13 August-19 August – Islam in Media Roundup

‘Conservative Turn’ Will Continue in Indonesian Presidential Election Next Year

‘Conservative Turn’ Will Continue in Indonesian Presidential Election Next Year

The Conversation

Joko Widodo’s choice of a Muslim cleric to be his vice presidential running mate serves to please the large Muslim constituency and will encourage the rise of more conservative groups.
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China Newspaper Defends Xinjiang Muslim Crackdown

China Newspaper Defends Xinjiang Muslim Crackdown

AP News

Global Times editorial defended China’s crackdown on Muslims inXinjiang, described as “a phase that Xinjiang has to go through in rebuilding peace and prosperity”.
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Saudi Refinance Firm Plans Islamic Bond Issues to Fund Mortgage Drive:

Saudi Refinance Firm Plans Islamic Bond Issues to Fund Mortgage Drive:

Reuters

Government-owned Saudi Real Estate Refinance Co (SRC) plans to begin issuing Islamic bonds to expand the home mortgage market.
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Tunisian President proposes Inheritance Equality for Women, with Exceptions

Tunisian President proposes Inheritance Equality for Women, with Exceptions

Reuters

President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia proposed implementing equal inheritance for women with the option for families to opt out if they want to follow the Islamic code instead.
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China Uighurs: Beijing Denies Detaining One Million

China Uighurs: Beijing Denies Detaining One Million

BBC

China denies detaining one million Uighurs, but admits that those who are deceived by religious extremism will be re-educated.
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The Woman Leading the Way for Rohingya at a Bangladesh Camp

The Woman Leading the Way for Rohingya at a Bangladesh Camp

Aljazeera

Twenty-six year old Romeda Begum was elected to lead the Nayapara camp for the Rohingya in Bangladesh.
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A Palestinian Bedouin Village Braces for Forcible Transfer as Israel Seeks to Split the West Bank in Half

A Palestinian Bedouin Village Braces for Forcible Transfer as Israel Seeks to Split the West Bank in Half

The Intercept

Khan al-Ahmar, a village outside the West Bank, faces demolition plans by the Israeli government in order to expand Jewish settlements.
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Taliban Blindsides U.S. Forces with Surprise Afghan Offensive

Taliban Blindsides U.S. Forces with Surprise Afghan Offensive

Washington Times

The Afghan Taliban made a surprise attack against Afghan and U.S. forces, attempting to expand its control over southern and eastern Afghanistan.
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Indonesia Woman Irked by Mosque Noise on Trial for Blasphemy

Indonesia Woman Irked by Mosque Noise on Trial for Blasphemy

AP News

An Indonesian woman was convicted of blasphemy and sentenced to 18 months in prison for complaining about the loud volume of the mosque speakers.
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Australian Senator Calls for 'Final Solution to Immigration Problem'

Australian Senator Calls for 'Final Solution to Immigration Problem'

The Guardian

An Australian crossbench senator asked voters if they wanted to end immigration from Muslim and third world nations to Australia.
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Critical of Israel, Embraced by Ocasio-Cortez: Minnesota Muslim Candidate Becomes Target of Alt-right Troll

Critical of Israel, Embraced by Ocasio-Cortez: Minnesota Muslim Candidate Becomes Target of Alt-right Troll

Haaretz

Muslim candidate Ilhan Omar has become the target of far-right trolling in Minnesota.
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Bosnian Serb Leader Denies Scope of Srebrenica Massacre

Bosnian Serb Leader Denies Scope of Srebrenica Massacre

AP News

Milorad Dodik, leader of Bosnian Serbs, demanded that the legislature revoke the report on the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, claiming that it was biased and did not include Serb victims.
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For Rashida Tlaib, Palestinian Heritage Infuses a Detroit Sense of Community

For Rashida Tlaib, Palestinian Heritage Infuses a Detroit Sense of Community

New York Times

Rashida Talib joined a protest outside Detroit’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Center, stating that she is running because of injustices.
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China and its Relationship with Islam

China and its Relationship with Islam

Times of India

While the protest of the planned demolition of a mosque in Ningxia region worked, as many as 1,000 mosques were demolished in Xinjiang according to a 2016 report.
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Malaysian Women to be Caned for ‘Attempting Lesbian Sex’

Malaysian Women to be Caned for ‘Attempting Lesbian Sex’

Reuters

Under sharia law, also known as musahaqah, two women will be caned and fined for attempting lesbian sex.
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How Islamophobia is Driving Anti-Refugee Sentiment in Korea

How Islamophobia is Driving Anti-Refugee Sentiment in Korea

Aljazeera

Many residents of Jeju island and Seoul protested the arrival of 550 Yemeni refugees, claiming that they would rape their women and steal their jobs.
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Saudi Women Can Drive, But are Their Voices Being Heard?

Saudi Women Can Drive, But are Their Voices Being Heard?

The Conversation

Although the kingdom lifted its ban on women driving and several other restrictions, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is still controlling activism.
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Can Gaza Rebuild its Arts Haven Damaged by Israeli Bombing?

Can Gaza Rebuild its Arts Haven Damaged by Israeli Bombing?

al-Monitor

Gaza’s Arts and Crafts Village was destroyed following Israeli airstrikes last month; artists’ hopes for reconstructions lie in foreign support.
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India’s Hindu Nationalists Still Feed Off Partition’s Wounds

India’s Hindu Nationalists Still Feed Off Partition’s Wounds

Foreign Policy

The partitioning of India still affects the Hindu and Muslim populations as observed in recent developments in Assam.
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New Mexico Judge Gets Death Threats After Granting Bail to Muslim Compound Members

New Mexico Judge Gets Death Threats After Granting Bail to Muslim Compound Members

Reuters

After granting bail for five Muslims charged with child abuse, a New Mexico judge received death threats.
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Suicide Bomber Targets Shiite Students in Kabul, Killing 25

Suicide Bomber Targets Shiite Students in Kabul, Killing 25

AP News

A suicide bomber attacked a Shi’a neighborhood in Kabul where students were preparing for university exams.
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Ilhan Omar Romps in Minneapolis Democratic Primary, While Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Win Statewide

Ilhan Omar Romps in Minneapolis Democratic Primary, While Tim Walz and Keith Ellison Win Statewide

The Intercept

Ilhan Omar won the Democratic primary tuesday night for Minnesota’s 5th district.
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A Muslim American Political Renaissance?

A Muslim American Political Renaissance?

Aljazeera

Rashida Tlaib from Michigan and Ilhan Omar from Minnesota both won Democratic congressional primaries for in their respective states and together, the two Muslim American women will start a political renaissance.
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Australian Politicians Condemn Call to Ban Muslim Migration

Australian Politicians Condemn Call to Ban Muslim Migration

Aljazeera

Protests were sparked after Australian Senator Fraser Anning called for a “final solution” for Muslim migration and advocated a return to the White Australia policy that favored “European Christians.”
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Hajj: How Globalisation Transformed the Market for Pilgrimage to Mecca

Hajj: How Globalisation Transformed the Market for Pilgrimage to Mecca

The Conversation

Since 2000, Saudi Arabia has required hajj organizations in the west to be registered, creating a monopoly on hajj permits and thus making pilgrimage more expensive.
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Traveling While Muslim: The Case of the Exploding Chocolate

Traveling While Muslim: The Case of the Exploding Chocolate

Politico

An American Muslim civil rights lawyer was harassed by airport customs and security and was likely let go only because of his profession.
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Australian Party Leader Hails Speech Calling for 'Final solution' on Muslim Migration

Australian Party Leader Hails Speech Calling for 'Final solution' on Muslim Migration

The Guardian

While politicians united to condemn senator Fraser Anning, Bob Katter, the leader of Katter’s Australian Party, supported the Islamophobic speech.
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China’s Brutal Crackdown on the Uighur Muslim Minority, Explained

China’s Brutal Crackdown on the Uighur Muslim Minority, Explained

VOX

The Chinese government has been accused of detaining over one million Uighur Muslims, indoctrinating them in communism, and using torture against the community.
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More than 32,500 Employees Providing Health Services for Hajj Pilgrims

More than 32,500 Employees Providing Health Services for Hajj Pilgrims

Al-Arabiya

A statement released  from the General Organization for Statistics revealed that more than 32,500 employees will be providing health services during the hajj.
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Sun, Sea and Single-Sex Beaches: Turkey's Halal Tourism Boom

Sun, Sea and Single-Sex Beaches: Turkey's Halal Tourism Boom

Aljazeera

Turkey provides halal tourism for Muslims from Asia with its prepared facilities and beaches.
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Muslims and Jews at Auschwitz Test New Bonds Amid Season of Intolerance in Europe

Muslims and Jews at Auschwitz Test New Bonds Amid Season of Intolerance in Europe

Washington Post

Muslim immigrants are taking tours of Auschwitz in an effort to blunt anti-Semitism and better integrate refugee populations.
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 In Heart of West Africa, Burkina Faso Faces Rising Extremism

In Heart of West Africa, Burkina Faso Faces Rising Extremism

AP News

Islamic extremism is rising in Burkina Faso as fighters from Mali and Niger have infiltrated the country’s northern region and gained local followers tired of the frustrations of poverty and abuse by soldiers.
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In Central Africa, a Cathedral Shelters Muslims Amid Sectarian Violence

In Central Africa, a Cathedral Shelters Muslims Amid Sectarian Violence

Religion News

Afraid of being attacked by a Christian militia, hundreds of Muslims hid in a Catholic cathedral in the Central African Republic.
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Viewpoint: Chinese Mosque Standoff Risks Peace in Model Muslim Province

Viewpoint: Chinese Mosque Standoff Risks Peace in Model Muslim Province

BBC

The Chinese government crackdown on religion varies from re-education to removing domes and Arabic features from mosques.
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Karachi’s Rooftop Cattle Get Crane Lift to the Ground

Karachi’s Rooftop Cattle Get Crane Lift to the Ground

Reuters

In preparation for Eid al-adha, a man raises his own cattle on his rooftop for sacrifice and had to lift them with a crane to the ground.
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Afghan IS Branch Claims Deadly Attack on Shiites in Kabul

Afghan IS Branch Claims Deadly Attack on Shiites in Kabul

AP News

The Islamic State in Khorasan Province claimed the Wednesday attack on Shi’a students in Kabul which killed thirty-four.
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What is the Hajj?

What is the Hajj?

The Conversation

The author explains the five-day ritual process of the fifth pillar of Islam.
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China Is Going to Outrageous Lengths to Surveil Its Own Citizens

China Is Going to Outrageous Lengths to Surveil Its Own Citizens

The Atlantic

The Dove, a drone disguised as a bird, has been used to surveil China’s citizens, focused on Muslim regions.
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Myanmar Panel Probing Rohingya Crisis Pledges Independence

Myanmar Panel Probing Rohingya Crisis Pledges Independence

AP News

A commission has been established by Myanmar as an impartial observer in the investigation of human rights violations against the Rohingya.
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Victory Offers Muslim Candidate New Platform to Oppose Trump

Victory Offers Muslim Candidate New Platform to Oppose Trump

Washington Post

Ilhan Omar, likely the first Somali American Muslim woman to enter the U.S. House, is planning on resisting the Trump administration and the rhetoric of fear and exclusion.
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Lord Sheikh Fights 'Politically Motivated' Calls for Expulsion from Tory Party

Lord Sheikh Fights 'Politically Motivated' Calls for Expulsion from Tory Party

Middle East Eye

In retaliation for Lord Sheikh’s call for Boris Johnson to be expelled from the Conservative Party because of his burqa comments, MP Zac Goldsmith, a conservative peer, called for an investigation of Lord Sheikh’s own actions.
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Two Birmingham Mosques Attacked with Catapults

Two Birmingham Mosques Attacked with Catapults

The Guardian

Two mosques were attacked with a catapult ball on the same night in Birmingham, leading police officers to patrol and guard the mosques with firearms.
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Trump Would Have Banned Ilhan Omar From the U.S.—Now She’s Headed to Congress

Trump Would Have Banned Ilhan Omar From the U.S.—Now She’s Headed to Congress

The Daily Beast

Ihan Omar represents all that President Trump offended and fought against.
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Sweden Muslim Woman Who Refused Handshake at Job Interview Wins Case

Sweden Muslim Woman Who Refused Handshake at Job Interview Wins Case

BBC

The labor court ruled that an interpreting company compensate a Swedish Muslim woman for being denied a job after refusing a handshake at the interview.
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From France to Denmark, Bans on Full-Face Muslim Veils are Spreading Across Europe

From France to Denmark, Bans on Full-Face Muslim Veils are Spreading Across Europe

Washington Post

Six countries in Europe have banned full-face veils either partially or nationally on the bases of security and rejection of ideology.
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Central Asia Struggles With Fallout From China’s Internment of Minorities

Central Asia Struggles With Fallout From China’s Internment of Minorities

Foreign Policy

A woman that used to work at a Chinese concentration camp in Xinjiang sought, and is being considered for asylum, in Kazakhstan.
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'Food-deprived, pulling all-nighters': A-levels during Ramadan

'Food-deprived, pulling all-nighters': A-levels during Ramadan

The Guardian

Girls at Tauheedul Islamic school in Blackburn had to perform well on their final exams while fasting for Ramadan.
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UN Rights Chief Condemns Bosnian Serb Decision on Srebrenica

UN Rights Chief Condemns Bosnian Serb Decision on Srebrenica

AP News

The United Nations human rights chief condemned a Bosnian Serb call for revocation of the Srebrenica massacre report, saying that it disrupt attempts at reconciliation.
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Displaced Muslim Teens Learn Computer Skills at Catholic Mission

Displaced Muslim Teens Learn Computer Skills at Catholic Mission

Aljazeera

An IT specialist in the Central African Republic teaches displaced Muslim teens computer skills, using car batteries and solar cells to generate electricity.
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Pilgrims Descend on Mecca for 'Smart Hajj'

Pilgrims Descend on Mecca for 'Smart Hajj'

al-Monitor

Saudi Arabia is helping two million people from around the world perform hajj through activating smart apps that assist with navigating Mecca.
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China’s Dystopian Rule Over a Muslim Minority

China’s Dystopian Rule Over a Muslim Minority

Washington Post

China deems its Muslim minority a threat to the state, bent on terror and insurgency.
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Amid an Anti-Muslim Mood, a Museum Appeals for Understanding

Amid an Anti-Muslim Mood, a Museum Appeals for Understanding

New York Times

An art exhibit at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence set up to counter anti-Muslim rhetoric attempts to back memories of the prosperous peaceful trade years with Muslims.
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Detained Saudi Cleric Salman al-Odah Referred to Secret Trial, Says Son

Detained Saudi Cleric Salman al-Odah Referred to Secret Trial, Says Son

Middle East Eye

Salman al-Odah, a renowned Sunni Muslim cleric who was detained last year, has been referred to a secret trial by Saudi Arabian authorities.
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India Cast Millions of Muslims as illegal immigrants. Their legal Battles are Just Beginning

India Cast Millions of Muslims as illegal immigrants. Their legal Battles are Just Beginning

Washington Post

Four million people that were excluded from citizenship in Assam are fighting legal battles to prove their nationality.
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U.S. Slaps Sanctions on Myanmar for ‘Atrocities’

U.S. Slaps Sanctions on Myanmar for ‘Atrocities’

Politico

The United States imposed sanctions on four Myanmar security officials and two military units for human rights violations against the Rohingya Muslim minority.
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 Muslim Women Call for More Equality in Running UK Mosques

Muslim Women Call for More Equality in Running UK Mosques

The Guardian

Muslim women in Scotland called for more mosque facilities for women and inclusion in decision making.
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New Mexico Compound Suspects Were on a Violent Mission, Prosecutors Say. But the Defense Sees it Differently

New Mexico Compound Suspects Were on a Violent Mission, Prosecutors Say. But the Defense Sees it Differently

CNN

Against allegations of a suspected violent mission against the government, the defense in the New Mexico compound case argued that there is no evidence that spiritual rituals would extend harm beyond.
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Muhammad bin Salman’s Capriciousness is Hurting Saudi Arabia

Muhammad bin Salman’s Capriciousness is Hurting Saudi Arabia

Economist

Saudi Arabia’s reaction to Canada could keep investors away out of fear of a sudden lossof business.
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Afghanistan Announces Muslim Eid Holiday Ceasefire with Taliban

Afghanistan Announces Muslim Eid Holiday Ceasefire with Taliban

Reuters

The Afghan president announced a ceasefire with Taliban insurgents starting Monday, planned for the holiday of Eid al-Adha.
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New Pakistan PM Khan Calls for Austerity; Wants Bulletproof Cars Sold

New Pakistan PM Khan Calls for Austerity; Wants Bulletproof Cars Sold

Reuters

Prime Minister Imran Khan is asking the rich to pay taxes and plans on selling his office’s bulletproof cars.
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Muslims Begin Haj Pilgrimage Amid Heavy Rain

Muslims Begin Haj Pilgrimage Amid Heavy Rain

Reuters

The annual ritual of haj began Sunday under heavy rain in Mecca.
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British Museum Returns Iraq's Looted Antiquities

British Museum Returns Iraq's Looted Antiquities

al-Monitor

Eight objects from Iraq, five of which are inscribed in Sumerian cuneiform, were returned to Iraq through Salih Husain Ali, the Iraqi ambassador to the UK.
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Nablus Volunteers Clean Up City’s Roman Hippodrome

Nablus Volunteers Clean Up City’s Roman Hippodrome

al-Monitor

Volunteers at Nablus in the West Bank cleaned up the Roman hippodrome, a popular tourist spot.
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Egypt’s Feminists Laud Mass Appointment of Women as Top Judges

Egypt’s Feminists Laud Mass Appointment of Women as Top Judges

al-Monitor

Sixteen female judges were nominated for top judicial positions in the hopes of assisting with gender-sensitive cases.
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Maydan editors selected some of the most thought-provoking news items on issues around Islam, religion and public-life for you. Let us know what you have been reading. Drop us a line at mediaroundups@themaydan.com!