#illridewithyou goes viral after Sydney siege

Anti-Islamaphobia campaign trends globally in solidarity with Muslims after cafe standoff raised fears of reprisal.

Source: aljazeera.com

Australians have taken to social media in solidarity with the country’s Muslim community to counter concern about an anti-Muslim backlash, after a gunman took an unknown number of people hostage at a cafe in Sydney’s financial and shopping district.

Amid uncertainty about the hostage-taker’s motives and fears of reprisals after a flag bearing the Islamic proclamation of faith, was raised in the cafe, some Australians created the hashtag,  #illridewithyou  in a bid to show solidarity with local Muslims who might feel threatened.

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Thomas, reporting from Sydney, said there was some reported racist sentiments towards Muslims especially on public transport following the standoff at the cafe.

The hashtag trended globally on Twitter rapidly and in response, Australia’s race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane said he was heartened by the campaign adding, “let’s not allow fear, hatred and division to triumph.”

More than 40 Muslim groups condemned the siege, saying in a statement that they rejected “any attempt to take the innocent life of any human being or to instil fear and terror into their hearts”.

Chittorgarh Fort, India (IMAGES)

 Chittorgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. It is a World Heritage Site. The fort, plainly known as Chittor, was the capital of Mewar and is today situated several kilometres south of Bhilwara. It was initially ruled by Guhilot and later by Sisodias, theSuryavanshi clans of Chattari Rajputs, from the 7th century, until it was finally abandoned in 1568 after the siege by Emperor Akbar in 1567.

Documentary: Ferguson – City under siege (Video)

 Fault Lines travelled to Ferguson to witness the demonstrations and the subsequent heavy-handed police reaction – and to find out how Brown’s killing sparked something bigger, exposing tensions that have been bubbling beneath the surface for years.

Hamas’s conditions to accept ceasefire

Here are Hamas’s conditions to accept ceasefire.

1- Open land borders to enter and leave Gaza freely.
2- Establish maritime corridor & seaport.
3- Release prisoners (there are more than 7000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli Jails).
4- Grant access to Jerusalem Holy Sites for Gazan People.
5- Lift the siege over Gaza and let foods and fuel enter without limitations.
6- Build new power plant.

Via Dr. Mohamad N. Ziara

US media finally acknowledges Gazans’ plight

Israel may fear results as for first time, jolted by social media, mainstream channels reveal true conditions in Gaza.

By: Patty Culhane

Source: http://blogs.aljazeera.com/

I sometimes wonder about how many businesses have been impacted by the invention of the Internet. Think about it, when we first started typing www, do you think any travel agents said well this is seriously going to kill my business? Did anyone envision the impact of what a store like Amazon would do to traditional business?

Who really thought well one day there will be a virtual store where I can buy costumes for my cat, laundry detergent and a blanket with sleeves. It’s changing something else that I truly never expected, the narrative of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the US.

For the first time, I’ve seen the mainstream media actually devote a considerable amount of time describing not just the current fighting but the conditions that the people of Gaza live under.