Author Archive
20 Mar, 2016
Taking aim at alcohol abuse | The Japan Times
The government will try to reduce excessive drinking in Japan, according to a draft plan to be endorsed by the Cabinet in May. The government says it will establish at least one medical institution specializing in alcoholism in each prefecture, while setting numerical targets to reduce the lifestyle-related diseases that result from heavy drinking. The […]
more…16 Mar, 2016
Out of money: Saudi Arabia shot itself in the foot by dropping oil prices
Tehran, March 13, IRNA / (sputniknews.com) – Riyadh has shot itself in the foot by adopting a predatory pricing policy in the oil market aimed at wiping its competitors out; now the House of Saud is reaping a whirlwind it sowed. Back in 2014 Saudi Arabia decided to drop oil prices in order to expel […]
more…16 Mar, 2016
Terrorism and communal violence must carry same stigma and punishment – Harsh Mander, Hindustan Times
In both popular, social common sense and the ways in which the laws are designed and implemented in India, there is an implied hierarchy of crimes, in which gravest crimes are seen to be those connected with terror and violence, meriting harsh laws, criminal procedures that severely curtail human rights of the accused, and stricter […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
“Turquoise Mountain: Artists Transforming Afghanistan” opens at The Smithsonian
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 14 March 2016 (05 Jumaada al-Akhir 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA LAUNCHES E-VISA FOR CHINESE TOURISTS Effective […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
Jewish activists “making sure there’s a price to pay for supporting Israel’s propaganda machine”
Message from Jewish Voice for Peace Executive Director Rebecca Vilkomerson Dear Friend, I want to try something a little bit different. No request to sign a petition or call your Congressional representative — just an update about what our team has been working on over the last month, and what we’ve got on deck for […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
Come and See: A Kairos Perspective of Tourism and Pilgrimage in Palestine
There are several different forms that tourism takes in Palestine: tourism organized directly by Israel; tourism organized by other countries with Israel’s coordination and approval, including religious pilgrimages; “political thrill” tourism; and Birthright Israel programs, which are free trips Israel that Israel offers to any Jew in the world as a birthright and which many […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
Palestinians sue billionaire Sheldon Adelson for Israeli war crimes – The Electronic Intifada
A group of Palestinians and Palestinian Americans are seeking $34.5 billion dollars in damages from wealthy individuals and companies they accuse of financing and profiting from Israel’s settlements in the occupied West Bank and other abuses of their rights. The plaintiffs include Palestinians who have lost family members in Israeli attacks in the West Bank […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
BDS India Convention Calls For Total Boycott Of Israel
March 8, 2016 — An appeal for the total boycott of Israel was made at the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions(BDS) India Convention held on 6 March 2016 at New Delhi’s Gandhi Peace Foundation as a mark of protest against the apartheid policies and the genocidal campaign of Israel against Palestine. The intellectuals and activists coming from […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
Israel again blocks Indonesian Foreign Minister from opening consulate in Palestine
Israel escalated its global war on Islam last week by blocking Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi from travelling to Ramallah, Palestine, to dedicate an honorary consulate because of her refusal to first meet with Israeli officials in Jerusalem. This is the second time an Indonesian Foreign Minister has been denied access to Ramallah. In 2012, […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
Americans Are Buried Under a Mountain of Debt – Gallup
Two-thirds of Americans say they have enough money to live comfortably, with more traditionalists (76%) and baby boomers (67%) saying they do than millennials (62%) and Gen Xers (61%). Those who say they don’t have enough money to live comfortably appear to be using their credit cards to supplement their available resources with high-interest credit. […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
How credit card companies know what we will do in the future – Sydney Morning Herald
Australia is a world leader in the march towards a cashless economy. But our enthusiasm for electronic payments has gifted credit card companies with a crystal ball. Only a handful of nations make more cashless transactions per person than Australia. The proportion of purchases involving cash slumped from 70 per cent in 2007 to 47 […]
more…14 Mar, 2016
Canadian PM: I have more Sikhs in Cabinet than Modi – The Hindu
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, known for his witty repartees, told an American audience here that he has more Sikhs in his Cabinet than his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi. The quip came when Mr. Trudeau was taking 10 questions from students at the American University in northwest Washington during his state visit to the U.S. […]
more…12 Mar, 2016
Kyoto taxis specializing in foreign tourists begin one-year trial | The Japan Times
KYOTO, Mar 1, 2016 Kyodo– A one-year trial run for taxis aimed at non-Japanese tourists started Tuesday in the city of Kyoto, the first such service in Japan aimed at enhancing the experience for overseas visitors. The “foreigner-friendly taxis” accept credit cards, have space for two large suitcases and drivers who are able to communicate […]
more…12 Mar, 2016
No freedom without dissent – The Hindu
There is an opinion that India has come into its natural inheritance only after the election of a majority government in May 2014. It is argued that the past 60-odd years of the Indian Republic were a mere epilogue to an empire and a Western era that had not fully died in 1947. The Nehruvian […]
more…12 Mar, 2016
The issue of nationalism: A sinister pattern underway – The Hindu
Everything is projected through the lens of a narrow Hindutva definition of nationalism, leaving no room for tolerance and pluralism. Questioning the death penalty is attacked as anti-national; studying in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is anti-national; being a human rights worker in Chhattisgarh is anti-national; the ‘right to report’ is anti-national; and asking for transparency […]
more…7 Mar, 2016
Oman Names Its First Budget Airline “Salam Air”
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 07 March 2016 (27 Jumaada al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA LAUNCHES E-VISA FOR CHINESE TOURISTS Effective 01 […]
more…4 Mar, 2016
Iranian musician forced to stop Cologne concert after audience members jeer and shout ‘speak German’ – The Independent
An Iranian harpsichordist has described his shock after being forced to stop a concert in Cologne following calls to “speak German” and jeering. Mahan Esfahani, who has won numerous awards and teaches at London’s prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama, was performing at the Kölner Philharmonie when the furore broke out on Sunday. As […]
more…1 Mar, 2016
From Birthright to HP, Israel Gave Billions to Private Contractors Without Tenders – Ha’aretz
Israel’s government has spent 31.6 billion shekels ($8.1 billion) over the last five years awarding contracts to companies and other organizations without any kind of competitive bidding process, an analysis conducted by the Public Knowledge Workshop for The Marker shows. More than 3,900 bodies, the biggest by far a company called Sarel that purchases medical […]
more…29 Feb, 2016
Egypt hosts conference on historic importance of Suez Canal
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 29 February 2016 (20 Jumaada al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA FIRST NATIONAL IMAM ROUNDTABLE HELD TO PROMOTE […]
more…24 Feb, 2016
Indian Greenpeace campaigner blasts growing assault on freedom, dissent and democracy
Over the last few days, different parts of our fine nation have churned, with activists championing a variety of causes and students reclaiming their democratic right to debate issues like the death penalty, tribal rights, Dalit access to education, forests under threat from mining interests and state repression. As democratic voices rise to levels that […]
more…24 Feb, 2016
Google slashed taxes by $3.4b using European subsidiaries – Sydney Morning Herald
Google saved $US2.4 billion ($3.4 billion) in worldwide taxes in 2014 by shifting €10.7 billion ($16.7 billion) in international revenues to a Bermuda shell company, Alphabet Inc., the parent of the Web-search provider, regulatory filings show. The amount Google moved through its Dutch subsidiary, Google Netherlands Holdings, and then on to Bermuda represents the bulk […]
more…24 Feb, 2016
Ban RSS, India’s No 1 terror organisation: Former Maharashtra cop – Hindustan Times
Maharashtra’s former inspector general of police SM Mushrif on Tuesday accused the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of being hand-in-glove with right-wing extremists, and called for a ban on the RSS describing it as India’s No.1 terror organisation. At the launch of the Bengali version of his book “RSS – Country’s Greatest Terror Organisation”, Mushrif also termed […]
more…24 Feb, 2016
Biometric data carts to cut waiting times at Japanese airports | The Japan Times
The amount of time visitors to Japan spend waiting at airport passport control gates, believed to help form their first impressions of the country, may soon become noticeably shorter thanks to the introduction of special equipment carts. The Justice Ministry said Tuesday it will debut a new passport control system this fall at the earliest […]
more…23 Feb, 2016
Academy disavows Oscars gift bag featuring Israel travel junket | The Electronic Intifada
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has filed a lawsuit against Distinctive Assets, the company distributing a luxury gift bag to Oscar nominees which includes an all-expenses paid trip to Israel sponsored by the Israeli government. “Distinctive Assets has been falsely representing that its extravagant ‘gift bags’ [are] redistributed by the Academy, at […]
more…22 Feb, 2016
China-Iran Cargo Train Makes First Run
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 22 February 2016 (13 Jumaada al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA FIRST NATIONAL IMAM ROUNDTABLE HELD TO PROMOTE […]
more…22 Feb, 2016
25% of Japan’s disabled have trouble making ends meet | The Japan Times
Tokyo – At least 1 in 4 disabled people in Japan has difficulty making ends meet, with the poverty rate running twice the average of nondisabled individuals, according to a study led by a Keio University professor. Atsuhiro Yamada’s team studied the results of a 2013 government survey on people’s lives to identify the relative […]
more…22 Feb, 2016
Israeli Winner at Berlin Film Festival Calls Israeli Government ‘Fascist’ at Movie Screening – Haaretz
Israeli director Udi Aloni made headlines in Berlin when he called the Israeli government “fascist” at a Q&A session about his award-winning film “Junction 48.” Aloni, whose Arabic-language hip-hop film featuring mostly Palestinian actors, said that Germany shouldn’t supply Israel with submarines because of its fascist government. He also mentioned at the session Palestinian hunger-striker […]
more…20 Feb, 2016
Cabbies march in Madrid against Uber-type services | The Japan Times
MADRID – Thousands of taxi drivers protested Thursday in Madrid over competitors such as Uber, echoing similar recent demonstrations in neighboring France. French drivers joined the thousands of protesters in the Spanish capital who sported banners that read “No to unfair competition,” denouncing among other grievances the planned deregulation of the sector. Spain’s cabbies fear […]
more…20 Feb, 2016
6 Habits Of A Happy, Solid Couple – Sydney Morning Herald
The beginning of any relationship is more often than not completely exhilarating. It’s a time when your partner can do no wrong and all of the things that once bothered you seem to float away because YOU ARE IN LOVE! And that’s all that matters. But as we know, eventually life gets back to normal. […]
more…20 Feb, 2016
South African water conference called off amid protest at Israel’s role | The Electronic Intifada
A South African conference on water has been canceled following protests against the planned participation of an Israeli diplomat. Arthur Lenk, Israel’s ambassador to South Africa, was scheduled to take part in a “water summit” on 26 February. Lenk’s involvement prompted one of the main speakers, Lorenzo Fioramonti from the University of Pretoria, to withdraw. […]
more…20 Feb, 2016
A battle for India’s soul – Arab News
This is not a debate about nationalism, Kashmiri separatism or the independent thinking spaces that great universities like JNU represent. What is unfolding, from Hyderabad to Delhi, is a battle for India’s soul. It is not enough for the BJP to capture the reins of power in the name of universally appealing slogans like development […]
more…20 Feb, 2016
Full text of Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader’s speech which India considers “sedition” – Hindustan Times
“Few media works were saying that JNU runs on the money from our taxes and subsidies and this is right! It is absolutely right that JNU runs from taxes and subsidies but we want to put up a question- what is a university for? A university is for the critical analysis of the society’s consensus. […]
more…20 Feb, 2016
Polish magazine’s ‘Islamic rape of Europe’ cover sparks outrage – The Guardian
A Polish magazine has published a highly inflammatory front cover showing a white woman being assaulted by three pairs of dark-skinned male hands under the headline “The Islamic rape of Europe”. The cover of this week’s edition of wSieci (the Network), a mass-market politically conservative magazine, triggered outraged responses on social media. Some Twitter users […]
more…19 Feb, 2016
An Open Letter To Fellow Indian Citizens – By Rutuja Deshmukh Wakankar, Countercurrents.org
15 February, 2016 Dear Fellow Citizens, Today I write to all of you and especially the Indian upper and middle class (emphasize mine), as one amongst you. We are at the brink of destruction; by we I mean us as a nation. I fully understand the implication of my statement, which is very serious in […]
more…17 Feb, 2016
Cologne sex assaults: Muslim rape myths fit a neo-Nazi agenda – The Independent
Dark myths about sexual assaults in Cologne came into sharp focus last week when a female television journalist was attacked live on air. Esmeralda Labye, a reporter from Belgium, was covering the German city’s annual carnival when three men variously touched her breasts, kissed her and simulated intercourse behind her back. It followed claims of […]
more…15 Feb, 2016
Malaysia to host first Imam Roundtable to open mosques to visitors
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 15 February 2016 (06 Jumada al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA FIVE MALAYSIAN HOMESTAYS WIN ASEAN AWARDS Five […]
more…10 Feb, 2016
The grandeur of Iran in pictures – by the first Asia-Pacific travel trade journalist invited to visit
I was the first Asia-Pacific travel industry journalist invited to both speak at and cover two inaugural industry conferences held in Iran: 1) the first International Tour Operators Convention organised by the Iran Tour Operators Association in Tehran between 24-27 November 2008, and 2) the UNWTO Conference on Increasing Tourist Flows between Asia and the […]
more…8 Feb, 2016
Iran exports first shipment of hand-woven carpets to U.S.
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 08 February 2016 (29 Rabee’ al-Thaani 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA FIVE MALAYSIAN HOMESTAYS WIN ASEAN AWARDS Five […]
more…4 Feb, 2016
Flashback 1988: Former UNWTO chief Willibald Pahr’s India speech on Tourism, Passport to Peace & Development
Bangkok – The first time that I heard the connection being made between Tourism, Peace & Development was in this speech by the late UN World Tourism Organisation Secretary-General Dr Willibald Pahr at a conference organised by the Indian Institute of Tourism and Management in New Delhi on February 22, 1988. Along with thousands of […]
more…3 Feb, 2016
An 11-point critique of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-25
Bangkok – This year has marked the dawn of a new era for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The integration process, now set in stone, is intended to create a stronger, safer, secure and sustainable ASEAN by uniting the formidable natural, capital and human resources of one of the world’s most strategically-located regions. […]
more…3 Feb, 2016
India on the slippery slope towards McCarthyism – The Hindu
By Peter Ronald Desouza No substantive discussion in a university can be anti-national as long as protocols of discussion are maintained. Dissent must be heard. No one would want to be called anti-national for it brings in its wake the primordial passions of hate and anger onto oneself. It produces self and social censorship. This […]
more…3 Feb, 2016
A Sufi, a Sikh and their message of love: A journey from Lahore to Amritsar – DAWN.COM
It is noteworthy that Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of the Sikh faith, includes the kalaam (poetry/works) of renowned Sufis like Baba Fareed of the Chishtiyyah Sufi order. And hence, aptly, the kalaam of popular Sikh poet Ravidas jee resounds at the Shrine of Mian Mir in Lahore today as a reminder of humanity […]
more…1 Feb, 2016
Turkey’s first female mosque guide introduces Islam to tourists
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 01 February 2016 (22 Rabee’ al-Thaani 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA WOOS SPANISH TRAVELLERS WITH ‘COME DISCOVER […]
more…31 Jan, 2016
Inside the booming Muslim fashion industry – Al Jazeera English
Anas Silwood moved to Jordan from Britain to study Arabic back in 2000. The 20-something was supposed to stay for only a few months, but he soon decided Amman was the place he wanted to be. He learned Arabic, converted to Islam and settled. “Every time I went back to the UK I had the […]
more…31 Jan, 2016
Davos is the problem, not the solution — RT Op-Edge
For the majority of people of the planet, but not for the super, super rich, things have gone backwards since the first Davos meeting was held. That’s no coincidence as Davos – for all the ’progressive’ waffle about ‘stakeholder theory’ and the ’global public interest’ – is all about maintaining an elite-friendly, neoliberal economic order […]
more…31 Jan, 2016
Meet the whistleblower who helped expose Google’s tax avoidance – The Independent
Like millions of others this weekend, Barney Jones is filling in his tax returns. The forms detailing earnings and expenditure are not for the faint-hearted, and completing them seldom gives satisfaction – even when you’ve just played a key role in adding an extra £130m to Britain’s coffers. The whistleblower who helped to reveal how […]
more…31 Jan, 2016
The “war on terror” has only created more terror, while costing each U.S. household $75,000: Jill Stein ~ News Forage
The “war on terror,” Stein pointed out, has only created more terror, while costing each U.S. household $75,000. “That’s not going to make people terribly enthusiastic for it, particularly when you point out that all this has done is create failed states, worse terrorist threat, whether you look at the Taliban, the globalization of al-Qaeda, […]
more…28 Jan, 2016
ASEAN branding disarray on full display at ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016
Manila — The first ASEAN Tourism Forum in the era of ASEAN integration, held in Manila between 17-22 January 2016, was a clear opportunity to send a powerful, unified message positioning ASEAN as a single destination. Although that has been the policy objective since Visit ASEAN Year was declared in 1992 to mark the 25th […]
more…27 Jan, 2016
Protesting Sikh removed from Trump’s rally – Times of India
WASHINGTON: A turbaned Sikh man was forced out of Donald Trump’s rally in the US state of Iowa after he interrupted the Republican presidential frontrunner’s speech by displaying a banner that read ‘Stop Hate’. The man, wearing a bright red turban, started his peaceful protest impromptu, when Trump was addressing an impressive campaign rally on […]
more…26 Jan, 2016
Xinhua Commentary: Time for West to abandon double standards, hypocrisy & prejudice in fighting terrorism
BEIJING, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) — In an era when terrorism is posing a serious challenge to world peace and development, it is time for the West to abandon its pride and prejudice to further consolidate global efforts to uproot the menace. From the Charlie Hebdo attack to the Paris terror attacks, the past year witnessed […]
more…26 Jan, 2016
ASEANTA’s female President tells tourism ministers: Replace “war on terrorism” with “Peace Through Tourism”
Manila — ASEAN’s tourism industry needs to become a conduit for conflict prevention and replace antagonistic terminology such as “war on terrorism” with a more pacifist slogan, “Peace Through Tourism,” according to the President of the 10-country grouping’s umbrella travel federation. In a statement at the ASEAN Tourism Forum, held in Manila between Jan 18-22, […]
more…25 Jan, 2016
Memorial planned for forgotten Muslim World War 1 soldiers
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 25 January 2016 (14 Rabee’ al-Thaani 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA HERBAL ASIA TO BE HELD IN KUALA […]
more…25 Jan, 2016
Stan Grant’s speech on racism and the Australian dream goes viral – The Guardian
The veteran journalist and Wiradjuri man, Stan Grant, has told a Sydney audience that racism is “at the heart of the Australian dream,” as he delivered a sobering speech about the impact of colonisation and discrimination on Indigenous people and their ancestors. It has provoked a powerful reaction from Australians, going viral on Facebook with […]
more…23 Jan, 2016
Dr Bert van Walbeek, Founder & Chairman of first Asian, Thailand Chapter, SITE
Date & Place of Birth: 23 March 1943, Alkmaar, Netherlands Marital Status: Married with three children (from 2 marriages) and six grand children Education: Hogere Hotelschool-The Hague 1961-1964 Career 1968-1985 Employment with Hilton, Intercontinental Hotels and ITT Sheraton 1985-1988 Area Marketing Director , Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok 1988-1991 VP Marketing, Middle East and North […]
more…21 Jan, 2016
Foreign policy that blindly follows the US isn’t in our national interest – Sydney Morning Herald
When Prime Minister Turnbull visits the Oval Office this week, he faces clear choices about the kind of foreign policy leadership he offers Australia. In an ideal world, our Prime Minister would be confident and forthright about Australian values and interests, supportive of the American approach where this aligns with our own, and critical where […]
more…21 Jan, 2016
Shangri-La hotel’s HRD director flags downsides of tourism labour mobility under ASEAN integration
MANILA – The ASEAN Mutual Recognition Agreement, designed to liberalise movements of tourism professionals within the 10-member regional bloc, could cause potentially serious side-effects in the travel & tourism sector, the Human Resources Director of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in the Philippines has warned. Speaking at the ASEAN Tourism Conference (ATC), one of the core […]
more…21 Jan, 2016
Shaikha Moza: Technology is killing Arabic language | GulfNews.com
Manama: Shaikha Moza Bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has lamented the inability of the Arabs to preserve their language by misusing modern communication technology. “Our failure to effectively use modern communication techniques has led to an inability to preserve the Arabic language,” Shaikha Moza said during her […]
more…21 Jan, 2016
Need tolerance in India very badly, says Nobel laureate Amartya Sen – Hindustan Times
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Wednesday asserted India needs tolerance “very badly” but also underscored the importance of skeptical tolerance. Sen, an alumni of erstwhile Presidency College which has now developed into the Presidency University, discussed the influence and contributions of early 19th century poet Henry Louis Vivian Derozio in education and society. “The general […]
more…20 Jan, 2016
Hosted media at ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 hit by attendance requirement at NTO briefings
Manila – Hosted travel journalists attending the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2016 are being required to provide proof of attendance at least seven out of 13 media briefings in order to be eligible for reimbursement of their air-fare. Instituted for the first time at an ATF, the requirement has caught several regular media participants by surprise […]
more…19 Jan, 2016
ASEAN branding confusion at ASEAN’s premier travel trade show
Manila — The marketing of ASEAN as a single tourism destination has been under way for 24 years, with the original designation of 1992 as Visit ASEAN Year, to mark the 25th anniversary of the founding of the regional grouping. In spite of that long-standing effort, the ASEAN tourism sector still cannot find common ground […]
more…18 Jan, 2016
Foreign tourism emerges as bright spot amid Japan’s dim economic prospects | The Japan Times
With few positive signs of recovery for Japan’s slumping economy, foreign tourism remains a sole ray of hope, and tourism authorities, local governments, industry players as well as retailers are eagerly awaiting another possibly record-breaking surge in Chinese tourists during next month’s Chinese New Year holiday. Though economists say a tourism boom alone won’t bail […]
more…18 Jan, 2016
Malindo Air To Launch first Kuala Lumpur – Lahore flight
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 18 January 2016 (08 Rabee’ al-Thaani 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA HERBAL ASIA TO BE HELD IN KUALA […]
more…16 Jan, 2016
Mossad proxy faked violent Facebook anti-Semitism | The Electronic Intifada
An Israeli legal group with intimate ties to the state’s intelligence agencies has admitted to faking an ostensibly pro-Palestinian Facebook page and using it to post anti-Semitic statements including “Death to all the Jews.” The Israeli group has also filed a lawsuit against Facebook, for allegedly permitting Palestinian “incitement.” Shurat HaDin claims to be a […]
more…16 Jan, 2016
Report: Top 1% holds one-third of China’s wealth
Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), 14 Jan 2016 – A recent report showed that income and wealth inequality is worsening in China. The top 1 percent of households own around one-third of China’s wealth, while the bottom 25 percent of them have only 1 percent. The report, released by a research institute at Peking University, shows […]
more…15 Jan, 2016
Alan Rickman’s pro-Palestinian Gaza play was also censored by theater | The Electronic Intifada
In 2005, Rickman directed the initial London run of My Name is Rachel Corrie, a play based on the writing of the US activist crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza two years prior. Rickman had been moved to produce the work, staged at London’s Royal Court Theatre, after reading Corrie’s published emails […]
more…14 Jan, 2016
Buddhist, Muslim leaders pinpoint root causes & solutions of inter-faith conflict
Bangkok – A central question that dominated the symposium on “Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence in Multicultural Societies” was how and why an increasingly globalised, inter-connected world is failing to live up to one of its primary projected objectives: More peaceful, harmonious, sustainable, inclusive societies and communities. All world religions, global institutions, governments, societies and […]
more…14 Jan, 2016
Prominent Thai Journalist says ASEAN media must “take control of the narrative” from Western wire-services
Bangkok — Journalists in Thailand and ASEAN must take control of the narrative from Western media wire-services in order to build a better understanding of global events, especially those involving religious and ethnic conflicts, according to one of Thailand’s most prominent writers on foreign affairs. Speaking at a symposium on “Interfaith Dialogue and Peaceful Coexistence […]
more…13 Jan, 2016
Airbnb lists homes in illegal Israeli settlements – Al Jazeera English
Jerusalem – Dozens of listings on the online accommodation service Airbnb show immaculate cottages, elaborate breakfasts and rolling hillside views “in Israel” – but what is not stated is that the properties are located in Jewish settlements and outposts on occupied Palestinian territory. One shows a tidy, three-bedroom rental home with an idyllic courtyard framed […]
more…13 Jan, 2016
Jewish-Israeli band making waves with Arabic song – Al Jazeera English
A girl band in Israel has been making waves after its debut single became the first song entirely in Arabic to top the charts in Israel. “Habib Galbi” by the band A-WA – made up of three sisters – gives traditional rhythms and lyrics from Yemen a hip-hop treatment. It’s a song that has been […]
more…13 Jan, 2016
An Open Letter to President Obama from the “Israeli General’s Son” – Desertpeace
By Miko Peled When America voted for you the first time, many people were very optimistic. A man with an African Muslim father, an African Muslim name and what seemed like a caring heart and a brilliant mind. That was both refreshing and promising. You came into office with big promises, your first inaugural address […]
more…12 Jan, 2016
Hundreds of French mosques open their doors to the public
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 11 January 2016 (01 Rabee’ al-Akhir 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA’S SHOPPING LANDSCAPE WITH MAIN AND NEW […]
more…11 Jan, 2016
Saudi-Iran row to impact Mideast economy | GulfNews.com
Dubai: The Saudi-Iranian tensions could impact not just the economy of Iran, but also that of the wider Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, analysts have said. It could also affect investors’ appetite for risk, “spell increased volatility” in the financial markets and create pressure on oil prices. “[The] impact of the conflict on key […]
more…11 Jan, 2016
16 students deported from US, ‘hassled’ at Hyderabad airport – Hindustan Times
The ordeal of 16 students from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, who had gone to the US seeking admission in educational institutions there but were sent back from New York, continued despite landing back home as they alleged that they had been kept waiting for around six hours at the international airport in Hyderabad over some […]
more…7 Jan, 2016
Why aren’t we calling the Oregon occupiers ‘terrorists’?
As of Sunday afternoon, The Washington Post called them “occupiers.” The New York Times opted for “armed activists” and “militia men.” And the Associated Press put the situation this way: “A family previously involved in a showdown with the federal government has occupied a building at a national wildlife refuge in Oregon and is asking […]
more…4 Jan, 2016
Report released: International Tourism in Islamic Countries 2015
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 04 January 2016 (24 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA WINS ‘BEST ECO-VACATION’ AT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC […]
more…4 Jan, 2016
Banks exploit your personal data to stave off competitors – Sydney Morning Herald
Thanks to advances in computing power and customers’ embrace of digital finance, banks know more than ever about what their customers are up to: whether it’s browsing the web, shopping online, visiting the mall, or interacting on social media. Already, they are busily harnessing this vast amount of data to sell products to customers before […]
more…2 Jan, 2016
2015: The year India discovered intolerance – Amrith Lal, The Indian Express
Early January, Tamil writer Perumal Murugan put up on his Facebook wall the first notice of a growing trend in India society. Pummelled to submission by caste groups who took exception to his treatment of social relations in his novel, Mathorubagan (One-part Woman), Murugan announced the death of his authorial self. “Author Perumal Murugan is […]
more…1 Jan, 2016
Countering myths and misconceptions about the Halal industry in Australia
[The text of the speech delivered by Syed Atiq ul Hassan as a Guest Speaker in the Thailand Halal Assembly 2015, held in Bangkok from 25 to 27 December 2015. The Title of the speech was the Role and Responsibility of Journalist/Media for Halal Industry] In this politicised world where within or outside the Muslim […]
more…31 Dec, 2015
Big cities in China luring talent despite drawbacks
Beijing, (China Daily) 2015-12-16 -Despite heavy smog, skyrocketing house prices and living pressures, China’s first-tier cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, are still the top the choices for the best brains. At the same time, smaller cities trying to attract high-end talent are facing challenges both in recruiting and retention. Zhaopin.com, a Chinese human resources […]
more…31 Dec, 2015
Richest 10 per cent in UK ‘own half the country’s wealth’ – The Independent
The richest 10 per cent of households in the UK own nearly half of the country’s total wealth, while poorest the half of households represent just nine per cent, new official statistics reveal. Findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reveal that wealth inequality is growing, with the richest tenth of society seeing […]
more…31 Dec, 2015
How the Israel boycott movement struck major blows in 2015 | The Electronic Intifada
In September 2014, on the eve of the Jewish new year, Israel’s leading financial daily named Omar Barghouti among the 100 people most likely to influence the country’s economy in the following year. Calcalist, the business supplement of the mass circulation newspaper Yediot Ahronot, said that the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, which Barghouti helped […]
more…30 Dec, 2015
The true price of happiness: Three important lessons for a good life
Harvard professor Robert Waldinger is the director of a 75-year study following the lives of 724 men. It is the longest happiness study ever conducted. In a new TED talk, Waldinger revealed the three main findings of the study and they weren’t being able to buy the world’s most expensive wine, becoming famous or being […]
more…29 Dec, 2015
9 reasons why the Thailand Halal Assembly is NOT just another ordinary trade event
Bangkok – Thailand lies at the heart of ASEAN. Like an umbilical lifeline, the isthmus of Thailand-Malaysia links the Buddhist-majority northern half of ASEAN to the Muslim-majority southern half. This makes Thailand, a Buddhist majority country with the largest Muslim minority in ASEAN, a geographical bridgehead between two regions as well as a symbolic bond […]
more…28 Dec, 2015
Jordanian Airlines Resumes Flights To Jakarta
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 28 December 2015 (16 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA GO SHOPPING AND ENJOY! 1MALAYSIA YEAR END […]
more…28 Dec, 2015
Ex-ASEAN chief Surin Pitsuwan calls for “New Beginning” in Islamic world
Bangkok – Thailand’s best-known Muslim personality Dr Surin Pitsuwan has called on the global Islamic community to use the growing number of halal events to think well beyond food, products and services and chart a “new beginning” with a focus on solving many of the world’s looming problems. Addressing the closing ceremony of the annual […]
more…26 Dec, 2015
What If Jesus Had Been Born In 2015 In The American Police State? – Countercurrents
The Christmas narrative of a baby born in a manger is a familiar one. The Roman Empire, a police state in its own right, had ordered that a census be conducted. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary traveled to the little town of Bethlehem so that they could be counted.There being no room for the […]
more…26 Dec, 2015
Middle class a growing, positive force in China
Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2015-12-25 – China’s emerging middle class has grown into a major force driving the society in a positive direction, according to a report by one of China’s top think tanks. Slightly over half of the population in Beijing and Shanghai fall in the category of “middle class”, as does around 40 percent in […]
more…26 Dec, 2015
The checkpoint-ridden journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, today – Al Jazeera English
The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, today Mary and Joseph would have to pass through Israeli checkpoints, occupied land, illegal settlements and separation wall. See the interactive report and read the rest: The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem, today – Al Jazeera English
more…23 Dec, 2015
What If Jesus Had Been Born In 2015 In The American Police State? – Countercurrents.org
The Christmas narrative of a baby born in a manger is a familiar one. The Roman Empire, a police state in its own right, had ordered that a census be conducted. Joseph and his pregnant wife Mary traveled to the little town of Bethlehem so that they could be counted.There being no room for the […]
more…22 Dec, 2015
Americans Name Terrorism as No. 1 U.S. Problem – Gallup Polls
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After the deadly terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, Americans are now more likely to name terrorism as the top issue facing the U.S. than to name any other issue — including those that have typically topped the list recently, such as the economy and the government. About one in […]
more…22 Dec, 2015
2015: The Year the Merchants of Death Hijacked the Industry of Peace
BANGKOK – The defining development of 2015 was not a success story but a tragic failure — the total and absolute failure of the war on terror (WoT). That was accompanied by a complete absence of demands for accountability for the thousands of lives lost, the trillions of dollars squandered, the people displaced, the monumental […]
more…21 Dec, 2015
19 students barred from boarding US-bound Air India flight in Hyderabad | The Indian Express
Air India barred 19 students from boarding its flight to the USA on the grounds that the two universities in which they had secured admission are under “scrutiny” by American authorities. The national carrier asked its staff to not allow the 19 students to board its flight to San Francisco at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport […]
more…21 Dec, 2015
Asia’s first Islamic-compliant airline takes off
A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 21 December 2015 (10 Rabee’ al-Awwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA GO SHOPPING AND ENJOY! 1MALAYSIA YEAR END […]
more…21 Dec, 2015
Railway cooperation with China ushers in new era for Thai infrastructure development
BEIJING, (Xinhua), 2015-12-20 — The ground was broken on Saturday for Chinese and Thai companies to build the first standard-gauge railway in Thailand, applying China’s technology, standard and equipment, the China Railway Corporation (CRC) said. Earlier on Saturday, a launching ceremony was held at Chiang Rak Noi Station in central Thailand’s Ayutthaya province, according to […]
more…21 Dec, 2015
Indonesian film explores anti-Muslim discrimination in the US – The Jakarta Post
Acha Septriasa and Abimana Aryasatya mark their return to the screen after starring in 99 Cahaya di Langit Eropa (Ninety-nine Lights in the European Sky) and its two sequels — the predecessors of their latest film Bulan Terbelah di Langit Amerika (Split Moon in the American Sky). The latest film, Bulan Terbelah, gives a glimpse […]
more…19 Dec, 2015
Instilling fear in Americans – Arab News
By Sabria S. Jawahar Following the San Bernardino, Calif., shootings and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s call to ban entry of all Muslims to the United States my non-Muslim mother-in-law and stepdaughter expressed their fears over my safety when I come to the United States. It was particularly alarming to me since my husband’s family […]
more…19 Dec, 2015
Guess who demanded £330,000 for a 20-minute speech at a world hunger event? – The Independent
Over the weekend, it was reported that Tony Blair pulled out of addressing The World Hunger Forum in Stockholm because his £330k price tag for turning up and talking just couldn’t be met. According to one source, the food company organising the event, Eat, dropped Blair because “his star power is fast diminishing”. But regardless […]
more…19 Dec, 2015
Defying prejudice, more Americans learn Arabic – Al Jazeera English
New York, United States – Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric tells one story about the modern day US. But, students painstakingly learning Arabic’s right-to-left script in classrooms across the country tells another. While fewer Americans speak Arabic than English, Spanish, Chinese or even Tagalog, it is perhaps the nation’s fastest-growing language and is […]
more…19 Dec, 2015
Sikh man on US flight mocked, labelled bin Laden by co-passenger – The Times of India
NEW YORK: An elderly Sikh man in the US was filmed while sleeping on a flight by a co-passenger who posted the video online with a title ‘Would You Feel Safe’ and a description that says “flying with bin laden.” Darshan Singh, who was travelling on a Jetblue flight from New York to California in […]
more…19 Dec, 2015
The joy of Canada delivered from Stephen Harper’s darkness to Justin Trudeau’s light – The Independent
by Robert Fisk Let us now praise famous men… Justin Trudeau comes to mind. “Canada is back,” the country’s new Prime Minister told the climate conference in Paris – and closed the door on the bigoted, aggressive Canada which his Conservative predecessor had been trying to create. It’s nice to write a story that’s an […]
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