Saudi allows 60,000 vaccinated residents on hajj, bars foreigners again

RIYADH - Saudi Arabia announced Saturday it will allow 60,000 residents vaccinated against COVID-19 to perform this year's hajj, but Muslims from abroad will be barred for a second straight year.

The hajj -- a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lives -- typically packs millions of pilgrims into congested religious sites and could be a major source of contagion amid the coronavirus pandemic.

This year it would be "open for nationals and residents of the kingdom, limited to 60,000 pilgrims", the hajj ministry said, quoted by the official Saudi Press Agency.

The pilgrimage, scheduled to be held in July, would be limited to those who have been vaccinated and are aged 18-65 with no chronic illnesses, it said.

Only up to 10,000 Muslims took part in last year's hajj, a far cry from the 2.5 million who participated in the five-day annual pilgrimage in 2019 before the pandemic.

"In light of what the whole world is witnessing with the coronavirus pandemic... and the emergence of new variants, the relevant authorities have continued to monitor the global health situation," the ministry said.

"Considering the large crowds that perform hajj, spending long periods of time in multiple and specific places... requires the highest levels of health precautions."

Saudi Arabia said those wishing to perform the hajj would have to apply online, without specifying how many foreign residents would be among the 60,000 pilgrims.

In 2020, foreigners were 70 percent of the pilgrims, while Saudis made up the rest.

The kingdom said it had informed other countries of the decision not to allow pilgrims from abroad.

"There was great understanding," deputy hajj minister, Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat, told a news conference.

"Arrangements for this were based on the kingdom's keenness on the pilgrims' health and the safety of their countries."

- Vaccination drive -

Pakistan's government said it supported the decision but there was disappointment among those hoping to make the pilgrimage.

"I am profoundly saddened... I also wanted to go for hajj last year. I was desperately hoping to make it this year and even had got myself vaccinated along with my wife," clothes merchant Zafar Ullah, 64, told AFP.

Mohammad Shakeel, a tour operator from Hajj Organisers Association of Pakistan, said the Saudi decision would "further add" to financial losses faced by his company.

Riyadh is accelerating a nationwide vaccination drive as it moves to revive tourism and host sports and entertainment events, pandemic-hit sectors that are a bedrock of the "Vision 2030" programme to diversify its oil-reliant economy.

It has approved the Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines.

In May, only inoculated or immunised citizens were allowed to travel abroad, after the kingdom lifted a ban on overseas trips introduced at the start of the pandemic.

The kingdom has also said that from August 1, vaccinations would be mandatory to enter government and private establishments, including education institutions and entertainment venues, as well as to use public transport.

In a relaxation of coronavirus curbs last October, Saudi Arabia opened the Grand Mosque for prayers for the first time in seven months and partially resumed the all-year-round umrah pilgrimage.

The limit on umrah pilgrims is 20,000 a day, with a total of 60,000 worshippers allowed to perform daily prayers at the mosque.

Authorities said the umrah -- which usually attracts millions of Muslims from across the globe -- would be allowed to return to full capacity once the threat of the pandemic has abated.

The revered Black Stone in the Kaaba -- which is customary but not mandatory to touch during the pilgrimage -- remains out of reach.

- Loss of revenue -

A scaled-down hajj represents a major loss of revenue for the kingdom, already reeling from the twin shocks of the virus-induced slowdown and a plunge in oil prices.

The hajj and the year-round umrah pilgrimages together rake in some $12 billion (10.3 billion euros) annually.

Last year, the foreign press were barred from the hajj, usually a huge global media event.

Saudi Arabia has so far recorded more than 460,000 coronavirus infections, including 7,537 deaths.

It more than 15 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered in the country of over 34 million people.

Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for Saudi rulers, for whom the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is their most powerful source of political legitimacy.

But a series of deadly disasters over the years, including a 2015 stampede that killed up to 2,300 worshippers, has prompted criticism of the kingdom's management of the pilgrimage.

Agence France-Presse

Shiite Muslims mark holy day of mourning in virus’ shadow

Shiite Muslims are observing the solemn holy day of Ashoura that they typically mark with large, mournful gatherings, in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ashoura commemorates the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq with the army of then Caliph Yazid, to whom Hussein had refused to pledge allegiance.

“At its heart, It’s the story of the sacrifice of an extraordinary religious figure,” said Noor Zaidi, who teaches history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and researches Shiite Islam. “It’s (also) the story of familial love between Hussein and those who were with him in Karbala. ...It also has this real, sort of revolutionary component to it,” she said.

“What has made it endure so powerfully ... is the fact that it has at its core the ability to meld itself to what, I think, people need to get from it.”

The Day of Ashoura falls on the 10th of the Islamic month of Muharram and is preceded by days of commemorations and remembrance. The public expressions of communal mourning are generally associated with Shiites. For many Sunnis, Ashoura is a remembrance of more than one event, including the Moses-led exodus from Egypt.

In Iraq, pilgrims ordinarily converge on the holy city of Karbala, site of the battle and home to a shrine to Imam Hussein.

But with the pandemic, Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, encouraged people to observe the mourning in other ways such as watching online or televised commemorations from home.

Those attending public commemorations must adhere to health guidelines, including social distancing and wearing masks, with caps on the numbers of participants in accordance with the local regulations of different countries, a statement from his office said.

Saif Badr, spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment, praised al-Sistani’s statement and call for adhering to health regulations.

“Our opinion is clear,” said Badr. “Generally speaking, we are against congregations in all their forms, including on religious occasions” due to the pandemic. Some Iraqis are not heeding the call to avoid congregating.

In Pakistan, thousands of minority Shiite Muslims rallied in various parts of the country ahead of tomorrow’s Day of Ashoura amid a decline in coronavirus deaths and infections. In his speech to a gathering of Shiite Muslims in the city of Multan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi asked people to adhere to social distancing rules when they observe Ashoura. Security forces deployed around Shiite places of worship to help secure public rallies which had been targeted by militant groups in the past.

In interviews with The Associated Press, several Shiite Muslims told of how they are observing commemorations this year.

___

NAJAF, IRAQ

On a typical day in the mourning period leading up to the Day of Ashoura, Sayyid Sahib al-Yasseri buys rice, meat and other foodstuffs in the mornings for dinners served to those attending nighttime commemorative gatherings.

Clad in black clothes, he and others listen to recitations of the Quran, religious lectures and lamentations. Some bury their faces in their palms as they weep. Mourners rhythmically beat their chests in grief.

“There are tears and heartbreak for Imam Hussein,” al-Yasseri said.

This year the rituals were held outside, he said, and men distributed disposable masks and pumped sanitizer into outstretched hands.

Al-Yasseri wore a mask out of coronavirus considerations but didn’t consider skipping the commemorations.

“If God wants me to get infected, I will,” he said.

Al-Yasseri estimated that about 750 people have been taking part each night in the gathering, fewer than in previous years due to the pandemic.

On Ashoura Day — which in Iraq falls on Sunday — at least one tradition of his will remain unchanged: donating blood.

“I donate to benefit others,” al-Yasseri said, “and out of love for Imam Hussein.”

___

NABATIYEH, LEBANON

Ashoura comes as Lebanon reels from not only the pandemic but economic hardship and the aftermath of a massive explosion that ripped through its capital this month.

Amid a partial coronavirus lockdown, the two largest Shiite groups in Lebanon, the militant group Hezbollah and the Amal movement of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, have urged people to mark Ashoura at home with the help of television and social media.

Yasser Qameh, who for decades in the past attended public gatherings every night during the mourning period, has been watching from home this year.

“I watch it on TV or YouTube — as long as I don’t mingle with people,” Qameh said by phone from his southern Lebanese city, which in normal years is a site of massive Ashoura observations. “The difference is like watching a football match on TV rather than being at the stadium.”

This year, Qameh said, despite a curfew, some people are gathering every night in a city square with masks, temperature checks and plastic chairs spaced out.

Typically, Nabatiyeh’s annual Ashoura ceremonies are attended by tens of thousands of people with some men cutting and beating their heads to symbolize and recall the pain of Imam Hussein, their dripping blood soiling white clothes. Such scenes are criticized by some Shiite clerics who denounce the ritual.

Qameh is also forsaking another tradition this year. Normally he would help distribute water, juice and a special dish called Harisa - that consists of wheat and chicken or beef - to participants who come from other areas.

___

HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK

In the United States, some Shiite communities are broadcasting commemorations online.

In Hicksville, on New York’s Long Island, Fatima Mukhi-Siwji had been feeling sad that her 10-month-old daughter will miss out on the rituals.

“I have grown up in the mosque,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. “How are we supposed to teach our children religion? How are we supposed to teach them (about) Imam Hussein?”

But shortly before the start of Muharram, a number of Shiite Muslims from different communities, including Mukhi-Siwji’s father, teamed up to organize drive-in commemorations to safely mark the occasion, she said.

Held at a movie theater’s outdoor parking lots, they feature scholarly sermons, poetry recitals, chanting and lamentations as families listen from their cars and watch on large screens. Some get out of their cars and watch or engage in chest beating mourning rituals while social distancing, she said.

The daily events have attracted hundreds of cars and, Mukhi-Siwji said, revived a feeling of togetherness she sorely missed.

“It’s such an electrifying experience,” she said. “It goes through your whole body.”

Associated Press

Virus lockdowns stifle Eid celebrations as infections rise

RIYADH -- Muslims around the world began marking a sombre Eid al-Fitr Sunday, many under coronavirus lockdown, but lax restrictions offered respite to worshipers in some countries despite fears of skyrocketing infections.

The 3-day festival, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is traditionally celebrated with mosque prayers, family feasts and shopping for new clothes, gifts and sweet treats.

But this year, the celebration is overshadowed by the fast-spreading coronavirus, with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections.

Further dampening the festive spirit, many countries -- from Saudi Arabia to Egypt, Turkey and Syria -- have banned mass prayer gatherings to limit the spread of the disease.

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest sites, began a five-day round-the-clock curfew from Saturday after infections more than quadrupled since the start of Ramadan to over 72,000 -- the highest in the Gulf.

Mecca's Grand Mosque has been almost devoid of worshipers since March, with a stunning emptiness enveloping the sacred Kaaba -- the large cube-shaped structure towards which Muslims around the world pray.

But on Sunday, an imam stood on a podium while Saudi security forces, some wearing masks, positioned themselves between rows of worshipers who gathered before the Kaaba for Eid prayers.

SCUFFLES IN JERUSALEM 

At Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third-holiest site after Mecca and Medina, prayers were not permitted inside, although the site is expected to reopen after the Eid holiday. 

Small scuffles broke out between Israeli security forces and worshipers gathering around the mosque at dawn, although prayers eventually went ahead outside, an AFP photographer said. 

In Gaza, Hamas authorities allowed prayers in mosques despite the enclave's first coronavirus death on Saturday, but worshipers mostly wore masks and placed their prayer mats far apart.

"Eid is not Eid with the atmosphere of coronavirus -- people feel a sense of fear," worshipper Akram Taher said.

In Afghanistan, the Taliban announced a 3-day ceasefire to mark Eid al-Fitr in a surprise move following months of bloody fighting with Afghan forces after the signing of a landmark agreement with the United States. 

The streets of Kabul were mostly empty as part of a strict lockdown, but some people did venture out and greet each other -- some from a distance and others hugging and shaking hands despite calls for social distancing.

In Somalia, at least five people were killed and more than 20 wounded in a blast during Eid festivities, police said.

The blast occurred as a crowd of people were dancing and singing, a witness said, but the cause of the explosion was unclear.

In Indian-administered Kashmir, another troublespot, Eid celebrations were muted under the coronavirus restrictions and as authorities tightened the screws after a spate of clashes between government forces and rebels.

FEARS OF 'NEW PEAK' 

Ahead of the holiday, Muslims across Asia -- from Indonesia to Pakistan, Malaysia and Afghanistan -- had thronged markets to shop, flouting coronavirus guidelines and sometimes even police attempts to disperse large crowds.

"For over two months my children were homebound," said mother of four Ishrat Jahan at a bustling market in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.

"This feast is for the kids, and if they can't celebrate it with new garments, there is no point in us working so hard throughout the year."

The holiday began on a somber note after a Pakistan International Airline flight crashed Friday in the southern city of Karachi, killing 97 people including many who were travelling to see family for the holiday. 


The English daily Dawn said the crash, along with the pandemic, had robbed Pakistan of "whatever little joy had been left at the prospect of Eid festivities".

In Indonesia -- the world's most populous Muslim nation -- people turned to smugglers and fake travel documents to get around bans on the annual end-of-Ramadan travel that could send infections soaring. 

In the conservative province of Aceh, large groups prayed together with few masks and little social distancing as Eid began, and the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in the provincial capital was packed.

"I did feel worried but as a Muslim, I still had to perform mass Eid prayers as a form of gratitude to Allah," one worshiper, Arsi, said.

COVID-19 death tolls across the Middle East and Asia have been lower than in Europe and the United States, but numbers are rising steadily, sparking fears the virus may overwhelm often underfunded healthcare systems.

FRUGAL CELEBRATIONS 

Iran, which has experienced the Middle East's deadliest outbreak, called on its citizens to avoid travel during Eid as it battles to control the virus.

Health Minister Saeed Namaki said Iran was focusing hard on avoiding "new peaks of the disease" caused by people "not respecting health regulations".

The United Arab Emirates has tightened its lockdown which had been relaxed during Ramadan, but that did not stop some families from planning getaways to luxury beachfront hotels.

But in many countries, Muslims steeled themselves for frugal celebrations amid growing financial distress, including falling oil prices that plunged the Gulf region into its worst economic crisis in decades.

In the Syrian capital Damascus, Eid shoppers rummaged through flea markets for clothes at bargain prices as the war-ravaged and sanctions-hit country grappled with a much more entrenched economic crisis.

"The flea market is the only place I can buy something new to wear for the Eid holidays," 28-year-old Sham Alloush said.

"Had it not been for this place, I wouldn't have been able to buy new clothes at all."

Agence France-Presse

At least 15 killed in attack in Thailand's restive south: officials

BANGKOK - Suspected separatist insurgents killed at least 15 and wounded four village defense volunteers in a late-night shooting at a security checkpoint in Thailand's Muslim-majority south, security officials said on Wednesday.

The attackers in southern Yala province also used explosives and scattered nails on roads to delay pursuers late on Tuesday night in what authorities described as the biggest gun attack in years.

"This is likely the work of the insurgents," Colonel Pramote Prom-in, a regional security spokesman, told Reuters.

"This is one of the biggest attack in recent times," he said.

A decade-old separatist insurgency in predominantly Buddhist Thailand's largely ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat has killed nearly 7,000 people since 2004, according to Deep South Watch, which monitors the violence.

There was no claim of responsibility, as is common with attacks in Thailand's deep south.

Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were part of an independent Malay Muslim sultanate before Thailand annexed them in 1909.

Some rebel groups in the south have said they are fighting to establish an independent state.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Saudi says Baghdadi 'distorted' image of Islam

Saudi Arabia said Monday that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had distorted the image of Islam, and hailed his killing by US special forces in northwestern Syria.

"The kingdom appreciates the US administration's efforts to pursue members of this terrorist organisation that distorted the real image of Islam... and committed atrocities and crimes," said a Saudi foreign ministry source, according to the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

"Saudi Arabia continues its efforts with its allies, especially the United States, in fighting terrorism," the source added.

US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that Baghdadi had died "like a dog" in an overnight raid by US special forces in Syria.

Trump said many IS jihadists had been killed in the raid and that Baghdadi had detonated a suicide vest when he was cornered in a tunnel.

IS had seized swathes of Iraq and Syria in 2014, imposing a violent form of Islamic rule on some seven million residents of its "caliphate", headed by Baghdadi.

The Iraqi, believed to be 48 years old, was rarely seen during his years as leader of the group, last appearing in a propaganda video in April.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Eid’l-Adha in Mina

Muslim pilgrims arrive to cast stones at a pillar symbolizing the stoning of Satan, in a ritual called "Jamarat," the last rite of the annual hajj, on the first day of Eid al-Adha, in Mina near the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Sunday. The hajj is required of all Muslims to perform once in their lifetime if they are financially and physically able. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Some 2.5 million Muslim hajj pilgrims scale Mount Arafat

Nearly 2.5 million Muslim hajj pilgrims converged on Mount Arafat in Saudi Arabia Saturday marshaled by tens of thousands of stewards in a bid to prevent any repetition of previous years' deadly stampedes.

Movable crowd control barriers were erected all around the foot of the rocky hill outside Mecca, also known as Jabal al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, where the faithful arrived on foot and in a seemingly endless line of buses.

Raising their palms skywards, the pilgrims set off on the climb to the summit where they held prayers to atone for their sins in a ritual that is regarded as the high point of the annual hajj.

"Really, I am very satisfied," said Lassina Coulibaly, a 47-year-old Malian business employee.

"Fatigue is part of the pilgrimage," added the father of seven.

Clutching brightly colored umbrellas, pilgrims first braved the blazing sun and then heavy downpours that many welcomed as a blessing.

Some burst into tears as they chanted prayers.

Thousands of faithful had spent the night under the stars, sleeping on prayer rugs or pieces of cardboard.

Trucks were parked at regular intervals on the route leading up to the hill, distributing bottles of water and meals.

Thousands of workers prepared to clear the rubbish that littered the ground.

Helicopters crisscrossed overhead, part of the tight security precautions taken by the pilgrimage's Saudi hosts.

- 'It is an honor' –

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

"I came last year during Ramadan, now I am there for the hajj," said Indonesian pilgrim Zakir Uddin.

"It is an honor, praise be to God," added the 27-year-old cook.

Like other male pilgrims, he wears a seamless white garment that covers only one shoulder and emphasizes unity regardless of social status or nationality.

The women wear loose dresses, most of them white, exposing only their faces and hands.

They are designed to help pilgrims enter a state of purity, called ihram.

Uddin, who works in the Saudi city of Jeddah less than 90 kilometers from Mecca, says he is happy to see so many of his compatriots among the pilgrims.

"Indonesians make up the single largest contingent, such is the will of God," he said.

Pilgrims travelling from abroad account for 1.86 million of the 2.48 million taking part in this year's hajj, according to official figures.

After sunset prayers, pilgrims will make their way down Mount Arafat to Muzdalifah, another holy site where they will sleep under the stars to prepare for the final stage of hajj, a ritual "stoning of the devil".

That marks the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, marked on Sunday.

Sheep are traditionally slaughtered for the three-day event, a tribute to the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared Ishmael, his son.

Pilgrims then return to the Grand Mosque to perform a final "tawaf" or walk around the Kaaba.

- Logistical challenge -

The scale of the pilgrimage presents vast security and logistical challenges, with tens of thousands of safety officers deployed.

Riyadh faced strong criticism in 2015 when some 2,300 worshipers were killed in the deadliest stampede in the gathering's history. 

This year's hajj takes place to a backdrop of Gulf tensions following a series of attacks on tankers, the downing of drones and the seizure of ships.

Riyadh blames regional foe Tehran for the attacks on commercial shipping, accusations Iran vehemently denies.

Despite the absence of diplomatic ties between the two countries, some 88,550 Iranian pilgrims are due to take part in the hajj this year according to Iran's Tasnim news agency.

As in previous years, Saudi authorities have been at pains to stress that the hajj is a religious event and have sought to prevent its politicization.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

More than 2 million Muslims begin hajj pilgrimage

MECCA - More than 2 million Muslims begin the annual hajj on Friday as the Saudi hosts seek to deter politicization of the pilgrimage against a backdrop of simmering Gulf tensions.

The hajj, one of the world's largest religious gatherings, is one of Islam's five pillars and must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives.

It consists of a series of religious rites which are completed over five days in Islam's holiest city and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

"All of the arms of state have been deployed (and) we are proud to serve as 'God's hosts'," said security forces spokesman Bassam Attia.

In total some 2.5 million faithful, the majority from abroad, will undertake the pilgrimage this year, according to local media.

"More than 1.8 million visas were delivered online without the need for middlemen. It's a success," said hajj ministry official Hatim bin Hassan Qadi.

"We feel cleansed by achieving this pillar of Islam and meeting people from across the world. It's marvellous," said Mohamed Jaafar, a 40-year-old Egyptian pilgrim.



'AN INDESCRIBABLE FEELING'

"It's an indescribable feeling. You have to live it to understand it," said an Algerian in his fifties completing the pilgrimage for the first time.

"It's a golden opportunity and moment," said his female companion.

Mecca, built in a desert valley, is home to the Kaaba, a cube structure that is the focal point of Islam and draped in a gold-embroidered black cloth.

Muslims around the world pray towards the Kaaba, which is located in the Grand Mosque, and pilgrims walk around it seven times.

Worshipers will participate in weekly prayers late on Friday morning.

During the pilgrimage separate streams of men and women, grouped by nationality, will travel to Mina on foot or in buses provided by the authorities.

A district of Mecca, Mina sits in a narrow valley surrounded by rocky mountains and is transformed each year into a vast encampment for pilgrims.

A total of "350,000 air-conditioned tents have been pitched," said a Saudi official.

Worshipers will climb Mount Arafat, also known as the "Mount of Mercy", for hours of prayers and Koran recitals.

After descending, they will gather pebbles and perform the symbolic "stoning of the devil".

That marks the beginning of Eid al-Adha, the festival of sacrifice, marked on Sunday.

Pilgrims then return to the Grand Mosque to perform a final "tawaf" or walk around the Kaaba.

'POLITICIZING THE HAJJ'

This year's hajj takes place to a backdrop of Gulf tensions following a series of attacks on tankers, the downing of drones and maritime traffic being intercepted.

Riyadh blames regional foe Tehran for the attacks on commercial shipping, accusations Iran vehemently denies.

Despite the absence of diplomatic ties between the two countries, some 88,550 Iranian pilgrims are due to take part in the hajj this year according to the Tasnim news agency.

As in previous years, Saudi authorities have been at pains to stress that the hajj is a religious event and have sought to prevent its politicization.

Riyadh claimed its two-year embargo on Doha -- which includes restrictions on Qataris travelling to the kingdom -- would not affect the pilgrimage.

But hajj official Hassan Qadi acknowledged "very few Qataris have come to Mecca for the pilgrimage".

Saudi's hajj ministry accused Qatar of "politicizing the hajj and creating obstacles for Qatari pilgrims," the SPA state news agency reported.

The scale of the pilgrimage presents vast security and logistical challenges, with tens of thousands of safety officers deployed.

Riyadh faced strong criticism in 2015 when some 2,300 worshipers were killed in the worst stampede in the gathering's history.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Elton John joins call for boycott of Brunei-owned hotels

LONDON--British pop legend Elton John has joined actor George Clooney in calling for a boycott of nine Brunei-owned hotels over the sultanate's new death-penalty laws for gay sex and adultery.

The call came as a growing list of politicians and celebrities added their names to those condemning the new laws and supporting a boycott.

"I commend my friend, #GeorgeClooney, for taking a stand against the anti-gay discrimination and bigotry taking place in the nation of #Brunei - a place where gay people are brutalized, or worse - by boycotting the Sultan's hotels," the singer wrote on his Twitter page late Saturday.

The 72-year-old, a veteran gay rights campaigner, said his "heart went out" to staff at the hotels, but that "we must send a message, however we can, that such treatment is unacceptable".

The nine hotels mentioned by Clooney are located in Britain, France, Italy and the United States. They include London's exclusive Dorchester and the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. 

The Dorchester Collection luxury chain issued a statement saying that its code emphasizes "equality, respect and integrity in all areas" and that "we do not tolerate any form of discrimination", CNN reported.

Clooney called for the boycott earlier this week, saying "every single time we stay at or take meetings at or dine at any of these nine hotels, we are putting money directly into the pockets of men who choose to stone and whip to death their own citizens for being gay or accused of adultery".

'BARBARIC' DECISION 

"No one should face the death penalty because of who they love. Brunei's decision is barbaric," Britain's international development minister Penny Mordaunt wrote on Twitter.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark called the new penal code "shocking" and "barbaric".

Amnesty International called on Brunei to "immediately halt its plans to implement these vicious punishments".

In the US, Clooney's call drew supportive declarations from lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle and a strong statement from the Trump administration.

"We strongly oppose human rights violations and abuses against LGBTI persons, including violence," the State Department said in a statement.

LGBTI stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex. Intersex people are people born with physical features that are neither wholly male nor female.

US CONDEMNATION 

Former US vice president Joe Biden, who is expected to seek the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential nomination, tweeted on Friday: "Stoning people to death for homosexuality or adultery is appalling and immoral...

"There is no excuse -- not culture, not tradition -- for this kind of hate and inhumanity."

Another Democrat seeking the party's nomination, Senator Kamala Harris of California, joined the chorus. "These human rights abuses cannot be tolerated," she said.

And Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, said on Twitter: "This is wrong. It is barbaric. America should condemn this immoral and inhumane law, and everyone should be united against it."

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis also tweeted in support of her fellow actor's stand. "I stand with George Clooney, a good man doing the right thing, fighting an unjust and barbaric law."

Clooney and his wife, human-rights lawyer Amal Clooney, have been active in humanitarian causes. 

Brunei, an absolute monarchy ruled for 51 years by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, is to implement the new penal code starting Wednesday.

Homosexuality is already illegal in the sultanate, but it will now become a capital offence. The law applies only to Muslims.

Brunei first announced the measures in 2013, but implementation has been delayed, in the face of opposition by rights groups, and as officials worked out the practical details.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

More than 2 million Muslims mark Eid'l Adha in Saudi

MINA, Saudi Arabia- More than 2 million Muslims took part in the symbolic stoning of the devil Tuesday in Saudi Arabia, the last major ritual of the hajj pilgrimage that heralds the start of the Eid al-Adha feast.

Muslims on the annual hajj pilgrimage, one of the five pillars of Islam, made their way across the Mina valley of the western Saudi Arabian Mecca province, many carrying pebbles in plastic bottles. 

Pilgrims clad in white threw seven stones each at a pillar symbolizing Satan, shouting "Allahu akbar" ("God is greatest") under the watchful eyes of security forces.

Large fans sprayed water over the crowd as temperatures climbed to 44 degrees Celsius (111 Fahrenheit).

"Thank God it hasn't been too crowded this year. There hasn't been a big rush," said Mohammed Osman, 27, who regularly attends hajj. 

Mina was the site of a 2015 stampede which saw more than 2,300 pilgrims crushed or suffocated to death. Authorities have since reinforced safety and security measures. 

"We are under God's protection," said May Khalifa, a 37-year-old Egyptian Muslim living in Riyadh. 

"Despite the exhaustion, I'm enjoying my first hajj," she said, lifting her small bag of stones. 

The hajj is one of the world's largest Muslim gatherings and drew this year nearly 2.4 million pilgrims to Saudi holy sites.

SECURITY, PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES

Roads from Muzdalifah -- another holy site where pilgrims spent Monday night -- to Mina were littered with plastic water bottles as sanitation workers scrambled to remove them.

Bangladeshi Moueeneddine Ahmed, 35, complained of the scorching heat but said he was "very excited" to take part in the stoning of the devil ritual.

In keeping with customs, he said he would then "shave his head" and trade the white seamless robe he wore for the hajj for his "normal clothes."

Ahmed also praised the Saudi government for keeping the peace throughout the hajj. "There's a lot of security. Very disciplined," he said.

Tens of thousands of security forces, including police and civil defense, have been deployed for hajj, according to Saudi authorities. 

Saudi Arabia's King Salman made the trip to Mina on Tuesday and was seen on state-run television observing worshippers from the window of a high-rise.

And in a rare move, he took to Twitter to say it was a "great honor" to welcome the pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. 

The hajj retraces the steps of the Prophet Mohammed on his last pilgrimage to Mecca.

It is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

Muslim tradition holds that pilgrims must throw seven stones at a pillar representing Satan on the first day of Eid al-Adha, which comes after two days of prayer and meditation. 

The stoning ritual is not without risk, as millions of pilgrims converge on a tight space.

Since 2004, authorities have expanded the site and replaced the pillar by walls to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims, who can now reach Mina via multiple bridges. 

Muslims traditionally slaughter sheep for the three-day Eid al-Adha, a tribute to the prophet Abraham's sacrifice of a lamb after God spared Ishmael, his son.

They will consume some of the meat and give the rest to poor people unable to buy food.

Pilgrims can purchase coupons from the Saudi government, which organizes the slaughter and freezing of the meat to avoid public health problems. 

Revenues from the coupons are considered "zakat", or a charity donation, another pillar of Islam.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Muslims begin annual haj pilgrimage amid heavy rains

ARAFAT - As more than 2 million pilgrims from around the world braved stormy weather in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to begin the annual haj ritual, the country's health minister said there was no sign of any outbreaks of disease.

Worshipers arrived in the kingdom last week for the 5-day ritual - a once-in-a-lifetime religious duty for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford it, which retraces the route Prophet Mohammad took 14 centuries ago.

Several hours of heavy rain and thunderstorms forced pilgrims to take cover in tents and trudge through puddles, with civil defense warning of possible flooding throughout the evening but denying any adverse effects on the rituals.

Some pilgrims prayed at the Grand Mosque before heading to the Mina area or towards Mount Arafat, east of Mecca, where the Prophet is believed to have delivered his final sermon to followers.

They will all arrive by Monday morning at Mount Arafat. Eid al-Adha, or feast of the sacrifice, begins on Tuesday, when pilgrims begin three days of casting stones at walls in a symbolic renunciation of the devil.

Khalaf Aziz fled his native Syria three years ago and is performing his fourth haj, this one in honor of his grandmother who died earlier this year.

"My cousin died in an air strike and my uncle was shot to death, may they rest in peace. Two years ago, I performed haj for the former, and last year for the later," said the 32-year-old from Deir al-Zor. "This year, I am doing it for my grandmother."

The authorities have been preparing for months to ensure pilgrims' safety, Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah told Reuters, with more than 30,000 health workers operating 25 hospitals and offering free medical services, including complex procedures like open heart surgery.

"Praise to God, everything now is under control and health conditions are excellent," he said in an interview at Mina Public Hospital.

FEELING REBORN

The potential for disease spreading among pilgrims, who spend 5 days in close quarters, often eating outside and sleeping on the ground near holy sites, is a perennial concern.

The world's largest annual gathering of Muslims has in the past also seen deadly stampedes, fires and riots, with authorities sometimes struggling to respond.

A crush in 2015 killed nearly 800 pilgrims, according to Riyadh, although counts by countries of repatriated bodies showed over 2,000 may have died, more than 400 of them Iranians.

Saudi Arabia stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam's holiest sites - Mecca and Medina - and organizing the pilgrimage.

The interior ministry has put in place measures to confront any security threat from militant attacks to political protests, but no specific threats have been detected, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Yemeni Qaboos Ghalib said he felt reborn performing haj for the first time: "I hope peace prevails in the Arab nation in general and in Yemen specifically, and that the war ends."

Pilgrimage is also the backbone of a plan to expand tourism under a drive to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil. The haj and year-round umrah generate billions of dollars in revenue from worshipers' lodging, transport, fees and gifts.

Officials aim to increase the number of umrah and haj pilgrims to 15 million and 5 million respectively by 2020, and hope to double the umrah number again to 30 million by 2030.

Some pilgrims on Saturday hiked 700 meters (2,300 feet) to the tiny Hira cave, where Muslims believe the Prophet was visited by the Angel Gabriel and began to receive Koranic recitations.

"It's indescribable. It's overwhelming to see how his impact has been on this world," said American pilgrim Nasser Mahmoud. "But that's where it all started. It's a very humble thing, you can't even stand there."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Nike to launch high-tech hijab for female Muslim athletes

Nike Inc will launch a hijab for female Muslim athletes early next year, becoming the first major sports apparel maker to offer a traditional Islamic head scarf designed specifically for competition, the company said on Wednesday.

The head covering, marketed under the "Pro Hijab" brand, is designed to allow athletes to observe the traditional Islamic practice of covering the head without compromising performance.

Made from a lightweight, flexible material, the hijab is expected to hit stores shelves in early 2018, Nike said in a statement.

In recent years, the hijab has become the most visible symbol of Islamic culture in the United States and Europe. Many Muslim women cover their heads in public with the hijab as a sign of modesty, but some critics see it as a sign of female oppression.

With sensitivities over immigration and the perceived threat of Muslim extremism running high, the head scarf has led to attacks against Muslim women. At the same time, the hijab has evolved in a symbol of diversity that Nike has embraced.

The Women's March on Washington, held the day after President Donald Trump's inauguration, used the face of a woman wearing a hijab in an American flag pattern as its promotional image.

Muslim athletes visiting Nike's headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, just outside of Portland, have complained about the difficulties of wearing a hijab while competing, according to the company.

The company consulted with Muslim women athletes from around the world, including Middle Eastern runners and cyclists, in the designing the hijab.

Other companies have also set their sights on hijab sales to Muslim athletes.

Last year, Danish sportswear company Hummel unveiled a soccer jersey with an attached hijab for the Afghanistan national women's soccer team.

Non-professional women Muslim athletes have used athletic hijabs made by smaller companies.

But Nike's annual net sales in the billions, and its reach in popular culture, can do more to bring Muslim athletes into the fold, said Amna Al Haddad, a Nike sponsored weightlifter from the United Arab Emirates who consulted on "Pro Hijab."

"(It will) encourage a whole new generation to pursue sports without feeling there is a limitation because of modesty or dress-code," Haddad said.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Richard Chang)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Almost 1.5 million Muslims at launch of hajj

MECCA - From Asia, Africa and points in between, nearly 1.5 million Muslims launched the annual hajj pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites Saturday, undeterred by a stampede last year that cost around 2,300 lives.

The numbers are down because of the absence of tens of thousands of Iranians over tensions between their Shiite nation and Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia which is home to the sites in Mecca and Medina.

The 2015 stampede magnified those frictions.

After preliminary rituals this week in Mecca at the Grand Mosque, the pilgrims moved on Saturday, many by bus, in debilitating temperatures exceeding 40 C (100 F) to Mina, several kilometres (miles) to the east.

They are following in the footsteps of their Prophet Mohammed who performed the same rituals about 1,400 years ago.

"It's an indescribable feeling. You have to live it to understand. This is my sixth hajj and I still cannot express how happy I am to be in Mecca," said Hassan Mohammed, 60, from Egypt.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, which capable Muslims must perform at least once, marking the spiritual peak of their lives.

"People come from every country of the world, talk every language of the world, and meet here in one place under one banner, the profession of the Muslim faith," said Ashraf Zalat, 43, also from Egypt.

The first day of hajj was traditionally the chance for pilgrims to let their animals drink and to stock up on water.

Then they proceed to Mount Arafat, several kilometres further, for the peak of the hajj on Sunday.

Mina becomes their base, where an expanse of solidly-built white fireproof tents can accommodate 2.6 million pilgrims.

Last September 24, Mina was the scene of the deadliest disaster in hajj history, when the stampede broke out as pilgrims made their way to the Jamarat Bridge for a stoning ritual.

This year's "Stoning of the Devil" will start on Monday.

Although Riyadh stuck with a stampede death toll of 769, data from foreign officials in more than 30 countries gave a tally almost three times higher -- at least 2,297.

Saudi Arabia announced an investigation but no results have ever been released, although a number of safety measures have been taken.

'WE FEEL SAFE'

Government facilities have been moved out of Mina to free up space, Saudi newspapers reported, and roads in the Jamarat area expanded.

Officials have been issuing pilgrims with bracelets that digitally store their personal data, after some foreign officials expressed concern about difficulties in identifying the stampede dead.

AFP found pilgrims wearing the new bracelets which authorities aim to give each of the more than 1.4 million faithful from abroad, who are expected to be joined by more than 100,000 Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia.

But there has been no figure for the number of bracelets distributed so far.

Interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki spoke of "great efforts being exerted by the kingdom, not only in maintaining the security and safety of the pilgrims, but in facilitating performance" of the rites.

Many pilgrims appeared satisfied on Saturday.

"Everything is well organized," said Nasser Benfitah, 54, from Morocco.

"We feel safe," chimed in a Nigerian pilgrim, Hafsa Amina, 26.

Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars in hajj infrastructure and safety projects over the years.

This includes expansion of the Grand Mosque whose complex includes a plaza of white stones stretching for hundreds of metres (yards).

Just beyond this area, known as the Haram, or sacred site, luxury multi-storey hotels and shopping centres fill the skyline.

The hajj draws rich and poor, whose common humanity is emphasized by the white garment that each man wears. Women wear loose dresses, typically also white.

Many pilgrims now beam their spiritual journey back home through cyberspace to family and friends, and a range of specially-designed mobile applications can be downloaded.

Despite the safety and security measures which Saudi Arabia says it has taken, Iranian authorities have questioned the kingdom's custodianship of Islam's holiest places.

The two countries do not have diplomatic relations and are at odds over a string of regional issues including the wars in Yemen and Syria.

Iran reported the largest number of stampede victims, at 464, and its pilgrims are excluded for the first time in decades after the regional rivals failed to agree on security and logistics.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Long weekend ahead: Sept 25 a regular holiday

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III has declared September 25, 2015, a Friday, as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice.

Proclamation No. 1128 states that National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommended the observance of Eid’l Adha in the Philippines be on September 25, 2015 based on the Islamic Calendar
and the declaration made by Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority.

This amends the NCMF's earlier recommendation to observe the occasion on September 24, 2015.

The next long weekend will be on November 28 to 30, with November 30 - Bonifacio Day - declared a holiday.

MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

PROCLAMATION NO. 1128

DECLARING FRIDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2015, AS A REGULAR HOLIDAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IN OBSERVANCE OF EID’L ADHA (FEAST OF SACRIFICE)

WHEREAS, Eid’l Adha is one of the two greatest feasts of Islam;

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9849 provides that Eid’l Adha shall be celebrated as a regular holiday;

WHEREAS, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) recommends that the observance of Eid’l Adha in the Philippines be on 25 September 2015 based on the Islamic Calendar and the declaration made by Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority, thereby amending its earlier recommendation to observe the occasion on 24 September 2015;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Friday, 25 September 2015, as a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice).

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 15th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Fifteen.

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III

By the President:

(Sgd.) PAQUITO N. OCHOA, JR.
Executive Secretary

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Saudi king vows to find cause of pre-hajj crane tragedy

MECCA, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia's King Salman vowed on Saturday to find out what caused a crane collapse that killed 107 people at Mecca's Grand Mosque ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage.

The hajj, a pillar of the Muslim religion which last year drew about two million faithful, will take place despite Friday's tragedy, Saudi authorities said as crowds returned to pray a day after the incident.

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims had already arrived in Mecca when the massive red and white crane toppled over during a Friday thunderstorm.

"We will investigate all the reasons and afterwards declare the results to the citizens," Salman said after visiting the site, one of Islam's holiest.

Parts of the Grand Mosque remained sealed off on Saturday around the wreckage of the crane, which also injured around 200 people when it crashed into a courtyard.

But there was little mourning among pilgrims, who snapped pictures of the collapsed metal and continued with their prayers and rituals.

"I wish I had died in the accident, as it happened at a holy hour and in a holy place," Egyptian pilgrim Mohammed Ibrahim told AFP.

Om Salma, a Moroccan pilgrim, said "our phones have not stopped ringing since yesterday with relatives calling to check on us".

Indonesians and Indians were among those killed when the crane collapsed, while the injured included Malaysians, Egyptians, Iranians, Turks, Afghans and Pakistanis.

Salman expressed his condolences to the families of the dead, and then visited a local hospital "to check on the health of the injured", the official Saudi Press Agency said.

"Suddenly, I heard thunder and then we heard a very loud noise. That was the sound of the crane falling," Mohammed, a Moroccan pilgrim, told AFP.

Another visitor caught up in the tragedy, Ahmed from Egypt, said he and those around him were "very scared, hysterical even".

A Saudi official said the hajj, expected to start on September 21, would go ahead despite the tragedy.

- Inquiry has begun -
"It definitely will not affect the hajj this season, and the affected part will probably be fixed in a few days," said the official, who declined to be named.

The pilgrimage is a must for all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it.

An investigative committee has "immediately and urgently" begun searching for the cause of the collapse, SPA reported.

The contractor, engaged in a major expansion of the mosque, has been directed to ensure the safety of all other cranes at the site, it added.

The cranes soar skywards over the sprawling expansion taking place beneath the Mecca Royal Clock Tower, the world's third tallest building.

For years, work has been under way on a 400,000-square-metre (4.3-million-square-feet) enlargement of the Grand Mosque to allow it to accommodate up to 2.2 million people at once.

"We saw people dying before our eyes", the Arab News quoted Sheikh Abdul Raheem, a witness, as saying.

Pictures of the incident on Twitter showed bloodied bodies strewn across the courtyard, where part of the crane had landed atop an ornate, arched and colonnaded section of the complex.

- 'Act of God' -

Irfan al-Alawi, co-founder of the Mecca-based Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, suggested that the authorities had been negligent by having a series of cranes overlooking the mosque.

"They do not care about the heritage, and they do not care about health and safety," he told AFP.

Alawi is an outspoken critic of redevelopment at the Muslim holy sites, which he says is wiping away tangible links to the Prophet Mohammed.

But an engineer for the Saudi Binladin Group, the developer, told AFP the crane had been installed in "an extremely professional way" and that there had been no technical problem.

"It was an act of God", he said.

Saudi Binladin Group belongs to the family of the late Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Ghamdi, former head of Mecca's religious police, told AFP the accident was a "test" from God.

"We need to accept what happened," he said, at the same time calling for a thorough investigation.

Condolences came in from around the world, including from Arab leaders, as well as from Britain, Canada, India and Nigeria.

It was not the first tragedy to strike Mecca pilgrims, although the hajj has been practically incident-free in recent years.

In 2006, several hundred people died in a stampede during the Stoning of the Devil ritual in nearby Mina, following a similar incident two years earlier.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Canadian soldier, gunman dead in parliament attack

OTTAWA - A gunman whose name was on a terror watch list killed a soldier and attempted to storm Canada's parliament Wednesday before being gunned down in turn by the assembly's sergeant-at-arms.

The attacker, identified in the Canadian media as 32-year-old Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, was considered a "high risk" suspect and had seen his passport seized to prevent him fighting abroad.

Instead, he shot and killed a Canadian soldier who was mounting a ceremonial guard at a war memorial in downtown Ottawa before storming into the nearby parliament building.

The soldier was named in reports as Corporal Nathan Cirillo, part of a detachment on ceremonial duties at Parliament Hill, the heart of Canada's national government and home to its legislature.

The attacker was killed, reportedly by a shot fired by the bearer of the House of Commons' ceremonial mace, Sergeant-At-Arms Kevin Vickers, who was hailed as a hero by lawmakers.

Police said an investigation was continuing, but earlier reports that more gunmen were involved appeared unfounded. Heavily armed officers backed by armored vehicles sealed off the building.

The attack came two days after another alleged Islamist drove over and killed another soldier in what authorities branded a terrorist attack.

Authorities had raised the security threat level from low to medium after the car attack, which came as Canadian jets were to join the US-led air armada bombarding Islamist militants in Iraq.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper warned that "facts are still being gathered" as he "condemned this despicable attack."

A police spokesman said two people received "minor injuries" in the incident.

Lawmakers, staff and reporters evacuated from the building spoke of intense gunfire in the historic building on Parliament Hill.

Video footage posted online by the Globe and Mail newspaper showed police ducking for cover as they advanced along a stone hallway, loud gunfire echoing among parliament's stone columns.

'Pop, pop, pop'

A member of parliament, Maurice Vellacott, told AFP that House of Commons security had told one of his aides the suspect had been killed inside parliament.

"I literally had just taken off my jacket to go into caucus. I hear this 'pop, pop, pop,' possibly 10 shots, don't really know," Liberal Party member John McKay told reporters outside.

"Suddenly the security guards come rushing down the hallways and usher us all out to the back of the parliament buildings," he said, as lawmakers, staff and reporters scurried from the area.

Witnesses at the scene said they saw a man armed with a rifle running into parliament after shooting a guard at the war memorial.

Passers-by told reporters that a bearded man had gunned down the soldier and hijacked a passing vehicle to take him the short distance to Parliament Hill, on a bluff over the Ottawa River.

One witness, parliamentary aide Marc-Andre Viau, said he saw a man run into a caucus meeting at the parliament, chased by police armed with rifles who yelled "take cover."

That was followed by "10, 15, maybe 20 shots," possibly from an automatic weapon, he said. "I'm shaken," said Viau.

Police raced to seal off the parliament building and Harper's office, pushing reporters and bystanders back and blocking roads.

Harper -- who was attending a meeting with lawmakers in parliament at the time -- left the area of the shooting and was "safe," his spokesman Jason MacDonald said.

Jihadist sympathies
In Canada's southern neighbor the United States, President Barack Obama condemned the attack as "outrageous" after talking by telephone with Harper, the White House said.

"We don't yet have all the information about whether this was part a broader network or plan, or whether this was an individual or a series of individuals," Obama said.

Officials said US and Canadian air defenses were on alert, and the US embassy in Ottawa was placed on lockdown.

The incident came a day after 25-year-old Martin Couture-Rouleau ran over a soldier, killing him before being shot dead by police as he emerged from his wrecked car wielding a knife.

Couture-Rouleau was reportedly a supporter of the so-called Islamic State, a jihadist group operating in Iraq and Syria, and on the same list as Zehaf-Bibeau.

Canadian authorities have warned they are tracking 90 suspects, and "intelligence has indicated an individual or group within Canada or abroad has the intent and capability to commit an act of terrorism."

After the incident, much of downtown Ottawa remained on lockdown and heavily armed officers from Ottawa Police and the Mounties continued to patrol the area.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Sultan of Brunei introduces tough Islamic punishments

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - The Sultan of Brunei on Tuesday introduced tough Islamic punishments including death by stoning for crimes such as adultery, making his oil-rich realm the first East Asian country to do so at the national level.

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah -- one of the world's wealthiest men -- said a new Sharia Penal Code in the works for years was officially introduced Tuesday and would "come into force six months hereafter and in phases", sparking sharp criticism from rights groups.

Under the code, which applies only to Muslims, punishments can include stoning to death for adultery, severing of limbs for theft, and flogging for violations ranging from abortion to alcohol consumption.

"By the grace of Allah, with the coming into effect of this legislation, our duty to Allah is therefore being fulfilled," the sultan, 67, said in a speech.

An absolute monarch whose family has tightly controlled the tiny, languid realm of 400,000 people for six centuries, the sultan first called in 1996 for sharia criminal punishments.

"Brunei is showing its feudal characteristics as an 18th-century state rather than an important member of a regional Southeast Asian economic and social consensus in the 21st century," said Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

He called the legal change "rights-abusing, abhorrent, and absolutely unjustifiable".

Brunei already practices a brand of Islam that is relatively conservative compared to its Muslim neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia, banning the sale and public consumption of alcohol and closely restricting other religions.

But sharia has been a rare point of contention in a land where the sultan's word is unquestioned, with many Bruneians quietly grumbling that the concept is out of step with the affluent country's laid-back ethnic Malay society.

The monarch himself has acknowledged concerns over sharia in recent years as the code was being drafted.

Compatible with Malay culture?

But he has repeatedly advocated strengthening the insular nation's Muslim roots in the face of potentially harmful outside influences including the Internet, while guarding against radicalism.

However, Brunei was likely to apply sharia law "very, very softly" in keeping with its peaceful national character, said Gibril Fouad Haddad, a visiting fellow at Brunei's Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Centre for Islamic Studies.

"Is it merely symbolic? I don't know," he said.

The government has previously promised to apply an extremely high burden of proof with sharia and said judges would have wide discretion in applying it, comments aimed at easing public fears.

"It seems almost incompatible with Malay culture, which is peace-loving," said Tuah Ibrahim, 57, driver of a boat taxi in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.

He said sharia can be acceptable if proportionate to the crime, but adds: "I can't imagine our country turning into somewhere like Saudi Arabia."

Neither of East Asia's two other Muslim-majority countries -- Malaysia and Indonesia -- impose sharia criminal punishments, but the Indonesian special region of Aceh does.

Nearly 70 percent of Brunei's people are Muslim Malays while about 15 percent are non-Muslim ethnic Chinese.

Brunei already has a dual system combining civil courts based on British law -- the sultanate was a British protectorate until 1984 -- and sharia-compliant courts handling marital, inheritance, and other low-key issues.

In his speech, the sultan appeared to try to assuage any international concerns, saying the sharia change "does not in any way change our policies ... as a member of the family of nations".

The monarch's wealth -- estimated at $20 billion by Forbes magazine two years ago -- has become legendary amid reports of a vast collection of luxury vehicles and gold-bedecked palaces.

The monarchy was deeply embarrassed by a sensational family feud between Hassanal and his younger brother Jefri Bolkiah over the latter's alleged embezzlement of 15 billion dollars during his tenure as finance minister in the 1990s.

Court battles and exposes revealed salacious details of Jefri's un-Islamic jet-set lifestyle, including allegations of a high-priced harem of Western paramours and a luxury yacht he owned called "Tits".

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Iranian President Condemns Anti-Islam Film

NEW YORK, (AFP) --- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on  Sunday sharply criticized the film mocking Islam that has sparked deadly anti-American protests in the Muslim world, but also called for restraint.

''Fundamentally, first of all, any action that is provocative, offends the religious thoughts and feelings of any people, we condemn,'' told CNN.

More than 50 people have died in protests and attacks around the world linked to the low-budget film, which mocks Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, since demonstrations first broke out on September 11, including the US ambassador to Libya.

''Offending the Holy Prophet is quite ugly,'' Ahmadinejad said. ''This has very little or nothing to do with freedom and freedom of speech. This is the weakness of and the abuse of freedom, and in many places it is a crime.

''It shouldn't take place and I do hope the day will come in which politicians will not seek to offend those whom others hold holy.''

However, when asked about comments by Pakistani Railways Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, who on Saturday offered a $100,000 ''prize'' for killing the filmmaker of ''Innocence of Muslims,'' the Iranian president urged restraint.

''Likewise, we condemn any type of extremism,'' he said. ''We also believe that this must also be resolved in a humane atmosphere, in a participatory environment and we do not like anyone losing their lives or being killed for any reason, anywhere in the world.''

article source: mb.com.ph