follows months of intensive training and preparation. The fourth edition of STEM Racing KSA has engaged more than 280 students between the ages of 14 and 16, across six Saudi cities since December, in a comprehensive program designed to combine knowledge with hands-on engineering innovation.
Launched in 2022 under the name F1 in Schools, before evolving into STEM Racing KSA, the program is one of Ithra’s innovative educational initiatives, supported by Aramco. It aims to connect teaching with scientific experience, enabling students to gain practical experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by designing and manufacturing race cars powered by compressed gas cylinders that race on real tracks.
The program also seeks to highlight Saudi talent and showcase creativity and innovation on the global stage.
Saudi teams have won notable awards over the past few years, including the FIA Women in Motorsport Award (2022) and the Innovation Thinking award (2023), as well as Best Enterprise Portfolio Award, Best Engineered Car Award, and Best Application of Management Award (2024).
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617673/saudi-arabia
-----
Forests at heart of regional dialogue as Saudi Arabia hosts 27th session of Near East Forestry and Range Commission
NADA HAMEED
October 03, 2025
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia hosted the 27th session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission in Jeddah this week, bringing together officials, experts and representatives from across the region to discuss sustainable solutions for forests, rangelands and biodiversity.
The three-day session was held in cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification.
Participants discussed practical solutions to maximize the role of forests and rangelands in tackling climate change, looking at topics such as improving food systems, supporting sustainable rural development, and exploring ways to link forestry with agroforestry.
Speaking at the opening, center CEO Ahmad Alayadh said the region was home to more than 42 million hectares of forests and over 303 million hectares of rangelands, depended on by millions of people for their livelihoods and biodiversity protection.
“Despite their importance, these resources face enormous challenges due to climate change, desertification, and land degradation. Globally, around 40 percent of land is degraded, affecting 3.2 billion people. This leads to higher food prices, pressure on freshwater resources, loss of biodiversity, and increased carbon emissions,” he said.
Alayadh highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts under the Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative, which aim to plant 10 billion trees in the Kingdom and 50 billion across the region. So far, more than 151 million trees have been planted nationwide, while over 505,000 hectares of degraded land have been restored.
He added a global initiative to decrease land degradation by 50 percent by 2040, Reducing Land Degradation and Enhancing Conservation of Terrestrial Habitats, was launched by Saudi Arabia during its G20 presidency in 2020, underlining efforts to drive regional and international cooperation.
Saleh Al-Zamanan, director of Mangrove Forest Management at NCVC, told Arab News the Kingdom was rich in diverse forest ecosystems.
“Mountain forests are spread across the southwest, including the Sarawat range and Fayfa mountains, with juniper being the most prominent species. Valley forests include sidr and acacia, while mangrove forests thrive along the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf coasts,” he said.
The Kingdom has adopted strategies to protect and restore these ecosystems, including large-scale afforestation projects, community engagement campaigns and support for local livelihoods such as mangrove honey production.
“Forests and rangelands are not luxuries; they are essential for sustainability, biodiversity and securing natural resources for future generations,” Al-Zamanan stressed.
The FAO’s assistant director-general and regional representative for the Near East and North Africa Abdel, Hakim Elwaer, said expanding forest and rangeland restoration could “turn environmental challenges into a sustainable future.”
“Every tree is a natural asset and a pillar of sustainability due to its resilience against environmental threats. We are working to develop strategies to address urgent challenges such as wildfires and invasive species,” he said.
And FAO Forestry Division Director Zhimin Wu described the commission as a “key platform for regional policy dialogue, knowledge exchange, and technical cooperation.”
“Forests and rangelands are not just environmental assets; they are pillars of livelihoods, resilience and economic growth. With the right policies and investments, these ecosystems can enable prosperity, climate adaptation, food and water security, and rural development,” he said.
Wu praised Saudi Arabia’s large-scale tree planting, land rehabilitation and expansion of protected areas as examples of how vision can drive global cooperation.
According to Al-Zamanan, there are clear strategies and plans in place to develop and sustain these forests, including afforestation projects across all ecosystems.
“Protecting forests and rangelands is a real investment in the sustainability of natural resources. It reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to environmental protection and to enhancing regional cooperation in this vital field,” he added.
Forests remain a national priority in Saudi Arabia as a vital sector that supports its environmental sustainability goals, contributes to achieving Saudi Vision 2030 and aligns with global efforts to combat climate change.
Al-Zamanan said: “Community awareness and the involvement of local communities and non-profit organizations are essential in developing vegetation cover. This aligns with the global objectives for forests. We place our trust in communities through volunteer initiatives such as tree-planting campaigns and by celebrating international environmental days, including the International Day of Forests in March, the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem on July 26, and World Wetlands Day on February 2.
“Additionally, there is direct support for local communities, such as allocating areas for mangrove honey production and supporting beekeepers. These efforts strengthen the community’s bond with vegetation cover, as society is a key partner in ensuring the long-term sustainability of forests and rangelands.”
He emphasized that raising awareness through international days and environmental conferences carried an essential message for society, helping increase awareness among younger generations and strengthen citizens’ interest in vegetation cover.
“Forests, rangelands, regulated grazing and the protection of vegetation cover are not luxuries,” he said. “They are necessities for ensuring financial sustainability, preserving biodiversity, and strengthening natural resources for present and future generations. Developing vegetation cover is therefore a responsibility shared by every individual and society as a whole.”
The session included the commission’s first-ever Youth Day, giving young leaders a platform to present their visions for a greener, more sustainable future. It also saw the launch of the Forest Ambassadors Initiative, the first of its kind under the FAO, aimed at empowering individuals to take a leading role in protecting ecosystems.
Nizar Haddad, FAO representative in Saudi Arabia, said: “We aspire to present a model not only for the Kingdom or the region, but for the entire world. Some talents are driven by passion far beyond routine work, from government, civil society, and individuals alike.”
NCVC continues to develop and protect vegetation sites across the Kingdom, including monitoring violations, restoring damaged land, preventing illegal logging and managing rangelands, forests, and national parks.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2617656/saudi-arabia
-------
Europe
Man aged 45 arrested after 'kill all Muslims' graffiti appears in Lisburn
By Adam Kula
3rd Oct 2025
A man has been arrested after graffiti saying ‘kill all Muslims’ appeared in Lisburn.
The police said they are investigating “racially-motivated graffiti at a number of locations”.
A 45-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The PSNI said: “Police would like to thank those members of the public who made reports and assisted with enquiries.
"Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information, including dash-cam, CCTV or other footage, can contact police on 101, quoting reference number 214 of 03/10/25.”
Source: newsletter.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/crime/man-aged-45-arrested-after-kill-all-muslims-graffiti-appears-in-lisburn-5345699
------
Hampshire man with knife threatened people outside mosque
3RD OCTOBER
By Lola Crossman
A Hampshire man has been jailed after he pulled out a knife on people standing outside a mosque.
Callum Mcinally, 29, of Waverley Road in Southsea, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after pleading guilty to a series of offences, including racially aggravated assault.
The incident took place at around 9.30pm on August 31 outside the Jami Mosque on Victoria Road North in Portsmouth.
Mcinally was reported to have been verbally abusive towards a group of men, women, and children before punching one man and behaving aggressively towards two of the men.
He was arrested and charged with racially or religiously aggravated common assault by beating, assault by beating, racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress, and threatening a person with a blade or sharply pointed article in a public place.
He appeared at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on September 2, where he pleaded guilty to all charges and was remanded in custody.
He was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on October 3.
Chief Inspector Sam Warne said: "I am glad to see the seriousness of this incident recognised in today’s result.
"Mcinally’s behaviour shocked the community, and I hope his sentencing goes some way to helping repair cohesion in our communities.
"Hate-related incidents such as this will not be tolerated, and anyone found to commit such offences will be brought to justice."
Source: hampshirechronicle.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/25516527.hampshire-man-jailed-pulling-knife-outside-mosque/
------
Scots mosque 'attacked with metal pole' with children inside as man charged
Gemma Ryder
03 Oct 2025
A man has been arrested and charged after a window was smashed at a Glasgow mosque when children were in attendance.
The incident at Masjid Yusuf, on Stamperland Gardens, in Clarkston, happened around 5.40pm on Wednesday, September 24 and allegedly involved a metal pole.
Our sister site Glasgow Live previously reported that the incident took place while children were at Quran class.
Clarkston Community Centre said that the incident had "distressed children, their families and the wider community" and they immediately reported it to Police Scotland.
Officers have now confirmed that a 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 31-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with smashing a window in Clarkston, East Renfrewshire.
"The incident happened around 5.40pm on Wednesday, 24 September, 2025, at a premises on Stamperland Gardens.
"A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal."
A Clarkston Community Centre spokesperson said: "This indicates a troubling pattern that is emerging in East Renfrewshire and Scotland in general. All local mosques and residents should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity."
Last month, a young Muslim schoolgirl was assaulted while walking home in Newton Mearns.
In a separate incident elsewhere in Greater Glasgow, graffiti reading “say no to Islam” was found on walls in Scotstounhill. Kingsway Community Connections said that they were “deeply concerned”.
Both incidents have been condemned by Masjid E Khazra, which stated it stands “in full solidarity” with Masjid Yusuf following the recent “violent attack.”
A spokesperson said: "Such actions are an attack on all of us. They threaten the values of peace, respect and community cohesion that Scotland stands for.
"We call upon Police Scotland to treat these matters with the highest urgency ensuring through investigation, visible protection for our mosques and communities and justice for those responsible. We also urge local councils and public bodies to strengthen safety measures around places of worship, schools and neighbourhoods.
"We remain committed to working with Masjid Yusuf, local mosques, interfaith partners and civic organisations to ensure that Muslims and all communities in Scotland can live, learn and worship without fear."
Source: dailyrecord.co.uk
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-mosque-attacked-metal-pole-36008843
-------
Italians stage strike in support of Gaza Palestinians
04 Oct 2025
Sarah Rainsford
Workers in Italy joined a general strike on Friday, not for better pay or conditions, but in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
Large crowds took to the streets of multiple cities amid a growing wave of protest across Europe at Israel's bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Italy's Interior Ministry says up to 400,000 protesters came out in total in 29 locations; trade unions claim the number was four times that.
Anger intensified this week when the Israeli military boarded a flotilla of boats full of European politicians and activists and stopped them delivering food and medical aid to Gaza, where UN-backed experts have confirmed famine in Gaza City and its surrounding areas.
Israel dismissed the flotilla as a publicity stunt. There were more than 40 Italians on board.
Italy's hard-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticised the general strike, arguing that it would not advance the Palestinian cause and only hinder Italian people trying to go about their lives. She suggested the unionists just wanted a long weekend.
Her deputy, Matteo Salvini, called the strike illegal, announced without sufficient notice, and threatened sanctions.
Large numbers turned out regardless, behind banners with slogans like "Stop the Massacre" and "Hands off the Flotilla!".
From calm to clashes
In several cities, including Milan and Bologna, there were clashes, with protesters throwing stones at police then being sprayed with tear gas.
In Pisa, a group with brightly coloured flares stormed the airport runway, halting flights for a time, while in Naples dockworkers blockaded the port. In Turin, protesters pulled metal barriers onto railways.
There were protests in other European cities, too, from The Hague to Madrid.
Here in Rome the main march was large, but peaceful.
"Governments, especially the Italians, are not taking action against what is happening in Gaza," said university teacher Francesca, explaining why she'd joined the walkout.
Students at Sapienza University where she works are staging sit-ins at several faculties.
"We're here to say that it is time to intervene and solve things," Francesca said.
Outside Termini railway station a small tent camp has sprung up with a sign declaring its address as "Piazza Gaza". Nearby, a giant minimalist statue of Pope John Paul II has been dressed in a Palestinian scarf.
After marching calmly past that and through the centre of the capital, a section of the crowd briefly occupied part of the motorway around Rome. Waving giant Palestinian flags and holding flares they shouted "we're blocking everything", then marched through a long tunnel which amplified their chants as police stood back and watched.
Meloni under pressure
"This is the best face of our country. Italy is better than the people who are now in government," opposition leader Elly Schlein told the BBC, at the start of the Rome march.
The Democratic Party leader argued that Italy's prime minister had failed to call out "the crimes of the Israeli government" in Gaza, as she sees it, and described it as a "shame" that Italy had not joined the growing number of countries now recognising Palestinian statehood.
Israel has called that move by many a "mark of shame" itself.
Giorgia Meloni has made recognition by her government conditional on the release of all Israeli hostages and the exclusion of Hamas from government. She also stresses Italy's support for the Gaza peace proposal drawn up by her close ally and Israel's main backer, President Donald Trump.
But Meloni has also spoken recently of "too many innocent victims" in Gaza and said the response of Benjamin Netanyahu's government to the Hamas terror attacks of 2023 had "gone beyond the principle of proportionality".
"This is serious. Certainly, the whole Gaza issue has been putting pressure on Meloni. She actually changed the government's position to be more critical of Israel," Prof Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Luiss University, told the BBC.
He points out that Catholic public opinion has been "outraged" by events in Gaza. Most of all, though, he sees the protest wave as "an awakening" of Italy's left-wing forces.
"It's a very clear demonstration that there's a surge in militancy and that involves a very significant number of people. The government is under pressure and I think it's nervous."
As unionists, students and activists were still marching in multiple cities, the four Italian politicians who'd been detained on the aid flotilla to Gaza landed back in Rome.
Deported by Israel, they were greeted at the airport with warm hugs from family and colleagues.
More than 40 fellow Italians are still in custody.
The flotilla's cargo of aid was confiscated and humanitarian access to Gaza has not improved but Benedetta Scuderi, an MEP for the Green Left Alliance, still calls the trip a "huge achievement".
"Lots of us went because we felt impotent, that we couldn't do anything about what's happening in Gaza," she told the BBC soon after landing back home. "I like to think it's given some hope to the population."
"Everything around the flotilla, the protests, the strikes – they are huge. We haven't seen them in a long time and I don't think any responsible government can just pretend nothing's happening."
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy8rdd5dzvro
------
Blackout in Spain and Portugal 'first of its kind', report finds
04 Oct 2025
Ruth Comerford
A power surge that caused a widespread blackout in Spain and Portugal was the "most severe" in Europe in the last 20 years, and the first of its kind, a report has found.
Damian Cortinas, president of the association of electricity grid operators Entso-e, said the incident was the first known blackout to be caused by overvoltage, which occurs when there is too much electrical voltage in a network.
"This is new territory," Cortinas said, adding the role of Entso-e was "not to apportion blame to any party" over the cause.
April's outage caused significant disruption for nearly a day when it plunged areas into darkness, cutting internet and telephone connections and halting transport links.
The blackout affected large parts of Spain and Portugal, and briefly affected southwestern France.
The report, released on Friday, focused on the condition of the power systems on the day of the outage and the sequence of events leading up to it.
A series of "cascading overvoltages" - an increase in the electrical supply voltage above the established norm - was behind the outage, it concluded.
Overvoltage can be caused by surges in networks due to oversupply or lightning strikes, or when protective equipment is insufficient.
According to the report, automatic defence plans were activated but could not prevent the power system shutting down.
It follows several separate investigations and reports by the Spanish government, as well as power and grid companies. The national energy watchdog and Spanish lawmakers are also conducting separate investigations.
The Spanish government believes the Entso-e report supports its own findings.
Sara Aagesen, minister for ecological transition, said it was "completely in line" with the results of an investigation it commissioned which concluded in June that both the national grid provider Red Eléctrica and private electricity companies were at fault.
Both Red Eléctrica and the private firms have insisted that they were not to blame. Redeia, owner of Red Eléctrica, has blamed the blackout on some coal, gas and nuclear power plants' failure to help maintain appropriate voltage.
Spanish utilities said it was caused by poor planning from grid operators.
The Entso-e report also said some important data was missing and that "collecting complete, high-quality data proved very challenging for this investigation".
A final report, to be published in the first quarter of next year, will investigate the root causes of the overvoltage and the actions employed to control voltage in the system.
The outage triggered a broader debate that spilled into the political arena about Spain's energy model.
The opposition suggested an increasingly heavy reliance on renewable energy, promoted by the left-wing government of Pedro Sánchez, could have been a factor in causing the blackout and the country's decreasing supply of nuclear energy meant a dependable back-up was not available.
The government roundly rejected these theories and the new report was careful to avoid taking sides when it came to the causes of April's unprecedented blackout.
The loss of power forced Madrid Open Tennis organisers to stop a match half way through play.
Spain's nuclear power plants automatically stopped when the blackout hit, and the Spanish oil company Moeve said it halted operations at its oil refineries.
Buildings were plunged into darkness, while mobile phones and traffic lights stopped working. Queues snaked around street corners and card payments failed, forcing people to queue for cash and cram on to buses as other transport systems were not running.
Emergency workers were called to 286 buildings to free people trapped inside elevators in the Madrid region and hospitals implemented emergency plans, halting routine procedures.
Source: bbc.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7d4vjdlrmo
------
Ukrainian drones strike school in Gorlovka – mayor
4 Oct, 2025
Ukraine has carried out a drone attack on the city of Gorlovka in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), injuring at least three people, according to local officials.
The Donbass city, which is located close to the front line, has been repeatedly shelled by Kiev’s forces. It had a Soviet-era population of over 330,000, but this had fallen to around 240,000 in 2021, a year before the escalation of the Ukraine conflict.
According to Mayor Ivan Prikhodko, UAVs first struck on Friday afternoon, damaging energy infrastructure and vehicles. Later in the evening, drones hit a school and an apartment block.
DPR head Denis Pushilin said earlier that two teenagers in Gorlovka were injured by an explosive device in a separate incident.
According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, 27 civilians were killed and around 160 wounded in Ukrainian strikes across the country between 15 and 24 September.
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.rt.com/russia/625885-ukrainian-drones-attack-gorlovka/
-----
Southeast Asia
Indonesian govt aims to strengthen mosques as hubs for empowerment
October 3, 2025
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs is striving to strengthen the societal role of mosques nationwide, guiding them to make greater contributions to community empowerment.
"Our goal is to lead mosques to serve not only as centers for religious activities but also as institutions that bring tangible benefits to society," the ministry's Director of Islamic Affairs Arsad Hidayat stated in Jakarta on Friday.
He emphasized the importance of involving stakeholders from various sectors in mosque management to broaden the positive impact of these houses of worship.
To that end, Hidayat noted, the ministry has devised a range of initiatives, including capacity-building programs for mosque operators, provision of disabled-friendly facilities, empowerment of micro, small, and medium enterprises operating near mosques, and the promotion of religious literacy among youth.
He further underlined the need for accurate mosque data and comprehensive strengthening of mosque-related programs.
Meanwhile, head of the ministry’s Mosque Affairs Sub-directorate Nurul Badruttamam stressed that mosque operators should be equipped with sound managerial skills to maximize the potential of mosques in fostering economic and social empowerment.
He also highlighted government efforts to improve mosque management, encourage the regeneration of mosque youth organizations, pursue digitization, and direct mosques to play a stronger role in improving community welfare.
Badruttamam added that his office is preparing a blueprint for mosque development, updating mosque data, introducing a hymn and logo for mosques, producing documentaries on mosque history, and increasing the accuracy of assistance distribution.
"We intend these strategies as part of efforts to empower mosques and help them grow more inclusive and professional," he remarked.
Hamzah Sahal, Head of the Literacy and Publication Division of Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama, underlined the need to improve religious and cultural literacy through mosques.
"We advocate for the republication of books on mosque history, production of documentaries, review of the legal status of waqf land used by mosques, creation of wells for mosques, and stronger literacy efforts through digital means," he said.
Source: antaranews.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://en.antaranews.com/news/384045/indonesian-govt-aims-to-strengthen-mosques-as-hubs-for-empowerment
-------
Calling GSF participants ‘terrorists’ outrageous: PM
Faiz Ruzman
2025-10-04
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has hit back at claims that participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) are “terrorists”, calling the allegation outrageous and insulting.
“The accusation comes from the terrorists themselves – the Israeli regime.
“The biggest terrorist is calling them terrorists. These people carried no weapons, they harmed no one. They brought food, water and medicine. How can they be called terrorists? This is outrageous and insulting.”
Anwar also praised the resilience of the detained Malaysians.
“Alhamdulillah, they have shown remarkable spirit. Although they faced harsh seas and had their phones thrown into the ocean, what matters most is their safety. They have contributed greatly in raising global awareness, and we salute their sacrifice,” he said after performing Friday prayers.
He added that while some had criticised his approach, his priority is to save lives.
“Sometimes we speak as if we are heroes without limits. But the real struggle is there, where 65,000 lives have already been lost. Our responsibility is to save lives and to ensure humanitarian aid and food supplies reach those in need. That is what matters to me.”
The Foreign Ministry yesterday confirmed that all 23 Malaysians detained are safe and healthy and would be repatriated via a third country.
Muhammad Nadir Al-Nuri Kamaruzaman, Cinta Gaza Malaysia CEO and leader of the Sumud Nusantara contingent, said the detained activists have begun arriving at the Port of Ashdod in Israel and are receiving legal assistance.
“InshaAllah, the Sumud heroes and heroines who were captured have started arriving at the occupation port in Ashdod. GSF lawyers have started contacting them to provide legal services.
“At the very earliest we will share their developments tomorrow morning. In the meantime, keep up the action!” he said in a post on his Facebook page.
Nadir and three other Malaysian volunteers remain in the Mediterranean aboard the observation vessel Jong Melayu.
The Malaysian Embassy in Amman, Jordan, is also closely monitoring the situation. It has met with the Malaysian legal team in Amman to ensure that the detainees receive fair and transparent legal protection. It is also maintaining communication with Asean partners in Amman and Tel Aviv to obtain updates and provide consular assistance.
Five Malaysian human rights lawyers – Dir Kheizwan Kamaruddin, Fahmi Abd Moin, Azril Mohd Amin, Ahmad Nazrin Abu Bakar and Luqman Mazlan – are in Amman to represent the detainees.
They are working alongside Israel-based lawyers from The Legal Centre for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and international legal teams.
GSF said more than 450 activists from 47 countries have been transferred to the Port of Ashdod in southern Israel.
The activists include nationals from Malaysia, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Turkiye, Greece, the United States, Germany, Sweden, Britain and France.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the detainees would be deported to Europe.
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/calling-gsf-participants-terrorists-outrageous-pm-EG15024572
-------
Malaysia sees Hamas’ conditional acceptance of Trump’s peace plan as step towards lasting truce, says foreign minister
04 Oct 2025
SEPANG, Oct 4 — Malaysia welcomes Hamas’ conditional acceptance of the 20-point Peace Plan proposed by United States President Donald Trump, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
He said the development is seen as a starting point towards lasting peace for Palestine and its people.
“Alhamdulillah, we are grateful that Hamas has accepted (the plan) even if conditionally. This means it cannot be used as an excuse that Hamas has rejected these 20 points, to continue attacking Gaza and killing Palestinians,” he said.
He said this at a press conference after visiting the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre (SNCC) here today.
According to Mohamad, the acceptance also reflects Hamas’ willingness to seek a peaceful solution.
Commenting further, Mohamad said he expected humanitarian aid routes through the Rafah Crossing and the King Hussein Bridge to be opened once the peace plan is implemented.
In this regard, he urged any parties wishing to channel aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank to liaise directly with Wisma Putra so that the delivery process can be organised quickly and systematically.
“Those who want to help after this should go through the Rafah Crossing and the King Hussein Bridge because once they are opened, the delivery of aid can take place swiftly,” he said.
Earlier today, Hamas was reported to have accepted part of the ceasefire plan proposed by Trump, but stated that several elements in the plan still require further negotiations.
On Friday, Trump set a deadline of 6 pm (Washington time) on Sunday for Hamas to give its agreement to the plan.
The plan, among others, aims to make Gaza a demilitarised zone with a transitional governing mechanism directly overseen by Trump through an international body tasked with monitoring its implementation.
It also includes the release of all Israeli captives within 72 hours of the plan’s approval, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.
The plan further calls for an end to hostilities, the disarmament of all armed groups in Gaza, and Israel’s phased withdrawal from the territory, which would then be administered by a technocratic authority under the supervision of an international body led by the US president.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza, home to nearly 2.4 million people, for almost 18 years.
The blockade was tightened in March when the regime closed border crossings and restricted the delivery of food and medicine, triggering a famine crisis.
Since October 2023, nearly 66,300 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes, most of them women and children. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/10/04/malaysia-sees-hamas-conditional-acceptance-of-trumps-peace-plan-as-step-towards-lasting-truce-says-foreign-minister/193375
-------
Malaysia receives international aid to free activists detained by Israel
theSun Local
2025-10-04
SEPANG: Malaysia has received assistance from several countries including ASEAN member states in efforts to secure the release of humanitarian activists detained by Israeli authorities after joining the Global Solidarity Flotilla mission.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan stated the government is activating various diplomatic channels through international partners with embassies in Israel including the United States, Turkey, Jordan and Egypt to ensure the safety and release of Malaysian citizens still in detention.
“We had anticipated such circumstances would occur, so we had already discussed with friends particularly from ASEAN.”
“Given Malaysia does not have an embassy in Israel, we have requested that friendly nations provide consular assistance to our detained citizens,“ he told a media conference after visiting the Sumud Nusantara Command Centre here today.
Mohamad confirmed that Jordan and Turkey have already provided assurances to assist in the process of bringing Malaysian citizens home once they are released.
The United States through its deputy foreign minister has also expressed commitment to help through its embassy in Tel Aviv and stands ready to provide whatever assistance Malaysian citizens require.
All Malaysian diplomatic missions in Jordan, Turkey, Cairo and Algeria are now on standby to provide assistance and logistical support should Malaysian citizens be released through any border crossing.
“We do not know which route detainees will be released through because this depends on the Zionist Israeli regime to send them back,“ he said.
Mohamad also informed that communication between lawyers representing the GSF and activists cannot currently proceed because Israel is observing the Yom Kippur holiday, which is also a public holiday causing government and diplomatic offices to close.
He stated this situation has temporarily delayed the diplomacy and negotiation process to bring home GSF activists.
“Do not worry, the government continuously monitors their situation by the second. We hope this coming Monday, when offices reopen, we will be able to reconnect. But our communication through intermediary friendly nations remains in very good condition,“ he said.
The GSF mission joined by over 500 activists from 44 countries, including Malaysia, sailed toward Gaza as a symbol of solidarity and effort to break the Israeli blockade by bringing essential supplies for Palestinian residents affected by continuous attacks from the Zionist regime.
The Foreign Ministry previously confirmed all 23 Malaysian citizens who joined the GSF have been detained and will be repatriated through third countries. – Bernama
Source: thesun.my
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thesun.my/malaysia-news/malaysia-receives-international-aid-to-free-activists-detained-by-israel-LG15027972
------
South Asia
Jamaat may leave up to 100 seats for allies: Porwar
Oct 4, 2025
Jamaat-e-Islami may leave up to 100 constituencies for like-minded political parties if an alliance is formed ahead of the next national election, party's Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said yesterday.
Speaking as chief guest at a reunion of Islami Chhatra Shibir's Khulna city unit at the Al Faruk Society auditorium, Porwar said Jamaat has already prepared a candidate list for all 300 constituencies but is willing to compromise to forge unity with other parties.
"Although we have finalised 300 candidates and completed preliminary selection, the ultimate decision will depend on those we reach an understanding with. Unity cannot be achieved without leaving some seats," he said.
Calling this "the most opportune time to convey the message of Islam to parliament," Porwar urged former student leaders to return to active politics.
The event was chaired by Arafat Hossain Milon, president of Chhatra Shibir's Khulna city unit, and conducted by its secretary, Rakib Hossain.
Jamaat's Khulna Regional Assistant Director Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, city Ameer Prof Mahfuzur Rahman, district Ameer Maulana Emran Hossain, city Nayeb-e-Ameer Prof Najibur Rahman, city Secretary Advocate Sheikh Jahangir Hossain Helal, and several other leaders also addressed the event.
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/jamaat-may-leave-100-seats-allies-porwar-4000876
-------
Islamic Emirate Reaffirms Full Support for Schools, Madrasas Nationwide
October 4, 2025
KABUL: Habibullah Agha, Minister of Education, reiterated the Islamic Emirate’s unwavering commitment to advancing education across the country, stating that no effort or resource is being spared in supporting both modern schools and madrasas.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a Madrasa in Saydabad district of Maidan Wardak province, the Education Minister emphasized that providing quality education in both religious and contemporary fields is central to the nation’s development strategy, according to a statement from the ministry the other day.
The building, which cost 10.5 million Afghanis, has the capacity to accommodate 600 students and will provide both religious and modern education for boys and girls, supporting the community’s educational development.
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/islamic-emirate-reaffirms-full-support-for-schools-madrasas-nationwide/
-------
Education Ministry to Establish Elite School for Top Students in Kabul
October 4, 2025
KABUL: The country’s Ministry of Education has announced the upcoming inauguration of Sayeed Jamaluddin Afghan Model High School in Kabul, dedicated to outstanding students from nationwide, especially those from remote and underserved areas.
“This school is designed to provide a high-quality, standard learning environment for top-performing students from grades 7, 8, and 9, allowing them to continue their education in a supportive academic setting,” the ministry said in a statement the other day.
The school will feature modern classrooms, computer labs, well-equipped science laboratories, a library, dormitories, a cafeteria, green spaces, sports facilities, and a clean, healthy campus, the statement added.
Currently, 200 top students from different provinces have been enrolled, and the number is expected to increase to 600 in the near future, the statement concluded.
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/education-ministry-to-establish-elite-school-for-top-students-in-kabul/
------
Iran Seeks Stronger Agricultural Ties with Afghanistan, Highlights Private Sector Role
October 4, 2025
KABUL: The Iranian Embassy in Kabul, citing Chargé d’affaires Alireza Bigdeli, emphasized the vast potential for cooperation between Iran and Afghanistan in the agriculture and livestock sectors.
Speaking on the sidelines of Afghanistan’s 33rd Annual Agricultural and Livestock Products Exhibition in Badam Bagh, Kabul, Bigdeli stated that joint collaboration in these sectors offers “significant advantages” for both nations.
He highlighted that Iran’s private sector has both the capacity and expertise to play a pivotal role in developing Afghanistan’s agricultural and livestock infrastructure.
“The Iranian private sector can contribute meaningfully to the development of agricultural and livestock industry infrastructure,” Bigdeli said, stressing the need for strategic partnerships that benefit economic growth in both countries.
The exhibition, which showcases domestic Afghan products under the theme “Investment in Agriculture and Livestock: The Most Reliable Path to Economic Development,” has opened a platform for international engagement and investment.
Iran’s participation reflects a broader interest in strengthening regional cooperation, especially in food security, modern farming methods, irrigation systems, processing industries, and cold storage facilities.
Bigdeli reiterated Iran’s readiness to share technical expertise, provide machinery, and support training initiatives aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and sustainability in Afghanistan.
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/iran-seeks-stronger-agricultural-ties-with-afghanistan-highlights-private-sector-role/
-------
Russia Slams U.S. Over Bagram Airbase Ambitions: “A Shameful, Bloody Exit Cannot Be Rewritten”
October 4, 2025
KABUL: In response to the recent U.S. interest in reclaiming Bagram Airbase, Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, condemned Washington’s moves, calling the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan a “terrifying, shameful, and bloody escape” that marked the end of a “twenty-year failed campaign.”
Speaking at a press conference, Zakharova accused the United States of attempting to reassert its military footprint in Afghanistan under the guise of strategic interests.
Referring to Bagram Airbase as a “tempting target”, she warned that such ambitions ignore the sacrifices of the Afghan people.
“The Afghan people fought NATO for their freedom. They won’t surrender their sovereignty in the face of pressure or ultimatums,” Zakharova stated, adding that any renewed U.S. presence would be met with local and regional resistance.
Her comments came in response to both reports of U.S. discussions about returning to Bagram and remarks by former President Donald Trump, who has called for renewed engagement in the region.
Source: thekabultimes.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://thekabultimes.com/russia-slams-u-s-over-bagram-airbase-ambitions-a-shameful-bloody-exit-cannot-be-rewritten/
-------
Afghan Cleric Shot Dead in Pakistan’s Peshawar
By Fidel Rahmati-
October 4, 2025
An Afghan cleric was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Peshawar, police said, as tensions rise amid deportations and harassment of Afghan refugees.
An Afghan cleric was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar on Friday, police said, as concerns grow over violence and intimidation targeting Afghan refugees.
Police identified the victim as Adam Khan, an Afghan imam from Paktia province, who was attacked while returning home on his motorcycle near the Raza Khan Maryamzai Mosque. He died instantly, officers said.
Investigators have collected evidence from the scene and launched a probe, but no group has claimed responsibility for the killing. The motive remains unclear, a police official told reporters.
Residents say refugees in Raza Khan Maryamzai face mounting fear and uncertainty amid Pakistan’s ongoing crackdown and deportation campaign.
Rights organisations and U.N. agencies have accused Pakistani authorities of forcibly deporting thousands of Afghans, many of whom fled Taliban rule. Reports of harassment, arbitrary arrests, and mistreatment in detention have drawn international condemnation.
Several deportees have told aid groups they were beaten, extorted, or stripped of belongings before being sent across the border. Pakistan says the repatriations target only undocumented migrants and insists the process is lawful.
The killing of the Afghan cleric has deepened tensions between the refugee community and local authorities. Observers warn that continued hostility and forced returns could further destabilise the already fragile humanitarian situation along the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier.
The United Nations has urged Islamabad to suspend deportations and guarantee protection for refugees, saying many face grave risks if returned to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/afghan-cleric-shot-dead-in-pakistans-peshawar/
--------
Collaboration Between Broadcasters Strengthens News Access for Afghans
By Khaama Press
October 3, 2025
A new cooperation agreement between Amu TV and Deutsche Welle was announced on October 1, 2025, to expand access to independent journalism for Afghan audiences inside the country and abroad. The partnership will allow Amu TV, an Afghan broadcaster in the diaspora, to rebroadcast DW’s flagship program Aashiti on its free-to-air satellite channel, while also sharing DW’s news, analysis, and multimedia content across its website and social media platforms.
The development comes as press freedoms in Afghanistan continue to face unprecedented challenges. With growing censorship and restrictions, many Afghans struggle to access reliable information. The collaboration brings together Deutsche Welle’s international expertise and Amu TV’s strong reach among Afghan viewers, ensuring millions of people continue to receive fact-based reporting in Dari and Pashto.
Amu TV, established in recent years by Afghan journalists in exile, has quickly emerged as a leading platform for audiences deprived of free media at home. Despite threats and restrictions, the broadcaster has provided consistent coverage of current affairs, cultural programming, and investigative reports. It now reaches millions of viewers via satellite and online platforms, making it one of the most significant media initiatives of the Afghan diaspora.
Lotfullah Najafizada, Chief Executive Officer of Amu TV, said Afghans “face unprecedented challenges to access information” and emphasized that the cooperation would ensure audiences continue to receive accurate and independent journalism. Guido Baumhauer, Managing Director at Deutsche Welle, described the agreement as a reaffirmation of DW’s commitment to freedom of information and its mission to reach Afghan audiences with trusted news and analysis.
Media observers have described the partnership as a milestone for Afghan journalism in exile. With independent outlets inside the country under severe pressure, diaspora-based broadcasters such as Amu TV have taken on a growing role in ensuring the flow of information. By combining local networks with international resources, the cooperation is seen as a timely step to preserve Afghans’ access to journalism that remains credible, independent, and free from political influence.
Source: khaama.com
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.khaama.com/media-partnership-afghanistan-independent-journalism/
------
8 injured as BNP, Jamaat activists clash
Oct 4, 2025
At least eight people were injured in a clash between local leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat in Chandpur's Hajiganj upazila yesterday over the sharing of "distorted images" of two central BNP leaders on Facebook.
The incident took place in Palishara village of Gandharbypur North union. Several injured were admitted to upazila health complex and Chandpur General Hospital.
Kazi Jasim, former member secretary of Hajiganj Jubo Dal, said Gandharbypur union Jamaat Ameer Ilias Hossain had shared the images on Thursday night. "When BNP activists questioned him this [yesterday] morning, Jamaat men launched a sudden attack," he alleged.
Union Jubo Dal leader Nesar Ahmed, who was also injured, claimed at least five BNP men were hurt.
Confirming the post, upazila Jamaat leader Maulana Mozammel Hossain Poran said, "The post was deleted, and Ilias later expressed regret. At a mosque committee meeting this morning, BNP men attacked Ilias. While resisting, five to six Jamaat activists were injured."
Ilias said, "The photo was shared mistakenly. After being alerted, I deleted it and posted an apology."
Hajiganj Police Station OC Mohammad Mohiuddin Faruk said police were deployed in the area to maintain order. "We have reports that eight to nine people were injured. Action will be taken if a case is lodged."
Source: thedailystar.net
Please click the following URL to read the text of the original Story
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/8-injured-bnp-jamaat-activists-clash-4001006
-------
URL: https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/islam-jihad-killing-non-muslims-sultan/d/137108