British Muslim convert was radicalised by ISIS videos online

Daily Mail, British Muslim convert was radicalised by ISIS videos online "Jurors were told Watson's encrypted chats with undercover agents 'reveal the extent of his hatred for Western society and his avowed intent to take part in terrorist activity'.


"On his phone, police found books including 'The Path to the Land of Battle' by an Al Qaeda figure, '39 Ways to Participate and Serve in Jihad', and copies of the IS magazine Dabiq."

Islam And Hip-Hop

buzzfeed.com, What's The Connection Between Islam And Hip-Hop In America? " So this week on See Something Say Something, Ahmed talks to guests Dr. Su'ad Abdul-Khabeer and artist Salima Rah about the connection between Islam, race, and hip-hop. "

Aussie ISIS bride becomes poster girl for Islamic State terrorists

9News, Aussie ISIS bride becomes poster girl for Islamic State terrorists "Islamic State has paraded an Australian ISIS bride in the latest issue of its online propaganda magazine, featuring the story of how she and her two children secretly sneaked into Syria."

Letters from a Jihadi

Joanne Slater & Colin Freeze, Globe & Mail, Letters from a Jihadi: inside the mind of a Canadian accused of joining al-Qaeda "What drove three students at the University of Manitoba to travel to Pakistan to join al-Qaeda? Newly-released correspondence reveals their state of mind in their own words, including a nine page handwritten letter home."

The Contradictions of Hajj, Through the Lens of a Smartphone

Wajahat Ali, NYT, The Contradictions of Hajj, Through the Lens of a Smartphone, 11 Sep 2017 "Awe-struck by the privilege of participating in this tradition while often agitated by the contradictions that surround it today, I made sense of the experience by sharing it — filtering the pilgrimage through the lens of my smartphone."

Isis defectors

Martin Chulov, Guardian, Hundreds of Isis defectors mass on Syrian border hoping to flee, 12 Sep 2017 "Hundreds of defectors from Islamic State have massed in Syria’s Idlib province, with many planning to cross the nearby Turkish border and find ways back to the Middle East, North Africa and Europe."

Two leading Saudi dissident clerics among 20 arrested: Reports

middleeasteye.net, Two leading Saudi dissident clerics among 20 arrested: Reports

Muslim robot (parody)

parody from Light, Inc. which raises some significant issues

Interactive Qur'an app

Standard, Extreme vetting: Zeena Qureshi on her mission to combat terrorism with an interactive Koran app This relates to the Ananas Koran app, which I have yet to see. According to the Standard: "Currently there are a number of Koran apps with different translations of the text. The Ananas platform, in contrast, will give information on each verse, explaining what different denominations believe, showcasing research and allowing users to search by a theme or word to see every mention of it in the Koran."

You've Got Veil: Millions Of Text Messages Remind Tajiks To Obey New Dress Code

RFEFL, You've Got Veil: Millions Of Text Messages Remind Tajiks To Obey New Dress Code "Private mobile-phone companies in Tajikistan have begun sending out text messages to millions of citizens, reminding them to obey a new law that makes Tajik national clothing obligatory at “traditional” gatherings such as weddings and commemorative ceremonies for the dead."

Egyptian intelligence services extend control over media

RSF, Egyptian intelligence services extend control over media  "Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is worried about the way Egyptian media outlets are being taken over by businessmen linked to the government and intelligence services. The regime’s domination of the media continues to grow and is even affecting pro-government media."

Yemenis show solidarity with little girl orphaned in Saudi air strike by posting one eye shut photos

Independent, Yemenis show solidarity with little girl orphaned in Saudi air strike by posting one eye shut photos "Thousands of Yemenis are uploading photos of themselves with one eye closed and using a hand to open the other eye wider to show solidarity with the plight of a toddler who lost her entire family in an air strike on Sanaa last week."

Aylan Kurdi Death: 2 Years Later, Mediterranean Is Still Deadly

NBC News, Aylan Kurdi Death: 2 Years Later, Mediterranean Is Still Deadly " Two years since a photo of lifeless Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi lying face down on a Turkish beach captured the world's attention, the migration crisis has shifted to the other side of the Mediterranean Sea."

The Caliphate in the Countryside

BBC. Heart & Soul, The Caliphate in the Countryside "Ahmadiyya Muslims are outcasts within their own faith and often persecuted and ostracised across the world. They preach against violent Muslims and criticise extremism. "

Moments in migration

The Observer, Moments in migration: Polaroids from the refugee crisis – in pictures

How IS agent tried to groom a reporter for London attacks

BBC News, How IS agent tried to groom a reporter for London attacks "A BBC investigation has unearthed evidence that Islamic State (IS) agents were trying to recruit people in 2016 for an attack on central London."

Robert Fisk's review of Nickolaos Van Dam's 'Destroying a Nation: The Civil War in Syria'

Robert Fisk, When did protest against the Assad government turn to war in Syria? "Instead of serious political advice, the West, especially the US and their proxy Arab allies in the Gulf, then poured weapons into Syria – enough arms to destroy Syria but not enough to overthrow the regime, as one ex-rebel told me."

Hijabistas

Harmeet Kaur, CNN, Hijabistas: Young Muslim women meld fashion and faith "To Mariam Moufid, another hijabista, being able to choose what she wears is freedom. Showcasing her fashion sense to the more than 630,000 followers on her @hijabmuslim account is a way of staking out her own space."

Apps and Eid

Kaveh Waddell, The Atlantic, How New Technology Is Changing Eid Celebrations, 31 Aug 2017
"The robust Islamic app economy includes a program for ordering up sacrificial livestock." The article includes a contribution from myself.

Eid ul-Ahda

Metro, Eid ul Adha 2017: 18 quotes, wishes, prayers, messages, greetings, photos and poems to share with friends and family includes Instagram pix

Eid Geofilter

Snapchat filter for Eid al-Adha via Suffa-Tul-Islam‏

Mona Haydar

"My music isn't haram. Being judgemental is haram" - @mona_haydar speaks to @Maaiysa #AsianNetwork Also see:

Check out the lyrics here at monahaydar.com.

'Iran Retools Propaganda With Rap Videos'

Thomas Erdbrink, NYT, As ‘Death to America’ Chants Lose Power, Iran Retools Propaganda With Rap Videos, 27 Aug 2017 excellent illustrated article by Thomas Erdbrink, which includes this example from Amir Tataloo:

Instagram death threats

Daily Mail, 'If you value your life keep the f*** out of Islam': Loose Women star Saira Khan receives death threat after posting Instagram bikini picture and telling a Muslim preacher to 'kiss my bottom' "The television presenter, 47, who is Muslim, shared the Instagram photo of herself sunbathing on holiday alongside a caption blasting a female Muslim preacher who decreed it was 'sinful' for Muslim women to pluck their eyebrows. Ms Khan ended the ended the defiant post with the words: 'Here's my response - kiss my [bottom]'."

Barcelona

Daily Mail, Barcelona jihadi suspect tells court the killings sprees were part of a plan for larger terror attacks using explosives "The terror cell behind the vehicle murder sprees in Barcelona and Cambrils last week were planning further attacks using explosives..."

Iran in talks to unblock Twitter, says new minister

AFP/Citizen.co.za, Iran in talks to unblock Twitter, says new minister "Iran’s new communications minister said Tuesday that negotiations were underway with Twitter to unblock the service, which has been banned for years despite being used even by the country’s supreme leader."

'Beware the Women of ISIS: There Are Many, and They May Be More Dangerous Than the Men'

Daily Beast, Beware the Women of ISIS: There Are Many, and They May Be More Dangerous Than the Men "This report from the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism raises frightening questions about women returning from the ‘caliphate’—if they can return at all."

Matchmaking apps

TechCrunch, YC-backed Muzmatch definitely doesn’t want to be Tinder for Muslims

 

 Source: Muzmatch.com

Also see:
 
CBC, Canadian women create ‘offline dating’ service for Muslims looking for love

This discusses Matchbox which has a different approach to these issues.

Charlottesville

During an absence from the blog, I tweeted extensively re Charlottesville. Here's an important summary: NYT, Man Charged After White Nationalist Rally in Charlottesville Ends in Deadly Violence

Barcelona attack - roundup

BBC News, Barcelona attack: Spain terror cell had 120 gas canisters Significant coverage here Program on Extremism, from which the following graphic is sourced .
Also see their report here on Catalonia by Lorenzo Vidino

'Three Musketeers' guilty of planning UK terror plot

BBC, 'Three Musketeers' guilty of planning UK terror plot refers to use of Telegram and impact of online magazines.

KSA Cat Killer Craze

Newsweek, Cat Killer Sparks Internet Craze, Police Investigation in Saudi Arabia

For some Saudi women facing strict male authority and even abuse, there's only one answer: Run

LA Times, For some Saudi women facing strict male authority and even abuse, there's only one answer: Run opinion/analysis, highlighting online campaigns and social media use: "[But] Saudi women are increasingly risking imprisonment to flee, not just within the country, but overseas as well. They are coordinating those efforts with a network of supporters via social media, sometimes arranging marriages, vacations and study-abroad programs as a cover."

Where is my name? Afghan women protest to claim their identities

ABC (Australia), Where is my name? Afghan women protest to claim their identities "A group of Afghan women have launched a social media campaign to protest the country's custom of erasing women's names." See #WhereIsMyName?

New and Noted: 'Women, Gender and Daesh Radicalisation: A Milieu Approach'

Elizabeth Pearson & Emily Winterbotham, Women, Gender and Daesh Radicalisation: A Milieu Approach, RUSI Journal, 1-13, 28 Jul 2017 "In this article, Elizabeth Pearson and Emily Winterbotham explore the role of gender in radicalisation to Daesh (also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS). They discuss possible factors in female radicalisation, and how radicalisation differs between men and women. They find that the gender of the recruit affects the enabling factors, mechanisms and locations relating to radicalisation. The article challenges assertions that the recruitment of young men and women to Daesh follows identical patterns, as well as the narrative of women as innately peaceful, or as actors coerced into joining Daesh, revealing the importance of female empowerment in the group’s appeal."

BILD reporter discloses - This is how ISIS wanted to turn me into a terrorist

Bild, BILD reporter discloses - This is how ISIS wanted to turn me into a terrorist

Radio station shut down after broadcasting 25 hours of lectures by al-Qaeda recruiter

Independent, Radio station shut down after broadcasting 25 hours of lectures by al-Qaeda recruiter "Sheffield-based Iman FM claimed its staff were “not aware of the background” of American hate preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by a US drone strike in Yemen in 2011."

How this 18-year-old gamer went from neo-Nazi to Muslim to alleged killer

Vice, How this 18-year-old gamer went from neo-Nazi to Muslim to alleged killer "The roommates had, in the parlance of that part of the internet, “edgy” politics. But over the last year, Arthurs had begun to make his online friends uncomfortable. Though he still hung out in the same rooms, his interests had shifted from national socialism to Salafism, an ultraconservative form of Sunni Islam."

U.S. Army sergeant indicted in Hawaii on charges of trying to help Islamic State

Reuters, U.S. Army sergeant indicted in Hawaii on charges of trying to help Islamic State

Hijab Emoji

CNN, Teen behind new hijab emoji: 'I just wanted an emoji of me' "Rayouf Alhumedhi, who now lives in Vienna, proposed the idea last year to The Unicode Consortium, the non-profit corporation that reviews and develops new emojis.

"And she's delighted that Apple accepted it. It was unveiled Monday on World Emoji Day as one of a collection of new emoji characters available on Apple devices later this year."

IS media spin Mosul narrative

Laura Smith, BBC Monitoring, BBC News, IS media spin Mosul narrative "So-called Islamic State (IS) made a success story of its triumphant capture of Mosul in 2014, and it will seek to create one out of the loss of the city to Iraqi forces."

Internet fatwas: Muslims urged to carefully consider online advice

aseantoday.com, Internet fatwas: Muslims urged to carefully consider online advice "The MUI call for more honest and decent internet use comes after heated exchanges during the recent gubernatorial race in Jakarta. It is a good illustration of the rise of digital technology in spreading, and reinforcing, religious messages."

IS India

Ronald Meinardus, Qantara, No Traction "In the international statistics documenting terror attacks inspired or orchestrated by the IS terror militia, India is nowhere to be found. And this despite the fact that owing to its demography and socio-economic conditions, the country with its 180 million Muslims should be fertile ground for foreign-controlled Islamist terrorism." Profile of IS in India

Islamist recruiters in Germany 'go right for young people's hearts'

Deutsche Welle, Islamist recruiters in Germany 'go right for young people's hearts', 7 Jul 2017 "They use the internet to make the first contact, and then comes the offline contact where they meet each other. People who see the appeal of Salafist ideology or jihadist ideology meet with the preachers who are well connected."

How Gazans are dealing with internet crisis

al-monitor.com, How Gazans are dealing with internet crisis "The internet has become the only outlet for Gazans to escape the concerns and problems resulting from the ongoing Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip since 2007."

Mosul: Iraq PM in city to celebrate victory over IS

BBC News, Mosul: Iraq PM in city to celebrate victory over IS

Who are Britain’s jihadists?

BBC News, Who are Britain’s jihadists? "Approximately 850 people from the UK have travelled to support or fight for jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, say the British authorities."

How an American became the leader of an ISIS cell

CBS News, How an American became the leader of an ISIS cell

IS plot

BBC News, Elton John bomb plotter Haroon Syed jailed for life "He was caught after approaching MI5 officers, who were posing as a fellow extremist, via social media." More detail: Mail Online, Teenager, 19, who plotted a nail bomb attack at Elton John’s 50,000-capacity Hyde Park concert on the anniversary of 9/11 joins his terrorist brother behind bars as he is jailed for life
"He used encrypted messaging app ‘Threema’ in a bid to source machine guns, pistols, suicide vests and bombs to launch an attack in the UK on the scale of the 7 July 2005 London bombings."

Afghanistan's all-girl robotics team banned from entering US - but their robot will be allowed in

Independent, Afghanistan's all-girl robotics team banned from entering US - but their robot will be allowed in

IS 'renewal'

VOA, European Officials: Islamic State 'Renewing Itself' Despite Battlefield Losses, 28 Jun 2017 
"European security officials are increasingly worried that Islamic State's reach will not fade even as the terror group loses its grip on Mosul and Raqqa, the twin capitals of its now-collapsing, self-declared caliphate."

As ISIS Gets Squeezed In Syria And Iraq, It's Using Music As A Weapon

NPR, As ISIS Gets Squeezed In Syria And Iraq, It's Using Music As A Weapon

#BlackOutEid

thefader.com, 5 Black Muslim Women On Why #BlackOutEid Is Important

Gaza and technology

London Review of Books, If Israel were smart; Sara Roy on Gaza, Vol. 39 No. 12, 15 June 2017, pages 19-20

"Gaza has a talented, tech-savvy population; if ever there were peace, an American investor said, ‘Gaza’s internet sector would become another India.’ The number of internet users in Gaza is reportedly equal to that of Tel Aviv, and a small number are already subcontracting for companies in India, Bangladesh and Israel."

Terrorist or Disturbed Loner? The Contentious Politics of a Label

Max Fisher, NYT, Terrorist or Disturbed Loner? The Contentious Politics of a Label "Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack terrorism. But debate has continued, suggesting it is about more than labels, but a suspicion that society grants greater importance to non-Muslim than Muslim victims and to Islamist than far-right or other threats."

Facebook posts 'glorifying' Finsbury Park terror attack reported to Government counter-extremism service

Independent, Facebook posts 'glorifying' Finsbury Park terror attack reported to Government counter-extremism service

Finsbury Park

Coverage of the events surrounding the Finsbury Park attack can be found in my Islam in Britain blog

Tablets

mashable, How tablets are transforming the lives of young refugees in sub-Saharan Africa "The Vodafone Foundation announced its Instant Schools for Africa program on Wednesday—an initiative providing free, unlimited access to online educational materials for young people and teachers. Developed with Learning Equality, a leading nonprofit provider of open-source educational technology, the program launched in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Tanzania."

RamadanHub Ramadan Vlog

A range of materials here, including a vlog.

Qiblafinder

 New and noted:

Google Qiblafinder

Youth vulnerable to online radical ideology: Teo Chee Hean

Straits Times, Youth vulnerable to online radical ideology: Teo Chee Hean

As Isis territory shrinks it will rely more on internet

Maura Conway, irishtimes.com, As Isis territory shrinks it will rely more on internet "Relatively few Isis terrorists, however, have been radicalised solely by online means. Nevertheless, in our hyper-connected world the internet is implicated in almost all contemporary terrorism, whether, for example, as a radicalisation tool or for planning attacks."

Manchester bomber

ITV, Manchester bomber's younger brother says he was radicalised online in Britain "Ahmed Bin Salem, a spokesman for Tripoli's Special Deterrence Force, told Reuters: "Hashem said that he and Salman got the ideology of Daesh (Islamic State) in Manchester in 2015 from the internet and some friends in the UK.

"He added that they used to watch videos and had sympathy for children in Syria and wanted to do something for Daesh to help."

The Internet is changing civil wars

washingtonpost.com, Analysis | The Internet is changing civil wars. Watch out for these five trends. "This new ICT environment may help explain why so many civil wars have broken out in Muslim majority states since 2003 — and why they have been fought by multiple Islamist groups whose goals extend throughout the Muslim world."

Abedi radicalised online

Reuters, Manchester bomber radicalised in Britain in 2015 - Tripoli counter-terrorism force, 8 June 2017

"Salman Abedi's brother Hashem also said he had bought equipment for the attack in Britain, though he did not know where it would be carried out, Ahmed Bin Salem, a spokesman for Tripoli's Special Deterrence Force (Rada), told Reuters.

 ... 

"Hashem said that he and Salman got the ideology of Daesh (Islamic State) in Manchester in 2015 from the internet and some friends in the U.K.," said Bin Salem [Ahmed Bin Salem, a spokesman for Tripoli's Special Deterrence Force]

""He added that they used to watch videos and had sympathy for children in Syria and wanted to do something for Daesh to help.""

The Silicon Valley with a heart: How Beirut's techies are helping Syrian refugees

middleeasteye.net, The Silicon Valley with a heart: How Beirut's techies are helping Syrian refugees "Entrepreneurs and international institutions are adapting new technologies to solve refugee challenges and improve their lives."

Iran attacks: 'IS' hits parliament and Khomeini mausoleum

BBC News, Iran attacks: 'IS' hits parliament and Khomeini mausoleum, 7 June 2017 "IS said it had carried out the attack and later posted a video which showed what it claimed was footage from inside the parliament building.

"A voice is heard saying, in Arabic: "We're not going anywhere. We're staying forever.""

NPR, ISIS Takes Credit For Iran Attacks, Several Deaths Reported 

IRNA, Interior Ministry confirms end of terrorist attacks in Tehran (also see adjacent links to condemnation of the attacks).  "In an apparently coordinated attempt, two terrorist groups attacked mausoleum of the late Imam Khomeini, southern Tehran, and the Iranian Parliament (Majlis) on Wednesday morning, killing 12 people and injuring 42 more."

Google won't remove hate preacher rants

Daily Mail, Google won't remove hate preacher rants as they don't break the rules "The hate preacher’s videos have been watched more than a million times, and won warped comments of approval from viewers, one of whom wrote: ‘Kuffar must [and] will be eliminated’."

Facebook says aims to be 'hostile environment' for terrorists

Reuters, After London attack, Facebook says aims to be 'hostile environment' for terrorists

May and regulation

CNN, Theresa May: Internet must be regulated to prevent terrorism  I agree with the comments of Peter Neumann here: " Peter Neumann, a professor who studies political violence and radicalization at King's College in London, said that blaming social media is "politically convenient but intellectually lazy.""

London attack 3 June 2017

Coverage associated with the London attack on 3 June can be found on my Islam in Britain blog.  Material associated specifically with internet-associated issues is posted here. Please check out my Twitter feed @garybunt, which includes my real-time coverage of links to event.

Qatar situation

The digital element of this current dispute is significant, especially in relation to this blog. A variety of opinions are available:

BBC News, Qatar row: Six countries cut links with Doha

Middle East Eye, Three potential motives behind the spat between Qatar and its Gulf neighbours "It's clear that the hacking of Qatar's news agency last month was a premeditated assault. Here's why it happened - and why now."

 Middle East Eye, Qatar hits back as Saudi, Egypt, UAE cut diplomatic, transport ties "Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain cut their ties with Qatar and expelled the Gulf state from the coalition fighting the war in Yemen, accusing it of supporting terrorism. It opens up the worst rift in years among some of the most powerful states in the Arab world."

Arab News,  Bahrain, KSA, Egypt and UAE cut diplomatic ties with Qatar

Al Jazeera,  Inside Story: What's behind recent media attacks against Qatar?

Terrorism kills more Muslims than anyone else

Independent, Terrorism kills more Muslims than anyone else data and discussion

How the Syrian War Changed How War Crimes Are Documented

Cristina Roca, News Deeply, Long Read: How the Syrian War Changed How War Crimes Are Documented "Seven years of war have transformed Syrian monitoring groups into sophisticated investigation centers. But with few options to hold perpetrators of humanitarian law violations accountable, the number of Syrians supplying evidence of human rights violations is dwindling, along with their hope for justice." Recommended.

Chobi by Omar Souleyman

Currently listening to 'Chobi' by Omar Souleyman, from his new release 'To Syria, With Love'.

Founder Of Islamic State News Agency Reported Killed In U.S. Air Strike

RFE/RL, Founder Of Islamic State News Agency Reported Killed In U.S. Air Strike, 2 June 2017 "The founder of the Islamic State (IS) group's news agency [Baraa Kadek] has been killed with his daughter in an air strike last week in eastern Syria, his brother and Syrian opposition activists say."

Allegations: "Hard-Line Moralist in Indonesia Faces Pornography Charges"

NYT, Hard-Line Moralist in Indonesia Faces Pornography Charges, 30 May 2017 "Many Indonesians have leapt to Mr. Rizieq’s defense online, and posters in Jakarta, the capital, bearing his image call on Muslims to “defend preachers and religion.”"

When Hatred Goes Viral

Larry Greenemeier, Scientific American, When Hatred Goes Viral 
"A key researcher behind PhotoDNA says he is developing software called eGLYPH, which applies PhotoDNA’s basic principles to identify video promoting terrorism—even if the clips have been edited, copied or otherwise altered."

For Many Muslim Women, Ramadan's Celebrations Require a Whole New Wardrobe

Racked, For Many Muslim Women, Ramadan's Celebrations Require a Whole New Wardrobe

'Black Crows'

غَرَابِيبُ سُودٌ

Intense new 20 part series 'Black Crows' for Ramadan viewing on MBC:

 

NPR, New Show 'Black Crows' To Tell Stories Of Life Under ISIS

The National, TV drama Black Crows looks at ISIL threat from a female perspective

ANSA.it, ISIS threatens producers, cast of 'Black Crows' TV show 

Reuters, Saudi-owned TV drama fights Islamic State propaganda 

Foreign Policy, Can Good Television Beat the Islamic State?

It is also referred to in this post on Arabic for Nerds, Are there TV shows in Classical Arabic with English subtitles? which points out that the series will be available post-Ramadan on MBC's YouTube channel.

ISIS Philippines

Mubaraz Ahmed, religionandgeopolitics.org, ISIS in the Philippines? The Marawi Battle Intensifies "The raising of ISIS’ black flag over the city sent a strong message that despite setbacks in the Levant, the jihadi group remains active in other parts of the world."

Telegram & IS

Laura Smith, BBC News, Messaging app Telegram centrepiece of IS social media strategy "Although a long-time user of social media, IS activities took a significant turn in September 2015 when the group's official media outlets took to the messaging app Telegram. The move to the encrypted messaging service came after a long-running conflict with Twitter, which regularly shut down IS accounts, and some experimentation with less well-known platforms from which it was also expelled." Comprehensive article.

Beggars using social media to solicit alms

The Peninsula Qatar, Beggars using social media to solicit alms, 30 May 2017 "Beggars send text or a WhatsApp message and claim that they have a relative in critical condition or need help to have a surgery done."

Celebrating Zaha Hadid

Google Doodles, Celebrating Zaha Hadid

App to rescue animals

Cairo Scene, Startup Scene Profile: Egyptian Students Create an App to Rescue Street Animals "The ambitious app, set to launch in June, aims to keep malnourished and abused animals off the streets across Egypt, by connecting users to shelters."

Yalahwy: I Am an Egyptian Veiled Muslim Woman and I Date

Cairo Scene, Yalahwy: I Am an Egyptian Veiled Muslim Woman and I Date picks up on an online controversy surrounding John Legend's new music video.

Kuwaiti mobile operator's advert criticised and praised

BBC News, Kuwaiti mobile operator's advert criticised and praised "Kuwait-based Zain released the advert entitled "We Will Sing With Love" to mark the start of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. It shows a man wearing an explosive belt walking through staged scenes reminiscent to bombings that took place in several countries and has been viewed more than three million times."

Egypt's media ban: The audacity of ignorance

Rania Al Malky, Middle East Eye, Egypt's media ban: The audacity of ignorance, 29 May 2017 "In an unprecedented move, the Egyptian government officially acknowledged blocking 21 websites for allegedly running content “that supports terrorism and extremism as well as publishing lies”."

Social media users change profile picture in support of Qatar

thepeninsulaqatar.com, Social media users change profile picture in support of Qatar "A combination picture of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has gone viral among Qatari social media users. A hashtag calling to change the profile picture to this combination pic is also trending on Qatar social media."

Manchester attacks

Manchester Evening News, Watch: Hundreds of Muslim children and their families marched to the Manchester Arena

Times, Hero surgeon abused after 48 hours of saving lives 

Imam, Bishop & Rabbi lead the procession of British Imams from Cathedral to St Ann's Square for #PrayerForManchester. #WeStandTogether  

"Hackers take aim at Qatar by publishing fake news on QNA"

Doha News, Hackers take aim at Qatar by publishing fake news on QNA, 24 May 2017
"An “unknown entity” has hacked Qatar’s official news agency, and is responsible for publishing a false statement attributed to the Emir, the Government Communications Office (GCO) has said."

Manchester explosion

Independent, Manchester explosion: Isis supporters share messages celebrating explosion

Sky News, Tracing the Manchester bomber: Was he part of a network?  

De los imames a los nuevos predicadores: liderazgos en la interpretacion del Islam en Europa

Lina Klemkaite, CIDOB, De los imames a los nuevos predicadores: liderazgos en la interpretacion del Islam en Europa "The aim of this article is to analyse the locus of Muslim religious authority in Europe. It has shifted, leading to an increased number of Muslim voices demanding space for critical and intellectual participation and a degree of rivalry for religious and social authority. Those competing for religious au- thority have primarily been men, but women – contrary to prevailing opinion – have not been wholly excluded. We may thus af rm that women also participate in this compe- tition for authority, although only to a cer- tain degree. Ultimately, there are ever more Muslim social, political and religious lead- ers advocating a range of causes with the aim of satisfying the sophisticated demands of the individualised Muslim community."

This Super Viral Photo Of A Muslim Woman Ended Up In A Book About Instagram's Banned Images

buzzfeed.com, This Super Viral Photo Of A Muslim Woman Ended Up In A Book About Instagram's Banned Images 

Facebook's Book of Rules

Guardian, Revealed: Facebook's internal rulebook on sex, terrorism and violence

The Qatari princess, Angelina Jolie and the battle of the pyramids

BBC News, The Qatari princess, Angelina Jolie and the battle of the pyramids

Trump Tour

NBC, 'Just words': Trump speech to Muslim world earns praise, condemnation
aljazeera, Riyadh summit discusses ways of rooting out terrorism 

BBC, 'Trump, servant of God': How Saudis are viewing his visit

The Atlantic, Trump's Speech on Islam, Annotated

Raw Story, ‘He’s been neutered’: Trump supporters melt down after president calls Islam ‘one of world’s great faiths’

Rouhani re-election

alaraby, Young Iranians take to streets to celebrate Rouhani re-election

aljazeera, Rouhani: Iran ready to promote relations with the world

Abu Zubaydah

Rob Hastings,inews, Exclusive: 'The terrorist I helped capture shouldn't be tortured', 16 May 2017 "Former CIA analyst John Kiriakou helped capture alleged terrorist Abu Zubaydah - and was the first CIA source to confirm he was tortured."

Instagram 'worst for young mental health'

BBC News, Instagram 'worst for young mental health' "Instagram is rated as the worst social media platform when it comes to its impact on young people's mental health, a UK snapshot survey suggests."