A modern interpretation of Islam in Indonesia fuels a push for ‘global Muslims'
In a world where religion and faith-based politics are gaining ground, what happens in Indonesia, the world's largest nation of Muslims, is critical. The sprawling archipelagic nation has more than 200 million Muslims, most of whom live peaceably with minority Hindus, Catholics and Protestants, and a smattering of other denominations.
Indonesians broadly follow their nation's founding philosophy of Pancasila – five principles which include a tolerance for other faiths given the belief in one God, and a just and civilised humanity.
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CNA
a day ago
- CNA
India's Modi denies third-party brokered peace with Pakistan
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (Jul 29) denied that any world leader had pressured India to halt its recent conflict with Pakistan, dismissing repeated claims by US President Donald Trump that he had brokered peace. The South Asian rivals fought a four-day conflict in May that left more than 70 people dead on both sides before Trump announced a ceasefire between the nuclear-armed neighbours. "No world leader asked us to stop the operation," Modi told parliament during a debate on "Operation Sindoor", the military campaign launched against Pakistan in May. Modi did not name Trump in his speech. The prime minister instead claimed that it was Pakistan which had pleaded for the fighting to stop after feeling the "heat of our attacks". The conflict erupted after gunmen attacked tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in April, killing 26 men, most of them Hindus. India accused Pakistan of backing the attackers, an allegation Islamabad denied. TRUMP'S CLAIMS DISMISSED Trump has repeatedly said he was responsible for brokering peace between the two countries, including most recently on Monday. "If I weren't around, you'd have, right now, six major wars going on. India would be fighting with Pakistan," Trump said during a visit to Scotland. Modi's comments came after Rahul Gandhi from the opposition Congress party challenged him to state in parliament that Trump was "lying". Earlier on Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah told lawmakers that three Pakistani gunmen involved in the April attack in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed during a military operation on Monday. Shah said all three were Pakistani nationals and identified two of them as members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist group based in Pakistan. ONGOING TENSIONS IN KASHMIR Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence from British rule in 1947, with both nations claiming the region in full. They have fought two wars and several skirmishes over its control. The May fighting pushed the neighbours close to another war before Trump announced a ceasefire. The opposition has since questioned whether there was third-party mediation, a claim New Delhi has consistently denied.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Pope warns against undermining human ‘dignity' in AI, social media era
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Pope Leo XIV greets faithful at the end of a mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the occasion of the Youth Jubilee at the Vatican City, on July 29. VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XVI on July 29 called on the world to protect human 'dignity' online as it faces the 'challenge' of AI, at the Vatican's first mass for Catholic influencers. He was speaking as thousands of young Catholics are in Rome this week for the Vatican's Jubilee of Youth – an event that takes place every 25 years – and as the Catholic Church tries to promote its message online amid a fall in church attendance. 'Nothing that comes from Man and his creativity should be used to undermine the dignity of others,' Pope Leo told young Catholic social media figures at a mass in St Peter's Basilica. He called on the world to protect 'our ability to listen and speak' in the 'new era' of artificial intelligence. The Vatican is holding a two-day event bringing together what it calls 'digital missionaries and Catholic influencers' from around the world in a bid to promote its presence online. It is the first time the centuries-old institution holds such an event. He also called on Catholic social media influencers to convince others to create content that will 'entail seeking out those who suffer and need to know the Lord'. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Grace Fu apologises for Tanjong Katong sinkhole, says road may stay closed for a few more days Singapore Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD Singapore S'pore can and must meaningfully apply tech like AI in a way that creates jobs for locals: PM Wong Singapore 7, including child and firefighter, taken to hospital after fire breaks out in Toa Payoh flat Sport IOC president Kirsty Coventry a 'huge supporter' of Singapore Singapore ICA inspector obtained bribes in the form of sex acts from 6 foreign men in exchange for his help Singapore Doctor who forged certificates for aesthetic procedures gets 4 months' jail Singapore 12 motorists nabbed for providing illegal private-hire services: LTA Since taking over the papacy in May, the Pope – an American mathematics graduate – has repeatedly warned about the dangers of AI for young people. AFP
AsiaOne
a day ago
- AsiaOne
Terrorism threat in Singapore remains high, driven by events like Israeli-Palestinian conflict: ISD, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — A volatile global landscape arising from developments like the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to drive the high terrorism threat in Singapore, said the Internal Security Department (ISD). It released its annual report on terrorism on July 29, saying terrorist organisations have exploited situations like the one in Gaza to spread their propaganda, using them to reinforce their violent narratives. ISD said ISIS and Al-Qaeda have incited attacks against Israeli and Jewish interests, and those of countries seen as supporting Israel. This has corresponded with an increase in anti-Semitic incidents worldwide and in Islamophobia overseas, it added. ISD said there is currently no specific intelligence of an imminent terrorist attack against Singapore. But the country continues to be viewed as an attractive target by terrorists because of its friendly relations with Western nations and Israel, and its status as a secular and multicultural state. Since its last report in July 2024, ISD has dealt with eight self-radicalised Singaporeans: six males and two females aged 15 to 56. Four of them had been influenced by the re-escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people. Of the other four cases, two were radicalised by pro-ISIS extremist ideologies and two by violent far-right extremism. ISD warned that ISIS is resilient and remains one of the world's largest Islamist terrorist organisations. It has cash reserves of around $12.9 million and has between 1,500 and 3,000 fighters in Iraq and Syria. The department added that far-right extremism ideologies has gained ground in Singapore, especially among the youth. Since 2020, there have been four youths who have been dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for subscribing to such ideologies. Two of them, aged 18 and 17, had been self-radicalised separately after becoming inspired by the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019. The shooter, Brenton Tarrant, murdered 51 Muslims and livestreamed the killings. Both teens idolised Tarrant and identified as East Asian supremacists, believing in the superiority of Chinese, Korean and Japanese ethnicities. The 17-year-old had identified five mosques in Jurong West, Clementi, Margaret Drive, Admiralty Road and Beach Road as potential targets and planned to kill at least 100 Muslims as they were leaving after Friday prayers. He had been influenced by anti-Semitic content online and fantasised about killing Jews, but did not have any concrete attack plans. An increasing variety of online platforms used by youth in self-radicalisation cases here is also of concern, said ISD. It added that self-radicalisation remains a key domestic terrorism threat, with 60 self-radicalised people issued orders under the ISA since 2015. Of these, 48 were Singaporeans. Singapore adopts a whole-of-society approach to counter extremism, combining preventive measures such as public outreach with rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. ISD works with government agencies and grassroots and community partners to conduct outreach across different segments of society, to raise public awareness on the threat of terrorism and online radicalisation. It stressed the importance of knowing how to spot signs of radicalisation and the need to report at-risk individuals early. Some of these signs include expressing support for terrorist groups online, frequent surfing of radical websites and making remarks that promote ill-will or hatred towards people of other races, religions or communities. ISD said public vigilance is critical to combating the terrorism threat, and early reporting enables the person to receive timely help. This maximises the chances of the individual's successful rehabilitation before he or she becomes more deeply rooted in radical ideologies. Since 2002, ISD has issued ISA orders against 148 Singaporeans for terrorism-related conduct. Of these, 102 were issued orders of detention, while 46 were issued restriction orders. Of those detained, about four out of five detainees had made good progress in their rehabilitation, leading to 85 of them being released. Of those issued with restriction orders, 39 have had their orders lapse. ISD said most of these Singaporeans have found stable jobs since their release. It said countering terrorism is everyone's responsibility. 'The ever-evolving threat of terrorism is real and demands unwavering vigilance, cooperation and resilience from every sector of society,' said ISD. It added that 'every action taken, every report made and every initiative launched' bring Singapore one step closer to a safer, more united nation. Members of the public are encouraged to take part in the SGSecure movement and learn how to spot suspicious behaviours and signs of radicalisation, and how to respond if caught in a terror attack. Anyone who knows or suspects that a person has been radicalised should contact the ISD hotline on 1800-2626-473 or e-mail isd@ [[nid:714509]] This article was first published in The Straits Times . Permission required for reproduction.
