13 Dec, 2015

Republican senator visits mosque to reject Donald Trump’s Muslim ban — Sydney Morning Herald

Washington: Donald Trump’s call on Monday to bar all Muslims from entering the US provoked a variety of reactions from Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill, ranging from silence to gentle disapproval to full-throated condemnation. But only one visited a mosque to speak up for religious tolerance and American unity. Senator Jeff Flake, of Arizona, attended a Friday afternoon […]

12 Dec, 2015

Jewish billionaire’s Foundation banned as ‘threat to Russian national security’ – RT

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has recognized George Soros’s Open Society Institute and another affiliated organization as undesirable groups, banning Russian citizens and organizations from participation in any of their projects. In a statement released on Monday, prosecutors said the activities of the Open Society Institute and the Open Society Institute Assistance Foundation were a […]

12 Dec, 2015

Australian and Islamic extremists are the same – Afghan refugee girl tells BBC News

When Mr Shortis went on in the video to claim he and Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the leader of Islamic state, would agree on their interpretation of Islam, Ms Haidary said she realised that in some ways Islamic extremists and Australia’s most militant anti-Islamic group were exactly the same. “They go straight on the Koran,” she […]

12 Dec, 2015

Edward Snowden meets Arundhati Roy and John Cusack: War, Greed & Terrorism – The Guardian

We talked about war and greed, about terrorism, and what an accurate definition of it would be. We spoke about countries, flags and the meaning of patriotism. We talked about public opinion and the concept of public morality and how fickle it could be, and how easily manipulated. It wasn’t a Q&A type of conversation. […]

12 Dec, 2015

Reclaiming India for democracy – Jairus Banaji, The Hindu

There is a growing sense that the centralisation of power in the hands of ‘one man’ and a sheer lack of competence at the level of the PMO have triggered a breakdown in the normal routines of government and caused disaffection in the ranks of the bureaucracy. Political interference in the Reserve Bank’s jealously guarded […]

7 Dec, 2015

US$250m ADB Loan to Improve Management of Pakistan’s Land Border Points

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 07 December 2015 (25 Safar 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

2 Dec, 2015

Chinese ‘maternity tourism’ to US sees change

By Lia Zhu

San Francisco (China Daily USA), 2015-12-01 – A Los Angeles-based “birthing center” has seen less demand from couples since China changed its one-child policy but more demand from wealthy clients for high-end service. To evade the fine for violating China’s since-changed one-child policy (about 100,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan or $15,632 to $31,264), having their […]

1 Dec, 2015

S. African journalist exposes more lies by Blair and Bush over attack on Iraq

Tony Blair went to war in Iraq despite a report by South African experts with unique knowledge of the country that showed it did not possess weapons of mass destruction, according to a book published on Sunday. God, Spies and Lies, by South African journalist John Matisonn, describes how then president Thabo Mbeki tried in […]

30 Nov, 2015

Malaysia helps Japan tap the Global Halal Market

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 30 November 2015 (18 Safar 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

30 Nov, 2015

Egyptian writer blasts West’s duplicitous policies on fighting terror

The recent backlash against Egypt in connection with the plane crash has nothing to do with the plane crash and everything to do with international bias and misjudgement. When it comes to fighting terror, international policy is simply duplicitous. It all depends on who is being targeted, and what the outcome is for them. When […]

30 Nov, 2015

Is promoting gay travel contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The announcement of an “organizational partnership” between the Pacific Asia Travel Association and the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association has raised some serious fundamental questions about the appropriateness of promoting gay travel in a cultural context as well as its linkage with the spread of HIV/AIDS. On the one hand, the IGLTA […]

29 Nov, 2015

Schengen: Border-control agency Frontex seeks access to security databases

by Maria Vasileiou

THE HAGUE, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) — Without access to security database tools necessary for detecting terrorist threats, Frontex is forced to limit its controls of irregular immigrants at Schengen zone external borders to a minimum check with identity registering, said Fabrice Leggeri, executive director of the European external border agency, in an interview with Xinhua. […]

29 Nov, 2015

Chinese play growing part in online shopping

By Hezi Jiang

New York (China Daily USA) 2015-11-26 — Foreign brands and retailers are ready for another Chinese “Duo Shou Day”, which translates into one’s hands being chopped because of an inability to refrain from online shopping. Rewarded with good revenue on Singles Day on Nov 11, many international merchants are hoping to attract more Chinese online […]

29 Nov, 2015

Xinhua Insight: China changes tactics in financial fight against poverty

Imtiaz Muqbil

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) — Zhang Xiangyin still remembers the day his daughter-in-law left home three years ago, leaving her 33-day-old son. She could no longer bear living entrenched in poverty in their mountain village. Zhang, a 58-year-old farmer in Bijie City of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, knows exactly what poverty means. With two daughters, […]

29 Nov, 2015

Aamir Khan is the true son of India: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra | The Indian Express

Filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra says superstar Aamir Khan, who has been embroiled in a controversy for his comments on intolerance, is a true son of the soil and does not have to prove anything. The 50-year-old “PK” star during an award function in the national capital had said he has been “alarmed” by a number […]

29 Nov, 2015

The war on terror and the terror of war – DAWN.COM

We live in a world where wars are not fought anymore, but felt. A world where war has seeped into human hearts, silently and sinisterly, manifesting itself through the most trivial of human emotions. We live in a world where the battlefield is not a place anymore, but a condition. A world where the most […]

28 Nov, 2015

Lies, Terror and the Drive to War – PravdaReport

It is all about “narratives”, the buzz word coined by US propaganda. The point 0f a narrative is, however, that it needs to be consistent, whether it is a fairy tale or a spinned story. Many official narratives have become unraveled to the point where few people out there still believe them. This is the […]

27 Nov, 2015

RSS India’s number 1 terror group: Former Mumbai police officer – The Times of India

KOLKATA: Claiming that the activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been indicted in at least 13 terror cases across India, former Maharashtra inspector general of police S M Mushrif on Thursday described the BJP’s ideological mentor as India’s number one terrorist organisation. “RSS activists have been chargesheeted in at least 13 cases of […]

27 Nov, 2015

Paris attacks: Women targeted as hate crime against British Muslims soars – The Independent

Muslims living in Britain have suffered more than 100 racial attacks since the terrorist atrocities in Paris, figures prepared for ministers reveal. A report to the Government’s working group on anti-Muslim hatred, seen by The Independent, shows a spike in Islamophobic hate crime of more than 300 per cent, to 115, in the week following […]

27 Nov, 2015

Myopia epidemic: Kids urged to go outside and drop devices – or risk blindness – Sydney Morning Herald

Maxime Jalbert Locke has been told to spend more time outdoors. The 11-year-old has also been told to limit time on devices. The reason? He has been diagnosed with myopia. When asked what caused his myopia, he said it was caused ‘a bit’ by looking at screens. About 30 per cent of myopia is genetic. […]

27 Nov, 2015

The downside of too much technology: Young people with ‘old eyes’ | The Japan Times

Growing numbers of people in their 20s and 30s are reporting vision trouble. The cause is spending too much time staring at small screens. Staring too much at tiny details in the confined space of a small screen results in a condition known as presbyopia, a term derived from Greek words meaning “old eye.” The […]

27 Nov, 2015

Aamir Khan’s right to speak – The Hindu

In the Bharatiya Janata Party Parivar’s revised reckoner, actor Aamir Khan is now a villain giving India a bad name. It happened the day he joined forces with writers, actors and scientists and re-opened the debate on intolerance in the country by voicing his own concern and his wife’s anxiety and thoughts, perhaps fleeting, of […]

27 Nov, 2015

Hindu party leader offers hotel staff Rs 100k to slap Muslim actor, party says not official view — Hindustan Times

A leader of the Punjab unit of the Shiv Sena has offered Rs 1 lakh (Rs 100,000) to anyone who slaps Bollywood actor Aamir Khan for his comment on ‘growing intolerance’ in the country. The Shiv Sena, however, said on Thursday the remark was not the official view of the party. “Any person who slaps […]

27 Nov, 2015

What has a 15-year ‘War on Terror” achieved? – Interview with the Prime Minister of Australia

LEIGH SALES:Billions of dollars have been spent since 9-11, numerous civil liberties have been curtailed, Australians have been told the whole way along that it was to make them safer and to defeat terrorism around the world and yet here we are in 2015, told today that we’re less safe than we’ve ever been. Don’t […]

27 Nov, 2015

India’s religious intolerance flap: Aamir Khan’s comment is just the tip of the iceberg | Asia Times

By Amrita Mukherjee Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan recently stirred a storm on Indian social media by publicly remarking that his wife, Kiran Rao (who is a Hindu by birth), had asked him whether they should move out of India due to rising religious intolerance. Aamir (a Muslim) drew the ire of right wing Hindu politicians […]

24 Nov, 2015

States of Terror – Chris Hedges – Truthdig

It is nearly certain that we will endure, sooner rather than later, another catastrophic terrorist attack on American soil. The blundering of our military into the Middle East; the failed states that have risen out of the mismanagement and chaos of Iraq and Afghanistan; the millions of innocents we have driven from their homes, terrorized […]

24 Nov, 2015

PressTV – ‘Israel was prime force behind 9/11’: American Scholar

An American scholar and journalist in Wisconsin says not only was the Zionist regime the primary force behind the 9/11 attacks, it was Israeli spies working for Mossad – not Arab Muslims – who celebrated the burning Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Dr. Kevin Barrett, a founding member of the Scientific Panel for the […]

24 Nov, 2015

Attacks on American Muslims are growing uglier by the day. It must stop – Washington Post

In the week since the Paris attacks, the American conversation has escalated with frightening and jaw-dropping speed to include registration of U.S. Muslims, internment camps, closed borders. The tone is actually worse than it was after the Sept. 11 attacks on our own soil. Registration by religion? Sounds like Nazi Germany, not a country with […]

24 Nov, 2015

Why Gen Y Should Avoid Seeking Jobs in Travel & Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

The surge in travel & tourism over the last few years has attracted many young people who see it as a promising job opportunity. They are enticed by the glamour of working in a nice environment, meeting people of different cultures, enjoying good food and, if they stay the course, being able to travel at […]

23 Nov, 2015

Turn off the TV, Islamic Terrorism is a Fat Lie – Moroccan World News

Rabat – Terrorism is a lie. It simply does not exist and is an example of yet another manufactured word that takes on a meaning far more insidious than the people who supposedly perpetrate the crime. If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to see it or hear it fall, does […]

23 Nov, 2015

Majestic Mughal Jewellery on display at V&A Museum, London

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 23 November 2015 (11 Safar 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

16 Nov, 2015

Malaysian training to boost Muslim-friendly Hospitality Services

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 16 November 2015 (04 Safar 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

15 Nov, 2015

Tourism Faces Terrorism: Attacks on the Russian Airliner and Paris and What They Will Mean to You!

By Dr Peter Tarlow

This month has not been easy for specialists in tourism security.  We first witnessed the terrorist bombing of the Russian aircraft causing not only death and destruction to innocent civilians but also a major blow to Egypt’s tourism industry.  Friday afternoon, Texas time, the first reports of November 13th terrible attacks in Paris began to come through the newswires. It is still too early to provide […]

15 Nov, 2015

Paris attacks: 15 Years of a “War on Terror,” And What Have We Got?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Fifteen years after the terrorist 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre, and the trillions, repeat trillions, of dollars spent on security, surveillance and weaponry, sanctions to curb terrorist financing, the regime-change attacks on countries, the biometric fingerprinting and iris-scanning, tighter visa restrictions, airport naked body-scanners, eavesdropping and monitoring of terrorist “chatter”, drone strikes, the […]

10 Nov, 2015

Many German Managers Not Strengths-Focused – Gallup

by Marco Nink Helping employees to set and achieve goals is a crucial responsibility for managers. But to encourage excellence, it’s important for managers to do more than hand their workers a job description or a list of tasks to be accomplished. To empower employees to take initiative and inspire high performance, the best managers […]

10 Nov, 2015

The World’s Most Successful Islamic Economic Forum, And Why It Works

Imtiaz Muqbil

Kuala Lumpur — The World Islamic Economic Forum, held here between Nov 3-5, has evolved into possibly the most unique and successful festival of business, economics, music, arts, ideas and inspiration in the Muslim world. Having just completed its 11th year, the WIEF has grown ten-fold from a paltry 400 delegates at the inaugural forum […]

9 Nov, 2015

Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies to open in January 2016

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 09 November 2015 (27 Muharram 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

7 Nov, 2015

The Most Brazen Corporate Power Grab in American History – Chris Hedges – Truthdig

The release Thursday of the 5,544-page text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership—a trade and investment agreement involving 12 countries comprising nearly 40 percent of global output—confirms what even its most apocalyptic critics feared. “The TPP, along with the WTO [World Trade Organization] and NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement], is the most brazen corporate power grab […]

5 Nov, 2015

U.K. filmmaker backs protest against Modi – The Hindu

Leslie Udwin, who made the critically acclaimed documentary India’s Daughter, has voiced her support for protests organised against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to London on November 12. Ms. Udwin however insisted that has not been personally involved in organising any of the Modi-related protests. Recent news reports have said that she issued […]

5 Nov, 2015

In India, portents of a religious autocracy – The Hindu

With the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) being the fountainhead of Hindutva, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government being strongly influenced by the RSS, we may ask: “Are we moving towards a Hindu religious autocracy which would move the country away from rationality and reason and, thus, democracy?” Unfortunately, it seems so. In any rational […]

5 Nov, 2015

Hotels in Delhi step up security after sting claims beef sale – The Hindu

Several five Star Hotels in New Delhi and South Delhi have been provided additional security cover after a sting operation purportedly showed them as serving cow meat. Talking to The Hindu a senior police officer said that the security was enhanced in the light of warning from right wing groups who have demanded action and […]

5 Nov, 2015

Dear Modi Sarkar, respect intellectuals and please respond – Hindustan Times

Right after documentary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan returned his National Award, he appeared for a television interview and said the current regime has ushered us into “early stages of nascent fascism”. Patwardhan – the director of hard-hitting documentaries like Ram ke Naam, Father, Son, and Holy War and Jai Bhim Comrade – was asked in return […]

5 Nov, 2015

Hindutva hardliners seek review of population policy to counter Muslim growth – Hindustan Times

The RSS on Saturday sought a review of the population policy to counter “severe demographic changes” in India, flagging what it considers a high rate of growth among Muslims in the country. The Hindutva outfit – considered the ideological mentor of the ruling BJP at the Centre – passed a resolution on the contentious issue […]

5 Nov, 2015

Divided India observes Unity and Integration day – Hindustan Times

India’s yawning political divide was on full display on Saturday as the country failed to put up a united front in paying tributes to two of its foremost leaders, Indira Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on Saturday. Various states ruled by different political parties marked the death and birth anniversaries of the former prime minister […]

5 Nov, 2015

As the October Protests rage on – The Hindu

By Zoya Hasan Even as this is being written, the campaign started by 40 writers returning the Sahitya Akademi awards to the government to protest against the growing climate of intolerance, is still unfolding. More and more artists, painters, filmmakers, scientists, historians and academics have joined their ranks in the past month to register their […]

4 Nov, 2015

The Costs of Hindu Extremism – The New York Times

The dismay that many ordinary Indian citizens feel about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s willingness to tolerate, even encourage, the Hindu hard-liners in his own party has now spread to the financial community. Last week, Moody’s Analytics, a division of the bond rating and risk management company, warned that Mr. Modi “must keep his members in […]

3 Nov, 2015

Rabin’s Death Anniversary: Jews and Travel & Tourism Need Some Soul-Searching

Imtiaz Muqbil

November 4, 2015 – Today marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic day in 1995 when a Jewish fanatic extremist terrorist named Yigal Amir shot dead his fellow Jew, the Nobel Peace laureate Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. Also today, at the World Travel Market in London, the International Institute of Peace through Tourism (IIPT) […]

3 Nov, 2015

Indian tribal gurus say no difference between missionaries and RSS – Hindustan Times

There is no difference between the Christian missionaries and the Rashtriya Swamsevak Sangh (RSS) except for the fact that the former tried to lure tribesmen to their religion and the latter wanted to force Hinduism on them, tribal gurus from Jharkhand said on Monday. They were reacting to the RSS’s claim that all of Sarna […]

3 Nov, 2015

Shah Rukh Khan: Not being secular is the worst crime as patriot – Hindustan Times

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said on Monday there was “extreme intolerance” in India, touching upon a heated debate at a time a section of writers and intellectuals have launched a protest against the central government over ‘growing religious tension’. “People put words in the air even before thinking,” Khan said at a Twitter town […]

2 Nov, 2015

11th World Islamic Economic Forum To Open in KL Nov 3

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 02 November 2015 (20 Muharram 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 The […]

1 Nov, 2015

‘I did it! Now bring me schnapps!’ How Rabin’s assassin greeted news that Israel’s champion of peace was dead – The Guardian

In one of the waiting rooms, he told a policeman his act would cause people to rise up. “I don’t want people to think I’m crazy. Otherwise, I won’t achieve my goal.” To Ronen, he explained that the Talmudic doctrine din rodef amounted to a death sentence for Rabin – an explication that only people […]

1 Nov, 2015

Clinton at Rabin Rally: Israelis Must Decide if They Stand for Peace – Haaretz

A rally marking the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin drew 100,000 people on Saturday, organizers said. Initial estimations suggested 50,000 were in attendance. President Reuven Rivlin vowed in a speech that Israel will never give in to violent extremists, while former U.S. President Bill Clinton told the crowds of Israelis […]

1 Nov, 2015

Australia to trial cloud passports in world-first move – Sydney Morning Herald

Australia is looking at trialling passport-less travel in a move Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop predicts will go global. The idea of cloud passports is the result of a hipster-style-hackathon held at the Department of Foreign Affairs, which culminated in an X-Factor style audition before the secretary Peter Varghese, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop, Assistant […]

1 Nov, 2015

How Palestinian women defy Israel’s occupation – Al Jazeera English

Lidia Rimawi wanted a son. But her husband is a political prisoner, serving a 25-year sentence in an Israeli prison, and will be 50 before he’s released. So she did the only thing she could think of under the circumstances: She smuggled his sperm out of the prison. Thirty-seven-year-old Lidia lives in Beit Rima outside […]

1 Nov, 2015

‘Intellectuals will be silenced’: historians express fears of Indian government – The Guardian

More than 50 Indian historians have detailed their collective “anguish” at the “highly vitiated atmosphere prevailing in the country”, just weeks after dozens of Indian writers returned their literary awards in protest over what they called India’s “climate of intolerance”. The historians, who include eminent scholars Romila Thapar and Irfan Habib, write in a joint […]

1 Nov, 2015

Intolerance on the rise, government should start dialogue, says Indian Nobel laureate – The Times of India

MUMBAI: Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi on Friday said intolerance is on the rise and there is a “dialogue deficit” between the government and its people. “There is significant intolerance in our society. Not only intolerance but fear and apathy has also risen in the society at large which is dividing it. “This situation is prevailing […]

31 Oct, 2015

Pakistan foundation that looked after Hindu girl, turns down Indian PM’s Rs 10 million donation – The Indian Express

Pakistan’s charity foundation Edhi today turned down Rs one crore donation announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking care of deaf and mute Indian girl Geeta during her over a decade-long stay in the country. Prominent philanthropist Abdul Sattar Edhi, who is the founder and head of the Edhi Foundation, thanked Prime Minister Modi […]

30 Oct, 2015

Americans Worldwide Must Break Silence on Islamophobia to Preserve Constitutional Freedoms

by Zainab Chaudry

October 28, 2015  – One afternoon last week, while checking email during an Uber ride in Washington, D.C., a message caught my attention. Exclamation points dominated the subject line. I mentally braced myself before opening the message. The email began: “In case you missed it, I want to bring this article to your attention…” The article in question was […]

30 Oct, 2015

Hebrew University to Establish Yitzhak Rabin Fellowship to “Create a New Generation of Statesmen”

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 29, 2015 – American Friends of Yitzhak Rabin (AFYR) today officially announced a partnership with The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the leading university in Israel, to establish the Yitzhak Rabin Fellowship in Graduate Democracy Studies in the Department of Political Science. Supported by proceeds raised from an Oct. 13 gala in Boston, […]

30 Oct, 2015

Jobs with heaviest alcohol consumption revealed – The Independent

Many people turn to a pint on a Friday to mark the end of the working week. But heavy drinking, in which five or more drinks are consumed in one sitting, appears to be more of a problem in some lines of work than others. According to government data studied by Statista, the graphic below […]

29 Oct, 2015

Muslims celebrate Durga Puja in Tripura – The Hindu

Setting an example of communal harmony, several Durga pujas are being organised by the Muslim community in Tripura. The big budget puja of the ‘Blood Drop’ club in the Sonamura sub-division of Sipahijala district was held under the guidance of a Muslim president of the puja committee. “In this Hindu majority area, they have elected […]

29 Oct, 2015

UK academics boycott universities in Israel to fight for Palestinians’ rights – The Guardian

More than 300 academics from dozens of British universities have pledged to boycott Israeli academic institutions in protest at what they call intolerable human rights violations against the Palestinian people. The declaration, by 343 professors and lecturers, is printed in a full-page advertisement carried in Tuesday’s Guardian, with the title: “A commitment by UK scholars […]

29 Oct, 2015

100 top Indian scientists join protest, slam ‘climate of intolerance’ | The Indian Express

After protests by writers and artists, over 100 distinguished scientists from some of India’s top institutes issued a statement on Wednesday denouncing the “climate of intolerance” and “a rash of bigoted acts”.  The statement — a rare public stand by a community that is reluctant to voice its collective opinion on non-scientific issues — came […]

29 Oct, 2015

Indian Scientist latest to return Padma Bhushan, protests against ‘attack on rationalism, reasoning’ – The Indian Express

Joining the bandwagon of writers and artists, veteran scientist P M Bhargava will return the awards he received from the government of India to protest against “the government’s attack on rationalism, reasoning and science.” Bhargava, who was the founder-director of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), said he would return his Padma Bhushan […]

29 Oct, 2015

12 Indian filmmakers return national awards to join agitation against ‘intolerance’ – The Indian Express

Students at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Wednesday ended their 140-day-old strike — but the protest was taken forward by 12 filmmakers, who announced that they would return their National Awards over the unresolved FTII issue and the “rising intolerance” in the country. The students, too, said they would return to classes […]

29 Oct, 2015

Meet India’s new nationalists muzzling dissent – The Indian Express

They are young, urban, and online. They communicate frequently, organise efficiently, and pursue their agendas across multiple fronts, both physical and digital. They identify as nationalists, which in practice makes them nativists. They typically blame and excoriate an amorphous other — Chinese expansionists, Western cultural imperialists, Islamic fundamentalists — for their country’s ills and claim […]

29 Oct, 2015

Netanyahu Marks Rabin Murder With Nightmare Prophecy of Israel’s Future – Haaretz

By Bradley Burston Twenty years ago this November 4, we had a young family, and hope. Twenty years ago this November 4, when we loaded the old car with the kids and a stroller to drive down the mountain to go hear Yitzhak Rabin speak in Tel Aviv, we lived in a country with a […]

29 Oct, 2015

Buddhists asked to avoid prayer beads and statues made of ivory

By Xu Wei

Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2015-10-26 – International Buddhists were called upon develop and coordinate ecological protection services as the Fourth World Buddhist Forum wrapped up on Sunday. In a declaration at the closing ceremony, the forum called upon Buddhists worldwide to develop and coordinate international Buddhist charitable services such as disaster relief, poverty alleviation and ecological protection, […]

28 Oct, 2015

Anniversary of Rabin’s murder stirs what-ifs amid violence – The Guardian

In grim, reflective mood, Israelis are marking the 20th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin – the prime minister who took a historic step towards peace with the Palestinians – linking his murder by a rightwing nationalist to the latest wave of Arab-Jewish violence and the bleak prospects for ending the conflict. Rabin was […]

27 Oct, 2015

The Rabin Assassination: When Judaism Failed – Haaretz

When Yigal Amir murdered Yitzhak Rabin, he did not target Yitzhak Rabin the man; he targeted the prime minister of Israel. This political assassination sought to change government policy and prevent the implementation of the Oslo Accords. The assassin used a gun barrel to change the results of the ballot box, seeking to overthrow Israel’s […]

27 Oct, 2015

Israeli Mayor: Partners of Rabin’s Assassin Now Rule Israel

Adi Eldar, mayor of the northern Israeli city of Carmiel, has accused senior government officials of cooperation and responsibility in the murder of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. At a ceremony on Sunday marking the 20th anniversary of the assassination, Eldar said that murderer Yigal Amir’s partners are now ruling the country. “The militant right, this […]

27 Oct, 2015

Six hotels amongst 115 UK firms named and shamed for failing to pay minimum wage – The Independent

Clothing and jewellery chain Monsoon Accessorize has been named as the worst British company for paying their staff the new minimum wage. The company was listed amongst 115 employers who have failed to pay their workers the National Minimum Wage. Between them, the 115 companies named owed workers over £389,000 in arrears, and span sectors […]

27 Oct, 2015

Why does ITB Asia make such a big deal about promoting LGBT travel?

Imtiaz Muqbil

Singapore – ITB Asia has been promoting gay and lesbian travel for a number of years. This year, two sessions were devoted entirely to the subject. As there are far more important markets in the Asia-Pacific, such as senior-citizens and People with Disabilities, which do not get any attention at ITB Asia, a logical question […]

26 Oct, 2015

UK company plans Tehran-Moscow luxury railway trip

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 26 October 2015 (13 Muharram 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

26 Oct, 2015

In pictures: Utter failure of ASEAN’s single-destination brand campaign

Imtiaz Muqbil

Singapore – With just under two months before the integrated ASEAN Community takes effect, the ASEAN tourism sector has proved its utter failure to meet the over-arching goal of building a strong brand image and promoting the region as a single destination. Although the ASEAN countries had the largest collective presence at the ITB Asia […]

26 Oct, 2015

Incredible Indians wish they had been less incredible – Hindustan Times

By Karan Thapar ‘Incredible India’ is how we describe ourselves and today I want to show you how accurate that is. But first a warning: I’m using the adjective in ways the author of the slogan did not intend. My aim is not to attract tourists but to hold a mirror to ourselves. Second, at […]

26 Oct, 2015

The fringe, violent elements of Indian society have now become mainstream – Hindustan Times

Across the country from Dadri to Faridabad, Moodbidri to Udhampur, there’s a deep sense of unease at events spiralling out of control. Writers feel it, sociologists believe it and the president is concerned enough to have to publicly address it repeatedly in the course of a month. The BJP would have you believe that the […]

26 Oct, 2015

Peace call goes viral: ‘I am an Indian & I don’t hate Pakistan’ – The Times of India

Armchair activism isn’t a bad word any more. In fact, there’s nothing beyond its scope if people decide to sit on a chair and raise their virtual voice. The recent instances of hate against Pakistan and the Shiv Sena-imposed extra-egal ban on artistes, writers and sportspersons from across the border has triggered a spontaneous online […]

26 Oct, 2015

Enough with Hindutva, it has poisoned the air with hatred, violence- The Indian Express

By Tavleen Singh At this point in Narendra Modi’s term as Prime Minister we should have been talking about good things. Jobs, growth, economic reforms, new policies, India’s role in the world and her transition towards fulfilling that promise of making the 21st century her own. Instead, all we have talked about since Mohammad Akhlaq’s […]

26 Oct, 2015

India: 19th-century politics for a 21st-century society – Hindustan Times

by Ramachandran Guha Some years ago, I edited an anthology of Indian political thought, profiling 19 individual thinkers. The usual suspects — Gokhale, Tilak, Phule, Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedkar, Lohia, JP, Periyar — featured, but also some less conventional choices. One of these was Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar, sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh between 1940 and […]

23 Oct, 2015

RSS has made India an undeclared Hindu Rashtra, Azam Khan says – The Times of India

LUCKNOW: Senior minister in Akhilesh cabinet Azam Khan has questioned the article published in the latest edition of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece Panchjanya which states that Vedas order killing of sinners who kill cows. “The write-up clearly reflects the divisive ideology of the RSS. It says that India is an undeclared Hindu nation […]

23 Oct, 2015

Zahid death: Kashmir writer Margoob Banhali returns Sahitya Akademi Award | The Indian Express

Noted Kashmir writer and poet Margoob Banhali today joined the growing list of litterateurs to return the Sahitya Akademi Award in protest against the “increasing attacks on minorities” in the country. “Attacks on minorities in India have grown. The barbaric attack of 20-years-old Zahid Rasool Bhat resulted in his laying to rest in south Kashmir […]

23 Oct, 2015

Murder in India: Modi’s fail – Ramesh Thakur, Policy Forum

On September 28, just outside Delhi in Dadri, a 50-year-old Muslim man, Mohammad Akhlaq, was lynched by a mob wielding sticks, swords and makeshift pistols. Whipped into a killing frenzy by an announcement in a local temple that someone had slaughtered a cow and eaten beef, the mob accused Akhlaq of this heinous – to […]

23 Oct, 2015

Rising intolerance: What is at stake is the very soul of India | The Indian Express

To much public consternation, Haryana CM Manohar Khattar recently asserted that “Muslims can continue to live in India, but they will have to give up eating beef”. He contended that because cow slaughter hurts the sentiments of Hindus, Muslims and Christians must learn to live without it. In defending Khattar’s views, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj […]

23 Oct, 2015

Communalising beef: The Hindutva camp’s flawed argument | The Indian Express

The worst part about any debate on political/social/religious issues in India is that you introduce a Muslim dimension to it and the whole discourse will turn into an emotive issue. This situation has greatly aggravated with ‘swayamsevaks’ ruling a democratic-secular India. Currently it is happening on the issue of beef. The Hindutva camp is using […]

23 Oct, 2015

Pakistani cricket commentator, umpire forced to leave India over security concerns – DAWN.COM

India’s failure to provide security to Pakistan’s commentators and match officials, following Shiv Sena’s hooliganism, has forced Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar to quit the ongoing India-South Africa series and head home early, ESPNcricinfo reported. The development comes a day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) withdrew Pakistan’s Aleem Dar from officiating in the rest […]

23 Oct, 2015

From saffron to red: Welcome to Modi’s India – DAWN.COM

Last year, the world was fixated upon India when the general elections brought to power Narendra Modi, the former chief minister of the prosperous Indian state of Gujarat. Enthusiasts didn’t tire of pointing out at the time that the story of Indian democracy could not have gotten any better; the new premier used to sell […]

23 Oct, 2015

Backlash feared: Chinese tourist dies after “forced shopping” brawl in Hong Kong

By Ku Ma

Hong Kong – (chinadaily.com.cn) 2015-10-21 — The shocking death of a mainland tourist in Hong Kong started a war of words between the mainland and the “shopping heaven”, which has climaxed in the virtual space. However, it has become a truly worrying sign in the real world. Despite Hong Kong authorities’ quick action to detain […]

19 Oct, 2015

Pearls Expo being held in Istanbul’s Islamic Arts Museum

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 19 October 2015 (06 Muharram 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA MALAYSIA CELEBRATES A YEAR OF GREAT FESTIVALS 2015 […]

19 Oct, 2015

Urdu poet Munawar Rana returns Sahitya Akademi Award, vows never to accept any govt award | The Indian Express

PROTESTS OF writers against “rising intolerance” in the country continued with two more writers, Urdu poet Munawwar Rana and Telugu writer Katyayani Vidmahe, returning their Sahitya Akademi awards on Sunday. Nearly 30 writers have returned their Akademi awards so far, while over a dozen have returned other awards they received from the Akademi. Rana, who […]

19 Oct, 2015

China plans fool-proof tax regime to foil multinational corporations by year-end

By ZHENG YANGPENG

Beijing, (China Daily) 2015-10-13 – A key government draft proposal that will seek to tackle multinational corporations’ tax-avoidance will draw from a latest international tax rule, and is expected to be rolled out by the year-end, a top tax official said. Wang Xiaoyue, vice-director of the International Taxation Department under the State Administration of Taxation, […]

19 Oct, 2015

400 million mobile phones become obsolete each year in China

By Gao Yinan

Beijing,  (People’s Daily Online), October 13, 2015 – “When I bought a new cell phone, it was already obsolete,” a man surnamed Chen said. He works in Shenzhen, southern China, which leads the country’s electronics industry. Chen’s confusion is not an isolated case. Nowadays, with the rapid updating of mobile phones, dealing with abandoned handsets […]

19 Oct, 2015

Hi-Tech Meets Hi-Touch At Travel Bloggers Forum In Bangkok

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Nearly 600 travel bloggers from all over the world convened in Thailand for the first Travel Blog Exchange (TBEX) in Asia between 15-17 October. Amidst the dozens of presentations on harnessing whiz-bang hi-tech tools to make a living out of their passion for writing, it was the high-touch exhibit of traditional Thai arts […]

17 Oct, 2015

A lament from Pakistan to India: It turned out you were just like us – Hindustan Times

Leading Pakistani feminist and poetess Fahmida Riaz is wondering whether to laugh or cry over recent events of intolerance across India. Riaz, who once took refuge in that country when she was hounded by right-wing elements in General Zia-ul Haq’s time, now says India has “turned out like us” — not just intolerant, but to […]

17 Oct, 2015

Time is ticking: Busy with state elections and foreign travels, Modi is failing to deliver – TOI Blogs

Narendra Modi led his party to victory in the general elections last year on a wave of hope. The UPA government had largely stopped governing in its last two years, and Modi promised to get things moving. Nearly 17 months later, his government is failing to deliver. The problem is that Modi is fiddling while […]

17 Oct, 2015

Beef ban or Ram mandir movement, political mobilisation of Hindus doesn’t work – TOI Blogs

The philosophy of the Upanishads is being sought to be transformed into a battering ram against minorities. Attempts are being made to transform Hinduism – a religion with no central panel of saints, no single church and no single godhead, its dizzying multiplicity the secret of its invincibility – into a wannabe copycat version, indeed […]

17 Oct, 2015

How Facebook plans to get you to spend all your time on Facebook – Sydney Morning Herald

There seems to be a lot going on at the big blue social network these days. A spate of headlines from the past several weeks have outlined some very ambitious plans: Facebook is building a real-time news tool that could kill Twitter. Facebook’s testing shopping products that could take on Amazon. Facebook’s making its own […]

17 Oct, 2015

Sikh community organizes inter-faith langar at Amritsar mosque – TOI Blogs

As tales of communal discord and intolerance continue to dominate the news in India, this story will help restore your faith in humanity. On October 8, volunteers of Sikh Press Association and Basics of Sikhi organized a langar at the historic Jama Masjid in Amritsar. Close to 400 people including madrassa students, Sikhs, Christians, and […]

15 Oct, 2015

The blood-dimmed tide of fascism is loosed in Modi’s India | Asia Times

By M.K. Bhadrakumar, Asia Times News & Features Seldom does adrenaline flow so instinctively the moment one begins reading the morning newspapers in the Indian capital, but today is one such day. I am not entitled to claim friendship with Sudheendra Kulkarni but do have an acquaintance going back by several years. I hold him […]

15 Oct, 2015

Goa Sahitya Akademi Award winning writers condemn “cultural Talibanism” – The Hindu

A group of Sahitya Akademi award winner writers from Goa on Thursday condemned the silence of Sahitya Akademi over the rising trend of intolerance in the country and recent murders of some writers. “We demand from Sahitya Akademi the official condemnation of the threat to our fundamental rights that is more imperative at this juncture. […]