20 Oct, 2014

In Pictures: Rising-star Thai designers showcase Thainess products to hospitality sector

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The power of travel & tourism as a multi-sectoral job-creator and conduit for artistic innovation has taken another giant leap forward with the first exhibition organised in Thailand to bring together buyers in the global hospitality sector with sellers in the rapidly-emerging Thai design sector. Senior executives of hotels, spas, restaurants, cruise ships, […]

19 Oct, 2014

Why people in the UK are dying from lack of healthcare

by Leigh Daynes

London, 13 October, 2014, (Doctors of the World media release) – What comes to mind when you think of the UK? Perhaps cricket, rain, a sense of history, culture, somewhere with sturdy, progressive values. It’s not a place where heavily pregnant women who desperately need healthcare can’t get it. It’s not somewhere where some of […]

19 Oct, 2014

Global War Against Russia Takes New Turn – China Attacks Australian Coal, Favours Russian Coal

By John Helmer, Moscow Last Thursday the government in Beijing struck a new blow against the domination of global commodity markets by countries allied with the US in the sanctions war against Russia. The measure announced is a 3% to 6% tariff to be imposed on coal imports to China, commencing on October 15. Australia, […]

19 Oct, 2014

For the first time, China pushes disability issues at Asia-Europe Summit

by Marzia De Giuli

MILAN, Italy, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) — For the first time disability was included in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) agenda, as common work on this issue was at the center of a meeting held in Milan on Saturday on the sidelines of the high-level dialogues among leaders from the two continents. China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) […]

19 Oct, 2014

Don’t trust the authorities on metadata: Greens – Sydney Morning Herald

Western Australia senator Scott Ludlam has labelled Attorney-General George Brandis “weak” and told Australians not to trust the government and law enforcement agencies when it comes to trawling through their metadata. “We should not trust authorities, we should not automatically trust the police,” the Greens senator said at a privacy forum in Melbourne on Friday.”We […]

16 Oct, 2014

How Israel relies on Islamophobia – Mondoweiss

In the latest edition of “Axis of Evil” politics Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argued to the United Nations on September 29th that “Hamas is ISIS, ISIS is Hamas,” and that they are following the path blazed by Iran 35 years ago. The Prime Minister in the process exposed the mutual relationship between Zionism and […]

16 Oct, 2014

Opposition grows in Australia to storage of photo and biometric data – Sydney Morning Herald

Photographs of millions of Australians will be stored by the Immigration Department, and this “biometric data” gathering could extend to fingerprinting and iris scanning under the Abbott government’s controversial counterterrorism laws. The “foreign fighters” bill means there will be a major expansion of facial recognition imaging of Australians passing through international airports in a crackdown […]

16 Oct, 2014

Islam, Muslims and the cheap politics of fear – Sydney Morning Herald

Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s dog-whistle politics have once more brought the “question” of Hizb ut-Tahrir to the table of public debate. It is unfortunate that discussion about Islam and Muslims only finds traction when politicians decide to use them in the cheap politics of fear. The result is that discussion about these matters only seriously […]

16 Oct, 2014

Deadly Alliances Against Muslims – NYTimes.com

Last week, Mr. Gnanasara claimed he was in discussions “at a high level” with the right-wing Indian Hindu group Rashtriya Swayam Sevak to form what he called a “Hindu-Buddhist peace zone” in South Asia. A Rashtriya Swayam Sevak spokesman, Ram Madhav, promptly denied that there were any such discussions. But Mr. Madhav, now general secretary […]

15 Oct, 2014

In $25 bn deal, IndiGo orders 250 aircraft from Airbus | The Indian Express

Even as Air India and several private carriers in India continue to count losses, IndiGo Airlines on Wednesday announced an agreement with Airbus for 250 planes worth over $25 billion (Rs 1,55,000 crore), to be delivered over seven years beginning 2018. In what is being termed as the biggest order (in terms of aircraft numbers) […]

15 Oct, 2014

In Pictures: Spain Balances Sun-and-Sand with Soul-Searching as Way of St James Draws Pilgrims by the Thousands

Imtiaz Muqbil

Santiago de Compostela, Spain — When the UN World Tourism Organisation organised the First International Congress on Tourism and Pilgrimages between 17-20 September 2014, it accepted an invitation from the Spanish tourism authorities to hold it in Santiago de Compostela, home to the majestic Cathedral of the same name. The UNESCO World Heritage site commemorates […]

15 Oct, 2014

UK MPs take historic decision to recognise Palestinian state – The Independent

Even previously staunch supporters of Israel within the Conservative Party chose not to oppose the motion which was brought by the backbench Labour MP Grahame Morris. Richard Ottaway, chairman of the powerful Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said he no longer felt he could vote to deny the Palestinians the right of recognition because of recent […]

15 Oct, 2014

I’m a feminist, and I converted to Islam – Opinion – CNN.com

Theresa Corbin is a writer living in New Orleans. (CNN) — I am a Muslim, but I wasn’t always. I converted to Islam in November 2001, two months after 9/11. I was 21 and living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was a bad time to be a Muslim. But after four years of studying, poking […]

14 Oct, 2014

Joseph Stiglitz: Divide between rich and poor a widening chasm in US

Two new studies show, once again, the magnitude of the inequality problem plaguing the United States. The first, the US Census Bureau’s annual income and poverty report, shows that, despite the economy’s supposed recovery from the “Great Recession”, ordinary Americans’ incomes continue to stagnate. Median household income, adjusted for inflation, remains below its level of […]

14 Oct, 2014

Muslim families look after Kolkata synagogues – Al Jazeera

Kolkata, India – Generations of Muslim families have been taking care of the maintenance of three synagogues in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, which was once home to a thriving Jewish community. The city’s Jewish population has dwindled over the decades to just about 20 as compared to 3,000 at its peak before the […]

14 Oct, 2014

Chinese Commentary: China-Russia partnership based on win-win cooperation, not joint confrontation

by Xinhua writer Chen Shilei

BEIJING, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) — Chinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Moscow on Sunday for a three-day visit to Russia aimed at further enhancing the globally significant partnership between the two neighboring giants. The China-Russia relationship, now at its highest level in history, has become a good example of stable, healthy and mature international relations […]

14 Oct, 2014

Australia Plans to Boost Competition in Credit Card Industry

Media statement by Ministry of Finance

Canberra, 12 October 2014 – The Government is taking action to increase competition in the credit card industry by expanding the number of companies that can issue cards or process card transactions for retailers. Currently, only registered banks or specialist credit card institutions can issue credit cards or accept credit card transactions on behalf of […]

14 Oct, 2014

Indonesia to build 165 airports next year – The Nation

The Indonesian government has earmarked 6.2 trillion rupiah (US$507.36 million) to finance the construction of 165 airports in cities across the country next year. Bambang Tjahjono, director of airports at the Transportation Ministry, said around 60 percent of the amount would be channeled for airport construction in the eastern part of the country. “The remaining […]

13 Oct, 2014

Why the campaign against Islamic State is doomed – Sydney Morning Herald

By Hugh White, Columnist Tony Abbott hopes for a good, quick, cheap war in Iraq. But after the first few weeks of bombing everyone now understands that western air strikes alone will do little to “degrade and destroy” the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. They will only be defeated on the ground. That […]

13 Oct, 2014

World ranking of Malaysian universities rises dramatically

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 13 October 2014 (19 Dhul Ḥijjah 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NOW YOU CAN BUY EXQUISITE MALAYSIAN HANDICRAFTS ONLINE […]

13 Oct, 2014

Warmongering Hebrew University tries to muzzle Palestinian students | The Electronic Intifada

Back in 1969, the civil rights activist Angela Davis complained of how third-level education was being hijacked. Research grants were being awarded by the US government to “force the scholar to develop more efficient means, for example, of furthering the war in Vietnam.” Speaking at the University of California, Los Angeles, Davis said: “The university […]

12 Oct, 2014

Real estate industry bullish on ASEAN 2015 | Manila Bulletin

The (ASEAN economic integration in 2015) would require more commercial and residential infrastructure for highly urbanized cities within the region including key cities of the Philippines, according to property developers. Noel Cariño, President of Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association (CREBA), the country’s largest organization of key players in the domestic real estate industry, […]

12 Oct, 2014

Only ‘good’ Manila cops to get allowances | Manila Bulletin

Manila policemen would have to wait a little longer for the release of their much-anticipated allowances from the mayor’s office as the list of law enforcers qualified for the gratuity is still being purged of bad eggs. “The money is ready but it will be given only to good policemen. We will be strict about […]

12 Oct, 2014

​‘Hostile to privacy’: Snowden urges internet users to get rid of Dropbox — RT News

Edward Snowden has hit out at Dropbox and other services he says are “hostile to privacy,” urging web users to abandon unencrypted communication and adjust privacy settings to prevent governments from spying on them in increasingly intrusive ways. “We are no longer citizens, we no longer have leaders. We’re subjects, and we have rulers,” Snowden […]

12 Oct, 2014

UK govt use of surveillance drones is ‘probably illegal’ – The Independent

The use of surveillance drones by the British government is probably illegal, according to a highly critical legal opinion submitted to the Home Office. Several government departments and police forces have increasingly used remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), however the legal guidance warns it is “probably unlawful” for security services to “retain or use surveillance […]

12 Oct, 2014

How Chinese spent their money going during Golden Week – People’s Daily Online

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online)  October 10, 2014 – The seven-day national holiday is always a prime period for spending. Where was the money going during this year’s national holiday? Statistics released by the inter-bank transaction system and China Unipay’s big data platform give us some answers. Nationwide from October 1 to 8 p.m. on October […]

12 Oct, 2014

Why is the US so keen on ‘Color Revolutions’? – People’s Daily Online

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) – October 11, 2014 – According to media reports, Louisa Greve, a director of the National Endowment for Democracy of the US (NED), was already meeting with the key people from “Occupy Central” several months ago, to talk about the movement. Louisa Greve is the vice president of NED who is […]

12 Oct, 2014

Why you should visit a Muslim country – Sydney Morning Herald

By Ben Groundwater There’s a disconnect here between the Islam we perceive – the scary, high-terror-alert Islam – and the one that really exists overseas. It’s a misunderstanding, a fear of Muslim people driven as much by a handful of extremists as a crisis-hungry media, an unpopular government, and a general lack of knowledge of […]

11 Oct, 2014

Citizenfour review – Poitras’ victorious film shows Snowden vindicated | theguardian.com

Citizenfour must have been a maddening documentary to film. Its subject is pervasive global surveillance, an enveloping digital act that spreads without visibility, so its scenes unfold in courtrooms, hearing chambers and hotels. Yet the virtuosity of Laura Poitras, its director and architect, makes its 114 minutes crackle with the nervous energy of revelation. Poitras, […]

11 Oct, 2014

This terrorism frenzy – Opinion – Ahram Online

Suddenly, everyone is acting like “terrorism” is new. Western media has made a colossal beast out of “ISIL” (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant), and drawn a bleak picture of the horrific danger that lies on the doorstep of Western societies due to it and similar counterparts. Arab media, on the other hand […]

11 Oct, 2014

VIDEO: Harvard students claim America is a bigger threat to peace than ISIS

Students at Harvard University claimed America is a bigger threat to world peace than the radical terrorist organization ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) during a series of interviews at the prestigious Cambridge university. “American imperialism and our protection of oil interests in the Middle East are destabilizing the region and allowing […]

11 Oct, 2014

Disentangling the burqa from Australian national security – The Age

By Julie Szego In this febrile, hyperbolic and downright surreal moment in national affairs, every appalling action has a facile and opposite reaction. So it was with last week’s burqa controversy. Extremists in the Coalition tried to whip up fear against a vulnerable minority. In reaction, it seems we must now smother any hint of […]

10 Oct, 2014

Shlomo Sand: ‘I wish to resign and cease considering myself a Jew’ – The Guardian

During the first half of the 20th century, my father abandoned Talmudic school, permanently stopped going to synagogue, and regularly expressed his aversion to rabbis. At this point in my own life, in the early 21st century, I feel in turn a moral obligation to break definitively with tribal Judeocentrism. I am today fully conscious […]

10 Oct, 2014

Zero Australian Terrorism Deaths vs 1 Million Preventable Australian Deaths

By Dr Gideon Polya One can estimate that 81,000 Australians die preventably each year, and over 1 million have died thus since the US Government’s false-flag 9-11 atrocity (3,000 killed) as compared to only 6 Australian deaths by terrorists (none Muslim) in the last 36 years. Yet the major Australian parties, the currently ruling Coalition […]

10 Oct, 2014

The remnants of Gaza – In Pictures – Al Jazeera English

Weeks after Israel ended its bombardment of Gaza, Palestinian residents have started coming back to what remains of their homes and livelihoods. Operation Protective Edge reduced entire neighbourhoods to rubble, flattened iconic buildings and killed more than 2,000 people. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 100,000 people were […]

10 Oct, 2014

Why banning Arab authors from US is censorship – Al Jazeera English

On September 30, Jordanian poet and novelist Amjad Nasser was scheduled to give the inaugural address at the Gallatin Global Writers series. Nasser is a major Arab poet, whose “A Song and Three Questions” was chosen by The Guardian as one of the 50 greatest love poems of the past 50 years and whose debut […]

10 Oct, 2014

Australian spies can access my metadata, so why can’t I? – Sydney Morning Herald

By Ben Grubb, Deputy Technology Editor. This hearing isn’t where I expected to be 15 months ago when I sent Telstra an email requesting access to my metadata. But, after more than a year of phone calls and emails and a private mediation session, it still hasn’t released the information or answered my one key […]

10 Oct, 2014

Dozens of anti-Muslim attacks in Australia – Sydney Morning Herald

There have been at least 30 attacks on Muslims – mainly against women wearing the hijab – in the three weeks since the police anti-terror raids and threats by Islamic State put relations between the Islamic community and mainstream Australia on edge. Muslim community leaders are compiling a register of religiously motivated incidents, which includes […]

10 Oct, 2014

Why outgoing PATA CEO Martin Craigs lasted only one term

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – When his resignation was announced at the PATA Travel Mart in Phnom Penh this past September, outgoing PATA CEO Martin Craigs took an indirect swipe at the PATA board. He was quoted by the TTG Asia e-Daily as saying that it needed more diversity, thus: “People who have served their time on the […]

10 Oct, 2014

Modi campaigns for legislature candidate with criminal taint – Hindustan Times

Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned for a controversial Bharatiya Janata Party candidate on Thursday, asking people gathered at a rally in Maharashtra’s Rahuri city to re-elect the local legislator who faces a dozen criminal charges, including that of murder and extortion. The Prime Minister’s support to Shivaji Kardile, ironically, came in a speech exhorting the […]

9 Oct, 2014

Islamophobia on U.S. cable news is out of control – Vox

On September 17, 2001, President George W. Bush gave his “Islam is peace” speech from the Islamic Center of Washington DC, tucked into a leafy stretch of embassy row. He urged the country to embrace “fellow Americans” who are Muslim as well as Islam itself “with respect,” explaining to a country full of “anger and […]

9 Oct, 2014

Fear factor gone, post-Modi Gujarat turns communal again – The Times of India

AHMEDABAD: Narendra Modi’s tallest claim at the end of his almost 13-year reign as Gujarat chief minister was flawless law and order situation in the state, but for the blemish of Godhra riots. “After 2002, Gujarat has not seen violence,” he would often say. After Modi’s flight to New Delhi five months ago, the fear […]

8 Oct, 2014

EXCLUSIVE: Incoming PATA CEO Plans to Restore the Balance, Boost Focus & Efficiency

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Just 10 months after being appointed Chief Operations Officer of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, Mario Hardy is to take over as Chief Executive Officer, effective Nov 1. In an exclusive interview, his first since the official announcement, he has pledged to maintain the original agenda of creating a more focussed, results-oriented organisation, […]

7 Oct, 2014

RSS-BJP: Unmaking the Indian Republic – Hindustan Times

….the moment our prime minister returned to India having “conquered” the US, inviting them to invest in India — “Make in India” — US President Barack Obama in his weekly radio address to the nation said that “it was America and not India or China that was the most attractive investment destination in the world”! […]

7 Oct, 2014

Non-Muslim women offer flowers in show of solidarity with Canberra’s Islamic community – Sydney Morning Herald

Ten non-Muslim women, wearing hijabs and carrying flowers, have touched Canberra’s Islamic community with their simple message of love and solidarity. After a week of heightened anti-Islamic rhetoric in Canberra, where numerous politicians discussed banning the burqa, 10 women armed only with flowers attended an ACT Islamic festival to show support for their fellow Canberrans. […]

6 Oct, 2014

Merged Islamic Tourism Mart – Indonesian Travel Fair to be held 24-26 Oct

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 06 October 2014 (12 Dhul Ḥijjah 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NOW YOU CAN BUY EXQUISITE MALAYSIAN HANDICRAFTS ONLINE Malaysian […]

6 Oct, 2014

First halal tourism conf in Spain awakens Europe to US$181 billion Islamic market

Imtiaz Muqbil

Granada, Spain – Spanish tourism authorities could double the number of visitor arrivals if they better market the country’s rich Islamic heritage, a unique competitive advantage over the rest of Europe. Indeed, speakers at the first Halal Tourism Conference (HTC) organised in Europe between 22-23 Sept 2014 sent clear messages that countries, companies and communities […]

4 Oct, 2014

Myanmar, Sri Lanka Buddhist extremists join hands | Arab News

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: A hard-line Buddhist monk from Myanmar known for his anti-Muslim stance said his movement would join hands with a like-minded Sri Lankan group to “protect” Buddhists, whom he called an endangered world minority. Ashin Wirathu, leader of 969, a fundamentalist movement, was a special invitee Sunday at a rally of Bodu Bala […]

2 Oct, 2014

Chinese commentary: New Western crusade in Middle East has no better prospects than last

Beijing (Global Times)  September 17, 2014 – Washington’s foreign policy has an increasingly Alice in Wonderland character. But President Barack Obama’s policy toward the Islamic State (IS) does not surprise. To consider the new US crusade, it is helpful to get first the context and narrative into perspective. The present mess in the Middle East […]

2 Oct, 2014

Ex-Afghan leader Karzai slams US, Pakistan in farewell speech – DAWN.COM

Kabul: Outgoing Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday blamed the United States for his country’s long war, a final swipe at the country that helped bring him to power 13 years ago but towards which he has become increasingly bitter. His farewell speech came days ahead of the planned swearing in of a new president, […]

2 Oct, 2014

Russia cancels FLEX student exchange with the US | DW.DE

The Russian government decided on Wednesday to ditch a 20 year-old exchange that sent Russian high school students to the US amid escalating tensions between the former Cold War enemies. According to a report in the AFP news agency, the Kremlin accused the US of encouraging a student to stay behind under the guardianship of […]

2 Oct, 2014

What if every hotel room in the world displayed this “Poster of Peace”?

Imtiaz Muqbil

What if every hotel room in the world were to display this multi-lingual “Poster of Peace”? I pose this question in this special dispatch on Oct 2, universally marked as a Day of Non-Violence in commemoration of the birth anniversary of Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, whose Ahimsa philosophy of non-violent resistance was at the […]

1 Oct, 2014

Netanyahu’s message of unending war – Haaretz

Netanyahu is not interested in an agreement with the Palestinians, denies the existence of the occupation and is unwilling to withdraw from the West Bank in any case. Want peace? Look for it in Abu Dhabi and Cairo, not in Jerusalem and Ramallah. Even Abbas — who, like Netanyahu, awoke the national traumas in his […]

29 Sep, 2014

Islamic Fashion Market estimated at $322 billion by 2018

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 29 September 2014 (05 Dhul Ḥijjah 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NOW YOU CAN BUY EXQUISITE MALAYSIAN HANDICRAFTS ONLINE […]

28 Sep, 2014

A ‘Goebbels propaganda prize’ for the corporate western media? – English pravda.ru

by Professor Arthur Noble Pravda (‘Truth’) is indeed aptly named: its factual, accurate and objective reporting on current geopolitical events stands in stark contrast to the lies that are churned out and regurgitated daily by the Western media, for which ‘Falsehood’ would be an appropriate collective description. To counteract the farce of the Nobel Peace […]

28 Sep, 2014

2014: Clash of civilizations? – pravda.ru

At the beginning of the Millennium, much was said about a clash of civilizations between the West and Islamist movements, terminology which was unacceptable to the former and more and more used by the latter. Today, we see increased intrusion by the West not only in Islamic States but also in Eastern Europe and growing […]

28 Sep, 2014

Airport Cameras Get Even More Orwellian | Alternet

By Sander Venema A few days ago I read an article about how TNO (the Dutch Organization for Applied Scientific Research, the largest research institute in the Netherlands) developed technology for smart cameras for use at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. These cameras — installed at Schiphol airport by the Qubit Visual Intelligence, a company from The […]

28 Sep, 2014

European MEP denied entry to Russia – pravda.ru

European Parliament member Rebecca Harms was denied entry to Moscow, which caused extreme dissatisfaction from the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs. “The refusal from the Russian authorities to deny entry (to Harms) in the country is unacceptable,” a message posted on the official Twitter account of the German Foreign Ministry said, RIA Novosti reports. Harms […]

27 Sep, 2014

Ultra-Orthodox Jews cause ’11-hour long nightmare’ on flight to Israel – The Independent

A flight from New York to Tel-Aviv descended into an “11-hour long nightmare” after ultra-orthodox Jewish passengers on board refused to sit next to women, delaying take-off and causing further disruption during the flight. On Wednesday, the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the El Al flight to Israel was carrying a large number of ultra-Orthodox Jews […]

26 Sep, 2014

Chinese Commentary: As possibility of Third World War exists, China needs to be prepared

By Han Xudong

Beijing,  (Global Times), September 16, 2014 – As the Ukrainian crisis deepens, international observers have become more and more concerned about a direct military clash between the US and Russia. Once an armed rivalry erupts, it is likely to extend to the globe. And it is not impossible that a world war could break out. […]

26 Sep, 2014

Gallup Polls: Americans Continue to Say a Third Political Party Is Needed

by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ – September 24, 2014 – Gallup Polls – A majority of U.S. adults, 58%, say a third U.S. political party is needed because the Republican and Democratic parties “do such a poor job” representing the American people. These views are little changed from last year’s high. Since 2007, a majority has typically called […]

22 Sep, 2014

New smartphone app gives sight to the blind | The Japan Times

SAN FRANCISCO – Jonathan Mosen, who has been blind since birth, spent a recent evening snapping photos of packages in the mail, his son’s school report and labels on bottles in the fridge. In seconds, he was listening to audio of the printed words the camera had captured, courtesy of a new app on his […]

22 Sep, 2014

Bypolls message for BJP: the Hindu voter is secular – Hindustan Times

Do you know what I find most heartening about the recent by-election results? It’s the loud, clear and firm message from India’s Hindu voters. My bet is it will resonate across our political firmament for a while to come. India’s Hindu voters — and I use that description deliberately — have refused to accept the […]

22 Sep, 2014

Japan’s high-speed shinkansen marks its 50th year | The Japan Times

Oct. 1 will be the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the shinkansen super-express trains. The shinkansen has become the envy of the world, studied, imitated and emulated, but never quite matched. Though the younger generation may take it as a given, the “bullet train” will continue to be an important part of Japanese life […]

22 Sep, 2014

Free Admission To Egyptian Museums On World Tourism Day Sept 27

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 22 September 2014 (27 Dhul Qa’dah 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NOW YOU CAN BUY EXQUISITE MALAYSIAN HANDICRAFTS ONLINE Malaysian […]

22 Sep, 2014

UNWTO Congress Merges Power of Pilgrimages & Tourism to Drive Spiritual & Material Growth

Imtiaz Muqbil

Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain — The global travel industry took another giant leap forward with the organisation of the first Congress on Tourism and Pilgrimages in this historic UNESCO World Heritage site city between 17-19 September. In what proved to be a unique interaction, religious leaders of all castes and creeds became tourism promoters, […]

21 Sep, 2014

Backlash of hate crimes against Muslims in Australia – Sydney Morning Herald

A car has been damaged and daubed with offensive comments, threatening letters have been sent and women have been abused in the street. A backlash of hate crimes against the Muslim community after the police raids last week has also sparked a rash of social media comments such as “this is how they should deal […]

17 Sep, 2014

15 lessons a man should have learned by age 30 – Sydney Morning Herald

Patrick Smith I have something in common with Prince Harry: we both turn 30 this year. While he’s been working tirelessly on the Invictus Games, I’ve been trying – and failing – to come to terms with waving goodbye to my twenties. Here, to mark the tombstone – I mean milestone – of our 30th […]

15 Sep, 2014

Gallup Polls: Americans’ trust in all branches of federal govt at or near record lows

by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ, September 15, 2014 (Gallup media release) — Americans’ trust in each of the three branches of the federal government is at or near the lows in Gallup’s trends, dating back to the early 1970s. Americans’ trust in the legislative branch fell six percentage points this year to a new low of 28%. Trust […]

15 Sep, 2014

Chris Hedges: How the U.S.-Israeli power elites lie to justify state terror – Truthdig

Chris Hedges gave this speech Saturday at the Sauk County Fairgrounds in Baraboo, Wis., before a crowd of about 2,000. I would like to begin by speaking about the people of Gaza. Their suffering is not an abstraction to me. I was the Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times. I spent seven […]

15 Sep, 2014

Bureau of Investigative Journalism files case challenging UK govt over media surveillance

by Rachel Oldroyd

Brussels, (BIJ media release), September 14, 2014 – The Bureau of Investigative Journalism is asking a European court to rule on whether UK legislation properly protects journalists’ sources and communications from government scrutiny and mass surveillance. The Bureau’s application was filed with the European Court of Human Rights on Friday. If the court rules in […]

15 Sep, 2014

Snowden leak: U.S. Govt tapping expats to help maintain global “supremacy”

Imtiaz Muqbil

From students to academics and businesspeople, American expatriates and citizens are being tapped to provide the U.S. government with information on anything that could help uphold its global supremacy, especially in the sectors of business, science, technology and defence, according to the latest Edward Snowden leak published by journalist Glenn Greenwald on 05 September. The […]

15 Sep, 2014

New Authority To Restore Historic Cairo

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 15 September 2014 (20 Dhul Qa’dah 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NOW YOU CAN BUY EXQUISITE MALAYSIAN HANDICRAFTS ONLINE […]

14 Sep, 2014

Global NGOs Warning: Mega-corporations trying to hijack UN Climate-Change Summit

Full text of statement circulated by Focus on the Global South, Bangkok.

Invitation to sign on statement to denounce corporate takeover of Climate Summit (Español, Français, Italiano below) We call upon all fellow social movements, peoples organizations and environmental and climate justice movements to sign on this statement and join us in this call to action. On the 23rd of September, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, […]

13 Sep, 2014

Asia Times Online : Gaza and the Threat of World War

“There is a taboo,” said the visionary Edward Said, “on telling the truth about Palestine and the great destructive force behind Israel. Only when this truth is out can any of us be free.” For many people, the truth is out now. At last, they know. Those once intimidated into silence can’t look away now. […]

13 Sep, 2014

Gurdwara a symbol of communal harmony in flood-hit Srinagar – Hindustan Times

The Shahid Bunga Gurdwara in Burzulla area of the city has emerged as a major relief centre for people who have been affected by the devastating floods in the Kashmir valley. Mohammad Amin and Nazeer Ahmed from Allauchi Bagh are among over 1,500 Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Ladakhis who have registered at the control room […]

13 Sep, 2014

Hindu tradition of tolerance is showing strain, says eminent Indian jurist – Hindustan Times

Eminent jurist Fali Nariman hit out at the Narendra Modi government on Friday calling it ‘majoritarian’, and also expressed the view that Hinduism is losing its tolerance. Arguing that the ‘Hindu tradition of tolerance is showing strain’, he said, “My apprehension is Hinduism is changing its benign face because…it is believed and proudly proclaimed by […]

13 Sep, 2014

Raging conflicts trigger boom in sales of security hardware – The Guardian

“Warriors”, says the sign emblazoned in huge letters across the top of the Marriott conference center in downtown Oakland. It refers to the Golden State Warriors, the hometown basketball team who have their practice facilities here, but it might equally apply to the unusual gathering inside the hotel. Sprawled across the ground floor of the […]

13 Sep, 2014

Amazon deforestation jumps 29% – theguardian.com

The destruction of the world’s largest rainforest accelerated last year with a 29% spike in deforestation, according to final figures released by the Brazilian government on Wednesday that confirmed a reversal in gains seen since 2009. Satellite data for the 12 months through the end of July 2013 showed that 5,891 sq km of forest […]

13 Sep, 2014

BBC News – Israeli intelligence veterans refuse to spy on Palestinians

Dozens of veterans of an elite Israeli military signals intelligence unit have said they will no longer serve in operations against Palestinians. Forty-three past and present reservists signed a letter about Unit 8200, which carries out electronic surveillance. They said the intelligence it gathered – much of it concerning innocent people – was used to […]

13 Sep, 2014

How Billionaires Like the Koch Brothers, Sheldon Adelson and Sam Walton Are Destroying America | Alternet

Sheldon Adelson, Charles and David Koch, Sam Walton, Rupert Murdoch, Linda McMahon, or hedge fund honchos like John Paulson and Steven Cohen all conform in one way or another to this historic profile. Powers to be reckoned with, they presume to know best what we should teach our kids and how we should do it; […]

11 Sep, 2014

Impact of Japan-China islands dispute fades but cloud remains

By ZHANG YUNBI in Beijing and CAI HONG in Tokyo

(chinadaily.com.cn), 2014-09-09 -Public opinion polls in both China and Japan revealed that the impact of the Diaoyu Islands dispute on bilateral ties is showing signs of moderating, yet pessimism about future ties continues. The 10th Public Opinion on China-Japan Relations survey, co-sponsored annually by China Daily and Japanese nonprofit think tank Genron NPO, was released […]

11 Sep, 2014

ISIS, Love Jihad And Peaking of Islamophobia by Ram Puniyani

The ‘social common sense’ is so heavily weighted against Islam and Muslims that to talk of reason in understanding religion and its abuse for political goals seems to be a very difficult exercise. To understand that religions are for morality and peace is accepted for other religions but not for Islam in popular perception. Many […]

11 Sep, 2014

Threats force closure of Muslim-owned hotel in Gujarat – Countercurrents.org

Hotelier Mustafa Patel from Gujarat- owner of Jyoti Hotel – is a very sad these days. His famous hotel– which used to lie on Viramgam highway, merely ninety minute drive from Ahmedabad, is now closed. Anyone who has travelled on that road would vouch about its quality preparations, all the employees who worked with him […]

11 Sep, 2014

The IS behemoth, yet another Western project gone wrong – DAWN.COM

It is a typical summer flick, but it holds a great lesson for the global power politics. Hercules, released earlier in the summer, shows how the son of Zeus fights against tyrants only to realise later that he has been tricked into fighting against the good guys. President Barak Obama must also feel very Herculean. […]

11 Sep, 2014

Indonesian Conglomerate to Invest US$5b in ASEAN retail and healthcare, property – The Business Times

[SINGAPORE] Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group is looking to invest up to US$5 billion in healthcare, food retailing and telecoms mainly in the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar over the next three to five years, its top executive said. “Partly, it’s diversification, but partly also new growth markets,” James Riady, chief executive of one of the biggest […]

11 Sep, 2014

Dynamic Modi faces daunting challenges | The Japan Times

Finally, an urgent task awaiting the new government is the need to build cohesion out of diversity. The Muslim population of India is close to 15 percent and this community is a vibrant part of India. Yet, on every economic and social measure, it ranks low. While the reasons for this are complex, the reality […]

9 Sep, 2014

Facebook addiction can leave you lonely, depressed – Hindustan Times

Do you often feel you have wasted time on Facebook or termed it as a meaningless activity but still cannot let your eyes move away from the screen? You are at the risk of developing depression. According to new research, while the social networking site is there to help you stay in touch with your […]

9 Sep, 2014

A mirage called ‘Modi Magic’ – Sitaram Yechury, Hindustan Times

In Japan, he thundered, that in his first 100 days as prime minister, he has performed miracles. Stating that he was new to national politics, apprehensive of moving to Delhi, he had nevertheless reversed the ‘paralysis’ that had gripped India under the earlier government. Justifying this claim, he quoted statistical data pompously announced by the […]

9 Sep, 2014

GDP contraction revised to deeper than estimated 7.1% | The Japan Times

The economy shrank more than estimated in the April-June quarter, revised data showed Monday, piling pressure on the Abe administration to delay another consumption tax hike and the Bank of Japan to expand its stimulus. The figures will come as a blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as his program aimed at rejuvenating growth struggles […]

9 Sep, 2014

Two trillion becquerels of radioactive material may have escaped No. 1 | The Japan Times

Some 2 trillion becquerels of strontium-90 and cesium-137 may have flowed into the bay of Tokyo Electric Power Co.’s crippled Fukushima No. 1 plant during the 10 months to May this year, it was learned Sunday. The amount exceeds by 10 times the limit of radioactive material releases Tepco set before the March 2011 meltdown […]

9 Sep, 2014

For Israel, the beginning of wisdom is to admit mistakes – Avi Shlaim, The Guardian

By any objective criterion, the outcome of the (Gaza) conflict was a draw. But for a small and poorly armed militia to stand its ground against one of the mightiest armies in the world is a remarkable achievement. Not only did its fighters stand firm, they also succeeded in imposing on the enemy what it […]

8 Sep, 2014

Website launched for Palestine Museum of Natural History

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 08 September 2014 (13 Dhul Qa’dah 1435). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NOW YOU CAN BUY EXQUISITE MALAYSIAN HANDICRAFTS ONLINE […]

7 Sep, 2014

Chomsky: U.S. Plunges Cradle of Civilization into Disaster, While Its Oil-Based Empire Destroys the Climate – Alternet

September 5, 2014 | It is not pleasant to contemplate the thoughts that must be passing through the mind of the Owl of Minerva as the dusk falls and she undertakes the task of interpreting the era of human civilization, which may now be approaching its inglorious end. The era opened almost 10,000 years ago […]

7 Sep, 2014

Between Gaza and Israel, a Border Crossing in Need of Travelers – NYTimes.com

EREZ CROSSING, at the Israel-Gaza border — At 375,000 square feet, the terminal through which travelers pass between Israel and the Gaza Strip is a vast, high-tech hangar with a capacity of 45,000 people per day. Current traffic: 400 or fewer. It was built, for about $60 million, starting in 2005, the year Israel withdrew […]

4 Sep, 2014

Six ways to fine-tune your body language — Sydney Morning Herald

It’s not just first impressions that count. Your everyday body language can be what determines whether people like or trust you – and ultimately whether they want to do business with you. If someone has already made up his or her mind about you it can be very difficult to change, so making sure your […]

4 Sep, 2014

The EU and Russia Policy: Happily Forgotten Lies – RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) – Some of the world’s worst criminals claimed that they committed their crimes in a fit of forgetfulness or oblivion, without actually realizing they were doing something wrong. Khodorkovsky for example complained to the German magazine Der Spiegel that he “sometimes suffers from memory holes.” But of all the powerful […]

4 Sep, 2014

Palestinian director Suha Arraf decries Israeli discriminatory treatment – Hindustan Times

Villa Touma’s importance lies in the fact that the movie caused a tempest, weeks before its premiere in Venice. Made by a Palestinian director (known for works such as The Syrian Bride and The Lemon Tree), Villa Touma was largely funded by Israeli organisations. But when Arraf decided to call it a Palestinian film, Tel […]

3 Sep, 2014

Modi’s 100 days: Biding his time, circling the wagons – Al Jazeera

If there is one arena where the Modi government and the prime minister personally are seen as having done poorly in their first 100 days, it is in their failure to control BJP leaders and members engaging in hate speech and divisive politics. Although the Uttar Pradesh assembly does not go to the polls till […]

2 Sep, 2014

Mark World Day for Decent Work – October 7, 2014

Statement by Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, ITUC

Geneva, 2 Sept 2014 (ITUC media release) — The world is on an unsustainable path. Vast numbers of working people face insecurity in their jobs and the highest levels of inequality in living memory. One half of working families have experienced unemployment or reduced working hours in the past two years, while 1.2 billion people […]