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☆ This Ramadan, queer and transgender Muslims made their own community
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Shahamat Uddin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Queer and transgender Muslims came together to break their Ramadan fasts. But for queer and transgender Muslims, this practice of ummah, or the connectedness Muslims feel while exercising their faith together, has often made them feel excluded from traditional Ramadan celebrations. Courtesy of Dinean RobinsonThe iftar — which included prayers led by a queer Muslim community member named Shiffa, and joyful drag-queen performances — was just one of many ways queer and transgender Muslims fostered community this Ramadan. Dena Igusti celebrated this Ramadan with fellow queer Muslims, saying it helped them get back in touch with their faith. In New York City, queer Muslims joined in song and dance at the LGBT Community Center's iftar to celebrate their layered identities.

Persons: —, affirmations, I've, Armana Khan, Dinean Robinson, Khan, Islam, Reimagining, they'd, Kahani, Dinean Robinson Sophia Uppal, Uppal, wouldn't, Dena Igusti, Ramie Ahmed, Ramadan, Igusti, Imam Daayiee Abdullah, We're, MASGD, Shiffa, Center's iftar, Yaffa Organizations: Service, LGBT Community, The, New York, LGBT Community Center, BI, Mecca Institute, Muslim Alliance, Sexual, Diversity, Queer, Shia, LGBT Locations: New York, queerness, Queens , New York, New, Hajj, Mecca, Palestinian, New York City

☆ 14 people were thrown in prison for cyberbullying an influencer. Her lawyer says it shows keyboard warriors can face justice.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But over the last two years, she's been the subject of online abuse, spurred on by a French rapper, according to BBC News. AdvertisementFourteen individuals received immediate custodial sentences, according to BFM TV, which reported that the defendants must also pay a total of 54,000 euros, about $58,800, in damages. Related storiesThe news outlet reported that David-Olivier Kaminski, part of Berdah's legal team, said it showed that keyboard warriors will face justice. AdvertisementIn a statement on X, Berdah's legal team said the bullying campaign consisted of death threats and antisemitism, incited by a string of posts by the rapper Booba. AdvertisementIn an interview with BFM TV, Berdah said she felt "very relieved" by the verdict, adding that it sends a strong message to the victims of cyberbullying that justice can prevail.

Persons: —, Magali Berdah, she's, David, Olivier Kaminski, Berdah, Booba, Yaffa, cyberbullying, Shauna Organizations: Service, Business, BBC News, Radio France, Berdah, BFM, BI Locations: French, Paris

☆ Freed Israeli hostages tell families of beatings and death threats
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Howard Goller | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Danny Brom, director of METIV: The Israel Psychotrauma Center, said some will need medical treatment but others will not. Since the latest round of releases began on Friday, with Israel releasing some jailed Palestinians in exchange, the freed hostages have been kept away from the media. Most of the 240 hostages that Israel says were seized on Oct. 7 are still in captivity. Hamas portrays the treatment of hostages as humane, and says it has treated the hostages in accordance with Islamic teachings to preserve their lives and wellbeing. Officials at Israeli hospitals say hostages experienced poor nutritional health, and many with chronic diseases were denied medical treatment, causing serious health problems.

Persons: Gal Goldstein, Danny Brom, Brom, Deborah Cohen, France's, Eitan Yahalomi, Thomas Hand, Emily Hand, Hand's, Emily, Yair Rotem, Hila Rotem Shoshani, Raaya, Merav Mor Raviv, Keren Munder, Ohad, Ruth, Elma Avraham, Tali Amano, Ahal Besorai, Alma, Noam, Besorai, Adva Adar, Yaffa Adar, Daniel Aloni, Emilia, Daniel, Howard Goller, Timothy Organizations: Hamas, Schneider Children's Medical, Israel Psychotrauma Center, CNN, Israel's, Reuters, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, JERUSALEM, pita, Israeli

☆ Israeli hostages didn't know if their families were alive or dead and only found out after being released
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-27 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Israeli hostages didn't know whether their relatives were alive or dead while in Hamas captivity. More than 50 hostages taken into Gaza have since been released. AdvertisementRecently freed Israeli hostages were so cut off from the outside world while in Hamas captivity that they only discovered whether their family members were dead or alive after they were released, according to relatives. AdvertisementThe Munder family "didn't have a clue" about the push for their release, said Raviv, according to the Times. Meanwhile, relatives of the freed hostages revealed details about their loved ones' time in captivity, saying that they lost weight, spent hours waiting for the bathroom, and slept on plastic chairs pushed together.

Persons: didn't, —, Yaffa, Adva Adar, Yaffa Adar, Adar, Freed, Adina Moshe, Moshe's, Eyal Nouri, Moshe, Nouri, Ruth Munder, Roi, Merav Mor Raviv, Munder, — Avraham Munder, Raviv, Israel Organizations: Service, Associated Press, Hamas, AP, The New York Times, Times, Gaza Ministry, Health Locations: Gaza, Palestinian, Hamas, Israel

☆ Freed Israeli Hostages Share Details of Captivity, Relatives Say
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Isabel Kershner | More About Isabel Kershner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

A mother released from captivity in Gaza with her young son told relatives that they had slept on chairs pushed together. The freed hostages have not spoken directly to the news media and most are still being treated in private areas of Israeli hospitals. Relatives who have spoken or met with some of the released hostages said all seemed to have spent their weeks in captivity totally cut off from the outside world, and to have returned thinner than before. Adva Adar’s grandmother, Yaffa Adar, 85, was among the hostages released on Friday. The Or siblings were taken hostage with their father, Dror, who is believed to still be held in Gaza.

Persons: “, ”, Merav Mor Raviv, Keren Munder, Ohad, Ruth Munder, Ms, Raviv, Keren, Adva, Yaffa Adar, Adva Adar, Roi, Ruth, Avraham Munder, — Noam, Alma, —, Yonat, Ahal Besorai, Dror, Besorai, Noam Organizations: Media Central, BBC Locations: Gaza, Israel

☆ 85-year-old Israeli Holocaust survivor taken hostage by Hamas reunited with her family
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Yaffa Adar reunited with her family in Tel Aviv after seven weeks in captivity. AdvertisementYaffa Adar, an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor, was one of the first 13 hostages released from Gaza after 49 days in Hamas's captivity, i24NEWS reports. Yaffa Adar is a mother of three, grandmother of eight, and great-grandmother of seven. The family reunion at Wolfson Hospital in Holon, near Tel Aviv, followed the four-day cease-fire brokered between Israel and Hamas. The hostages released by Hamas have undergone initial medical tests and are reportedly in good condition, per the IDF.

Persons: Yaffa Adar, —, Nahal Oz, Tamir Adar, Adva Adar, Adva, Alon, Orian, Adar, Yael Adar, Yaffa's, Iris Boker, Yaffa Organizations: Service, Wolfson Hospital, National Holocaust Center, Museum, Hamas Locations: Tel Aviv, Gaza, Holon, Israel, Jerusalem, Be'eri, Warsaw, Poland, Nazi, Thailand, Philippines

Twelve of those newly released were among the roughly 75 people who had been kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7. Keren Munder, 54; Ohad Munder Zichri, 9; Ruth Munder, 78Image From left, Keren Munder, Ohad Munder Zichri and Ruth Munder. Ruth is a retired hairdresser and seamstress, according to Kibbutz Nir Oz. She was kidnapped from her safe room in Kibbutz Nir Oz after her husband, Sa’id Moshe, was killed during the Hamas assault. Doron Katz Asher, 34; Raz Asher, 4; Aviv Asher, 2Image From left, Doron Katz Asher, Raz Asher, Aviv Asher.

Persons: —, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Keren Munder, Munder, Ruth Munder, Munder Zichri, Avi Zichri, Ohad Munder, Ruth, Abraham Munder, Nir Oz, Abraham’s, Roee, Ohad, Abraham, Keren, Danielle Aloni, Amelia Aloni, Amelia, Aloni’s, Sharon Cunio, Sharon, David Cunio, Emma, Yuli, ”, Aloni, Adina Moshe, Adina Moshe Credit, Moshe, Sa’id Moshe, Naama Ben, Moshe’s, ” Yaffa, Adar, Tamir Adar, Hanna Katzir, Hanna, Katzir, Katzenellenbogen, Elad Katzir, Rami, Hanna Peri, Hanna Peri Credit, Peri, Ms, Margalit Moses, Margalit Moses Credit, Moses, Doron Katz Asher, Raz Asher, Aviv Asher, Katz Asher, Raz, Katz, Yoni Asher, Asher, Khan Younis, ” Mr Organizations: Nirim, Reuters, Associated Press, Associated, Credit Locations: Tel Aviv, Gaza, Israel, Ruth Munder ., Kfar Saba, Palestinian, Nirim, South Africa, Norway, Mozambique, “

On the first day of the four-day cease-fire, Hamas released 24 of the about 240 hostages taken during its Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the war, and Israel freed 39 Palestinians from prison. During the four days, Hamas is to release at least 50 Israeli hostages, and Israel 150 Palestinian prisoners. Israel has said the truce can be extended an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed — something United States President Joe Biden said he hoped would come to pass. FIRST HOSTAGES FREEDAfter nightfall Friday, a line of ambulances emerged from Gaza through the Rafah Crossing into Egypt carrying the freed hostages. Netanyahu has also vowed to continue the war to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, end its 16-year rule in Gaza and return all the hostages.

Persons: KHAN YOUNIS, Israel, Joe Biden, Khan Yunis, Schneider, —, Yael Adar, ”, Tamir Adar, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Zichri, Keren Munder, Ruti, Benjamin Netanyahu, Abdulqader Khatib, Iyas, ” Iyas, Majed al, Ansari, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, ___ Organizations: Gaza, United Nations, Palestinian Red Crescent Society, West Bank, Medical, Israel’s, “, Palestinian Prisoners ’ Club, Foreign Ministry, U.S, Israeli, Health Ministry Locations: Gaza, Israel, Philippines, Rocketfire, Khan, Gaza City, Khan Yunis, Rafah, Egypt, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Beitunia, Qatar, Bangkok, Magdy, Cairo, ___, israel

Twelve of those newly released were among the roughly 75 people who had been kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7. Ruth is a retired hairdresser and seamstress, according to Kibbutz Nir Oz. Danielle Aloni; Amelia Aloni, 5Danielle Aloni and her daughter Amelia were taken hostage while visiting Ms. Aloni’s sister, Sharon Cunio, a resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz. She was kidnapped from her safe room in Kibbutz Nir Oz after her husband, Sa’id Moshe, was killed during the Hamas assault. Hanna Katzir, 76Ms. Katzir helped oversee child care in Kibbutz Nir Oz for many years, according to a niece, Dalit Katzenellenbogen, who lives in Tel Aviv.

Persons: —, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Keren Munder, Munder, Ruth Munder, Ohad Munder, Ruth, Abraham Munder, Nir Oz, Abraham’s, Roee, Ohad, Abraham, Keren, Danielle Aloni, Amelia Aloni, Amelia, Aloni’s, Sharon Cunio, Sharon, David Cunio, Emma, Yuli, ”, Aloni, Adina Moshe, Moshe, Sa’id Moshe, Naama Ben, Moshe’s, ” Yaffa, Adar, Tamir Adar, Hanna Katzir, Katzir, Katzenellenbogen, Elad Katzir, Rami, Hanna Peri, Peri, Ms, Margalit Moses, Moses, Doron Katz Asher, Raz Asher, Aviv Asher, Katz Asher, Raz, Efrat Katz, Katz, Yoni Asher, Asher, Khan Younis Organizations: Nirim Locations: Tel Aviv, Gaza, Israel, Kfar Saba, Palestinian, Nirim, South Africa, Norway, Mozambique

☆ The Israel-Palestine Conflict Has Been Raging for 75 Years - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Dalia Hatuqa | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

For the past month, normal life in Ramallah — a city in the West Bank usually known for its young population and its vibrant nightlife — has been brought to a standstill. It’s part of the atmosphere of escalating violence that has killed more than 130 Palestinians living in the West Bank since Oct. 7. But these were usually preceded by times of increased conflict, such as the first and second intifadas, or popular uprisings. In the West Bank, morale is low on the quiet streets. In the West Bank, we look around, and wonder: Could it happen here?

Persons: Shireen Abu Akleh, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Israel —, Benjamin Netanyahu, —, wasn’t, Dalia Hatuqa Organizations: West Bank, Al, National Security, New York, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Ramallah —, Gaza, Jenin, Al Jazeera, West, Israel, Qumya, Palestinian

For many Palestinian Americans, there’s a sense of helplessness and hopelessness as they struggle to hear from loved ones in Gaza. But even before this week, getting to Gaza to visit family for Palestinian Americans was a lengthy, exhausting and difficult experience, and most people who live Gaza can never leave. Unlike Israeli Americans, Palestinian Americans say they have never been afforded the opportunity to freely help their loved ones in times of crisis. Palestinian Americans say they’ve never had the option to do the same. Othman’s extended family lives in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory of the West Bank, but her husband’s family is in Gaza.

Persons: Laila El, Haddad, “ I’m, ” El, Mohammad AbuLughod, Deanna Othman’s, ” Othman, She'd, Abdulla, Okal's, “, Haneen Okal, they’ve, “ It’s, ”, Othman, Nahed Elrayes, Elrayes, ” Elrayes, AbuLughod, Israel —, Amirah AbuLughod, Hani Almadhoun, ” Almadhoun, ” ____ Noreen Nasir Organizations: Israel, Gaza Health Ministry, Associated Press, United Nations, AP, State Department, U.S, Palestinian, West Bank, USA Locations: Columbia , Maryland, El, Gaza, Palestinian, Israel, Milwaukee, AbuLughod, Chicago, Palestinian American, New Jersey, Egypt, Rafah, Maryland, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, New York

☆ A woman said her 85-year-old Israeli grandmother was whisked away by Hamas on a buggy
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Photos published by the AP show an elderly woman driven in a buggy by gun-toting militants. Dozens of people were taken hostage by Hamas on Saturday in a wave of surprise attacks. AdvertisementAdvertisementA woman has been asking social media for information after seeing a photo of her 85-year-old grandmother being driven away by Hamas fighters. The photos show an elderly woman wrapped in floral garb sitting in the vehicle, as a militant behind her totes a rifle. US State Secretary Antony Blinken said on Sunday that the US is working to verify reports of Americans being among those killed or taken hostage by Hamas.

Persons: —, Adva Adar, Yaffa, Hatem Ali, Adar, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken Organizations: AP, Service, Hamas, Facebook, Associated Press, Times, Reuters Locations: Israeli, Kfar, Gaza, Times of Israel, Israel, Syria, Lebanon

LUZIT, Israel, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Soon after Hamas gunmen invaded Israel's villages videos began to emerge of seized Israelis being dragged away into Gaza. One showed an elderly woman, a defiant expression on her face, driven on a golf cart into the Palestinian enclave. The family of the bespectacled grey-haired woman, wrapped in a pink blanket and later identified as 85-year-old Yafa Adar, recognized her instantly. "I can't even start to understand how people think it makes sense to kidnap an 85 years old lady, kidnap babies, kidnap kids," said Adva. And you can see there, she's sitting trying to show them, she's not afraid and she's not hurt.

Persons: That's, Adva Adar, Nir, Yaffa's, Israel, Adva, she's, Maayan Lubell, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Reuters, Thomson Locations: LUZIT, Israel, Gaza, Luzit, Adva's

☆ Women, children, and seniors believed to be among at least 100 Israeli hostages seized by Hamas and taken to Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Lindsay Dodgson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementPhotos from AP show several hostages being taken to the Gaza Strip. An Israeli woman posted on social media with the photograph, saying it was her 85-year-old grandmother, per The Times of Israel. Palestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian, center, from Kibbutz Kfar Azza into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. AdvertisementAdvertisementPalestinians transport a captured Israeli civilian from Kibbutz Kfar Azza into the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. The Hamas-run health ministry in the Gaza Strip said 232 Palestinians were killed and another 1,697 were wounded as of Saturday afternoon.

Persons: —, Tzipi Hotovely, I've, Hatem Ali, partygoers, Col Jonathan Conricus, Abu Obaida, Benjamin Netanyahu Organizations: Service, Israel Defense Forces, Sky News, Kibbutz Kfar, Telegraph, AP, Kfar, CNN, Hamas Locations: Gaza, Israel, Israeli, Kibbutz, Kibbutz Kfar Azza, Re'im, Kfar Azza

Netanyahu’s vow to unleash the full force of the Israeli military on Hamas has raised fears for the safety of Israeli civilians spread in undisclosed locations across the densely populated Gaza Strip. “It will make things much more complicated.”Political Cartoons View All 1202 ImagesLocating Israeli hostages in Gaza — something Israeli intelligence agencies failed to do in the case of Shalit — poses further challenges. “So the army would have to bomb everything.”Hamas already has said it seeks the release of all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails — some 4,500 detainees, according to Israeli rights group B’Tselem — in exchange for the Israeli captives. There is “absolutely no chance” that the current government would agree to the release of Palestinian prisoners, said Gayil Talshir, a political scientist at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This included the Schalit deal in 2011, and Israel’s release of 1,150 jailed Palestinians in exchange for three Israeli prisoners in 1985.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Gilad Shalit, Israel, Netanyahu, ” Michael Milstein, Shalit, ”, Yaakov Amidror, “, Khalil Shikaki, —, Gayil Talshir, Yair Lapid, Netanyahu “, Bezalel Smotrich, ” “, Ehud Yaari, Tali Levy, Adva Adar Organizations: JERUSALEM, Gaza, Hamas, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian Center, Policy, Survey Research, Palestinian, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Saturday Locations: Jihad, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Israel, ”, Ashdod

☆ Opinion: I’m a conservative who’s waiting for Republicans to come to their senses
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Yaffa Fredrick | Opinion Adam Kinzinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Traditionally committed to national security, global stability and law and order, my Republican Party — yes, I am still a Republican — is now weakening on all three fronts. And House members who cling to his message in an effort to win primary voters may very well suffer defeat in a general election. And then there’s the hostility these GOP extremists are directing at law enforcement, traditionally a wellspring of Republican support. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio and several equally exercised Republicans members attacked a “weaponized” bureau for serving as an anti-conservative attack dog. On this evidence, I’d say that the extremists are hurting, not helping, the national Republican Party.

Persons: Adam Kinzinger, Kinzinger, Adam Kinzinger CNN That’s, Joe Biden, Let’s, Ron DeSantis, Republican Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, Tuberville’s grandstanding won’t, It’s, it’s, Vladimir Putin, Christopher Wray, Jim Jordan of, Jordan, —, Wray, Donald Trump’s, Hunter, Matt Gaetz, FBI “, defund, Trump Organizations: CNN, Republican, Air National Guard, Republican Party, Adam Kinzinger CNN, GOP, National Defense, Defense Department, Pentagon, Pew Research Center, Republicans, Florida Gov, Senate, Defense, Reuters, Committee, FBI, Twitter, Trump Locations: Illinois, America, Washington ,, Georgia, Alabama, Ukraine, Russian, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Florida

☆ Who is Evan Gershkovich, the American reporter arrested in Russia?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Reporter for U.S. newspaper The Wall Street Journal Evan Gershkovich appears in an undated handout image taken in an unknown location. The Wall Street Journal/Handout via REUTERSSummary Gershkovich has been reporting on Russia for six yearsFluent Russian speaker joined Wall Street Journal in early 2022His reports examined fallout of Russia's Ukraine campaignDetained for alleged espionage on trip to YekaterinburgMarch 30 (Reuters) - Evan Gershkovich, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal arrested in Russia on espionage charges, is a 31-year-old American who has reported on Russia for various outlets for six years. "He is a brave, committed, professional journalist who traveled to Russia to report on stories of import and interest." Russia announced the start of its "special military operation" in February 2022, just as Gershkovich was in London, about to return to Russia to join the Journal's Moscow bureau. "Evan Gershkovich is a highly respected, excellent journalist, detained by Russia for doing his job," the Washington Post's Moscow bureau chief Robyn Dixon said.

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