Muslim Council of Britain leader says Trump’s Gaza proposal is ‘unconscionable’
The new Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Wajid Akhter, has issued a statement about President Trump’s plans for the US to take over Gaza and Palestinians to be displaced to neighbouring countries. He said: “The world seems paralysed when it comes to rebuilding Gaza, yet some find it acceptable to discuss the forced removal of Palestinians from their homeland. Our government must take a clear stand against these unconscionable proposals and demonstrate real leadership in international reconstruction efforts. Meanwhile, we also urge Muslim nations to move beyond solidarity to urgent and concrete action. We must be clear: reconstruction without displacement is not only possible – it is the only acceptable path forward.” Statement is here >>
The new Aga Khan is Rahim al-Hussaini, successor to his father
Rahim al-Hussaini, 53, has been named the new Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Shia Ismaili Muslims. The instruction was iin the will of his father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, who died on Tuesday aged 88. Prince Rahim, the eldest son, has served on the boards of the philanthropic Aga Khan Development Network, which channels the Aga Khan’s fabulous wealth into healthcare, housing, education and rural economic development, in more than 30 countries. The Prince is said to have particularly followed the work of Institute of Ismaili Studies and the Ismaili community’s social governance institutions. The Development Network has bases in Geneva and London, with other offices all over the world.
JD Vance: Freedom of religion is bedrock of civil society
The US Vice President, JD Vance, told the International Religious Freedom Summit that freedom of religion is the bedrock of civil society in the United States and the Trump administration will vigorously defend it. In his speech, met with loud applause, he said: “You shouldn’t have to leave your faith at the door of your people’s government”. He pointed to orders announced in the first weeks of Trump’s presidency, pardoning jailed pro-life protesters, combatting antisemitism and restoring freedom of speech by stopping federal censorship. He criticised aid programmes where NGOs “are dedicated to spreading atheism all over the globe”, thought to refer to programmes which promote religious freedom including protecting the rights of the non-religious. The big tech company Meta was a co-sponsor of the event. RNS report by Jack Jenkins here
Pew research says 24 per cent of Indians identify as religious nationalists
A Pew Centre survey has found that 24 per cent of Indians identify as religious nationalists, and 57 per cent of Hindus in India believe religious texts should shape laws. The study conducted last year, was of 55,000 people in 36 countries and explored the role of religion in national identity and policymaking. It found religious nationalists – people who think it is important to belong to the predominant religion for national identity – do not make up a majority of the population in any of the countries surveyed and were more likely to be found in middle income rather than high income countries. Overall, the survey revealed that the majority of people across the 36 countries viewed religion positively, with 77 percent agreeing that religion mostly helps society. Article in The Priint here >>
Prayers for US visas at Hindu temples in India
A report in the Times of India says Indian professionals have been flocking to Hindu temples to pray for help in getting a US visa, after Trump tightened rules for immigration. The temple priest at Chamatkari Hanuman temple in Gujarat, told the paper that devotees were asked to place their passports before the deity Lord Hanuman, who has a monkey-like appearance, and then recite a devotional hymn. He is quoted saying: “If you believe, it will happen” and claims to have witnessed success where visas were granted hours later. Story also in the Guardian here
Hallow prayer app at risk in Europe
The CEO of Hallow, a popular Catholic prayer app, says the EU is shutting it down because of over regulation. He made the comment on Twitter / X saying the EU was targeting any religious app, “making it effectively impossible for us to operate in the EU” . Premier Christian News reports that new regulations will impose stricter rules on the processing of data privacy, content moderation, and user information disclosure related to religious or philosophical beliefs, unless explicit user consent is provided. Last year, China removed the Hallow app from its App Store. Premier story is here
Claim of religious persecution in Turkey
Three members of the new religious movement, the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, have been detained in Turkey in connection with their missionary activities, including putting up posters. The group accuses the Turkish police of harassment and says its members experience religious persecution and human rights abuses globally. The movement is active in 40 countries and its headquarters are in Crewe. Factsheet is here
Couple sue Vatican Bank for sacking them because they got married
Domenico Fabiani and Silvia Carlucci, a couple who met at work in the Vatican Bank, are taking it to court because they were sacked after getting married. They announced they were to marry in February, but the new law was introduced in May and applied retrospectively. The Vatican Bank says the law is a standard policy in financial institutions in order to prevent conflict of interest, corruption or favouritism. The couple are suing for damages and have asked to be reinstated, and for the papers to go to the Pope, a request seen as “totally inadmissible.”
