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Indonesia woman jailed for TikTok video praying before eating pork
An Indonesian court has sentenced a woman to two years in prison and handed her a heavy fine after she recited an Islamic prayer before eating pork in a viral TikTok video widely criticized in the Muslim-majority country. Lina Mukherjee, 33, was found guilty of "spreading information aimed at inciting hatred against religious individuals and specific groups" at a court on Tuesday in the South Sumatra city of Palembang, according to the verdict. It came after a resident reported Mukherjee in March for the video, that amassed millions of views, in which she uttered a Muslim prayer that translates to "in the name of God", before consuming crispy pork skin. Pork is forbidden under Islam, which is the dominant religion in Indonesia. Mukherjee identifies as a Muslim and her actions were condemned by conservative groups including the country's top Muslim clerical body, the Indonesian Ulema Council, which issued a ruling calling the video blasphemous. She was also fined 250 million rupiah ($16,200) for which her jail term would be extended by three months if it was not paid. This is the latest in a string of blasphemy cases in the country. Last year Indonesian police arrested six people on charges of blasphemy over a bar chain's free alcohol promotion for patrons named Mohammed. Rights groups have long campaigned against the laws they say are frequently misused to target religious minorities. Jakarta's ex-governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as Ahok, was jailed for nearly two years on controversial blasphemy charges in 2017. Purnama, a Christian, was jailed for comments he made on the campaign trail during a re-election bid that saw him accused of insulting Islam. The post Indonesia woman jailed for TikTok video praying before eating pork appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Targeted Christians found shelter with Muslims during Pakistan rampage
Pastor Javed Bhatti was roused from his sleep by the mosque's loudspeaker -- not the usual Islamic call to prayer, but a thundering call to protest against alleged blasphemy by Christians. Instinctively, he gathered his family and ran to the street, where fellow Christians were already spilling from their homes into narrow alleyways. "Some were running barefoot and some fled in rickshaws. There was chaos everywhere," he told AFP on Thursday, a day after hundreds of Muslim men rampaged through the streets, burning homes and churches. "The children were shouting, 'Run, run, the clerics are coming! They will attack us'," his sister Naila Bhatti added. Blasphemy is a flashpoint issue in Pakistan, where vigilante mobs have killed people accused of insulting Islam or the Prophet Muhammad. Christians make up around two percent of the population and occupy one of the lowest rungs in Pakistani society. More than 5,000 live in the Christian quarter in Jaranwala, most of them sanitary workers on meagre wages who occupy cramped homes shared by up to 18 relatives. As panic spread across the neighborhood, Muslims also rushed to the streets to warn and shelter their neighbors. "The crowd came from outside (this area), but the local Muslims here helped us and tried to save us," Pastor Bhatti said. Tariq Rasool, in the same narrow street as Bhatti, said Muslims had quickly pinned Koranic verses on the doors of Christian homes in the hope they would be spared the violence. "Two women were running. I opened the door of my house for them and let them inside. They were very worried but I consoled them," the 58-year-old Muslim told AFP. The mob swelled in size and anger throughout the day, with hundreds at its peak rioting through the streets. By nightfall, at least four churches and a dozen houses and shops had been burned and ransacked, according to an AFP team at the scene. Imran Qadri, a bearded Muslim, opened his home to two Christian women. "They are still inside our house. My family helped them, provided them with food and they spent the night with us," Qadri said, standing alongside Bhatti. Parveen Bibi fled with her eight family members after being woken up by her young children screaming: "Muslims are coming to burn our houses!" "We took rickshaws to the home of our Muslim neighbors. The door was open and we all went inside. I was accompanied by women, my two daughters-in-law and children. The women said, 'You are safe here, don't worry'," she explained tearfully, standing in the rubble of her home. Several Christians who returned to their houses on Thursday to survey the damage told AFP that more than 300 people had fled in the initial hours of the riot, but hundreds more evacuated at night and on Thursday to stay with relatives in other towns. Police have arrested more than 100 people allegedly linked to the violence and are searching for two Christian brothers accused of desecrating the Koran. Though the mob has dispersed and hundreds of police now guard the neighborhood, many are too fearful to return home yet. For Pastor Bhatti, returning has brought more pain for his family: "My own house was destroyed. This was our entire life's earnings. Now how will we live here again?" The post Targeted Christians found shelter with Muslims during Pakistan rampage appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mixed reaction over drag queen’s performance
Senators on Thursday gave mixed reactions about the controversial performance of a local drag queen which ignited debates on social media. Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri expressed his disgust over a performance of a local drag artist, describing it as “extremely blasphemous” and “offensive.” “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the extremely blasphemous and offensive video that has gone viral showing people in a club making a mockery of the Christian faith and disrespecting The Lord’s prayer,” Zubiri said in a statement. “In my opinion, this is the height of the misuse and abuse of our freedom of expression that borders on criminal activity,” he added. “It offends the sensibilities of our Christian brothers and sisters, deeply demeans the faith of millions of Filipinos, and dangerously scales the boundaries of protected speech and expression.” The Senate chief is referring to the video clip of Pura Luka Vega’s performance where she was seen lip-synching in a Jesus Christ-like costume to the tune of the upbeat and remixed version of the Christian song “Ama Namin,” the Filipino version of “The Lord’s Prayer.” According to Zubiri, a criminal charge may be filed against Vega under Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code, which punishes those who “offend any race or religion in the performance of obscene or indecent plays, scenes, acts or shows in theaters, fairs, or any other place.” “We urge the authorities to look into this matter,” he said. “We are still tracing the venue. We are also studying the possible violations of law that was committed here.” “Nevertheless, this act merits condemnation not only by Christians but people of all religions whose practice of their faith should not be mocked for private gain or for a few theatrical laughs,” he added. He continued: “My first reaction when I saw the video was extreme disappointment and anger.” “For billions of Christians, The Lord’s Prayer is one of our most solemn prayers during the Holy Eucharist, and to take it out of this context of worship, and use it as material for a comedy bar, is highly insensitive.” The lawmaker, who described himself as a devout Catholic, called on the public to respect one another’s beliefs. “I hope that this behavior will not be repeated in the future. Again, let us respect each other’s beliefs, religious or otherwise, because that is how we build a kinder and gentler society,” he said. ‘Exercise discernment’ Echoing the same sentiment, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito agreed that the performance was “blasphemous.” On his Twitter account, Ejercito cried foul at the drag queen’s act. “This is blasphemy. This disrespects my faith. This went overboard,” he said. In a separate statement, the lawmaker urged artists to “always exercise discernment” in their craft, stressing that it “may inspire division or worse, aggression.” “While art is generally covered by the freedom of expression, one of the most cherished rights in the Constitution, the extent of such freedom is limited by the exercise of other rights and freedoms, such as the right to practice one’s religious faith in peace and without fear of intimidation,” he said. “In the case at hand, the said performance has stirred hostile feelings towards the Catholic faith. Instead of prompting sober discussions on art and religion, the performance has nudged ad hominem attacks against Filipino Catholics,” he added. Ejercito said that he agrees with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ statement that that objects of faith “should not be used for entertainment purposes, more so, to mock God and his faithful.” “Ama Namin (The Lord’s Prayer) is sacred to us Christians; using it for humor is extremely offensive and disrespectful. Artists should always exercise discernment, as their craft may inspire division or worse, aggression. We should learn to respect each other’s faith and religion,” he said. In a tweet, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian also gave his opinion about the incident. “This is exactly what will destroy our society,” he said. ‘Regrettable’ Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros, a known ally of the LGBTQ+ community, said she found the drag queen’s performance “regrettable.” “As a woman of faith, I admit I personally find this regrettable. I know that many members of the LGBTQIA+ community, persons of faith among them, also find this regrettable,” Hontiveros said in a separate statement. She, however, stressed that the incident should not be used to “deny the rights and protections to a community that has long been marginalized and excluded.” “I wish for self-reflection, compassion and healing for both the religious and LGBTQIA+ communities. Our platforms should build bridges,” she said. “The struggle for SOGIE Equality continues,” she added. The video, which was uploaded by Vega on Twitter on 10 July quickly circulated on social media and garnered mixed reactions from netizens. As of writing, the video has gained a total of 17.3 million views. The post Mixed reaction over drag queen’s performance appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Contagious pertussis disease continues spreading in Philippines
MANILA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The contagious pertussis has continued spreading in the Philippines, where it has caused at least 40 death cases, after a province near the capital region reported an outbreak of the disease. In a social media post on Wednesday night, the Cavite government posted a resolution declaring the province under a state of calamity "due to the outbreak of pertussis" after logging 36 cases an.....»»
EXPLAINER: Why did the Baltimore bridge collapse and what is the death toll?
(Reuters) -Divers recovered the remains of two of the six missing workers more than a day after a cargo ship smashed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bodies of two men were found in a red pickup truck submerged in the icy waters of the Patapsco River. Rescuers pulled two workers from the water.....»»
Let’s not forget about sexual reproductive health and rights
I once read that in the ’80s, NASA wanted to send astronaut Sally Ride – the first American woman in space – on a space mission with 100 tampons. Her trip was six days. They could have spared that embarrassment by simply talking about it......»»
The significance of Holy Thursday
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Spy Wednesday
What significant event took place on the Wednesday of the Holy Week? If Maundy Thursday was all about the Last Supper, the betrayal of Jesus, etc. and Good Friday was all about the kangaroo trial, torture and crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ and Easter Sunday was the glorious resurrection of our Lord, what, I wondered, happened on the Wednesday before......»»
Father shoots son dead for disrespecting mom in Cebu City
CEBU CITY, Philippines – He was only requested to turn off the lights of his hut, but his disrespectful response to his mother’s order ultimately led to his death. The fatal shooting of a 28-year-old jobless man by his own father in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City on Monday night allegedly stemmed from months of constant.....»»
LCPO gets an acting city director
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Probe continues to determine fault in Cotabato van-truck collision
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Kaladkaren inokray-okray sa Woman of Influence award: Bakit siya?!
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EDITORIAL — The cost of negligence
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'How do you deal with a neighbour...': Jaishankar slams Pakistan over 'industry level' terrorism
Singapore, March 24 (ANI): Emphasising the complex situation of dealing with a neighbour like Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Islamabad uses terrorism as an instrument of statecraft and does not even hide from the fact. He affirmed that India will not skirt this problem anymore and the mood in the country is not to overlook the issue of terrorism. The EAM, who is in Singapore as part of his thre.....»»
Rappler Talk: Leila de Lima, a woman of faith
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At least 7 burn to death, 4 others hurt in Cotabato road mishap
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Angeles toddlers’ death inside car prompts probe into parental accountability
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Korda triumphs in sudden death anew; Saso, Pagdanganan waver
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Canino is Olympiad bound
It was sealed by an 83-move draw with Woman FIDE Master Cherry Ann Mejia of a Sicilian in the 10th and penultimate round of the Philippine National Women’s Chess Championship at the Malolos City Hall in Bulacan......»»
'How do you deal with a neighbour...': Jaishankar slams Pakistan over 'industry level' terrorism
Singapore, March 24 (ANI): Emphasising the complex situation of dealing with a neighbour like Pakistan, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that Islamabad uses terrorism as an instrument of statecraft and does not even hide from the fact. He affirmed that India will not skirt this problem anymore and the mood in the country is not to overlook the issue of terrorism. The EAM, who is in Singapore as part of his thre.....»»