NEWS

A new monthly human rights report from Shi’a Rights Watch, covering July 1 to August 1, 2025, documents a range of violations against Shia Muslims across several countries. The report is based on information from both private and public sources,…

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Imams Never Forbade Staying in Karbala ——————————– Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Husseini Shirazi held his daily scholarly session on Sunday, Safar 8, 1447 AH, where the Supreme Marja addressed various jurisprudential questions from attendees, similar to previous…

New Book Unveils Secrets of Ashura Rituals Among Syrian Refugee Shias —————————– A new research book, based on fieldwork conducted between 2004 and 2010, has for the first time explored the ritual of “latm” (self-flagellation) among Twelver Shia refugees in…

Preparations Begin for Temporary Tel Al-Zaynabiya Shrine in Karbala Ahead of Arba’een KARBALA, Iraq – As the Arba’een pilgrimage approaches, preparations have commenced for the establishment of the temporary Tel Al-Zaynabiya shrine in the holy city of Karbala. Washing and…

Four killed in Sweida as sectarian clashes resurface ———————————– Renewed sectarian clashes erupted on Sunday in southern Syria’s Druze-majority Sweida province, resulting in at least four deaths, Arab News reported. The violence follows a fragile ceasefire established last month after…

Pakistan Monsoon Rains Claim 299 Lives, Including 140 Children ———————————– The death toll from ongoing monsoon rains across Pakistan has tragically risen to 299, with 140 children among the fatalities, Anadolu Agency reported citing the country’s National Disaster Management Authority…

Woman Arrested After Toddler Found in Suitcase on New Zealand Bus ——————————— A 27-year-old woman has been arrested and charged with ill-treatment and neglect of a child after a two-year-old girl was discovered in a suitcase on a bus, The…

Experts Warn AI Chatbots May Worsen Mental Health Crises ———————————— Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, increasingly used as alternatives to traditional therapy, are raising alarms among experts who caution that these tools could exacerbate existing mental health issues, The Guardian reported.…

WFP Sounds Alarm on Soaring Hunger in Afghanistan, Appeals for $539 Million ———————————- The World Food Programme (WFP) has issued a grave warning regarding the escalating hunger crisis in Afghanistan, urgently appealing for $539 million in aid to sustain its…

The annual Arba’een pilgrimage, a monumental religious observance, has transcended its traditional scope to become a significant global event with immense potential for cultural diplomacy. A new article, “The Role of Women in the Cultural Diplomacy of Arbaeen: An International…