https://www.scmp.com/rss/31591/feed Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press A court in southern Turkey sentenced eight people on Monday to prison terms over a 2024 cable car accident in the coastal resort of Antalya that killed one passenger and injured seven. Four of the defendants were convicted of causing death and injury through negligence and were sentenced to seven-and-a-half years each, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. The other four were sentenced to between three years and four months and five years for the same offence. In the April 12, 2024... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350784/turkey-sentences-8-people-prison-terms-deadly-2024-cable-car-accident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350784/turkey-sentences-8-people-prison-terms-deadly-2024-cable-car-accident?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:34:27 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Every year, roughly half of Indonesia’s 288 million people pack into trains, buses, ferries and cars and head home. The mudik, as the great Eid ul-Fitr exodus is known, is one of the largest annual human migrations on Earth and a ritual of return that defines the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. This year, the Ministry of Transportation estimates that 143.9 million journeys will be made. But it could hardly arrive at a worse time for the government’s finances. Oil prices have surged... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346886/oil-price-spike-threatens-break-indonesias-budget-144-million-hit-road-eid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3346886/oil-price-spike-threatens-break-indonesias-budget-144-million-hit-road-eid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is “safe and sound” despite reports of an injury during the war with Israel and the United States, said the son of the Iranian president on Wednesday. “I heard news that Mr Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound,” said Yousef Pezeshkian, who is also a government adviser, in a post on his Telegram channel. He did not elaborate. State television had called... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346205/irans-new-supreme-leader-safe-despite-war-injury-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346205/irans-new-supreme-leader-safe-despite-war-injury-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:47:43 +0000 Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof By late afternoon in Putrajaya, the smell of smoke fills the air. Charcoal pits glow along the side of the road as office workers and families with school-aged children in tow move through the haze with the deliberate purpose of people who have not eaten since dawn. This is a Ramadan bazaar in full bloom: rows of bright pink drinks in plastic cups, towers of kueh – bite-sized sweet and savoury snacks – in every colour, and, at one particularly busy stall, rows of whole chickens turning slowly... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345746/1-holy-month-1-years-income-malaysias-ramadan-bazaar-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3345746/1-holy-month-1-years-income-malaysias-ramadan-bazaar-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:00:12 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words In Chinese culture, the horse symbolises strength, freedom and vitality. Yet as the Year of the Horse is celebrated with images of grace and power, real horses continue to suffer in industries that treat them as expendable. Near Egypt’s Great Pyramids, Peta investigators... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343894/we-celebrate-lunar-new-year-lets-ensure-we-do-better-horses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343894/we-celebrate-lunar-new-year-lets-ensure-we-do-better-horses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 03:30:11 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is trying to engineer a Ramadan spending boost, rolling out transport fare cuts and food handouts to shore up consumption during its busiest shopping season, but economists question how far the temporary support can go in lifting growth. The 12.83 trillion rupiah (US$762 million) stimulus package unveiled ahead of the Muslim fasting month, which culminates in Eid ul-Fitr, is meant to keep people travelling and shopping despite rising food prices and softer purchasing power. In a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343826/will-indonesias-us762-million-ramadan-stimulus-be-positive-boost-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3343826/will-indonesias-us762-million-ramadan-stimulus-be-positive-boost-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words As the global Muslim population grows to 2 billion – around 25 per cent of the world’s population – Hong Kong is well-positioned to attract this burgeoning tourism market. The city was recently recognised as “Most Promising Muslim-Friendly Destination of the Year”. The essence of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3330474/halal-seafood-districts-and-other-ideas-boosting-hong-kong-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3330474/halal-seafood-districts-and-other-ideas-boosting-hong-kong-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 03:30:09 +0000 The usual festive mood of Eid ul-Fitr holiday to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan has been subdued in Indonesia this year as people grapple with soaring prices for food, clothing and essential goods. Consumer spending ahead of the biggest religious holiday for Muslims, which was celebrated on Sunday in Indonesia, has declined compared to the previous year, with a predicted slowdown in cash circulation due to fewer travellers. Each year in Indonesia, nearly three-quarters of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3304610/eid-celebrations-indonesia-and-india-face-economic-and-political-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3304610/eid-celebrations-indonesia-and-india-face-economic-and-political-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 11:55:46 +0000 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered to let Hamas leaders leave Gaza but demanded the group abandon its arms, as his country kept up its bombardment of the Palestinian territory. Gaza’s civil defence agency said an Israeli air strike on a house and tent sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least eight people, including five children. The strike hit Khan Younis on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Samah... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3304501/netanyahu-offers-hamas-leaders-gaza-exit-demands-group-disarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3304501/netanyahu-offers-hamas-leaders-gaza-exit-demands-group-disarm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Mar 2025 20:26:51 +0000 Malaysian social media users are having a field day over a viral episode of an elderly Malay man slapping a non-Muslim for eating in public during Ramadan, injecting a note of levity into a situation fraught with racial undertones. A retired civil servant, 65, was charged on Wednesday with slapping an ethnic Chinese man during a confrontation at a convenience store in southern Johor state on Sunday. Videos went viral of the elderly man berating the 21-year-old for eating in public and demanding... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3303321/ramadan-slap-malaysia-goes-viral-social-media-responds-satire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3303321/ramadan-slap-malaysia-goes-viral-social-media-responds-satire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Mar 2025 07:39:24 +0000 Fed up with how much food Malaysians throw away every year, anti-food waste advocates have hit upon a way to shine a spotlight on the issue – by putting together a trash “fashion” showcase of discarded food from Ramadan bazaars. Volunteer models clad in suits made from clear plastic pockets filled with everything from discarded nasi lemak to fried noodles and kuih, or sweet cakes, walked the red carpet at a bazaar in Kuala Lumpur to launch the #BazirRamadan campaign last week. The name riffs off... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3303178/spotlight-food-waste-malaysia-ramadan-bazaar-trash-becomes-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3303178/spotlight-food-waste-malaysia-ramadan-bazaar-trash-becomes-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 09:24:43 +0000 An elderly Malaysian man claimed trial on Wednesday to a charge of slapping a non-Muslim man for eating during the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan. Abdul Razak Ismail, 65, a retired civil servant, was charged with voluntarily causing hurt for assaulting an ethnic Chinese man during a confrontation at a shopping centre convenience store in southern Johor state on Sunday. Videos of an elderly man in a black robe berating Elijah Ling, 21, for eating in public went viral, adding to the brewing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3303014/elderly-malaysian-man-be-charged-slapping-non-muslim-eating-during-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3303014/elderly-malaysian-man-be-charged-slapping-non-muslim-eating-during-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 09:39:04 +0000 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that massive overnight strikes on Gaza were “only the beginning” and that future negotiations with Hamas “will take place only under fire”. The strikes, by far the largest since a truce took effect in January, killed more than 400 people across the Gaza Strip, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Netanyahu said in a video statement on Tuesday evening “Hamas has already felt the strength of our arm in the past 24... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3302916/netanyahu-warns-hamas-israeli-strikes-gaza-are-only-beginning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3302916/netanyahu-warns-hamas-israeli-strikes-gaza-are-only-beginning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 23:41:32 +0000 A Malaysian minister on Monday issued a stern warning over threats to national unity during Ramadan, after the alleged assault of a non-Muslim man for eating in public during the Islamic fasting month. Videos of the altercation went viral on Sunday, showing an elderly man wearing a black robe aggressively questioning the 21-year-old victim inside a convenience store. In one of the videos, the victim was seen backing away as the man continued berating him. The victim claimed that his assailant... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3302661/malaysian-minister-warns-against-extremism-after-non-muslim-assaulted-not-fasting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3302661/malaysian-minister-warns-against-extremism-after-non-muslim-assaulted-not-fasting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 07:41:27 +0000 As the afternoon bleeds into evening, Putrajaya Ramadan bazaar comes alive, with hungry crowds weaving between stalls offering mouth-watering treats to break their fast. Ramadan, a month of restraint, reflection and devotion for Malaysia’s 21 million Muslims is also a time for feasting, with bazaars sprouting up nationwide, becoming community kitchens during this sacred period. Beyond traditional fare like murtabak, roti john and kuih, newer sugar-laden delights have been gaining popularity –... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3302448/sugar-highs-and-waistline-woes-malaysias-sweet-tooth-gets-ramadan-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3302448/sugar-highs-and-waistline-woes-malaysias-sweet-tooth-gets-ramadan-reality-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Mar 2025 05:00:09 +0000 The semi-official China Islamic Association has removed its traditional Arabic-style green logo featuring stars above a mosque dome from both its website and social media account as Beijing pushes the sinicisation of religions in China. The rebrand, which features a simpler blue logo, could alienate ordinary Muslims and provoke a sense of cultural erasure and suspicion, undermining the integration of Islam within mainstream Chinese society, analysts have warned. On February 21, the group’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302356/what-does-china-islamic-associations-rebrand-reveal-about-beijings-integration-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3302356/what-does-china-islamic-associations-rebrand-reveal-about-beijings-integration-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Mar 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Japanese former adult film star Rae Lil Black has ignited a social media frenzy in Malaysia with videos of herself breaking fast at mosques in Kuala Lumpur while wearing traditional Muslim clothing – drawing both praise for her apparent embrace of Islam and scepticism over her past. Rae, whose real name is Kae Asakura, recently began sharing her apparent exploration of Islam on TikTok, culminating in her announcement that she would observe the Ramadan fast this year, which started on March... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3302118/japanese-ex-adult-star-rae-lil-black-raises-eyebrows-muslim-convert-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3302118/japanese-ex-adult-star-rae-lil-black-raises-eyebrows-muslim-convert-malaysia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Mar 2025 11:29:44 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification This Ramadan is particularly special, as it began on March 1, an alignment with the start of the Gregorian month that only happens roughly every 33 years. Because the official start depends on the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3301785/hong-kong-could-do-more-match-global-momentum-during-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3301785/hong-kong-could-do-more-match-global-momentum-during-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Mar 2025 03:30:09 +0000 Malaysia’s devotion to rich food and sweet drinks has become a talking point of the fasting month of Ramadan, as celebrity food content creators share sugar-laden recipes while doctors warn of the health risks in a nation where one fifth of adults are diabetic. Ramadan, observed from sunrise to sunset throughout the holy month, is not just a time of fasting but also a nationwide food celebration. Ramadan bazaars brim with delectable dishes and online celebrity chefs regularly share recipes to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3301762/doctors-warn-hidden-perils-malaysias-sweet-tooth-during-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3301762/doctors-warn-hidden-perils-malaysias-sweet-tooth-during-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Mar 2025 06:16:20 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong can develop its own Muslim-focused experiences to draw more visitors from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, according to a diplomat and tourism industry insiders. They said the city’s push to become a hub for halal tourism should be more than merely adapting existing services and include coming up with new cultural experiences geared towards Muslim visitors. Turkish Consul General Kerim Sercan Evcin said it could be “a Hong Kong Ramadan bazaar” with unique offerings from the city... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3301615/hong-kong-halal-bazaar-new-attractions-among-ideas-lure-more-muslim-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3301615/hong-kong-halal-bazaar-new-attractions-among-ideas-lure-more-muslim-visitors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 01:00:23 +0000 Skyrocketing food prices and widespread job losses threaten to dampen Indonesia’s usually vibrant Ramadan spending spree, raising concerns that government incentives may not be enough to offset the economic slowdown. Southeast Asia’s biggest economy typically sees a surge in consumer spending during Ramadan and the Eid ul-Fitr holiday – which marks the end of the Muslim holy month – due to traditions such as gatherings to break fast with friends and family at restaurants and buying new clothes... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3301061/job-losses-rising-food-prices-threaten-indonesians-ramadan-spending-spree?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3301061/job-losses-rising-food-prices-threaten-indonesians-ramadan-spending-spree?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Mar 2025 04:00:14 +0000 Pakistanis thronged markets on Sunday to shop on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan. Consumers complained about high prices and low-quality produce, as the country struggled to mount an economic recovery. The government said it had managed to rein in inflation, which authorities predicted would remain stable in the near future. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3300814/pakistan-high-prices-overshadow-start-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3300814/pakistan-high-prices-overshadow-start-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday thanked US President Donald Trump for sending munitions held up by the previous administration, which would help “finish the job against Iran’s terror axis”. Netanyahu has long expressed his opposition to Iran, its nuclear programme and its proxies, which include Palestinian militant group Hamas with which Israel has been fighting in Gaza since October 2023. “Donald Trump is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3300763/netanyahu-thanks-trump-weapons-finish-job-against-iran-axis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3300763/netanyahu-thanks-trump-weapons-finish-job-against-iran-axis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Mar 2025 21:21:48 +0000 Israel said on Sunday it was suspending the entry of supplies into Gaza, with artillery fire and an air strike reported in the territory after it hit an impasse with Hamas over how to proceed with their fragile ceasefire. As the 42-day first phase of the ceasefire drew to a close, Israel gave its backing to an extension it said was put forward by US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, which would cover the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover. Hamas has repeatedly... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3300707/israel-agrees-us-plan-temporary-gaza-truce-over-ramadan-and-passover?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3300707/israel-agrees-us-plan-temporary-gaza-truce-over-ramadan-and-passover?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 23:17:24 +0000 In the safety of Sudan’s eastern coast, residents preparing for Ramadan were struggling to afford basic holiday staples as the war raging elsewhere in the country has sent prices soaring. The situation was much more dire in areas hit directly by the nearly two-year war, where famine, displacement, severe shortages and looting overshadowed the usual spirit of generosity and community of the holy Muslim month that began on Saturday. At a market in Port Sudan, a relative safe haven in the east,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3300680/sudan-civil-war-famine-and-inflation-eclipse-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3300680/sudan-civil-war-famine-and-inflation-eclipse-ramadan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 11:33:50 +0000 A crackdown on price gouging has begun after Malaysia’s government took licensing power over food bazaars away from cartels and alleged rent seekers in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Ramadan, the Muslim fasting season that is set to begin on Sunday in the country. Observed by billions worldwide, the sunrise to sunset fast is one of Islam’s five pillars. While it fosters empathy for the less fortunate, Ramadan is also a celebration of food, with Malaysia’s bustling bazaars offering a wide array of dishes... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3300616/ramadan-price-gougers-put-notice-malaysia-holy-month-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3300616/ramadan-price-gougers-put-notice-malaysia-holy-month-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Mar 2025 04:00:19 +0000 NBA player Dennis Schröder might need a minute to catch his breath. Hours before the trade deadline on February 6, news broke that the Golden State Warriors point guard would be going to the Utah Jazz as part of a three-team deal that also included the Miami Heat, plus Jimmy Butler, Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson. But then, the following day, sources told ESPN that the Detroit Pistons would be acquiring Schröder from the Utah Jazz. Phew! The deal comes less than two months after Schröder was... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3297719/who-dennis-schroder-golden-state-warriors-star-slammed-nba-luka-doncic-trade-los-angeles-lakers-then?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3297719/who-dennis-schroder-golden-state-warriors-star-slammed-nba-luka-doncic-trade-los-angeles-lakers-then?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Feb 2025 20:00:08 +0000 Azeez Al-Shaair, linebacker for the NFL’s Houston Texans, is facing a lot of criticism in the wake of a controversial on-field move. During a game on December 1, the Texans player took out Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in a brutal illegal tackle. The incident sparked a fight between players on both teams, and Al-Shaair was immediately ejected from the game. The American football star, who is a devout Muslim, also came under scrutiny for the pro-Palestinian message on the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3289656/who-azeez-al-shaair-nfl-linebacker-was-spotted-wearing-pro-palestinian-cleats-and-was-suspended?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3289656/who-azeez-al-shaair-nfl-linebacker-was-spotted-wearing-pro-palestinian-cleats-and-was-suspended?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Dec 2024 21:00:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s Muslim community is calling for the government to provide financial support to an accreditation body in charge of certifying the city’s halal restaurants, amid an effort by authorities to attract more tourists from the Middle East. The call was among several other proposed policies laid out on Wednesday at a press conference hosted by lawmakers, including Ramadan food fairs and festivals to promote Muslim culture to the wider public, as well as increasing the amount of prayer rooms... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3279908/hong-kongs-muslim-community-urges-government-funding-body-accrediting-halal-eateries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3279908/hong-kongs-muslim-community-urges-government-funding-body-accrediting-halal-eateries?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:51:25 +0000 US President Joe Biden used his Eid al-Adha message to Muslims to advocate a US-backed ceasefire deal in Gaza, saying on Sunday it was the best way to help civilians suffering the “horrors of war between Hamas and Israel”. “Too many innocent people have been killed, including thousands of children. Families have fled their homes and seen their communities destroyed. Their pain is immense,” Biden said in a statement. “I strongly believe that the three-phase ceasefire proposal Israel has made to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3266841/joe-biden-pushes-gaza-ceasefire-deal-eid-message?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3266841/joe-biden-pushes-gaza-ceasefire-deal-eid-message?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 22:10:09 +0000 An aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that Israel had accepted a framework deal for winding down the Gaza war now being advanced by US President Joe Biden, though he described it as flawed and in need of much more work. In an interview with Britain’s Sunday Times, Ophir Falk, chief foreign policy adviser to Netanyahu, said Biden’s proposal was “a deal we agreed to – it’s not a good deal but we dearly want the hostages released, all of them”. “There are a lot of details... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3265104/netanyahu-aide-bidens-gaza-plan-not-good-deal-israel-accepts-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3265104/netanyahu-aide-bidens-gaza-plan-not-good-deal-israel-accepts-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 18:28:22 +0000 Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh insisted that the death of three of his sons in an Israeli air strike would not influence truce talks in Gaza. The Israeli military confirmed carrying out the attack on Wednesday, which came amid delicate ceasefire negotiations. Israel described the three sons as operatives in the Hamas armed wing. The sons – Hazem, Amir and Mohammad – were killed when the car they were driving in was bombed in Gaza’s Al-Shati camp, Hamas said. Four of Haniyeh’s grandchildren, three... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3258562/hamas-leader-ismail-haniyeh-says-3-sons-killed-israeli-strike-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3258562/hamas-leader-ismail-haniyeh-says-3-sons-killed-israeli-strike-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:37:38 +0000 Palestinians visited the graves of loved ones killed in the Gaza war and prayed beside the wreckage of a mosque and in shattered streets as the devastating conflict cast a pall over the Eid al-Fitr holiday. Millions of Muslims around the world are observing Eid, marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with festivities, feasts and family gatherings. But few in Gaza can take solace from this special time for Muslims. After six months of war, their focus is on surviving Israeli air... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3258538/israel-gaza-war-palestinians-live-memories-past-eid-festivals-conflict-ruins-special-day-marking-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3258538/israel-gaza-war-palestinians-live-memories-past-eid-festivals-conflict-ruins-special-day-marking-end?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:30:35 +0000 Indonesia’s outgoing president Joko Widodo is under fire after his social media posts featuring a traditional message welcoming the Eid al-Fitr holiday and asking for forgiveness instead provoked outrage for their use of an AI-generated image, a betrayal of human artists that critics called “difficult to forgive”. Muslims traditionally ask for forgiveness at the beginning of the Eid holiday, which marks the end of the Ramadan fasting period. In the posts to his official X (formerly Twitter) and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3258532/indonesias-president-joko-widodo-draws-ire-artists-over-ai-generated-eid-illustration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3258532/indonesias-president-joko-widodo-draws-ire-artists-over-ai-generated-eid-illustration?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:00:26 +0000 Iranian police on Saturday announced the arrest of a senior operative of Islamic State with two other members of the group accused of planning a suicide attack during next week’s celebrations marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The police said Mohammad Zaker, known as “Ramesh”, and the other two were arrested in Karaj, west of the capital Tehran, following clashes, according to Iranian media. Eight others accompanying the men were also detained, they said. Islamic State, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3258080/iran-arrests-senior-isis-member-and-two-others-accused-planning-ramadan-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3258080/iran-arrests-senior-isis-member-and-two-others-accused-planning-ramadan-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Apr 2024 08:58:07 +0000 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted Tuesday that Israel’s military had “unintentionally” killed seven aid workers with a US charity in an air strike in Gaza. World Central Kitchen had already said a “targeted attack” by Israeli forces on Monday had killed the group, which included Australian, British, Palestinian, Polish and US-Canadian employees. The charity has now paused its Gaza operations. Netanyahu said it was a “tragic case” that would be investigated “right to the end”. AFPTV... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3257610/netanyahu-admits-unintentional-israel-strike-killed-gaza-aid-workers-world-central-kitchen-halts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3257610/netanyahu-admits-unintentional-israel-strike-killed-gaza-aid-workers-world-central-kitchen-halts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Apr 2024 12:39:16 +0000 In a politically significant, albeit symbolic development, the UN Security Council has adopted a resolution demanding a Gaza ceasefire for the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. This is the first ceasefire resolution it has passed since the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas and the brutal reprisals that followed. Four previous ceasefire resolutions failed: three were vetoed by the US and one was voted down by China and Russia. The latest resolution had 14 votes in favour; the US... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3257115/gaza-war-un-security-councils-ceasefire-demand-must-not-be-ignored?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3257115/gaza-war-un-security-councils-ceasefire-demand-must-not-be-ignored?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Mar 2024 07:30:22 +0000 A three-ship convoy left a port in Cyprus on Saturday with 400 tons of food and other supplies for Gaza as concerns about hunger in the territory soar. World Central Kitchen said the vessels and a barge carried enough to prepare more than 1 million meals from items such as rice, pasta, flour, legumes, tinned vegetables and proteins. Also on board were dates, traditionally eaten to break the daily fast during the holy month of Ramadan. It was not clear when the ships would reach Gaza. The first... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3257344/ships-second-round-aid-gaza-have-departed-cyprus-concerns-about-hunger-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3257344/ships-second-round-aid-gaza-have-departed-cyprus-concerns-about-hunger-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Mar 2024 18:58:48 +0000 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved on Friday new talks on a Gaza ceasefire, a day after the world’s top court ordered Israel to ensure urgent humanitarian aid reaches people in the Palestinian territory. But despite a binding United Nations Security Council resolution this week demanding an “immediate ceasefire”, fighting continued on Friday, including around hospitals. Regional fallout from the conflict also flared, with Israel saying it killed a Hezbollah rocket commander in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3257276/israel-gaza-war-netanyahu-approves-new-ceasefire-talks-hamas-take-place-doha-cairo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3257276/israel-gaza-war-netanyahu-approves-new-ceasefire-talks-hamas-take-place-doha-cairo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:17:09 +0000 Anti-establishment candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye was set Monday to become the youngest president in Senegal’s history after his rival conceded the race, triggering a political earthquake in the West African nation. It marks a stunning victory for the 44-year-old, who was only freed from prison 10 days before Sunday’s election whose results are not yet official. It is the first time in 12 presidential votes held under universal suffrage since Senegal gained independence from France in 1960 that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3256696/senegal-anti-establishment-candidate-bassirou-diomaye-faye-wins-presidency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3256696/senegal-anti-establishment-candidate-bassirou-diomaye-faye-wins-presidency?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Mar 2024 19:58:18 +0000 The head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) said on Sunday that Israel had informed the United Nations they will no longer approve UNRWA food convoys to north of Gaza. “This is outrageous and makes it intentional to obstruct life-saving assistance during a man-made famine. These restrictions must be lifted,” UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. UNRWA, which provides aid and services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and across the region, has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3256547/unrwa-says-israel-will-no-longer-approve-its-food-convoys-northern-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3256547/unrwa-says-israel-will-no-longer-approve-its-food-convoys-northern-gaza?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Mar 2024 16:58:20 +0000 Fasting is an important ritual for many faiths. Catholics, for example, are required to fast during the holy season of Lent, specifically on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Muslims have to abstain from food and liquids between dawn and sunset during the month of Ramadan. With both Lent and Ramadan currently under way, and fasting gaining popularity as a practice to help with weight loss and reduce the risk of chronic diseases – such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers – it helps to know... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3256059/how-fast-healthily-and-safely-weight-loss-or-religious-reasons-expert-tips-starting-and-breaking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3256059/how-fast-healthily-and-safely-weight-loss-or-religious-reasons-expert-tips-starting-and-breaking?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2024 20:15:15 +0000 At least 61 Palestinians were killed in overnight Israeli bombardment, the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Sunday, as Israel was preparing to send negotiators to new truce talks in Qatar. Israel’s security cabinet and the smaller war cabinet were to meet to “decide on the mandate of the delegation in charge of the negotiations before its departure for Doha”, the prime minister’s office said. Its statement did not specify when the delegation would leave for the latest round of talks,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255707/deadly-strikes-hit-gaza-israel-mulls-truce-talks-position?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255707/deadly-strikes-hit-gaza-israel-mulls-truce-talks-position?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 12:15:09 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. The arrival of the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims takes on renewed importance in Hong Kong this year. The lifting of all social distancing rules for the general public in March last year has... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3255474/ramadan-opportunity-hong-kong-embrace-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3255474/ramadan-opportunity-hong-kong-embrace-diversity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Mar 2024 03:30:20 +0000 Hamas has proposed a new six-week truce in Gaza and an exchange of several dozen Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, an official from the militant group told Agence France-Presse on Friday. “The agreement is for a six-week ceasefire and a prisoner exchange,” the official said after weeks of so far fruitless mediation efforts, adding that the group would want this to lead to “a complete [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a permanent ceasefire”. During the proposed truce, Gaza... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255605/israel-gaza-war-hamas-proposes-new-six-week-gaza-truce-hostage-prisoner-exchange-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255605/israel-gaza-war-hamas-proposes-new-six-week-gaza-truce-hostage-prisoner-exchange-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 13:29:29 +0000 A first aid ship plying a new maritime corridor from Cyprus began unloading its cargo of desperately needed food in Gaza on Friday as Hamas proposed a new six-week truce in the war. Agence France-Presse footage showed the Open Arms, which set sail from Cyprus on Tuesday, towing a barge that the Spanish charity operating it says is loaded with 200 tonnes of food for Gazans threatened with famine after more than five months of war. “World Central Kitchen is unloading the barge connected now to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255594/aid-ship-reaches-gaza-coast-cyprus-israel-rejects-hamas-truce-offer-based-unrealistic-demands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255594/aid-ship-reaches-gaza-coast-cyprus-israel-rejects-hamas-truce-offer-based-unrealistic-demands?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2024 11:34:08 +0000 For policeman Adnan Mohammad, working in March and April means patrolling the streets of Hong Kong’s Yau Ma Tei without food or water throughout the day. Mohammad is observing Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. This year, the holy month is expected to span from March 12 to early April. The young officer said fasting did not hinder his ability to catch criminals, recalling an incident from last year when, despite refraining... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3255276/how-fasting-police-officers-cope-during-ramadan-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3255276/how-fasting-police-officers-cope-during-ramadan-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 23:30:08 +0000 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday reaffirmed his intention to lead the country to “total victory” in the war in the Gaza Strip against the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, despite efforts to organise a ceasefire. “We are on the way to total victory. On the way to this victory, we already eliminated number four in Hamas. Three, two and one are on the way,” he said in a video message on Monday. “They are all dead men, we will reach them all,” he added. Number four in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255011/hamas-leaders-are-all-dead-men-netanyahu-insists-total-victory?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255011/hamas-leaders-are-all-dead-men-netanyahu-insists-total-victory?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 22:44:39 +0000 Israel was checking on Monday whether it had killed Hamas’ deputy military leader in an air strike in Gaza, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said, as prospects faded for a ceasefire to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. If his death is confirmed, Marwan Issa will be the highest-ranking official from the Islamist militant movement killed by Israel in five months of war that has pulverised the coastal enclave and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Issa, known as the “Shadow... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255002/israel-checks-reports-hamas-deputy-military-leader-was-killed-gaza-air-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3255002/israel-checks-reports-hamas-deputy-military-leader-was-killed-gaza-air-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:13:39 +0000 Muslims around the world are welcoming the arrival of Ramadan, a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting, intense prayer, charity and feasts that began for many on Sunday night. However, there are some Asia-Pacific countries like Australia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, that will begin Ramadan on Tuesday after failing to see the crescent moon. Oman, on the easternmost edge of the Arabian Peninsula, similarly announced Ramadan would begin on Tuesday. Jordan will also begin Ramadan on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3254896/indonesia-pakistan-muslims-asia-welcome-holy-month-ramadan-concern-amid-israel-gaza-war-inflation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3254896/indonesia-pakistan-muslims-asia-welcome-holy-month-ramadan-concern-amid-israel-gaza-war-inflation?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 02:58:41 +0000