A massive demonstration by tens of thousands of Indonesian Muslim protesters on Friday, against Jakarta&#39;s governor, turned violent as hardliners burned police cars and officers were injured in clashes.&nbsp;

The police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds in front of the Presidential Palace demanding the resignation of the Christian governor, who they claim had insulted the Koran, the holy book of Muslims.

The protesters accused Basuki Tjahja Purnama, a Christian and the first ethnic Chinese politician to hold the post of governor in the capital, of blasphemy. Purnama had said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Koran.&nbsp;

&quot;He is not Muslim but he humiliated the Koran,&quot; protester Muhammad Said told Reuters. &quot;Don&#39;t refer to anything in the Koran, especially interpreting it incorrectly ... I call on God to jail him.&quot;

The governor apologised for the remarks, but the group leading the protest, the Islamic Defenders Front, have called for Purnama to be jailed for blasphemy. The group promised that Friday&#39;s turnout would eclipse a similar rally last month that drew 10,000 people to the streets.&nbsp;

Some foreign embassies warned their citizens to remain cautious and steer clear of the demonstrations. There were smaller protests against the governor in other cities including Surabaya, Makassar and Medan.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The protesters called for Purnama to be jailed for allegedly insulting the Koran

A massive demonstration by tens of thousands of Indonesian Muslim protesters on Friday, against Jakarta's governor, turned violent as hardliners burned police cars and officers were injured in clashes. The police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowds in front of the Presidential Palace demanding the resignation of the Christian governor, who they claim had insulted the Koran, the holy book of Muslims. The protesters accused Basuki Tjahja Purnama, a Christian and the first ethnic Chinese politician to hold the post of governor in the capital, of blasphemy. Purnama had said his opponents had deceived voters by attacking him using a verse from the Koran. "He is not Muslim but he humiliated the Koran," protester Muhammad Said told Reuters. "Don't refer to anything in the Koran, especially interpreting it incorrectly ... I call on God to jail him." The governor apologised for the remarks, but the group leading the protest, the Islamic Defenders Front, have called for Purnama to be jailed for blasphemy. The group promised that Friday's turnout would eclipse a similar rally last month that drew 10,000 people to the streets. Some foreign embassies warned their citizens to remain cautious and steer clear of the demonstrations. There were smaller protests against the governor in other cities including Surabaya, Makassar and Medan. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Indonesia: Muslims accuse Jakarta's governor of blasphemy as protests turn violent

To make it easy for Muslims to identify halal products, Ikiam along with the Malaysian Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) is designing a logo that will carry a &lsquo;Made by Muslims&rsquo; stamp. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia already has an official halal logo for products made within the country, but now wants to create a revised logo that states whether the products were also made in a halal environment. Unlike popular belief, the concept of halal covers more than just food and beverages, it also includes cosmetics and toiletries.

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This picture shows the entrance of a halal butchery in Lille, northern France. (AFP)
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The Malaysian Institute of International Islamic Corporation (Ikiam) is an organisation that works to help entrepreneurs of Malaysia capitalise on the global halal market. Halal is an Arabic term for something that is permissible within the ambit of Islam. Muslims around the world are governed by this rule, which defines what is officially allowed for consumption. For example, pork and its by-products along with alcohol are forbidden for Muslims. According to the Halal Research Council, the global halal food market is worth US$580,915 and is growing substantially every year.

Malaysia is a big contributor to the halal market. It, in fact, launched the first halal compliant airline in 2015. All meals on Rayani Air are halal and alcohol consumption is completely prohibited. The airline, however, shut down recently due to issues of negligence. 
&nbsp;

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

The new logo will authenticate products made under a halal environment

To make it easy for Muslims to identify halal products, Ikiam along with the Malaysian Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) is designing a logo that will carry a ‘Made by Muslims’ stamp. The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia already has an official halal logo for products made within the country, but now wants to create a revised logo that states whether the products were also made in a halal environment. Unlike popular belief, the concept of halal covers more than just food and beverages, it also includes cosmetics and toiletries. This picture shows the entrance of a halal butchery in Lille, northern France. (AFP) × The Malaysian Institute of International Islamic Corporation (Ikiam) is an organisation that works to help entrepreneurs of Malaysia capitalise on the global halal market. Halal is an Arabic term for something that is permissible within the ambit of Islam. Muslims around the world are governed by this rule, which defines what is officially allowed for consumption. For example, pork and its by-products along with alcohol are forbidden for Muslims. According to the Halal Research Council, the global halal food market is worth US$580,915 and is growing substantially every year. Malaysia is a big contributor to the halal market. It, in fact, launched the first halal compliant airline in 2015. All meals on Rayani Air are halal and alcohol consumption is completely prohibited. The airline, however, shut down recently due to issues of negligence. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

'Made by Muslims': A new label in town

Shiv Sena, a&nbsp;Hindu right-wing&nbsp;political party,&nbsp;today said that All India Muslim Personal Law Board&#39;s (AIMPLB) opposition to uniform civil code (UCC) is not in favour of the nation.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;In the interest of the nation and in the interest of the Muslim community Indian civil code must be imposed in the country, only then the nation will agree that the Muslim people are true citizen of this country and they want to be included in the contrived decision and abide by the Constitution of India,&quot; Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told Indian news agency ANI.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Muslim personal law board on Thursday announced its decision to boycott a Law Commission of India questionnaire that sought a&nbsp;public vote on whether uniform civil code (the proposal to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India) should be imposed in the country. The questionnaire also sought a public opinion on triple talaq, &nbsp;which according to Islamic law based on the Quran permits a husband to pronounce talaq three times to instantly divorce his wife.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Raut further stressed that unless the Muslim community continues to follow the strict rules and regulation of other Islamic countries, people of India will continue to look upon them with suspicion, ANI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;To the government also, I want to say that their decision should not be based on the fact as to what will these Muslim organisation think regarding this. This is the issue of national interest. The government should take a decision on this,&quot; he was quoted as saying by the news agency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Last week, an affidavit was also filed in the Supreme Court by India&#39;s law ministry that said that triple talaq violates women&#39;s rights.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Religious persecution will not be tolerated in India: India&#39;s interior minister&nbsp;

As the Muslim community continues to accuse the Narendra Modi-led Indian government of violating their rights by trying to impose a uniform civil code, India&#39;s interior minister said today that &#39;religious persecution will never be allowed in the country&#39;.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Speaking at a meeting of Christian leaders organised by India Christian Council, interior minister Rajnath Singh described India as a &#39;university of tolerance&#39;, Indian news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence. People from all religions live peacefully in India and practise their religion without any fear of discrimination. That is why India is a university of tolerance,&quot; Singh was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;All important religions find place in India,&quot; he said and added that people from all religions get respect and it is the only country where all sects of Islam are found.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

He also referred to the incidents of attacks on churches in the&nbsp;national capital of Delhi ahead of assembly elections last year.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;There were incidents of attacks on churches in Delhi which came up in the run-up to elections (to Delhi Assembly). &nbsp;But I would like to say that religious persecution will never be allowed in India whether it is before or after the (upcoming) elections (in several Indian states including northern Uttar Pradesh and Punjab).&quot;&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Targeting Pakistan he said: It is very unfortunate that some countries make terrorism a state policy. There can be differences between people that can be resolved through dialogue but not by taking up guns.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;The nation (Pakistan) separated from it declared itself a theocratic state. That country uses terrorism as a state policy,&quot; &nbsp;PTI quoted him as saying.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Amid remarks by the Hindu right-wing party, Indian interior minister Rajnath Singh said, 'Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence'

Shiv Sena, a Hindu right-wing political party, today said that All India Muslim Personal Law Board's (AIMPLB) opposition to uniform civil code (UCC) is not in favour of the nation. "In the interest of the nation and in the interest of the Muslim community Indian civil code must be imposed in the country, only then the nation will agree that the Muslim people are true citizen of this country and they want to be included in the contrived decision and abide by the Constitution of India," Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told Indian news agency ANI. The Muslim personal law board on Thursday announced its decision to boycott a Law Commission of India questionnaire that sought a public vote on whether uniform civil code (the proposal to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in India) should be imposed in the country. The questionnaire also sought a public opinion on triple talaq, which according to Islamic law based on the Quran permits a husband to pronounce talaq three times to instantly divorce his wife. Raut further stressed that unless the Muslim community continues to follow the strict rules and regulation of other Islamic countries, people of India will continue to look upon them with suspicion, ANI reported. "To the government also, I want to say that their decision should not be based on the fact as to what will these Muslim organisation think regarding this. This is the issue of national interest. The government should take a decision on this," he was quoted as saying by the news agency. Last week, an affidavit was also filed in the Supreme Court by India's law ministry that said that triple talaq violates women's rights. Religious persecution will not be tolerated in India: India's interior minister As the Muslim community continues to accuse the Narendra Modi-led Indian government of violating their rights by trying to impose a uniform civil code, India's interior minister said today that 'religious persecution will never be allowed in the country'. Speaking at a meeting of Christian leaders organised by India Christian Council, interior minister Rajnath Singh described India as a 'university of tolerance', Indian news agency PTI reported. "Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence. People from all religions live peacefully in India and practise their religion without any fear of discrimination. That is why India is a university of tolerance," Singh was quoted as saying. "All important religions find place in India," he said and added that people from all religions get respect and it is the only country where all sects of Islam are found. He also referred to the incidents of attacks on churches in the national capital of Delhi ahead of assembly elections last year. "There were incidents of attacks on churches in Delhi which came up in the run-up to elections (to Delhi Assembly). But I would like to say that religious persecution will never be allowed in India whether it is before or after the (upcoming) elections (in several Indian states including northern Uttar Pradesh and Punjab)." Targeting Pakistan he said: It is very unfortunate that some countries make terrorism a state policy. There can be differences between people that can be resolved through dialogue but not by taking up guns. "The nation (Pakistan) separated from it declared itself a theocratic state. That country uses terrorism as a state policy," PTI quoted him as saying. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Abide by uniform civil code to become true Indian citizens: Shiv Sena tells Indian Muslims

France&#39;s highest administrative court will decide today whether to overturn the ban on wearing the burkini that has triggered controversy at home and abroad. 
 
The Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group are seeking to reverse a decision by the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, to ban the Islamic swimsuit. The State Council began hearing their arguements yesterday.&nbsp; 
 
The ruling is due at 3.00 pm (1300 GMT) today. It is likely to set a precedent for around 30 French towns which have banned the burkini, mostly in the southeast. The decision, however, will not be about the legality of the ban. 
 
The judge will only rule on whether there is basis&nbsp;enough to suspend the ban temporarily until a decision on its legality can be made. 
 
The court will, therefore, consider two things: whether the town&#39;s decree banning the&nbsp;burkini&nbsp;is a flagrant violation of civil liberties, and if the harm caused is serious enough to immediately suspend it. 
 
Nice denies &#39;undressing&#39; claims&nbsp; 
 
The burkini bans have triggered a fierce debate in France and elsewhere about the wearing of the full-body swimsuit, women&#39;s rights and secularism. 
 
&nbsp;A court in the Riviera city of Nice upheld the ban this week. 
 
Anger over the issue was further inflamed yesterday when photographs emerged in the media of police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a Nice beach removing a long-sleeved top. 
 
But the office of Nice&#39;s mayor denied that the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken. 
 
The police issued her with a fine and she left the beach, the officials added. 
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<h5>Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any &quot;stigmatisation&quot; of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was &quot;a political sign of religious proselytising&quot;.</h5>
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Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any &quot;stigmatisation&quot; of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was &quot;a political sign of religious proselytising&quot;." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any &quot;stigmatisation&quot; of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was &quot;a political sign of religious proselytising&quot;. 
 
&quot;We are not at war with Islam... the French republic is welcoming (to Muslims), we are protecting them against discrimination,&quot; he told BFMTV. 
 
But in a sign of the divisions within the Socialist government on the issue, education minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said the &quot;proliferation&quot; of burkini bans &quot;was not a welcome development&quot;. 
 
 
&#39;Neither provocation nor stigmatisation&#39;&nbsp; 
 
President Francois Hollande made his first comment on the issue yesterday, saying life in France &quot;supposes that everyone sticks to the rules and that there is neither provocation nor stigmatisation&quot;. 
 
The former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who this week launched his bid to regain the presidency, has described the burkini as a &quot;provocation&quot;. 
 
Vallaud-Belkacem, who is of Moroccan origin, took issue with the wording of the ban in Nice which linked the measure to the jihadist attack in the resort last month in which 86 people were killed. 
 
&quot;In my opinion, there is nothing to prove that there is a link between the terrorism of Daesh and what a woman wears on a beach,&quot; she said, using another term for Islamic State. But Valls contradicted his minister&#39;s claims, saying the bans were necessary to maintain &quot;public order&quot;. 
 
The administrative court in Nice ruled on Monday that the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was &quot;necessary&quot; to prevent public disorder after the truck attack in Nice and the murder of a Catholic priest by two jihadists in northern France. 
 
 
&#39;Burkini ban is racist&#39; 
 
The vague wording of the prohibitions has caused confusion, it seems. &nbsp;The so-called burkini bans never actually mention the word burkini, although they are aimed at the garment which covers the hair but leaves the face visible and stretches down to the ankles. 
 
Around 50 people held a protest outside the French embassy in London, recreating a beach and carrying placards saying &quot;Burkini ban is racist&quot;. 
 
Amnesty International called for the ban to be lifted immediately, saying it was &quot;fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance&quot;. 
 
&quot;These bans do nothing to increase public safety, but do a lot to promote public humiliation,&quot; said the group&#39;s Europe director John Dalhuisen. 
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<h5>I don&#39;t think anyone should tell women what they can and can&#39;t wear. Full stop.&quot;- London mayor Sadiq Khan</h5>
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Apart from the incident featured in the photographs in Nice, a 34-year-old mother of two told AFP on Tuesday she had been fined on the beach in the resort of Cannes wearing leggings, a tunic and a headscarf. 
 
&quot;I was sitting on a beach with my family. I was wearing a classic headscarf. I had no intention of swimming,&quot; said the woman, who gave only her first name, Siam. 
 
Anouar Kbibech, the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he was &quot;concerned over the direction the public debate is taking.&quot; 
 
London mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, also condemned the bans as he visited Paris Thursday. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think anyone should tell women what they can and can&#39;t wear. Full stop,&quot; he told the London Evening Standard newspaper. 
 
 
France firmly separates religion and public life and was the first European country to ban the wearing of the Islamic face veil in public in 2010. 
 
(Wion with inputs from Agencies)

The ruling is likely to set a precedent for around 30 French towns which have banned the burkini, mostly in the southeast

France's highest administrative court will decide today whether to overturn the ban on wearing the burkini that has triggered controversy at home and abroad. The Human Rights League and an anti-Islamophobia group are seeking to reverse a decision by the southern town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, to ban the Islamic swimsuit. The State Council began hearing their arguements yesterday. The ruling is due at 3.00 pm (1300 GMT) today. It is likely to set a precedent for around 30 French towns which have banned the burkini, mostly in the southeast. The decision, however, will not be about the legality of the ban. The judge will only rule on whether there is basis enough to suspend the ban temporarily until a decision on its legality can be made. The court will, therefore, consider two things: whether the town's decree banning the burkini is a flagrant violation of civil liberties, and if the harm caused is serious enough to immediately suspend it. Nice denies 'undressing' claims The burkini bans have triggered a fierce debate in France and elsewhere about the wearing of the full-body swimsuit, women's rights and secularism. A court in the Riviera city of Nice upheld the ban this week. Anger over the issue was further inflamed yesterday when photographs emerged in the media of police surrounding a woman in a headscarf on a Nice beach removing a long-sleeved top. But the office of Nice's mayor denied that the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken. The police issued her with a fine and she left the beach, the officials added. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any "stigmatisation" of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was "a political sign of religious proselytising". Prime Minister Manuel Valls said he condemned any "stigmatisation" of Muslims, but maintained that the burkini was "a political sign of religious proselytising". "We are not at war with Islam... the French republic is welcoming (to Muslims), we are protecting them against discrimination," he told BFMTV. But in a sign of the divisions within the Socialist government on the issue, education minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said the "proliferation" of burkini bans "was not a welcome development". 'Neither provocation nor stigmatisation' President Francois Hollande made his first comment on the issue yesterday, saying life in France "supposes that everyone sticks to the rules and that there is neither provocation nor stigmatisation". The former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who this week launched his bid to regain the presidency, has described the burkini as a "provocation". Vallaud-Belkacem, who is of Moroccan origin, took issue with the wording of the ban in Nice which linked the measure to the jihadist attack in the resort last month in which 86 people were killed. "In my opinion, there is nothing to prove that there is a link between the terrorism of Daesh and what a woman wears on a beach," she said, using another term for Islamic State. But Valls contradicted his minister's claims, saying the bans were necessary to maintain "public order". The administrative court in Nice ruled on Monday that the Villeneuve-Loubet ban was "necessary" to prevent public disorder after the truck attack in Nice and the murder of a Catholic priest by two jihadists in northern France. 'Burkini ban is racist' The vague wording of the prohibitions has caused confusion, it seems. The so-called burkini bans never actually mention the word burkini, although they are aimed at the garment which covers the hair but leaves the face visible and stretches down to the ankles. Around 50 people held a protest outside the French embassy in London, recreating a beach and carrying placards saying "Burkini ban is racist". Amnesty International called for the ban to be lifted immediately, saying it was "fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance". "These bans do nothing to increase public safety, but do a lot to promote public humiliation," said the group's Europe director John Dalhuisen. I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop."- London mayor Sadiq Khan Apart from the incident featured in the photographs in Nice, a 34-year-old mother of two told AFP on Tuesday she had been fined on the beach in the resort of Cannes wearing leggings, a tunic and a headscarf. "I was sitting on a beach with my family. I was wearing a classic headscarf. I had no intention of swimming," said the woman, who gave only her first name, Siam. Anouar Kbibech, the head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he was "concerned over the direction the public debate is taking." London mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim mayor of a major Western capital, also condemned the bans as he visited Paris Thursday. "I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop," he told the London Evening Standard newspaper. France firmly separates religion and public life and was the first European country to ban the wearing of the Islamic face veil in public in 2010. (Wion with inputs from Agencies)

France's highest court to rule on burkini ban

Hundreds of Jews visited Jerusalem&#39;s Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tisha B&#39;av, a religious day of mourning, with several expelled for praying, a right restricted to Muslims, police said today. 
 
They said around 400 entered the site in occupied east Jerusalem throughout the day to commemorate the destruction of two ancient temples there. Police expelled 10 Jews from the compound for trying to pray there and arrested another two. 
 
Security at the controversial site had been boosted with hundreds of extra officers ahead of the event, which began on Saturday night.&nbsp;Tens of thousands of Jews also prayed at the adjacent Western Wall during the day. 
 
Advocates for prayer rights for Jews at the esplanade, the holiest site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount, have called on Jews to visit the sensitive area. It is Islam&#39;s third holiest site. 
 
An AFP journalist saw several groups of around 30 Jews visiting the site in the morning and the afternoon, many escorted by police. 
Muslims entering through different gates showed their identity cards to the police, who retained them for some visitors until the end of their visit. 
 
Honenu, an advocacy group that provides legal aid to extremist Jews, said three were held for citing verses from prayer, and another for tearing his shirt, a sign of mourning in Judaism. Jews are allowed to visit the compound but not pray there, and the site has been the scene of regular incidents when Jews try to ignore the rule and Muslims intervene to stop them. 
 
Police said Muslims had gathered around two Jews being expelled by police and began yelling at them. Police pushed them away and three Muslims were &quot;lightly&quot; injured in the scuffle. 
 
Jerusalem has been at the heart of a wave of violence since October in which 219 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have died, according to an AFP count. 
 
Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. 
 
While the number of attacks has declined in recent weeks, Palestinian fears of Israeli intentions to undermine Muslim control of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound were a key factor in the violence erupting 10 months ago. 
 
Palestinians argue that Israel is seeking to change the status quo at the compound, a claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied. 
 
Israel occupied east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed the territory in a move never recognised by the international community. 
 
(AFP)

Police expelled 10 Jews from the compound for trying to pray and arrested another two. Jews are allowed to visit the compound but not pray

Hundreds of Jews visited Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound on Tisha B'av, a religious day of mourning, with several expelled for praying, a right restricted to Muslims, police said today. They said around 400 entered the site in occupied east Jerusalem throughout the day to commemorate the destruction of two ancient temples there. Police expelled 10 Jews from the compound for trying to pray there and arrested another two. Security at the controversial site had been boosted with hundreds of extra officers ahead of the event, which began on Saturday night. Tens of thousands of Jews also prayed at the adjacent Western Wall during the day. Advocates for prayer rights for Jews at the esplanade, the holiest site in Judaism and referred to as the Temple Mount, have called on Jews to visit the sensitive area. It is Islam's third holiest site. An AFP journalist saw several groups of around 30 Jews visiting the site in the morning and the afternoon, many escorted by police. Muslims entering through different gates showed their identity cards to the police, who retained them for some visitors until the end of their visit. Honenu, an advocacy group that provides legal aid to extremist Jews, said three were held for citing verses from prayer, and another for tearing his shirt, a sign of mourning in Judaism. Jews are allowed to visit the compound but not pray there, and the site has been the scene of regular incidents when Jews try to ignore the rule and Muslims intervene to stop them. Police said Muslims had gathered around two Jews being expelled by police and began yelling at them. Police pushed them away and three Muslims were "lightly" injured in the scuffle. Jerusalem has been at the heart of a wave of violence since October in which 219 Palestinians, 34 Israelis, two Americans, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have died, according to an AFP count. Most of the Palestinians killed were carrying out knife, gun or car-ramming attacks, according to Israeli authorities. While the number of attacks has declined in recent weeks, Palestinian fears of Israeli intentions to undermine Muslim control of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound were a key factor in the violence erupting 10 months ago. Palestinians argue that Israel is seeking to change the status quo at the compound, a claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly denied. Israel occupied east Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed the territory in a move never recognised by the international community. (AFP)

Jews expelled from Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque on mourning day

Muslims in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, attended a mass on Sunday, July 31 to pay tribute to a priest killed in a knife attack. 
 
The French Muslim Community Council had urged Muslims to attend mass all over the country in a gesture of solidarity and compassion with the Catholic community. 
 
The request was made after Father Jacques Hamel was killed when two attackers linked to Islamic State interrupted a church service and forced the 85-year-old Roman Catholic priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat. 
 
Since Saturday, Muslims have been joining Catholics around France for vigils, marches and masses to show solidarity and unity between their religious communities. 
 
&quot;To forgive is to give despite my anger, my resentment, so that life returns between myself and another, without which suffering moves in, remains and festers,&quot; Father Eugene Doussal said during his sermon. 
 
Among those who attended the service was Hayat, who came with her children and husband. &quot;This was basically a message of unity, aside from peace, it was really about unity,&quot; she said. 
 
Since the church attack, France&#39;s government has been pushing for interfaith unity. 
 
(Reuters)

Two attackers linked to Islamic State had interrupted a church service, forced the priest to his knees and slit his throat

Muslims in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, attended a mass on Sunday, July 31 to pay tribute to a priest killed in a knife attack. The French Muslim Community Council had urged Muslims to attend mass all over the country in a gesture of solidarity and compassion with the Catholic community. The request was made after Father Jacques Hamel was killed when two attackers linked to Islamic State interrupted a church service and forced the 85-year-old Roman Catholic priest to his knees at the altar and slit his throat. Since Saturday, Muslims have been joining Catholics around France for vigils, marches and masses to show solidarity and unity between their religious communities. "To forgive is to give despite my anger, my resentment, so that life returns between myself and another, without which suffering moves in, remains and festers," Father Eugene Doussal said during his sermon. Among those who attended the service was Hayat, who came with her children and husband. "This was basically a message of unity, aside from peace, it was really about unity," she said. Since the church attack, France's government has been pushing for interfaith unity. (Reuters)

Muslims attend Catholic mass in show of solidarity after French church attack

Muslims make up just over two per cent of Myanmar&#39;s population, government census figures showed today, undercutting claims by Buddhist hardliners that Islam poses a threat to the dominance of their faith. 
 
Full details from the 2014 count, the first of its kind in decades, was withheld for almost a year to avoid stirring tensions in the Buddhist-majority nation ahead of elections that propelled Aung San Suu Kyi&#39;s pro-democracy party to power. 
 
Islamophobia has rippled across Myanmar in recent years, with Buddhist nationalists sending alarmist messages about the growth of the Muslim population.&nbsp;But the new data affirms that Buddhists make up 90 per cent of the population of 51.48 million.&nbsp;They are followed in number by Christians (6.3 per cent) and Muslims (2.3 per cent or over 1.1 million people). 
 
However, the survey does not include the one-million strong stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, who were banned from self-identifying during the census taking.&nbsp;Added together, their number doubles the country&#39;s share of Muslims to around four per cent -- an estimate that has been in circulation since the last census in 1983. 
 
&quot;Some were worried that there could be a significant difference in the numbers of each religion,&quot; Thein Swe, minister of labour, immigration and population told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw as he released the data.&nbsp;&quot;But there is not much difference when compared with the census data in 1983.&quot; 
 
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which supported Myanmar&#39;s government in carrying out census, said the figures should extinguish incendiary rhetoric.&nbsp;&quot;It is time to replace speculation with fact,&quot; the UNFPA&#39;s Janet E. Jackson said in a statement. 
 
But the UNFPA hit out at the Rohingya&#39;s exclusion from the data as &quot;a serious shortcoming of the census and a grave human rights concern&quot;. 
 
Hardliners under pressure&nbsp; 
 
More than 100,000 Rohingya were displaced by deadly clashes with Buddhists in 2012 and now live destitute in camps in western Rakhine state.&nbsp;They are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions on their movement and access to basic services. 
 
Just days before the census was carried out in 2014, Buddhist nationalists accused the international community of bias towards Muslims and attacked humanitarian offices in Rakhine, forcing aid workers to flee. 
 
De facto premier Suu Kyi has faced criticism for not taking a stronger stance on the Rohingya or publicly condemning two recent attacks on mosques in other parts of the country.&nbsp;But her government has made moves in recent weeks to rein in the Ma Ba Tha, a monk-led movement at the fore of anti-Muslim protests in recent years. 
 
At the core of their ideology is the belief that Myanmar&#39;s Buddhist identity is under attack from Muslims and other ethnic minorities, despite the country hosting such groups for generations. 
 
Under the previous military-backed government, the nationalist group successfully lobbied for the passage of controversial race and religion laws that rights groups say discriminate against women and religious minorities.&nbsp;Earlier this month Suu Kyi&#39;s religion minister warned the group could be disbanded if it uses hate speech to stoke conflict. 
 
(AFP)

Islamophobic Buddhist nationalists sent alarmist messages about the growth of the Muslim population, but stats peg it at only 2.3%

Muslims make up just over two per cent of Myanmar's population, government census figures showed today, undercutting claims by Buddhist hardliners that Islam poses a threat to the dominance of their faith. Full details from the 2014 count, the first of its kind in decades, was withheld for almost a year to avoid stirring tensions in the Buddhist-majority nation ahead of elections that propelled Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party to power. Islamophobia has rippled across Myanmar in recent years, with Buddhist nationalists sending alarmist messages about the growth of the Muslim population. But the new data affirms that Buddhists make up 90 per cent of the population of 51.48 million. They are followed in number by Christians (6.3 per cent) and Muslims (2.3 per cent or over 1.1 million people). However, the survey does not include the one-million strong stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, who were banned from self-identifying during the census taking. Added together, their number doubles the country's share of Muslims to around four per cent -- an estimate that has been in circulation since the last census in 1983. "Some were worried that there could be a significant difference in the numbers of each religion," Thein Swe, minister of labour, immigration and population told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw as he released the data. "But there is not much difference when compared with the census data in 1983." The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which supported Myanmar's government in carrying out census, said the figures should extinguish incendiary rhetoric. "It is time to replace speculation with fact," the UNFPA's Janet E. Jackson said in a statement. But the UNFPA hit out at the Rohingya's exclusion from the data as "a serious shortcoming of the census and a grave human rights concern". Hardliners under pressure More than 100,000 Rohingya were displaced by deadly clashes with Buddhists in 2012 and now live destitute in camps in western Rakhine state. They are denied citizenship and face severe restrictions on their movement and access to basic services. Just days before the census was carried out in 2014, Buddhist nationalists accused the international community of bias towards Muslims and attacked humanitarian offices in Rakhine, forcing aid workers to flee. De facto premier Suu Kyi has faced criticism for not taking a stronger stance on the Rohingya or publicly condemning two recent attacks on mosques in other parts of the country. But her government has made moves in recent weeks to rein in the Ma Ba Tha, a monk-led movement at the fore of anti-Muslim protests in recent years. At the core of their ideology is the belief that Myanmar's Buddhist identity is under attack from Muslims and other ethnic minorities, despite the country hosting such groups for generations. Under the previous military-backed government, the nationalist group successfully lobbied for the passage of controversial race and religion laws that rights groups say discriminate against women and religious minorities. Earlier this month Suu Kyi's religion minister warned the group could be disbanded if it uses hate speech to stoke conflict. (AFP)

Myanmar population census data undercuts Buddhist hardliner claims

If US Republican candidate Donald Trump is elected president, it would be have a dangerous outcome and &quot;complicate&quot; relations between Europe and the United States, French President Francois Hollande has warned. 
 
&quot;Those who say that Donald Trump could not possibly become the next president of the United States are the same ones who thought that Brexit would never be voted in,&quot; Hollande said, referring to last week&#39;s British referendum which backed withdrawal from the European Union. 
 
Trump has been running on the kind of slogans peddled by the extreme right in France and elsewhere in Europe - fear of the wave of migration, stigmatisation of Islam, questioning representative democracy, denouncing elites - the French leader said in an interview to be published on Thursday in the French financial daily Les Echos. 
 
When asked whether a Trump presidency would be a dangerous thing, he answered &quot;yes&quot;. 
 
Trump&#39;s presence in the White House &quot;would complicate relations between Europe and the United States,&quot; Hollande added. 
 
A new opinion poll in the US showed that the race for the White House is set to be a close call. 
 
Respondents to the latest Quinnipiac University national poll put Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of Trump by just 42 per cent to 40 per cent, a narrowing from Clinton&#39;s four-point margin in the organisation&#39;s June 1 survey. 
 
Trump, the New York celebrity tycoon, has caused alarm in Europe with his abrasive style and pledges to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the border with Mexico. 
 
His proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States drew ire of Britain&#39;s Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the idea &quot;stupid, divisive and wrong&quot;. 
 
Trump has criticised the continent&#39;s leaders as &quot;weak&quot; and accused them of taking inadequate measures to combat terrorism, following the Islamist attacks on Brussels in March.&nbsp; 
 
Last month French Prime Minister Manuel Valls accused the presumptive US Republican presidential nominee Trump of being a &quot;bad man&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

The French President denounced US Republican candidate Donald Trump's prejudicial stance against immigration, democracy and Muslims

If US Republican candidate Donald Trump is elected president, it would be have a dangerous outcome and "complicate" relations between Europe and the United States, French President Francois Hollande has warned. "Those who say that Donald Trump could not possibly become the next president of the United States are the same ones who thought that Brexit would never be voted in," Hollande said, referring to last week's British referendum which backed withdrawal from the European Union. Trump has been running on the kind of slogans peddled by the extreme right in France and elsewhere in Europe - fear of the wave of migration, stigmatisation of Islam, questioning representative democracy, denouncing elites - the French leader said in an interview to be published on Thursday in the French financial daily Les Echos. When asked whether a Trump presidency would be a dangerous thing, he answered "yes". Trump's presence in the White House "would complicate relations between Europe and the United States," Hollande added. A new opinion poll in the US showed that the race for the White House is set to be a close call. Respondents to the latest Quinnipiac University national poll put Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton ahead of Trump by just 42 per cent to 40 per cent, a narrowing from Clinton's four-point margin in the organisation's June 1 survey. Trump, the New York celebrity tycoon, has caused alarm in Europe with his abrasive style and pledges to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the border with Mexico. His proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States drew ire of Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, who called the idea "stupid, divisive and wrong". Trump has criticised the continent's leaders as "weak" and accused them of taking inadequate measures to combat terrorism, following the Islamist attacks on Brussels in March. Last month French Prime Minister Manuel Valls accused the presumptive US Republican presidential nominee Trump of being a "bad man". (AFP)

A President Trump would 'complicate' US-Europe ties: Hollande

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