Latest news with #Sunni
Memri
4 hours ago
- Memri
Nigerian Jihadi Group Boko Haram Uses Cryptocurrency To Launder Funds, Finance Terror Attacks
Nigeria-based Sunni jihadi group Boko Haram is reportedly using cryptocurrency and digital platforms to transfer millions of dollars in ransoms and extorted donations, from both local and international sources. The cryptocurrency is reportedly used to fund operations and logistics for the group's attacks.[1] According to the African Defense Forum, a security affairs journal published by the U.S. African Command, the anonymity afforded by cryptocurrency, and the overall lack of regulation, has allowed Boko Haram "unwitting accomplices, including nongovernmental organizations, to trade currencies on its behalf, effectively laundering its money through innocent parties." Cryptocurrency traders may have no knowledge that they are assisting terrorist groups like Boko Haram, it said. Six Nigerians were convicted in the United Arab Emirates in 2020 for using cryptocurrency to transfer over $780,000 to Boko Haram.
LeMonde
16 hours ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Four Syrian weddings, a symbol of reconciliation
The floor was strewn with hairpins, and the smell of hair overheated by hairdryers filled the room. Shelves were stacked with faux-diamond crowns. An esthetician danced a few steps to a pop song playing in the background. In early June in this basement beauty salon in an apartment building in Latakia, a city on Syria's northwest coast and former stronghold of the Assad family, four women were preparing to celebrate their respective marriages in a joint ceremony bringing together different religious communities. At the doorway, a man peeked in. In a rush, two of the soon-to-be brides covered their hair and faces in protest. They were Sunni. The other two were Alawite, a branch of Shia Islam with distinct customs and beliefs. "We've been engaged for a year and a half, ever since Achraf's car broke down in front of my house," said Roula Salman, a 27-year-old physics student from Latakia, with a smile. "By marrying this way, we wanted to show that Syria was still united." It was an unprecedented and symbolic choice against a background of tension. On Sunday, June 22, a suicide bombing targeted the Greek Orthodox Mar Elias church in Damascus, killing at least 25 and injuring around 60 Christians gathered there. Precarious calm In March, a wave of massacres mainly targeting the Alawite community – the religious minority to which the Assad clan belongs and which makes up about 10% of Syria's population – left at least 1,700 civilian victims, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Hundreds of videos showing killings and looting flooded social media, implicating extremist armed factions, some of which are affiliated with the new regime led by the interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Sunni and former jihadist leader.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
‘Undermines morality': Muslim groups slam school Zumba sessions
Kozhikode: Several Muslim organisations have come out against the introduction of Zumba dance sessions in schools as part of the general education department's anti-drug campaign, claiming that it undermines morality and promotes boys and girls dancing together. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now AP Sunni leaders had earlier opposed the popular MEC-7 exercise regime on similar lines. Zumba, a popular aerobic fitness programme that blends movements inspired by various styles of Latin American dance and music, was introduced in schools to reduce students' mental stress, following a proposal from chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. On June 20, the director of general education issued a circular directing schools to conduct physical activities, including Zumba and other light exercises, in assemblies from June 23-26 as part of observing the International Day against Drug Abuse. Higher education minister R Bindu reacted sharply to the opposition, saying Zumba was aimed at ensuring the physical and mental health of students and the school community had embraced it with much joy. "What is wrong with that? We are living in 2025 and the first quarter of the 21st century is over. We are not in the 19th century or in the primitive Middle Ages. People should think with the changing times," she said. However, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said the sessions were not mandatory and the govt would take all communities into confidence before introducing such programmes. Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), the youth wing of the influential Samastha Kerala Jem Iyyathul Ulema, alleged that it was part of a move to foster boys and girls dancing and singing together, just like the earlier attempts to introduce gender neutrality on campuses by making children sit together. "Zumba is actually a form of entertainment incorporating Western dance and rhythms involving both men and women. There are many believers who don't like their daughters participating in such dances," SYS leader Abdussamad Pookottor said, adding that it was against the moral standards of children and there was no such opposition when Yoga was introduced. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Claiming that awareness classes were the best way to spread the message against drug abuse, he said religious scholars in Samastha would approach the govt to withdraw the decision if it was made compulsory in schools. Samastha has asked the management committees of schools under it not to implement such "immoral" tendencies, he said. Samastha Mushawara member Bahauddeen Nadvi alleged that the Communist govt was using this as a covert strategy to disregard religious beliefs and moral values, while subtly introducing religious disrespect and negation of religion in society. Wisdom Islamic Organisation leader T K Ashraf, who himself is a teacher, said strengthening the existing arts and physical education programmes — regular drills, exercises and mass physical education training sessions — would be more appropriate to improve children's mental and physical health. "It must be noted that even today, physical education teachers have not been appointed in 86% of UP schools, 45% of high schools and 10% of LP, HSS and VHSE schools," he said. Muslim Students Federation state president P K Navas said the decision to introduce Zumba sessions was taken unilaterally. SFI national joint secretary Adarsh M Saji supported the initiative, saying: "Unnecessary controversies over this should be avoided, and all religious communities should come together in support of this initiative." Earlier, opposing the MEC-7 exercise regime, the Sunni leaders had said the workouts were being carried out by women along with men and they were an affront to the modesty of women.
Economic Times
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Iran's value in India's regional playbook as counter to Pakistan
New Delhi: The Iran-Israel conflict and India's stance during the episode has once again brought to fore the dynamics of Eurasian geopolitics. Iran remains a key factor in India's regional diplomacy, acting as a counterweight to Pakistan, even as New Delhi continues to nurse its partnership with Tel Aviv. While Iran's all-powerful Ayatollah has occasionally raised the Kashmir issue to India's discomfort, Tehran has largely been supportive of India's ambitions in the extended neighbourhood, helping to balance Pakistan. This includes India's expanded role in Iran's Chabahar port, including a pact for an Indian entity to run it for 10 years. The significance of the International North South Transport Corridor or INSTC cannot be missed. Succeeding governments in New Delhi have considered a stable Iran as a counterweight to Pakistan where Sunni extremists pursue an anti-India agenda. These extremists backed by Pakistani institutions, notably Army and ISI, have relentlessly launched cross-border attacks into Iran bordering Pakistan is counterbalance to Islamabad's designs in the region, including denial of connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. It may be recalled that in mid-1990s, Tehran came to India's rescue, preventing a move that could have led the UN to sanction India on the Kashmir issue.A UN move to condemn India over Kashmir - pushed by Pakistan - threatened sanctions and global isolation. In 1994, the then PM Narsimha Rao felt Iran could provide a lifeline to India. He deputed Dinesh Singh, the then external affairs minister, to deliver a message to Iran. An ailing Singh was pulled out from his hospital bed and flown to Tehran on a special military jet. Then Iran's foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati received Singh on the tarmac himself. Singh, in a wheelchair, handed over a personal message from Rao to the then Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Singh met Rafsanjani, Velayati, and Speaker Nateq-Nouri and returned to New Delhi the same Iran refused to back a Pak-sponsored resolution in OIC that was preparing to sponsor a resolution with the backing of some Western nations at the UN Human Rights Commission condemning India for alleged human rights violations in J&K and seeking Sunday, hours after the US attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dialled PM Narendra Modi who expressed deep concern over the escalation of the conflict. Later, at IAEA, India expressed concern over attacks on Iran's nuclear on its part, has been nudging India to restart oil trade in national currencies. The Modi government had played a key role in Iran securing BRICS and SCO memberships.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Iran's value in India's regional playbook as counter to Pakistan
The Iran-Israel conflict highlights India's delicate Eurasian diplomacy, balancing ties with both nations. Iran serves as a counterweight to Pakistan, supporting India's regional ambitions, including the Chabahar port and INSTC. Historically, Iran has aided India, preventing UN sanctions on Kashmir in the 1990s. Recently, India expressed concern over attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, reaffirming their complex relationship. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: The Iran-Israel conflict and India's stance during the episode has once again brought to fore the dynamics of Eurasian geopolitics . Iran remains a key factor in India's regional diplomacy, acting as a counterweight to Pakistan, even as New Delhi continues to nurse its partnership with Tel Iran's all-powerful Ayatollah has occasionally raised the Kashmir issue to India's discomfort, Tehran has largely been supportive of India's ambitions in the extended neighbourhood, helping to balance Pakistan. This includes India's expanded role in Iran's Chabahar port , including a pact for an Indian entity to run it for 10 years. The significance of the International North South Transport Corridor or INSTC cannot be governments in New Delhi have considered a stable Iran as a counterweight to Pakistan where Sunni extremists pursue an anti-India agenda. These extremists backed by Pakistani institutions, notably Army and ISI, have relentlessly launched cross-border attacks into Iran bordering Pakistan is counterbalance to Islamabad's designs in the region, including denial of connectivity to Afghanistan and Central Asia. It may be recalled that in mid-1990s, Tehran came to India's rescue, preventing a move that could have led the UN to sanction India on the Kashmir issue.A UN move to condemn India over Kashmir - pushed by Pakistan - threatened sanctions and global isolation. In 1994, the then PM Narsimha Rao felt Iran could provide a lifeline to India. He deputed Dinesh Singh, the then external affairs minister, to deliver a message to ailing Singh was pulled out from his hospital bed and flown to Tehran on a special military jet. Then Iran's foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati received Singh on the tarmac himself. Singh, in a wheelchair, handed over a personal message from Rao to the then Iranian President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. Singh met Rafsanjani, Velayati, and Speaker Nateq-Nouri and returned to New Delhi the same Iran refused to back a Pak-sponsored resolution in OIC that was preparing to sponsor a resolution with the backing of some Western nations at the UN Human Rights Commission condemning India for alleged human rights violations in J&K and seeking Sunday, hours after the US attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dialled PM Narendra Modi who expressed deep concern over the escalation of the conflict. Later, at IAEA, India expressed concern over attacks on Iran's nuclear on its part, has been nudging India to restart oil trade in national currencies. The Modi government had played a key role in Iran securing BRICS and SCO memberships.
