Latest from Al Etihad
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Politics
- Al Etihad
Religious diplomacy has a role in building a peaceful Middle East
14 July 2025 00:20 By Imam Mohammad Tawhidi*Religious diplomacy functions on the premise that faith leaders have moral authority and societal legitimacy among their communities. When religious leaders engage in cross-sectarian conversations or build alliances across faith lines, they lay down pathways toward coexistence and mutual respect. These efforts are not abstract or ceremonial; they are grounded in communities who look to faith for guidance and the Middle East, the consequences of religious fragmentation have been severe, and sectarian interpretations have been manipulated to justify violence, displacement, and the corrosion of national such contexts, religious diplomacy serves as both a corrective and a unifying force. By promoting inclusive interpretations of Islam and encouraging collaboration between all people, religious leaders can challenge the destructive engaging in religious diplomacy also play a crucial role in re-establishing trust where it has been lost. In post-conflict societies, political agreements often fail to address the psychological and spiritual wounds inflicted by figures can act as custodians of memory and reconciliation. Through sermons, public statements and interfaith initiatives, they can acknowledge historical grievances while guiding communities toward forgiveness and reintegration. Their messages can resonate and influence personal attitudes and collective behaviour.A fundamental responsibility of religious diplomacy in today's Middle East is the active opposition to extremist ideologies that masquerade as religious movements. Foremost among these is the Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational extremist distinguishes the Brotherhood from other political entities is its ability to combine religious rhetoric with revolutionary ambitions. Rather than advocating for peace, it seeks to destabilise state institutions, erode national identities, and replace existing governments with its own ideologically driven Brotherhood targets vulnerable Muslims, especially youth, by presenting itself as a solution to injustice and marginalisation. However, the ultimate aim is not community upliftment but the imposition of a singular worldview that tolerates no dissent and undermines diplomacy must respond to this threat not only by denouncing the Brotherhood's tactics but by offering a superior moral and theological framework. This involves exposing the inconsistencies in their interpretation of Islam and emphasising the religion's authentic values of peace, justice and leaders should also collaborate with governments to delegitimise its messaging and disrupt recruitment strategies. When scholars issue reasoned, well-articulated refutations of extremist thought and back them with strong religious precedent, they arm the public with the intellectual tools to resist religious diplomacy should work to strengthen state-backed religious institutions. These bodies, often marginalised by the louder voices of radical groups, must be reinvigorated through education, training, and international cooperation to reclaim the space from non-state actors who operate without accountability and thrive on Middle Eastern nations, the UAE has emerged as a compelling example of how state and religious institutions can partner to build a cohesive society rooted in peace. The UAE's approach is strategic and visionary. It recognises the role of religious identity in the region and has consciously invested in creating a climate where different faiths and sects coexist without friction. The UAE's model is anchored in the belief that religious diversity is not a threat but a source of strength. Its leadership has championed initiatives that bring together Muslim scholars, Christian clergy, and Jewish rabbis in meaningful institutionalising tolerance through entities such as the Ministry of Tolerance and Co-Existence and organising high-level interfaith summits, the country has established a standard of discourse that prioritises mutual respect over dogmatic the UAE has taken bold steps to counter religious extremism by regulating sermons, establishing overview over foreign-funded religious centres, and elevating voices that promote moderate policies are complemented by a commitment to civic engagement, education reform, and gender inclusion; demonstrating that religious harmony must be underpinned by broader societal UAE also shares this model with other nations, offering a constructive alternative to both Western secularism and theocratic authoritarianism. Its support for the Abrahamic Family House and the Document on Human Fraternity reflects a willingness to export peace, not through domination, but through shared human UAE understands that peace is sustainable only when it is embraced at the UAE stands as a model for what is possible when religious discourse is aligned with national values and international cooperation. Its example demonstrates that peace is not a utopian dream, but a realisable goal when guided by wisdom, courage and a sincere commitment to the careful nurturing of religious diplomacy, the Middle East can chart a future that honours its past, while building a stable and inclusive tomorrow. *The writer is a Parliamentary Advisor and Research Partner with the think-tank TRENDS Research & Advisory
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Chinese firms rush to buy Nvidia AI chips as sales set to resume
15 July 2025 14:26 BEIJING (REUTERS) Chinese firms are rushing to buy Nvidia's H20 artificial intelligence chips, two sources told Reuters, as the company said it planned to resume sales to the mainland days after its CEO met United States President Donald AI chips have been a key focus of US export controls. The US-listed company has said the curbs would cut its revenue by $15 world's most valuable firm is filing applications with the US government to resume sales to China of the H20 graphics processing unit (GPU), and expects to get the licences soon, Nvidia said in a statement."The U.S. government has assured Nvidia that licences will be granted, and Nvidia hopes to start deliveries soon," said the company, whose chief executive, Jensen Huang, is visiting Beijing and set to speak at an event on added that internet giants ByteDance and Tencent are in the process of submitting shares jumped 5% in premarket trading. Rival AI chipmaker AMD, which has forecast a $1.5 billion revenue hit this year due to US export curbs on China, rose more than 3%.The H20 chip was developed specifically for the Chinese market after US export curbs imposed on national security grounds in late 2023. Nvidia also announced the development of a new AI chip designed specifically for China, called the RTX Pro GPU. The company described it as "fully compliant" with US export controls, and suitable for digital twin AI applications in sectors, such as smart factories and logistics. China generated $17 billion in revenue for Nvidia in the fiscal year ending January 26, or 13% of total sales, based on its latest annual report.
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Sport
- Al Etihad
'World's oldest marathon runner' dies aged 114 in road accident in India
15 July 2025 14:06 NEW DELHI (AFP)India's Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident aged 114, his biographer said an Indian-born British national, nicknamed the "Turbaned Tornado", died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state's Jalandhar district on Monday."My Turbaned Tornado is no more," Fauja's biographer Khushwant Singh wrote on X."He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja."Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, ran full marathons of 42 kilometres till the age of last race was a 10-kilometre (six-mile) event at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon when 101, where he finished in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 became an international sensation after taking up distance running at the ripe old age of 89, after the death of his wife and one of his sons, inspired by seeing marathons on was a torchbearer for the Olympics at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and appeared in advertisements with sports stars such as David Beckham and Muhammad Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on social media."Fauja Singh was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness," said Modi on X "He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world."
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Climate
- Al Etihad
Heavy rain prompts flash flood warnings across US northeast
15 July 2025 14:14 NEW YORK (AFP)Heavy rain inundated parts of New York and New Jersey on Monday night, while flash flood warnings were in effect across a wide swathe of the eastern seaboard, where travel was massively disrupted and some vehicles Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, urging people to stay across the region, including in Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania, warned of hazardous driving conditions due to the risk of flash LaGuardia and Newark airports temporarily suspended departures on Monday night, forcing the cancellation of dozens of workers in Scotch Plains, New Jersey waded into gushing floodwaters armed with red flotation devices after several drivers became stranded in the sudden surge, according to footage from New York City, video shared on social media showed muddy brown water spewing like a geyser in front of a subway station's subway lines were briefly suspended or running with delays, while above ground, massive traffic jams paralyaed several of the city's main National Weather Service (NWS) urged drivers encountering flooded roads to "turn around.""Most flood deaths occur in vehicles," it said. A flood warning remained in effect until Tuesday morning for parts of New Jersey, while the slow-moving storm was expected to continue depositing heavy rain on the US Mid-Atlantic region into the middle of the week, according to the NWS.
Al Etihad
an hour ago
- Automotive
- Al Etihad
Team Abu Dhabi gears up to defend UIM F2 World Championship title in Lithuania
15 July 2025 14:10 ABU DHABI (WAM)Team Abu Dhabi will take part in the second round of the UIM F2 World Championship hosted by the city of Klaipėda, Lithuania, on July 18 and 19. The event will see fierce competition among an elite lineup of the world's top powerboat team will be represented in this round by boat No. 1, driven by reigning world champion Rashed Al Qemzi, alongside boat No. 35, piloted by Mansoor Al Mansoori. Both will be aiming to defend the championship title secured last season and continue Team Abu Dhabi's remarkable record in the champion Rashed Al Qemzi and teammate Mansoor Al Mansoori are preparing for this critical round in Lithuania, especially after the setbacks they faced in the opening round of the season held in Brindisi, Italy, last June. Al Qemzi suffered a technical failure that forced him out of contention, while Al Mansoori's boat capsized in the final laps of the Abu Dhabi is determined to bounce back strongly and secure a positive result in Lithuania to reestablish themselves in the title race for the 2025 season, which includes four more rounds—continuing in Italy and concluding with the final two rounds in Portugal this opening round of the championship saw Britain's Matthew Palfreyman clinch victory, with France's Peter Morin finishing second and Sweden's Wilmer Wiberg in Qemzi remains one of the top contenders for this year's crown, boasting an impressive record of five world titles, making him the most decorated and favoured driver among the of the Team Abu Dhabi delegation, Nasser Al Dhaheri, emphasised the importance of the upcoming round as a pivotal stage in their quest to retain the world title. 'We are fully aware of the level of competition in a championship of this magnitude and history. Our goal is to maintain the title and perform in a way that honours the UAE's name,' he said.
