Category World News

IOC wants no sport events in Indonesia after visa ban on Israeli athletes

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by news organizations

After excluding Israeli gymnasts from the ongoing Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, the host country reportedly said it was “maintaining public order,” the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged global sports federations to hold no sporting events in Indonesia.

On Wednesday, the IOC’s executive board issued a statement urging the world’s sports organizations to stop holding events in Indonesia.

Due to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population, earlier this month denied visas to Israeli gymnasts, making it impossible for them to compete in the championship that started on Sunday.

Jakarta claimed that the action was in line with Indonesia’s policy of extending diplomatic ties to Israel until the state of Palestine is recognized as independent.

The IOC stated in a highly worded statement that it would stop discussing any potential bid for the Olympics from Indonesia until the government made it clear that all athletes, regardless of nationality, would be able to compete there in the future.

Indonesia has repeatedly expressed interest in hosting the Summer Games in 2036, but the IOC’s decision almost eliminated its chances of winning in 11 years.

Sports Minister Erick Thohir said Indonesia “understands the consequences of its decision” after the IOC’s statement, adding that the action was taken to maintain public order.

Every international event is hosted by Thohir in accordance with the tenets of “maintenance, public order, and the public interest,” Thohir wrote on X.

He added that Indonesia’s constitution required the principle in light of its commitment to uphold international law.

The IOC has decided that Indonesia cannot host world championships, Olympic events, Youth Olympic Games, and other activities under the umbrella of the Olympics, according to Thohir, who acknowledged that this decision has consequences.

The IOC announced that it would update the criteria for qualification to include guarantees for access for all athletes, regardless of nationality, in any Olympic Games qualification event.

It mandated that the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the Indonesian Olympic Committee hold a meeting to discuss the issue at the IOC’s Lausanne, Switzerland, headquarters. A meeting date was not specified in the document.

The Israel Gymnastics Federation’s appeals to be allowed to compete in the championship were turned down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last week.

Additionally, the CAS rejected Israel’s request to compel the FIG to guarantee its participation, or to switch to a different artistic world.

Female footballers in north Nigeria defy cultural barriers with resilience

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Some young women in Kwara, a state with a Muslim majority and where religious customs rule daily life, are defying cultural norms by playing football.

They have discovered the sport’s camaraderie, competitive spirit, and emotional journey, but critics have expressed reservations about its suitability for women with modest clothing.

Maryam Muhammed, 17, endures the intense heat, which her hijab and leggings make more difficult, as well as community criticism, when she arrives for practice at the Model Queens Football Academy in Ilorin.

“They tell me that I won’t succeed,” I say. But she persists in saying, “But I believe I will achieve something great,” despite being frequently taunted while training.

She is unable to agree to wear modest clothing while playing, despite it being occasionally uncomfortable.

She explained that “sometime it feels like I want to open the hijab, but I have to keep my hair a secret.” I must practice it as a decent Muslim.

Hijabs were initially prohibited by FIFA in 2007 on safety grounds, leading to the disqualification of Iran’s women’s team from a 2012 Olympic qualifier. The restriction was lifted in 2014 and was fully lifted in 2012. Nouhaila Benzina, the first senior women’s World Cup player to wear a hijab, became famous in 2023 as a result.

Maryam’s mother, Kehinde Muhammed, has withstanded criticism for backing her daughter’s passion. She admitted that “so many people discouraged me.” However, I respect the choices of my kids. I continue to pray for her and support her.

She specializes in making custom hijabs and matching team shirts, stating, “I advise her that this is the customary way to dress as a Muslim.”

Muyhideen Abdulwahab, a coach for the model queens, works to alter attitudes in the community. He said, “We go out to meet parents and tell them that modest dressing is permitted.” Some still say no despite that.

Bashirat Omotosho, a 19-year-old football player, juggling her family duties and her love for football. She frequently skips training to support her mother by selling puff puff, a fried dough snack, at their roadside stall.

While serving customers and observing her teammates jog past during practice, she said, “Training is frequently in the morning, but I have to be here.” My mother and I cannot leave because of this.

Bashirat’s mother, Titilayo Omotosho, initially opposed her daughter’s athletic ambitions.

What makes a woman choose football? she questioned.

Children in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, watch a football game [Photo by David Adelakun/Reuters]

After her husband’s approval and seeing successful Muslim players like Nigerian star Asisat Oshoala, Omotosho’s stance became less oblique. She cited the record-holder six-time African Women’s Footballer of the Year, saying, “Seeing other Muslim girls succeed, like Asisat, encouraged us to let her play.” Oshoala, who plays without a hijab, is from southwest Nigeria, where traditional Islamic customs are less rigid.

Despite growing interest, female participation in Ilorin continues to be a problem, according to local football administrator Ambali Abdulrazak.

The Nigeria Women’s Football League (NWFL), which is made up of southern clubs from Lagos and Port Harcourt, have the best infrastructure and social support. Although growing grassroots initiatives are being implemented, northern and central regions still face cultural and religious restrictions.

Women’s football is becoming more popular all over the country as a result of the success of the national team, increased sponsorship opportunities, and development initiatives. According to Nigerian media company iTelemedia, which tracks audience trends across local leagues, NWFL viewership has increased by 40% since 2020, and match attendance has increased by 35% in 2024.

As the sun sets, Muhammed and her teammates practiced on a sandy school pitch as the sun sets, their voices mingling with the muezzin’s prayer from a nearby mosque.

In a youth tournament final, Muhammed led the Model Queens, but they lost. She cheered and cheered with her teammates as they won the medals in the second place competition, but she later cried by herself in her room.

Map of Gaza shows where Israeli forces are positioned under ceasefire deal

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EXPLAINER

According to the deal, the Israeli army currently occupies about 40 active military positions in the Gaza Strip outside the yellow line, the invisible boundary established during the first phase of the ceasefire, to which its troops were required to move, according to an analysis by Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency Sanad’s Sanad-based Sanad.

Israel’s occupation of 58 percent of Gaza is still being maintained, according to the images, which also highlight the improvements made to several of these facilities.

Every governorate has at least one military position, despite the majority of its sites concentrated in southern Gaza. Some sites are constructed on war-era bases, while others are brand-new. Each governorate has a total of :

  • 9 North Gaza
  • Gaza City: 6
  • Deir el-Balah: 1
  • 11 by Khan Younis
  • Rafah: 13

On top of al-Muntar Hill in Gaza City’s Shujayea neighborhood, one of the most prominent military installations is located there. The base is being paved and asphalted, according to a comparison of images taken between September 21 and October 14.

The invisible yellow line has vanished.

Nearly 100 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks across the Strip since the ceasefire started, with some involving near the yellow line.

According to Gaza’s Civil Defense, Israeli forces murdered 11 members of the Abu Shaaban family on October 18 in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City. When the family attempted to return home and inspect the vehicle, the Israeli military opened fire on it, killing seven children and three women.

A “suspicious vehicle” that had crossed the so-called yellow line was shot at by Israeli soldiers, according to the Israeli military. Many Palestinians are unable to locate this invisible boundary because there are no physical markers for it. Israel Katz, the army’s defense minister, has since stated that visual signs will be put up to indicate the location of the line.

More than half of the Gaza Strip is still under Israeli control during the first ceasefire, with additional areas still under Israeli military control. Residents of Beit Lahiya, Beit Hanoon, Shujayea, Tuffah, Zeitoun, the majority of Khan Younis, and Rafah City as a result of this have been prevented from returning home.

INTERACTIVE - Gaza map Israel’s withdrawal in Trump’s 20-point plan yellow line map-1760017243

What steps will Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza take next?

Israel will withdraw its forces in three phases, as depicted on a crude map that comes with a different color, according to the 20-point plan released by American President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on September 29 and was created without the consent of any Palestinians.

INTERACTIVE Trump 20-point Gaza plan-1759216486

    Initial withdrawal (yellow line): In the initial phase, Israeli forces retreated to the map’s yellow line. Has released all of the dead bodies of Israeli prisoners who were in Gaza and the majority of the dead bodies of those who had already been released.

  • Israeli forces will withdraw further to the line marked in red, reducing their direct presence in Gaza, while an International Stabilization Force (ISF) will be mobilized during the second phase to oversee security and support Palestinian policing.
  • Third withdrawal (security buffer zone): In the final stage, Israeli forces will return to a designated “security buffer zone,” leaving only Gaza under Israeli military rule, while an international administrative body oversees the transitional period and governance.

Palestinians will remain in a smaller area than before the third withdrawal phase, continuing Israel’s rule over Gaza and its citizens.

The implementation of the plan, the precise boundaries of Palestinian territory, the timing and scope of Israeli withdrawals, the ISF’s role, and the long-term effects for Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank are all still a mystery.

Tropical Storm Melissa takes aim at Caribbean, islands on alert

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Published On 23 Oct 2025

As officials urge residents of flood-prone regions to seek higher ground and shelter, Tropical Storm Melissa is threatening the Caribbean Sea islands with dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding.

Up to 12 inches (300mm) of rain could fall in Jamaica’s eastern region. The main thing to keep an eye on at this time is the amount of rainfall that is currently being experienced, according to Evan Thompson, director of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service.

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Southern Haiti and the southern Dominican Republic were forecast for similar amounts of rain through Saturday, with additional rain possible later in the week, based on Melissa’s path.

West Jamaica, southern Hispaniola, Aruba, and Puerto Rico were among the areas that received heavy rain.

According to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, Melissa was moving west at 2 mph (4 mph) by the evening of Wednesday night to reach its maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h).

The slow-moving storm was centered about 335 miles (55 km) south-southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and about 295 miles (45 km) south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica.

The storm could gradually strengthen in the coming days and develop into a hurricane by Friday and a significant hurricane by the weekend.

Already, heavy rains have slowed down traffic in the Dominican Republic, causing sports events to be canceled.

Melissa is the first named storm to form in the Caribbean this year and the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast 13 to 18 named storms along with an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season that starts on June 1 and ends on November 30.

Saudi Arabia appoints Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan as new grand mufti

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By The Associated Press

Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan has been appointed as the kingdom’s top religious scholar and the country’s new grand mufti.

According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, King Salman, 90, was appointed on the recommendation of his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, late on Wednesday.

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Sheikh Saleh, who was born in the province of al-Qassim, studied the Quran with a nearby imam after his father passed away. He became well-known through his radio show, books, and television appearances.

Some of Sheikh Saleh’s pronouncements have previously drawn criticism from Western media. According to Human Rights Watch in 2017, when asked if Sunni Muslims should view Shia Muslims as their “brothers,” he allegedly responded that they were “brothers of Satan.”

Particularly in the midst of political unrest in Saudi Arabia, such remarks are frequently made about the Shia by religious leaders. Sheikh Saleh also criticized Yemen’s Houthi rebels for firing missiles at their holy sites.

His 2016 orders to outlaw the mobile game “Pokemon Go” as a form of gambling are among the social media posts that have been shared. Saudi Arabia, which is the country’s crown prince, owns a sizable stake in Nintendo and Niantic, the company that makes Pokemon Go.

Sheikh Saleh said in 2003, “Slavery is a part of Islam. Slavery is a component of jihad, and jihad will continue to exist as Islam does. Jihad refers to an internal conflict between the two.

Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, who served as the country’s grand mufti for a quarter of a century, passed away in September.

The al-Sheikh family, which is a branch of Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab, has a long history of serving as the grand mufti.

The kingdom had been under the control of Sheikh Mohammed for decades as a result of his ultraconservative teachings of Islam in the 18th century, which were frequently referred to as “Wahhabism.”