Last Thursday, US president Barack Obama said at the White House National Prayer Breakfast that Americans ought not to get on their “high horse” about Muslims who commit terrible deeds in the name of their religion. He reminded them that Christians justified many actions in the name of Christ, including the Crusades, the Inquisition, slavery and racial segregation in the US.
But it is not only religious communities that can harbour people who justify violent extremism. Irreligious ones, including atheists, can do so as well. The world saw that in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where three young Americans were shot dead in their home in a quiet neighbourhood. The victims were Muslim, the alleged shooter is not. Deah Shaddy Barakat, 23, his wife, Yusor Mohammad, 21; and her sister, Razan Mohammad Abu-Salha, 19, all died, execution-style. They were a visibly Muslim family – the ladies wore the Muslim headscarf.
Craig Hicks, The man who turned himself in after shooting them was, as a cursory look on his Facebook page will indicate, someone who loathed all religion, including Christianity and Islam. He frequently railed against believers.
It is too early to tell precisely why the attacker carried out this heinous crime. Before too long, it will be clearer. He is in custody, will be tried and his motivation will be explained. He is being charged with first-degree murder, which would suggest premeditated intent to kill.
However, there are some uncomfortable questions that must be raised about the response to the attack, particularly by the mainstream media. For now, the approach has broadly been the appropriate one, in the sense that it has been cautious and non-sensationalist. It has not jumped to conclusions. One would hope this would be the situation regardless of the perpetrator’s ethnic or religious background. But it isn’t.
What if the alleged perpetrator’s name was not Craig Hicks, but Kamal Abdul Haqq, with Facebook posts attacking atheism and atheists? What if Shaddy was Simon Brando, Yusor was Jenny and Razan was Rachel? Would the mainstream media have approached the case with similar caution?
Or would a variety of channels be suggesting that this was some sort of jihadist operation and that Muslims worldwide should apologise and that Islam must undergo some sort of reformation?
One can argue that acts of violence by non-Muslims are unlike those by Muslims. For non-Muslims, they are not justified by a deep-rooted ideology, or so the argument would go. But this would be wrong. Leaving aside the fact that most violence against civilians all over the world has occurred at the hands of states that are run by human beings with different ideological beliefs, there has been vigilante violence by non-Muslim groups and individuals.
Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik was deeply ideologically driven. His motivation, which was revealed in a diatribe against Islam, made reference to a number of anti-Muslim figures in the US.
As Mr Obama pointed out in his prayer breakfast speech, violent extremism “is not unique to one group or one religion. There is a tendency in us, a sinful tendency that can pervert and distort our faith”. Extremism is a broad church indeed.
Whatever the motivation in the Chapel Hill case, it is clear that it is easier than before to express anti-Muslim sentiment in the United States today. One hopes that this was not the reason that the three young Americans were killed but it is important to recognise the backdrop of increased anti-Muslim sentiment as expressed in the media, as well as proposed anti-Sharia legislation in different American states.
The day after the Chapel Hill killings, an important research study was released, titled Fear Inc 2.0. Published by the Center for American Progress, it details the networks that make bigotry against Muslims not only easy to express, but finance its promotion. It makes for stark reading.
It remains to be seen if there is any link between the promotion of such discourse and the tragedy in Chapel Hill. But the study makes it clear that the discourse is having a very real impact on the lives of Muslim Americans. Americans need to be vividly aware of that.
February 11, when that research study was released, was the 25th anniversary of the day that Nelson Mandela was freed from jail in Apartheid South Africa. As with South Africans then, Americans now have a choice. To commit to fulfilling the promise of what America can be – a place that is welcoming to all and inclusive – or not.
Dr HA Hellyer is an associate fellow of the Royal United Services Institute in London, and the Centre for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC
On Twitter: @hahellyer
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Story%20behind%20the%20UAE%20flag
%3Cp%3EThe%20UAE%20flag%20was%20first%20unveiled%20on%20December%202%2C%201971%2C%20the%20day%20the%20UAE%20was%20formed.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIt%20was%20designed%20by%20Abdullah%20Mohammed%20Al%20Maainah%2C%2019%2C%20an%20Emirati%20from%20Abu%20Dhabi.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMr%20Al%20Maainah%20said%20in%20an%20interview%20with%20%3Cem%3EThe%20National%3C%2Fem%3E%20in%202011%20he%20chose%20the%20colours%20for%20local%20reasons.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20black%20represents%20the%20oil%20riches%20that%20transformed%20the%20UAE%2C%20green%20stands%20for%20fertility%20and%20the%20red%20and%20white%20colours%20were%20drawn%20from%20those%20found%20in%20existing%20emirate%20flags.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
BRAZIL SQUAD
Alisson (Liverpool), Daniel Fuzato (Roma), Ederson (Man City); Alex Sandro (Juventus), Danilo (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Emerson (Real Betis), Felipe (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Renan Lodi (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Silva (PSG); Arthur (Barcelona), Casemiro (Real Madrid), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa), Fabinho (Liverpool), Lucas Paqueta (AC Milan), Philippe Coutinho (Bayern Munich); David Neres (Ajax), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Richarlison (Everton), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea).
Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (87')
Athletic Bilbao 1
Williams (14')
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
HOW TO WATCH
Facebook: TheNationalNews
Twitter: @thenationalnews
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TikTok: @thenationalnews
THE%20SWIMMERS
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
