In Gujarat, Parsi Woman Married To Muslim ‘Denied Funeral Rights’ By Their Communities Given Hindu Cremation
New Age Islam News Bureau
07 June 2026
• In Gujarat, Parsi woman married to Muslim ‘denied funeral rights’ by their communities given Hindu cremation
• Hamas Condemns Israel's 'Horrific Massacre' of Women, Children in Gaza City Tent Camp Strike
• The President of the Arab and Syrian Women’s Leadership calls on Arab women: Strengthen • your role as a partner in building communities, empowerment, science, and knowledge.
• Karzai thanks Qatar for Scholarships for Afghan Girls, Renews Call to Reopen Schools
• Pakistan’s increase in women voters masks a democratic paradox
• Israeli strike in Gaza kills seven people, including two women, medics say
• SAFF Women’s Championship 2026: India beat Bangladesh in final to win sixth title
• ‘Anachronistic dream’: Kim Jong Un’s sister rejects US denuclearisation push ahead of Xi visit
• Iran lose to Indonesia at 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Cup
• Neumann: Taliban Invitation to Europe Sends Wrong Message as Afghan Girls Remain Barred from Education
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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In Gujarat, Parsi woman married to Muslim ‘denied funeral rights’ by their communities given Hindu cremation
by: Kamal Saiyed
Jun 7, 2026
On Friday, the body was taken to a cremation home in Navsari's Veraval area. Some close family members of the Parsi woman and a number of close relatives of her husband attended the cremation ceremony. (Special Arrangement)
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A 55-year-old Parsi woman who was married to a Muslim man and died on Thursday after a brief illness earlier this week was cremated as per Hindu rituals after her own community and her husband’s allegedly denied the family permission for their respective customary funeral rituals.
Sources told The Indian Express on Saturday that the woman was married to a 70-year-old retired professor of Gujarati literature who hails from Junagadh but settled in Navsari nearly 35 years ago.
The professor had taught at a local college affiliated to the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University where he met the Parsi woman, who was then studying for a Bachelor’s degree in Gujarati language in the same college. She hailed from Vansda town near Navsari and her father worked in a private firm while her mother was a government school teacher in Navsari. The professor and the student grew close and decided to get married.
A close family source said that when she told her parents about marrying the professor who was nearly 15 years older than her, the parents initially did not agree for fear of being excommunicated.
“Seeing her adamant nature, her parents gave in and the couple married,” the source said. The couple lived in a house in Navsari town, but the woman was not allowed to take part in any of the Parsi community’s social gatherings. The parents kept their distance from her for nearly 10 years, but later began to maintain contact.
“She was not allowed to attend the weddings of her older brother and younger sister a few years ago”, says a close family member. The woman did not convert to Islam and practised Zoroastrianism. The couple have no children.
On Monday, the woman fell ill and was admitted to a Parsi-run hospital in Navsari where, after undergoing treatment for a couple of days, she died on Thursday.
Her husband contacted the Parsi community people and told them that as she followed the Parsi customs even after marriage, the final rites should be carried out as per the Parsi rituals. However, the community leaders turned down the request.
A cousin of the woman told The Indian Express, “I also requested our community leaders, but they said no. The body was kept in the morgue at the hospital. The professor contacted the caretakers of a Muslim kabristan (graveyard), who also denied him permission to bury the body as per Islamic rituals. We were in a critical situation, as for two days the body remained in the morgue in the hospital. My sister’s parents died earlier. We informed her brother and younger sister about her death and they too arrived. Seeing no way out, I called my friend SajanBharwad, a social worker and a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader in Navsari, to help us. He proposed that if we all were in agreement, they would consign the body to flames… to which we all agreed.”
On Friday, the body was taken to a cremation home in Navsari’sVeraval area. Some close family members of the Parsi woman and a number of close relatives of her husband attended the cremation ceremony. The ashes were later handed over to her husband by the cremation home authorities.
Navsari district VHP leader SajanBharwad told the paper, “The woman’s cousin is my childhood friend, and he told us about the problem of being denied permission for final rites by both the communities. On humanitarian grounds, I told them that I will help in arranging for cremation of the body as per Hindu rituals, to which they agreed. I spoke with one of the trustees of the Veraval cremation home and he agreed. We then carried out the cremation as per Hindu rituals on Friday and handed over the ashes to her husband. It was a pious duty.”
Source: indianexpress.com
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Hamas Condemns Israel's 'Horrific Massacre' of Women, Children in Gaza City Tent Camp Strike
7 June 2026 –
AhlulBayt News Agency: Hamas has strongly condemned Israel’s “horrific massacre” of Palestinian children and women as the regime continues its airstrikes on the Gaza Strip despite a US-brokered ceasefire.
An Israeli airstrike killed at least seven Palestinians, including two women in Gaza City on Saturday, according to health officials.
Medics said 15 people, including children, were also wounded when the airstrike targeted a large tent encampment in the heart of Gaza City.
The attack came as mediators restarted talks in the Egyptian capital, Cairo with Hamas and other factions over safeguarding a ceasefire agreement.
In a statement shared on Telegram, Hamas spokesman HazemQassem said the Tel Aviv regime “committed a horrific massacre against children and women … in a continued escalation of its war of extermination against civilians.”
Referring to the talks in Cairo, Qassem said that “the occupation is working to undermine and destroy the agreement” by continuing its attack on the territory.
A ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump has failed to halt Israeli attacks and left Israel in control of more than half the territory.
Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed at least 950 people and injured 2,935 since the ceasefire began in October, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
On Saturday, Egypt began hosting a new round of truce talks with leaders from Hamas and other Palestinian factions expected to last for a few days, Hamas and other sources close to the negotiation said.
Qassem said the talks would focus on Israel’s implementation of the first phase, and reaching common ground on proceeding toward the second phase.
He added that Hamas would also be discussing how to “halt the repeated Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip and establish appropriate mechanisms for entering the second phase of the agreement”.
The first phase of the ceasefire involved the release of the last Israeli hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
A transition to the second phase of the ceasefire, which was supposed to involve a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli military and the disarmament of Hamas, has been stalled for months.
Earlier, HusamBadran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told Al Jazeera that the resistance group would not surrender its weapons right now, but that it would commit to a future Palestinian police force, operating under a technocratic committee that administers Gaza, and being the only organization to have weapons openly.
“We are not talking about handing them over; we are talking about, at least, weapons not being visible except for the official weapons of the Palestinian police,” said Badran.
At least 73,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, according to Gaza health authorities.
Source: en.abna24.com
https://en.abna24.com/news/1823544/Hamas-Condemns-Israel-s-Horrific-Massacre-of-Women-Children
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The President of the Arab and Syrian Women’s Leadership calls on Arab women: Strengthen your role as a partner in building communities, empowerment, science, and knowledge.
June 7, 2026
Dr. Rania Marwan Mohammed Sabano, an expert in international law and the founder and president of the Arab and Syrian Women’s Leadership, spoke to the press today in Cairo after returning from London. There, she chaired events and a conference for the Arab and Syrian Women’s Leadership Institute. She expressed her happiness at signing a high-level strategic academic and research partnership, which she views as a significant step towards enhancing scientific research and supporting the issues of Arab and Syrian women. This partnership was formalized through an agreement with Professor Lina Abdul Karim Ghanem, the director of the Cambridge Academy in Syria, and the American Organization for Research and Science in Syria.
1. **Academic and Training**: Developing specialized programs focused on leadership, empowerment, and legal protection.
2. **Scientific Research**: Preparing studies, research, and policy papers that support the issues faced by Arab and Syrian women.
3. **Conferences and Consultations**: Organizing annual scientific conferences and forums while providing specialized consultations and building institutional partnerships.
She described the agreement as a step towards utilizing knowledge and scientific research to create a sustainable impact, enhancing the role of women as key partners in development and community building.
Dr. Sabano emphasized the importance and impact of this initiative, expressing her hope that this academic and research partnership would serve as a beacon of knowledge and contribute to raising the legal, scientific, and cultural awareness of Arab and Syrian women. She aspires to leave a positive and lasting impact in supporting and empowering women through education and knowledge, aiming to be part of building a more aware and just future for the beloved country of Syria.
She delivered a message to Arab women, stating that knowledge is a powerful message and the true impact lies in what remains in the minds and drives change in societies. “Be the leader in your life journey and do not wait for someone to chart your path. Create your vision through education, confidence through knowledge, and impact through action,” she advised.
Dr. Rania Sabano concluded her press statements today in Cairo by expressing her heartfelt gratitude to Dr. ShadiSuwailem and Dr. Mohammad Abdeljawad Ali for awarding her an honorary doctorate from the American University of Sciences. She regards this recognition as a significant honor that motivates her to continue contributing to science and society. She prayed for everyone’s continued success and excellence, hoping that this award will be a strong impetus for ongoing work, knowledge, and service to humanity.
Source: www.olympics.com
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Karzai thanks Qatar for Scholarships for Afghan Girls, Renews Call to Reopen Schools
07-06-2026
The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Former President Hamid Karzai on Saturday thanked a Qatari educational foundation for providing scholarships to Afghan girls and renewed his call for the reopening of schools and universities to female students.
In a post on X, the former Afghan president said the Higher Education Foundation in Qatar had helped provide educational opportunities for Afghan girls. He said 74 Afghan students had graduated from universities across the United States under the program.
Karzai congratulated the graduates and expressed appreciation to the organizations and institutions supporting the education of Afghan girls.
He also said Afghanistan's development depends on creating job opportunities for educated and skilled professionals and stressed the need to invest in the country's human capital.
Karzai reiterated his call for girls' schools and universities to be reopened, saying Afghan girls should be able to pursue education and higher studies inside the country.
The Taliban have barred girls from attending school beyond the sixth grade and prohibited women from enrolling in universities since returning to power in 2021, measures that have drawn widespread international criticism.
Source: thekabultribune.com
https://thekabultribune.com/en/0009165
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Pakistan’s increase in women voters masks a democratic paradox
Adnan Skhawat Ali
07-06-2026
Pakistan has made measurable progress in reducing the gender gap in voter registration. More women are now listed on electoral rolls than ever before.
Yet this administrative success masks a troubling democratic reality: while the number of registered women voters increased significantly before the 2024 general elections, overall voter turnout declined from 52.1% in 2018 to 47.6% in 2024.
The contradiction raises an important democratic question: why are more women registering to vote while fewer citizens, including many women, are turning out on election day?
According to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Pakistan’s electoral rolls for the 2024 general elections included approximately 128.6 million registered voters.
Of these, around 69.3 million were men and 59.3 million were women. In comparison, about 105.9 million voters registered for the 2018 general elections, including nearly 46.7 million women voters. This means that between 2018 and 2024, the number of registered women voters increased by more than 12 million.
Over the past several years, the Election Commission of Pakistan and the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) intensified efforts to reduce Pakistan’s gender gap in voter registration through mobile registration campaigns, drives to provide them with national identity cards and awareness initiatives targeting women, particularly in rural and under-served areas.
Nonetheless, voter registration and voter participation are not the same thing. While millions more women were added to electoral rolls, Pakistan experienced a notable decline in turnout during the 2024 elections as national turnout dropped significantly compared to 2018.
The decline suggests that formal inclusion through registration did not automatically translate into active electoral participation. Why? The explanation lies in the difference between legal access and political agency.
Voting is not merely an administrative act. It’s also shaped by social norms, family structures, economic conditions and political trust. In Pakistan, many women continue to face structural barriers that limit their ability to cast ballots even after they become registered voters.
In many parts of Pakistan, women’s mobility and public participation remain influenced by male family members or local community dynamics. Research on electoral participation in Pakistan has consistently shown that household decision-making strongly affects women’s turnout.
In some communities, women require permission, accompaniment or logistical support from male relatives to travel to polling stations. Even where women are officially registered, these social barriers can prevent them from voting.
The problem is particularly acute in rural and conservative regions, where informal restrictions on women’s political participation sometimes persist despite legal protections.
In previous elections, reports emerged from certain constituencies that local agreements among political officials discouraged or blocked women from voting altogether.
Pakistan’s electoral laws already recognise that women’s exclusion from voting is a serious democratic problem. Under provisions of the 2017 Elections Act, the Election Commission of Pakistan has the authority to declare polling or even an entire election in a constituency void if women are prevented from voting.
The Election Commission of Pakistan exercised this authority following the 2018 general elections, when it annulled the results in Shangla and North Waziristan due to female voter turnout falling below the legal threshold and ordered fresh polls.
The political environment surrounding the 2024 elections also contributed to declining turnout. Pakistan entered the election period amid economic instability, inflation, political polarisation and institutional tensions. Such conditions often reduce public confidence in electoral politics. When voters feel disillusioned or uncertain about whether elections will produce meaningful change, participation tends to decline.
This creates an important democratic paradox. Pakistan has become more successful at documenting women as citizens, but less effective at ensuring their meaningful political participation.
The distinction matters because democracy cannot be measured solely by the size of electoral rolls. Expanding voter registration is an important achievement, but democratic inclusion requires more than adding names to a database.
A woman may possess an identity card, appear on electoral rolls and still face obstacles on election day. She may lack transportation to polling stations. She may face family pressure discouraging political participation. She may not trust political institutions or feel represented by existing political parties.
Pakistan’s experience offers a broader lesson for democracies worldwide. Administrative reforms can improve electoral inclusion, but they cannot alone overcome entrenched social inequalities.
The country’s next democratic challenge is therefore not only registering more women voters, but ensuring that women are able – and motivated – to cast ballots. This requires stronger voter education campaigns, safer polling environments, transportation support, greater political outreach to women and stricter enforcement against practices that suppress women’s participation.
Until the gap between registration and turnout is addressed, the promise of equal democratic representation will remain only partially fulfilled.
Source: amp.scroll.in
https://amp.scroll.in/article/1093153/pakistans-increase-in-women-voters-masks-a-democratic-paradox
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Israeli strike in Gaza kills seven people, including two women, medics say
By Nidal Al-Mughrabi
June 6, 2026
CAIRO, June 6 (Reuters) - An Israeli strike killed at least seven Palestinians including two women in Gaza on Saturday, health officials said, as mediators restarted talks in Cairo with Hamas and other factions over safeguarding a strained ceasefire agreement.
Medics said seven people were killed and 15 others, including children, were wounded when an Israeli airstrike targeted a large tent encampment in the heart of Gaza City.
An Israeli military spokesperson told Reuters the military had carried out a strike targeting “terrorists”, but provided no further details.
A ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump has failed to halt Israeli attacks and left Israel in control of more than half the enclave after the war began with Palestinian group Hamas' attacks on southern Israel in October 2023.
On Saturday, Egypt began hosting a new round of truce talks with leaders from Hamas and other Palestinian factions expected to last for a few days, Hamas and other sources close to the negotiation said.
HazemQassem, a Hamas spokesperson in Gaza, said the talks would focus on Israel's implementation of the first phase, and reaching common ground on proceeding toward the second phase.
Hamas told mediators, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and envoys of Trump's Board of Peace that ending Israeli attacks in Gaza was essential for any progress, sources from the group and officials close to the talks said.
Some 950 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the truce began, according to figures from Gaza health officials. Hamas rarely provides detail on deaths among its fighters.
Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 Israeli and foreign hostages in its October 7, 2023, attacks, Israel has said.
Source: www.reuters.com
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SAFF Women’s Championship 2026: India beat Bangladesh in final to win sixth title
By Utathya Nag
06 June 2026
The Indian football team beat Bangladesh 3-1 in the SAFF Women’s Championship 2026 final at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao, Goa, on Saturday and clinched their sixth title in the South Asian tournament.
PyariXaxa (42‘), SanfidaNongrum (46’) and Lynda Kom (82’) scored for the Indian women’s football team while RituPornaChakma (45+1’) netted an equaliser for the visitors in the summit clash.
The victory marked a record-extending sixth SAFF Women’s Championship crown for India but the first since 2019. Bangladesh had claimed the last two editions played in 2022 and 2024.
World No. 69 India started on the front foot with the home crowd egging them on and looked more adventurous in the opening half against the 112th-ranked Bangladesh.
The defending champions, however, almost took the lead against the run of play when RituPornaChakma almost scored an Olimpico - straight from the corner - just like she had done against Nepal in the semi-finals.
PyariXaxa did well to create space for a shot and had luck in her favour when her attempt took a deflection off Bangladesh defender SuroviAkter and looped over a helpless Mile Akter, who was off his line.
The lead, though, barely lasted five minutes. In added time of the first half, RituPorna drove a grounded shot past Panthoi to ensure the two teams headed into the break with scores level at 1-1.
PyariXaxa came in with the assist after racing down the right flank and sending a probing cross inside the box. SanfidaNongrum, who scored India’s winner against Bhutan in the semi-finals, positioned herself well and headed in to make it 2-1.
The goal at the decisive stage gave India the reins of the match. With Bangladesh sending bodies forward in search of a leveller, it left gaps for Indian forwards.
Sanfida and Malavika P made full use of the openings and kept creating chances. The pressure finally paid off towards the end, as Lynda Kom pounced on a defensive mistake by the visitors to make it 3-1 and essentially sealed the game.
The goal in the final was the only one India conceded throughout the course of the football tournament. The Blue Tigresses were also dominant going forward, scoring 18 goals in four matches.
Source: www.olympics.com
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‘Anachronistic dream’: Kim Jong Un’s sister rejects US denuclearisation push ahead of Xi visit
Jun 7, 2026
North Korea on Sunday firmly rejected US claims that Washington and Beijing share a goal of denuclearising the Korean Peninsula, reaffirming its status as a nuclear-armed state a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to visit Pyongyang.
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said US assertions that denuclearisation was reaffirmed during a recent China-US summit were “complete fabrication and false information,” according to a statement carried by state news agency KCNA.
She said North Korea would never discuss what she called its “core sovereignty and security,” adding that the country’s nuclear weapons status was enshrined in its constitution and could not be reversed by what she termed to be unilateral US rhetoric.“The policy of continuously strengthening self-defensive nuclear war deterrence, as declared by the head of state, is an irreversible and final conclusion that must be executed unconditionally,” Kim said, dismissing denuclearisation as an “anachronistic dream.”
Her comments came as Pyongyang criticised recent US and South Korean military activities, including Washington’s reported approval of arms exports to South Korea. Kim accused the United States and its allies of undermining regional security through arms buildups and military drills involving nuclear-capable forces.
North Korea has repeatedly cited such actions as justification for expanding its nuclear arsenal, arguing it faces persistent external threats. Kim said the country would not remain “a passive onlooker” if what it called the regional balance of power was destabilised.
The statement was issued one day before Xi’s expected visit to North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un, his first trip to the country in nearly seven years. Analysts cited by AP said the visit was likely aimed at reinforcing China’s influence over Pyongyang, while avoiding direct pressure on denuclearisation.
North Korea has focused on enlarging its nuclear capabilities since the collapse of high-stakes diplomacy between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump in 2019. In recent days, state media reported that Kim Jong Un had visited nuclear materials and weapons factories, calling for an “exponential” expansion of nuclear forces and a sharp increase in missile production capacity.
Reuters reported that Kim Yo Jong said North Korea would not tolerate threats and would never back down from its nuclear status, reiterating that US claims about denuclearisation discussions involving China were false.
North Korea has increasingly aligned itself with Russia in recent years, including by supplying troops and conventional weapons for Moscow’s war in Ukraine, according to South Korean and US officials cited by AP. Pyongyang has received economic and other assistance from Russia in return, the officials said.
Source: www.olympics.com
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Iran lose to Indonesia at 2026 AVC Women's Volleyball Cup
June 6, 2026
The 2026 AVC Women’s Nations Cup, featuring the 12 best Asian women’s national teams, outside those competing in the Volleyball Nations League, started on Saturday at the Candon City Arena, an 8,000-seater in the northern Filipino city of Candon, and will finish on June 14.
Formerly known as the AVC Women’s Challenge Cup, the annual international tournament was rebranded last year and will now hold its second edition as the AVC Women’s Nations Cup.
In addition to vying for a prestigious continental trophy, the participating teams will aim at gaining valuable FIVB Volleyball World Ranking points and potentially at securing entry to the VNL and other top-tier competitions.
Hosts Philippines, who made the podiums at the previous two editions – with bronze in 2024 and silver in 2025 – lead the lineup in Pool A. The pool also features the bronze medalists of the 2023 and 2025 editions Chinese Taipei, Australia, who reached the semifinals in 2024, Uzbekistan, who finished fourth in 2022, as well as competition rookies Korea and Kyrgyzstan.
Source: www.tehrantimes.com
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/527060/Iran-lose-to-Indonesia-at-2026-AVC-Women-s-Volleyball-Cup
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Neumann: Taliban Invitation to Europe Sends Wrong Message as Afghan Girls Remain Barred from Education
07-06-2026
Hannah Neumann, a member of the European Parliament, has said that while millions of Afghan girls are deprived of attending school, inviting Taliban representatives to Europe sends the wrong message.
On Saturday, June 6, Neumann wrote on X that such a move sends the wrong signal both to Afghans who are fighting for their rights and to “authoritarian regimes” that are closely watching Europe’s actions.
Meanwhile, the deprivation of Afghan girls from education continues, a situation widely regarded as one of the most serious human rights crises in Afghanistan.
A number of Afghan citizens argue that any engagement with the Taliban amounts to normalizing the suppression of people’s freedoms, particularly the rights of women in Afghanistan.
In response, a group of Afghan citizens living in Spain held a protest gathering in Madrid, expressing their opposition to any invitation or formal engagement between European institutions and the Taliban.
Source: 8am.media
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