Latest news with #Brotherhood
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
What is the Muslim Brotherhood? Boulder suspect Mohamed Soliman praised radical Islamist group in disturbing posts
Boulder attack suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, had praised radical Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood on social media in the years before the Colorado incident. Several people were hospitalized with burns after Soliman tossed Molotov cocktails at a group that had gathered in support of Israeli hostages. Soliman, an Egyptian national identified by the White House as an 'illegal alien' who overstayed his visa, had filled his Facebook account with posts in support for the Muslim Brotherhood, CNN reported. The page was last updated a decade ago, and featured several photos of Mohamed Morsi, the group's leader. Morsi served as Egypt's president from 2012 to 2013, but was eventually ousted in a military coup. Morsi was Egypt's first democratically elected president. He rose to power after vowing to end autocracy and promising that a transparent government would respect human rights. However, protests that were soon held accused Morsi of seizing unlimited powers and using violence against opponents. He was also accused of imposing the Brotherhood's conservative brand of Islam. Soliman had shared posts backing the Muslim Brotherhood protests against Morsi's removal. One August 2013 post even featured a four-finger salute, a symbol that was used to show support for the Rabaa protest encampment, which was dispersed in the violence during the Morsi-linked unrest. After being arrested, Soliman told investigators that he wanted to 'kill all Zionist people,' according to the New York Post. He had been planning the attack for a year, according to prosecutors. The Muslim Brotherhood is Egypt's oldest and largest Islamist organization, and has offshoots throughout the Arab world. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, 'After the ouster of former president Hosni Mubarak in the Arab Spring protests of 2011, the group's political arm won a plurality of seats in Egypt's lower house of parliament and its candidate, Mohammed Morsi, was elected president. But Morsi was ousted by the military in July 2013, and the Brotherhood's members were imprisoned, went into exile, or were forced underground.' It added, 'As part of a wide-ranging crackdown on political opposition, the Egyptian government has labeled the group a terrorist organization, as have Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). U.S. President Donald J. Trump has expressed interest in following suit, but many experts say a designation—whether of the original Egyptian group or of kindred groups throughout the region—would stretch the bounds of the law and also complicate U.S. diplomacy across much of the Middle East and North Africa.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Qatar under Israeli attack for supporting radical Islam at CPAC conference in Hungary
Chikli referred to the financing that radical Islamic organizations tied to the Brotherhood are getting from EU institutions and declared: 'Europe is financing its own death.' BUDAPEST - Israeli speakers participating in the fourth CPAC conference in the Hungarian capital, gathering leaders of patriotic and sovereigntist parties from Europe and the Americas, harshly attacked Qatar for its massive support of spreading radical Islam in the West and intentionally working to impose Sharia law on European societies. At the conference, Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli, stressed in his speech the recently published report on the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in France and the central role Qatar and Turkey are playing in financing and promoting the Brotherhood with the aim of imposing Islamic law in the European countries where the organization is active. Chikli also referred to the financing that radical Islamic organizations tied to the Brotherhood are getting from EU institutions and declared: 'Europe is financing its own death.' He emphasized that Israel is at the forefront of the global war against radical Islam. 'We do not ask others to fight for us; we fight ourselves,' said Chikli, adding, 'We don't do it because we like war, but because we don't have the luxury to retreat.' However, the minister expressed his wish to see more European leaders who understand the danger of radical Islam taking over Europe. Yair Netanyahu, son of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was invited to the conference as a 'prominent political influencer,' also criticized Qatar, calling it 'a Muslim Brotherhood regime,' which, unlike other Gulf emirates, wants to subject all the West to Sharia law and brainwashes American and European youths to hate their countries and identity. Netanyahu told participants at the conference that the so-called pro-Palestinian riots that have taken place in the West since the October 7 massacre are not about Israel or the Palestinians but an expression of a desire of the 'red-green coalition' to destroy the West. 'The Left and the Islamists want to destroy Western civilization for different reasons, but they have the same goal. Israel is just the first target.' Minister of Transportation Miri Regev called on French President Emmanuel Macron to 'open his eyes' in light of the report's findings on the activities of the Brotherhood in his country. 'Remember, not only the Jews are threatened on French soil, but France itself,' she sent a warning to Macron. Regev accused the EU of adopting antisemitic resolutions time after time against Israel and called on the European right-wing participants to work together in order to change the EU's attitude toward Israel. She also called on all European airlines to resume their flights to Israel, which were stopped after a Houthi missile hit Ben-Gurion Airport at the beginning of May. 'There is no reason not to fly to Israel,' stressed the minister. All Israeli speakers praised Hungary and its government under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for its support of Israel before and after the October 7 massacre.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Anime vs Manga: Why Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist adaptations shine or stall
Anime adaptations of popular manga are always a hotbed of controversy and argument among rabid fans. Iconic series such as Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist showcase each side of this coin. Some adaptations maintain the pacing and dramatic tension of the manga storytelling and garner praise, while others come off as hurried or bloated with filler. The reasons range from studio decisions to pacing, budgets and even the level of author involvement. As one such Times of India adaptation analysis reminds us, adaptations 'typically trigger discussions about fidelity to the original work, the animation quality and execution'. Anime vs manga debates have become quite the contentious issue – and rightfully so. The adaptation challenge: Pacing, fillers and creative control One of the biggest hurdles is pacing. While long-running manga can afford to be more deliberate and take their time, anime have TV broadcasts to slot episodes into. To prevent themselves from overtaking the manga, studios will often include filler episodes with completely original storylines. For instance, the Naruto anime (2002–2007) broadcast 220 episodes, of which roughly 90 are considered filler, nearly half of the show. These additional arcs moonwalk the main narrative storyline and wear out audience goodwill. As this Crunchyroll-style analysis cautions, adapting sprawling, multi-branching manga storylines into a short runtime 'can result in problematic pacing, where major moments are crammed and lack time to breathe or crucial context is left out'. Budget and deadlines certainly have an impact on quality. Anime TV shows in particular are made under heavy time constraints with weekly episodes churning out, day in and day out. Realistic production schedules Considerations like limited time can push animators to the point where they have to repurpose their frames or cut down on action-packed sequences. In many instances, scenes are edited down to make air for a TV time slot. The original manga creators usually have very few creative controls over the anime. As one source from the industry described, mangaka are rarely deeply consulted and anime directors often create the story from their own conception. Without the author's personal touch, the tone or character nuances of the manga could be lost or altered in interpretation. Fans can be especially sensitive to when beloved inner monologues or nuanced plot developments from the manga fail to translate to the screen. Faithful vs divergent adaptations: What works When studios choose to stay true to the source material, the outcome can be incredibly rewarding. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009–2010) would be the poster child for this success story. Developed by Studio Bones following the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime overtaking the manga, Brotherhood was 'designed in order to produce a true adaptation that directly follows the chronology of the complete original manga'. The gamble worked, as both critics and fans lauded its fidelity. Critics praised Brotherhood for both being faithful to the manga's richness and introducing characters and plot elements absent from the first anime adaptation, and bringing some showstopping episodes to life, bolstered by breathtaking action and drama. In balancing all of these elements, Brotherhood truly succeeded in one thing. By following Arakawa's narrative in as loyal a fashion as possible, with consistently exceptional production values, Brotherhood was undeniably one of the best-animated anime. The original Fullmetal Alchemist anime (2003–2004) went off the rails completely as soon as it caught up with the manga. It produced new narrative threads and a unique couterfactual ending, which polarised audiences. This is a great example of how a change from the manga (due to time constraints) can create an anime that is at once iconic, but tonally very different. Something like this happened with Naruto Shippuden (the sequel series), which required a number of filler arcs as the manga progressed far enough ahead. Despite all of this, the Naruto anime is still one of the most popular anime ever made because, in large part, the studio was able to create suspense and character conflict in their years' long production. Ultimately, adaptations work best when those creating the adaptation respect what's at the heart of manga storytelling, the emotional stakes and character motivations, while adapting the narrative and making smart decisions about what should be left on the cutting room floor or even added. Animation's power: Elevating the story Animation and sound are two elements that can enrich and weaken the overall impact of a manga. Different from black-and-white manga pages, in anime you have the benefit of color, motion, voice acting, music. Whether it's a quiet scene in manga – a heartfelt confession or the agony of loss – it can become even more affecting in anime through a moving score and a powerful voice performance. I think it's similar to how many fans perceive the Naruto anime to be better than the source material, in how it lifts emotional scenes even further due to its use of music and the actors' performance. Thus, with a screen, the manga's impact becomes larger than life. Unfortunately, all of this nuance is predictably lost. Where a comic reader might pause over a single page, taking in art and creator commentary, Anime watchers have a pretty short attention span so subtle ideas or side plots are likely to be trimmed down or ditched completely. At times animation style in and of itself gets in the way – certain filler episodes are obviously constrained by budget, and their less elaborate art seems less alive than the original manga's illustrations. In summary, animation is a sensory game changer but needs to weigh that against losing the richness of the written narrative. Anime fans and streaming: Global reactions Today's anime fans expect complete fidelity and great spectacle and they make their feelings known far and wide online. Though such discussions might have been considered fringe just a few years ago, as a recent Crunchyroll-commissioned study illustrated, anime fandom is officially mainstream across the globe. More than half of teens worldwide (ages 13–17) report that they consider themselves to be anime fans—as many as large–scale pop culture icons. When any beloved manga is adapted to screen, everyone is quick to judge it by the original. Discussions on Twitter or Reddit about Naruto filler arcs or Fullmetal Alchemist differences between the anime and manga are typical. Streaming platforms such as Netflix, Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime provided these shows with unprecedented worldwide accessibility. When a series has the potential to be a global phenomenon and event, any mistake in the adaptation has the potential to set off talk-all-over-the-world level outrage. Streaming lets amazing adaptations find legions of new fans all over the world, increasing the cultural impact of any given show well beyond Japan. Ultimately, anime adaptations succeed or fail based on their ability to straddle both universes. A good adaptation honors manga storytelling, its characters, themes, and pacing, while creatively employing animation's unique strengths to bring it to life. As fans of Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist and countless other series will tell you, all it takes is a little faithfulness, some good pacing, and sound production values. Regardless, most fans come around on creative alterations or additional scenes if they add depth to the narrative. So the most important thing is that the anime stays true to the spirit of the manga. When that occurs, the adaptation turns into a cultural touchstone in its own right, bringing together anime fans across the globe in reverence of the tale and occasionally in discussion of what was executed finest. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
LeMonde
23-05-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Political Islam: A real challenge and a regrettable opportunity for political one-upmanship
The stern rebuke delivered by French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, May 21, during a national defense and security council meeting, temporarily put an end to the political escalation that followed the release of a report on the influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in France. Even before the meeting convened, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau saw fit to seize the moment to demonstrate his resolve on a topic that haunts both the far right and the right as much as it fuels their electoral campaigns. The organized leak of excerpts from the report highlighted a "country rotted from within by the Brotherhood ideology," according to conservative daily Le Figaro. A staging clearly intended to put the spotlight Retailleau's response. At the council meeting, Macron asked his interior minister to revise his approach and to address the issue with greater seriousness. Allowing political one-upmanship to fester and tensions to rise over such a sensitive topic is the best way to avoid dealing with it properly. According to the report, commissioned by Retailleau's predecessor at the Interior Ministry and drafted by a diplomat and a prefect after a series of hearings, the long-term threat that political Islamism poses to "national cohesion" in France – particularly that associated with the Muslim Brotherhood – is a "reality." The report states that the Muslim Brotherhood is spreading its influence through "concealment, victimization and the quest for legitimacy," which is characterized by the "primacy of Quranic law over the law of the Republic," the "subordination of women," an "inability to accept otherness" and "anti-Zionism, or even antisemitism." But, instead of using blustering rhetoric or dramatic action, the movement operates over the long term, organizing educational, social and cultural activities, and exerting "growing, sometimes violent pressure on local authorities." With municipal elections scheduled in March 2026, the denunciation of this kind of municipal "entryism," along with the rise of influencers spreading an Islam hostile to France's values, is the report's main message. Some experts have criticized the document for focusing on a movement they see as aging and in decline. Promising avenues The central question is how to counter this subervise work without stigmatizing the approximately 7.5 million people in France who identify as Muslim. Certainly not by reinforcing the right's reflex of portraying anyone of immigrant background as a potential Islamist, nor by echoing the rhetoric of radical-left La France Insoumise party, which sees a victim behind every Muslim. Escaping this double instrumentalization requires recognizing the great diversity of the Muslims of France – only 20% attend a place of worship – accepting that Islam is a French religion and being clear that laïcité (the French conception of secularism) is not directed against Muslims but aims to guarantee the free practice and coexistence of all faiths. The report outlines some promising avenues, such as the need for a new rhetoric about the Republic, one that goes beyond laïcité alone, the development of Arabic language instruction and the structuring of Islam in the country. The effectiveness of the measures the government is to draw from the report in June will be the true test of France's ability to make the integration of Islam a key societal challenge, rather than just a sad pretext for pre-election sparring.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Government-commissioned report says Muslim Brotherhood posing threat to French unity
By Juliette Jabkhiro PARIS (Reuters) -President Emmanuel Macron convened senior ministers on Wednesday to address a state-commissioned report that accuses the Muslim Brotherhood of waging a covert campaign via local proxies to subvert France's secular values and institutions. The report called for action to halt what it called a slow-burning spread of "political Islam" posing a threat to social cohesion, drawing swift criticism from members of the Muslim community and some academics. Under mounting pressure from a rising far-right opposition, Macron has undertaken a crackdown on what he calls Islamist separatism by seeking to limit foreign influence over Muslim institutions and communities. Now, presidential advisers say Macron wants to tackle what they frame as a long-term Islamist plan to infiltrate state institutions and change them from within. "The reality of this threat, even if it is long-term and does not involve violent action, highlights the risk of damage to the fabric of society and republican institutions," said an excerpt of the report, a copy of which Reuters obtained. The government has said it will not publish the report in full. Macron ordered ministers to draw up measures in response to the report for another government meeting in June. The report said the Islamist campaign was focusing on schools, mosques and local non-governmental organisations, with the aim of influencing rule-making at local and national levels, notably concerning secularism and gender equality. The report describes the Musulmans de France (Muslims of France) association as the "national branch" of the Muslim Brotherhood, a global Islamist organisation that was founded in Egypt in 1928 as part of a movement to end colonial rule. The Brotherhood's stated goal is to establish sharia (Islamic law) through peaceful political means. It is banned in several Arab countries including Egypt. DENIAL OF MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD LINK Musulmans de France denies belonging to the Brotherhood, according to the report. Its leader was not immediately available for comment. Azzedine Gaci, head of the Villeurbanne mosque near Lyon that is cited in the report, denied ties with the Brotherhood and said the report was a "slap in the face" after he has worked in close collaboration with French authorities for years. Ahead of Wednesday's meeting, hardline Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said the report underlined a clear threat from the Muslim Brotherhood. "Its ultimate goal is to shift all of French society to sharia," he said. France's Muslim population numbers over 6 million, the largest in Europe. The report's conclusions stated that no recent evidence indicated Musulmans de France wished to establish an Islamic state in France or enforce sharia. Haoues Seniguer, a researcher specialising in political Islam, said that while Musulmans de France held a conservative vision of Islam, it had no ambition to transform French society into an Islamic one. "In the public debate and politicians' words, there is a tendency to act as if the distant heirs of the Muslim Brotherhood today had the exact same views as the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928. (This) makes absolutely no sense." Macron denies stigmatising Muslims and says Islam has a place in French society. However, civic rights and Muslim groups say the government is increasingly impinging on religious freedom, making it harder for Muslims to express their identity. They cite a crackdown on several Muslim schools as an example. "Our teachings have always been respectful of republican values," Makhlouf Mameche, head of the National Federation for Muslim Education, told Reuters. "Our goal is to make sure our pupils succeed."
