21 Feb, 2015

Iran’s Jews: It is our home and we plan to stay

Tehran, Feb 20, IRNA – National Public Radio (NPR), a media organization in the United States, says Iranian Jews believe Iran is their home and they want to stay in their home. In a report written by the NPR reporter Steve Inskeep, we read Iran is a country where people at rallies routinely chant ‘Death […]

20 Feb, 2015

Wealth of China’s super rich to rise in Year of Sheep

Beijing, (CRI), 2015-02-18 – Ahead of the upcoming Spring Festival that falls on Thursday, also the Year of the Sheep, China’s ultra-high net worth population will have another successful year. Ultra-high net worth (UHNW) intelligence and prospecting firm Wealth-X has predicted that the wealth of UHNW population, those with a net worth of $30 million […]

19 Feb, 2015

Emirates rejects Delta’s apology over terrorism remarks | GulfNews.com

Dubai: Emirates has rejected an apology from Delta Air Lines, one of America’s major carriers, after its chief executive, Richard Anderson, this week associated the 9/11 terrorist attack with Gulf airlines. “We believe that the statements made this week by [Mr] Anderson were deliberately crafted and delivered for specific effect. This brings into question his […]

19 Feb, 2015

For India, Secularism is not a policy option – The Hindu

Contrary to what many in the BJP seem to think, secularism is not a policy option for a government, but one of the original principles that inform the Constitution. ‘Secular’, as a word to describe the Indian Republic, might have been added to the Preamble only in 1976, but the freedom of conscience and free […]

19 Feb, 2015

Are Airbnb and Uber creating a new black economy? – Sydney Morning Herald

It is called the “sharing economy”. It has been embraced by millions of consumers globally, and has made multi-millionaires out of the savvy entrepreneurs behind its most high-profile services, like Uber and Airbnb. But for governments in Australia, and around the world, it has proved to be a difficult beat to police. The likes of […]

19 Feb, 2015

Israel’s Control of Dead Sea Deprives Palestinians of $962b Annually

RAMALLAH, February 15, 2015 (WAFA) – The Ministry of National Economy Sunday said the Israeli government’s full control of the Dead Sea deprives the Palestinian economy from taking advantage of its natural resources and valuable metals by profiting from around $962 billion. The ministry said if Palestinians were allowed to make use of the natural […]

19 Feb, 2015

Why Muslim lives don’t matter in the U.S. – Al Jazeera English

Irrespective of what rallying cries, signs or adapted hashtags proclaim, Muslim lives in America don’t matter. The aftermath of the murder of the three American students in Chapel Hill, and the broader context that spurred it, reconfirms this brutal truth. The three victims – Deah Barakat, 23, his wife Yusor Mohammad, 21, and her sister […]

19 Feb, 2015

Chapel Hill shooting and western media bigotry – Al Jazeera English

Three Muslim Americans were murdered on Tuesday in a University of North Carolina dorm room. The crime came on the heels of recent anti-Muslim attacks in Europe, carried out in apparent response to the January murders (committed by Muslims) of Charlie Hebdo journalists in Paris. Western media outlets will likely frame the most recent perpetrator […]

18 Feb, 2015

Indonesia to stop sending maids to UAE, Arab countries | GulfNews.com

Dubai: The Indonesian Embassy confirmed that the country has stopped sending domestic workers to the UAE and all other Arab countries. The announcement came after the newly elected president of Indonesia, which has approximately 90,000 expatriates, many of whom work as housemaids, in the UAE, vowed to stop sending housemaids abroad. The practice is deemed […]

18 Feb, 2015

Report Exposes the Funders and Pundits Spreading Islamophobia | Alternet

By Amy Goodman, Nermeen Shaikh February 16, 2015 – In an interview with Democracy Now!, Yasmine Taeb, Islamophobia project manager at the Center for American Progress, spoke about a report she co-authored entitled “Fear, Inc. 2.0, The Islamophobia Network’s Efforts to Manufacture Hate in America.” This latest investigation comes in the wake of recent events […]

18 Feb, 2015

Eureka! Earthshaking New Study Reveals Root Cause of the Profoundly Stupid | Alternet

By Susan Grigsby / Daily Kos It is a question I have been pondering for the past week or two. Could a vaccine, specifically, the polio vaccine, have caused us to become profoundly stupid? Looking for evidence, like so many troubled young parents of today faced with a vaccination schedule, I turned to Google to […]

18 Feb, 2015

Chinese Commentary: Those terrorists that once were ‘friends’ of United States

Beijing, (Xinhua), February 17, 2015 — U.S. President Barack Obama is set to meet with leaders and senior security officials from many other countries at a summit in Washington on Thursday, in an attempt to address the aggravating terrorist violence across the world. This summit, themed “Summit on Countering Violent Extremism,” will be attended by […]

18 Feb, 2015

Chinese Commentary: Uncle Sam: anti-terror leader or terrorist breeder?

by Xinhua writer Luo Jun

BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) — On the world stage, the United States has assumed anti-terror leadership since the deadly Sept. 11 attack in 2001, yet underneath its glossy surface, Uncle Sam seemed to have a secret identity as a terrorist breeder. In a display of leadership and power, the White House will convene an international […]

17 Feb, 2015

Russian researchers expose US spying program | GulfNews.com

San Francisco: The US National Security Agency has figured out how to hide spying software deep within hard drives made by Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba and other top manufacturers, giving the agency the means to eavesdrop on the majority of the world’s computers, according to cyber researchers and former operatives. That long-sought and closely guarded […]

17 Feb, 2015

Over 100 UK artists announce a cultural boycott of Israel – The Guardian

Along with more than 600 other fellow artists, we are announcing today that we will not engage in business-as-usual cultural relations with Israel. We will accept neither professional invitations to Israel, nor funding, from any institutions linked to its government. Since the summer war on Gaza, Palestinians have enjoyed no respite from Israel’s unrelenting attack […]

17 Feb, 2015

Indian-American businessman shot dead in US – The Times of India

NEW YORK: A 28-year-old Indian-American businessman, who was gunned down by an unidentified assailant in his family-owned liquor shop in the US, has succumbed to his injuries, police said today. Amit Patel from Edison was shot and killed in New Jersey inside Roseway Liquors in Irvington yesterday. Patel was alone in the liquor store, owned […]

17 Feb, 2015

US Hindu temple vandalised, hate message ‘get out’ sprayed on walls – Hindustan Times

A Hindu temple has been vandalised with hate speech in the US state of Washington, sending shock waves through the community in the area and prompting authorities to launch an investigation. The incident happened when unidentified miscreants sprayed swastika and painted “Get Out” on one of the walls of the temple in the Seattle Metropolitan […]

17 Feb, 2015

Robert Fisk: Arabs Kill Arabs. But Americans are safe. So are the Israelis.

President Obama and the Pentagon can, it seems, take satisfaction in seeing their “moderate” friends in the Middle East flying alongside them in their latest version of the “war on terror”. So far, so good. No “boots on the ground”, as the now-hackneyed expression goes. No Western lives in danger – save for the pitiful […]

16 Feb, 2015

India headed towards a fascist regime under BJP, says activist – The Hindu

Questioning the secular nature of the present Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre, noted civil rights activist and journalist Teesta Setalvad said here on Monday that we are heading towards a fascist regime. “Fascism occurs when corporate capitals capture the political economy. Unless we assert ourselves as secular citizens, we will keep on […]

16 Feb, 2015

Millions of Filipinos catching travel bug | Manila Bulletin

The Department of Tourism (DOT) said traveling has now officially become the latest national craze to grip the country next to taking “selfies.” Tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez made the statement during the awarding ceremony of the first Tourism Star Program (TSP) where he announced that 47 million Filipinos visited different local tourist spots last year. […]

16 Feb, 2015

Asia Times Online: Parking space terrorism in the US

By Ramzy Baroud The murder of three American Muslims at a University of North Carolina condominium on Tuesday, 10 February, was no ordinary murder, nor is the criminal who killed them an ordinary thug. The context of the killings, the murder itself and the media and official responses to the horrific event is a testimony […]

16 Feb, 2015

150 U.S.-based Civil Rights & Faith Groups Urge Federal Investigation of Muslim murders

13 Feb 2015 (Official media release) – Today a diverse coalition of 150 leading civil rights, faith, community, and civic groups, sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to open a full and rigorous federal hate crime investigation into the brutal murders of Deah Shaddy Barakat, his wife Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, […]

16 Feb, 2015

Angry, Armed and White: The Typical Profile of America’s Most Violent Extremists | Alternet

Police in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, say they’re investigating the role racial hatred played in the killing of three Muslim students by suspect Craig Stephen Hicks. They’re saying the 46-year-old white man had a history of fights over a parking space with the victims, suggesting the killings could be reduced to road rage. Meanwhile, Hicks’ […]

14 Feb, 2015

It’s the geopolitics, stupid: Australia threatens Indonesia with travel boycott

Australians may reconsider travel to Indonesia if the two Australian convicted drug couriers currently on death row are executed by firing squad as expected, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has warned. Authorities in Indonesia are finalising plans to move Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran from Bali to their execution place on a prison island off […]

14 Feb, 2015

Russia To Reveal 9/11 Satellite Imagery Indicating US Complicity In False Flag Attack

Moscow (Pravda): American experts believe that despite the fact that relations between the US and Russia reached the worst point since the Cold War, Putin caused Obama only small troubles so far. Analysts believe that this “calm before the storm”. Putin is going to hit once, but he’s going to hit hard. Russia is preparing […]

14 Feb, 2015

Why does Buddhist-majority Myanmar hate its Muslims so much? – Washington Post

The situation in Burma has changed for the better. The country has opened up. The secretive, dictatorial military junta that once held sway has allowed the advent of a fledgling, albeit heavily curtailed democracy. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was freed from decades of house arrest and is now a main leader of the […]

13 Feb, 2015

Teetotaller numbers rise in UK with one in five adults not drinking – The Guardian

Britain is becoming a nation of teetotallers, with young adults and Londoners leading the way, according to new figures. More than one in five adults (21%) do not drink alcohol at all, according to the Office for National Statistics’ Adult Drinking Habits in Great Britain report released on Friday. The figure was 19% in 2005. […]

11 Feb, 2015

Delhi Assembly election: AAP demolishes India’s caste, class divide | The Asian Age

The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday breached all caste and class divides to record a historic victory in the Delhi Assembly elections. With its army of young and dynamic activists, the AAP’s aggressive door-to-door campaign got it 48.78 lakh votes to win 67 of the 70 seats. Be it the Muslim-dominated areas of the walled […]

11 Feb, 2015

Jewish state to add more illegal settlements to wipe Palestine off the map

TEL AVIV, February 9, 2015 (WAFA) – The Israeli government has marked some 3,740 dunams in the occupied West Bank as state lands, preparing to expand four illegal settlements, according to the Israeli daily Haaretz. It said the so-called Israeli Civil Administration, which has complete jurisdiction in Area C of the West Bank, set a […]

11 Feb, 2015

Jewish state to Demolish EU-Funded Projects in Area C of West Bank

RAMALLAH, February 8, 2015 (WAFA) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned on Sunday the decision of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to demolish around 400 European Union-funded Palestinian structures in Area C of the West Bank, under complete Israeli jurisdiction. Earlier Friday, Netanyahu instructed his Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon to move forward with a plan to […]

9 Feb, 2015

‘My time in the US has come to an end’: Dr. Sami al-Arian on the fight for justice in post 9/11 America

After 40 years, my time in the U.S. has come to an end. Like many immigrants of my generation, I came to the U.S. in 1975 to seek a higher education and greater opportunities. I also wanted to live in a free society where freedom of speech, association and religion are not only tolerated but […]

9 Feb, 2015

100-yr-pact for Hindu-Muslim amity signed in Konkan village | The Indian Express

Hindus and Muslims in Burondi, a village in Ratnagiri district — located 228 km from Mumbai — have signed a 100-year pact between themselves to maintain communal harmony. The pact, which has been notarised, lays down a code of conduct for members of both the communities to avoid communal strife in the village that has […]

5 Feb, 2015

How a culture remembers its crimes is important: A review of ‘American Sniper’

The greatest crime of the twenty-first century so far has come to the big screen, and it’s a hit. American Sniper scored “the top opening of all time for a non-tentpole”, a record that previously belonged to The Passion of the Christ. A white man beset by hostile Semites: box office gold. Mel Gibson’s Jesus […]

4 Feb, 2015

Negative views of Israel soar in the UK, new survey shows | The Electronic Intifada

Israel ranks as one of the world’s most unfavorably viewed countries among the UK public, second only to North Korea. A new survey by the UK think-tank Chatham House finds that 35 percent of the UK public have an “especially unfavorable” view of Israel. This is double the 17 percent who held such a view […]

4 Feb, 2015

Growing up under Western coverage of Islam | The Jakarta Post

by Asyifa Putri About five years ago, my life was altered utterly when my father decided to move to the US, along with my family. Although different, everything was structured and simpler than back home in Jakarta. However, I was still a minority with attached stereotypes. The fact that I’m a Muslim is what might […]

27 Jan, 2015

The war on leaks has gone way too far when journalists’ emails are under surveillance – The Guardian

The outrageous legal attack on WikiLeaks and its staffers, who are exercising their First Amendment rights to publish classified information in the public interest—just like virtually every other major news organization in this country—is an attack on freedom of the press itself, and it’s shocking that more people aren’t raising their voices (and pens, and […]

26 Jan, 2015

Anti-Muslim violence spikes in France

The number of anti-Muslim incidents has risen sharply in France since this month’s attack on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, a leading Muslim group says. The French Council for the Muslim Religion said on Friday that 128 incidents or threats against Muslims were reported from January 7 to 20. The council went on to say this […]

26 Jan, 2015

‘Muslims, mosques targeted in Germany’

The chairman of Germany’s Central Council of Muslims says Muslims and mosques are being increasingly targeted in the country following the rise of Islamophobia in Europe. “Insults against Muslims, often women with a headscarf, vandalism against mosques and violence against imams have become a daily occurrence,” said Aiman Mazyek on Saturday. Mazyek held the right-wing […]

26 Jan, 2015

Indonesia drops Australia from visa-free policy

The plan to waive the visa requirement for visitors from Australia, previously aimed at attracting more foreign tourists, has been dropped amid concerns surrounding repeated turbulence over Jakarta-Canberra diplomatic ties. The government had only proceeded with the visa-free policies for Chinese, Russian, South Korean and Japanese tourists, Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Indroyono Soesilo said on […]

26 Jan, 2015

Four-day workweek, zero meetings help Japanese firms boost productivity, sales

Aki is unusual not only for its products — it operates under a four-day workweek system. The company’s 13 employees work 10 hours a day from Monday through Thursday. Company meetings, which were considered a waste of time, were abolished, resulting in a boost in employee motivation. Since the introduction of the four-day workweek in […]

26 Jan, 2015

Labor Dept lists America’s Worst H-1B Employers – Center for Immigration Studies

The Center for Immigration Studies, as a public service, has pulled together a comprehensive, all-time list of Department of Labor-debarred H-1B employers. To our knowledge, this is the only complete listing in existence; it is displayed in alphabetical order so that job seekers can be warned about seeking employment with outfits that have received black […]

24 Jan, 2015

Hindu Mahasabha to Khans: Convert if you love your wives – The Hindu

The Hindu Mahasabha has fired its latest salvo at Bollywood’s top Khans. The Hindutva outfit, in an editorial in its weekly publication Hindu Sabha Varta, has challenged Shahrukh Khan, Amir Khan and Saif Ali Khan to convert to Hinduism if they “really love their wives”. Shahrukh Khan is married to Gauri Khan, Amir Khan to […]

23 Jan, 2015

Silencing Authors in India – NYTimes.com

The story of the latest victim of censorship by intimidation in India, the Tamil-language author Perumal Murugan, was taken up by the Madras High Court on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Mr. Murugan posted a poignant statement on his Facebook page: “Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead.” This was after he had been hounded by right-wing […]

23 Jan, 2015

Australian David Hicks “terrorism” charges: US admits he is innocent – Sydney Morning Herald

The US government has admitted that former Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks is innocent and his conviction in 2007 for providing material support for terrorism is invalid. Mr Hicks’ appeal case against the “invented” crime had been told that the US government does not dispute that he is innocent of any offence and his conviction […]

21 Jan, 2015

Boycott of French products suggested in Saudi Arabia | Arab News

Some Saudis and expatriates have called for a campaign to boycott French products because of the offending cartoons published by the Charlie Hebdo magazine last week. “It is necessary to boycott French food products and perfumes and hit the French economy because they are ignoring the feelings of Muslims by publishing blasphemous cartoons. It is […]

20 Jan, 2015

Asia Times Online: Lebensraum in Palestine

Olives are delicious and produce wonderful oil. They were originally cultivated in Syria, Palestine and Crete and there is evidence that some existing trees are 2,000 years old, which is amazing. But there aren’t any 2,000 year-old olive trees in Palestine nowadays. Indeed there are very few left in the Palestinian lands that have been […]

20 Jan, 2015

A Free Press & Blasphemous Cartoons – Investigative Journo Levels the Playing Field

Glenn Greenwald, The Intercept Defending free speech and free press rights, which typically means defending the right to disseminate the very ideas society finds most repellent, has been one of my principal passions for the last 20 years: previously as a lawyer and now as a journalist. So I consider it positive when large numbers […]

20 Jan, 2015

Five Facts That Prove Paris Massacre is A False Flag Terror – Feroze Mithiborwala

We begin by saluting the people of France for not surrendering to xenophobia and fear and for standing united at a moment of a grave national crisis. The ‘March for Unity’ has shown the way as to how nations should respond to mass psychosis and fear that are generated after massive terror attacks that are […]

20 Jan, 2015

Zionist Terror Is The Major Cause Of Islamic Fundamentalism, Wars And Terrorism – Dr Salim Nazzal

Europe needs to be reminded of its own history and responsibility.. Who sent the Zionist terrorists to Palestine, who supplied them with arms, and facilities their movements, and who recognized the state of Israel, which all its existence is based on terror in the past and in the present. And who supported the Israeli occupation […]

20 Jan, 2015

Luxury Industry: Lessons Learned From 2014 | Wealth-X

Last year was a mixed bag for the luxury industry. While certain sectors boomed, like ultra prime property in the US and super-yacht chartering in Europe, other segments suffered, like certain watchmakers, jewellers and high-end fashion brands. Luxury sales growth slowed to 5 percent globally – around €223 billion in 2014, down from 7 percent […]

20 Jan, 2015

Terror of hypocrisy – Irena Akbar, The Indian Express

Another year. Another cartoon lampooning the Prophet. Another terrorist attack by the “violent” Muslim. And another round of condemnation of the attack by the “moderate” Muslim. Yes, the “moderate” Muslim has performed her “duty” of condemning the acts of her “violent” co-religionists. She has told her non-Muslim friends and colleagues that she doesn’t support the […]

19 Jan, 2015

Filipino Muslim leaders hail Pope’s message of peace | Manila Bulletin

More leaders of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) have hailed the message of peace of Pope Francis, one of them saying the papal message also reminds of Islam. Datu Abul Khayr Alonto, who chairs an MNLF group composed of “the founding fathers and vanguards of the Bangsamoro Revolution, issued this statement as he expressed […]

19 Jan, 2015

Muslim solons back resolution of gratitude for Pope Francis | Manila Bulletin

Muslim lawmakers will not think twice about supporting a resolution seeking to extend the country’s deepest and highest gratitude to Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, for bringing national peace and unity and personally showing his concern to the victims of super-typhoon Yolanda. Basilan Rep. Jim Hataman-Salliman and his sister-in-law, AMIN party-list […]

19 Jan, 2015

Free speech? CNN journo forced out after controversial Israel tweets – Haaretz

Veteran CNN anchor Jim Clancy stepped down on Friday, one week after a series of Twitter posts in which he mocked pro-Israel tweeters on a thread discussing the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Neither CNN nor Jim Clancy gave a reason for his departure, which was reported by AdWeek. Clancy had worked at CNN for 34 years. […]

18 Jan, 2015

Asia Times Online: FreeSpeech, but we won’t cover your skin or honor your God – Maung Zarni

Yo the victims of American drone strikes, You and your lot ain’t White. So, we won’t fight Fight for your right to life You lives ain’t newsworthy. Don’t you dare be testy! Our man Murdoch said, “all yo Muslims, A-P-O-L-O-G-I-Z-E” for your share! How dare you demand our coverage to be fair?!! We ain’t F-A-I-R. […]

18 Jan, 2015

Facebook is watching and knows who you are – Sydney Morning Herald

A video of a puppy having a bath, a photograph of a sandwich, neighbours, a friend’s spare room for rent and a colleague’s travel updates. This motley list makes up the things I have “liked” on Facebook in the past few days. Clicking the blue thumbs up beside a post on the social network is […]

18 Jan, 2015

Muslims in America are hearing backlash from Paris attack – McClatchy DC

WASHINGTON — Islamic community leaders in North Texas want extra police and FBI protection for hundreds of Fort Worth-Dallas Muslims who’ll be attending a conference Saturday on combating Islamophobia after the group received multiple threats involving guns and possibly dynamite. Muslim leaders in Ohio said they’d reported last Sunday to federal officials that they’d received […]

17 Jan, 2015

AlterNet: All White People Are Racists — Now Let’s Do Something About It

As Americans, we like to think of ourselves as a forgiving people. We’ve enshrined the assumption of innocence in our legal code; we take pride in giving second chances to those who misstep. And when it comes to questions of bias, we follow a similar script. In American life, no one is presumed racist without […]

16 Jan, 2015

Hypocrisy Abounds: Free Speech as Cover for Islamophobia – Sonali Kolhatkar – Truthdig

A magazine that most people outside France had never heard of before Jan. 7 now has legions of followers and fans around the world. The dominant narrative that has emerged from the horrific massacre of 10 staffers of Charlie Hebdo (plus police officers and hostages) is that the very foundation of freedom itself was attacked […]

15 Jan, 2015

Muslims shouldn’t have to keep apologising for terrorist attacks – Sydney Morning Herald

No one should be murdered for drawing cartoons or for working as a policeman or for visiting a supermarket. But our knowledge and consciousness of terrorism is almost always limited to our own cultural backyard. Our sense of reality is distorted. According to the 2013 Global Terrorism Index, 80 per cent of all terrorism-related deaths […]

15 Jan, 2015

For Palestinian cartoonists, religion is off limits | Manila Bulletin

In the spirit of Charlie Hebdo, Palestinian cartoonist Ramzy Taweel is making his feelings about the French satirical weekly crystal clear — his latest illustration equates the publication to toilet paper. Palestinian political cartoonists, including Taweel, rushed to eulogise the staff of Charlie Hebdo killed by Islamic extremists in an attack on their offices in […]

14 Jan, 2015

Paris attacks: Massive Display of Hypocrisy by Western Leaders – LewRockwell.com

All those leaders who yell “terrorism” when it suits their grander schemes of domination. Now when there is blowback in Paris, they yell “extremism” and use the occasion to continue and enlarge the war on terror. They use it to strengthen police state surveillance and to frighten the populations under their control. The West’s leaders […]

13 Jan, 2015

The false debate between freedom of expression and religious extremism | rabble.ca

Without giving any reason or excuse for the use of violence against journalists — which is not acceptable under any circumstances — one should remember that France is at war in many Islamic countries: in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Mali… Even if the human costs of these wars are not always clear to the French […]

11 Jan, 2015

Racism in Europe: Who is to blame? | Arab News

By Harun Yahya People well-versed with history know well that racism is a blot on the history of Europe. Like many other negatives of now democratized and liberalized regions, racism had so far been confined to history books until recently. The resurgence of racist tendencies accompanied with acts of violence — which the United States […]

11 Jan, 2015

Paris attacks: Blowblack from Middle East wars – The Independent

Somehow the degree of failure of the “war on terror” launched by Bush and supported by Britain has never led to those who launched it being held culpable. Fail it demonstrably did, since in 2001 al-Qaeda had a few hundred activists confined to a few camps and towns in Afghanistan and Iraq. Fourteen years later, […]

11 Jan, 2015

Now, saffron outfits plan grand ‘ghar vapsi’ in Modi’s Varanasi – Hindustan Times

After holding a controversial ‘ghar vapsi’ (homecoming) programme in Agra last month, saffron outfits have targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency – Varanasi — for a grand ‘ghar vapsi’ of over 10,000 people at a ‘dharam jagran sammelan’ next month. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad, a frontal organisation of the RSS, would conduct the ceremony at […]

10 Jan, 2015

Hindu Chauvinism at its worst — Shashi Tharoor

As the New Year dawns, it has become increasingly clear that India’s new government faces a dilemma entirely of its own making — one that its predecessor never had to confront. Narendra Modi’s election as the prime minister in May 2014 was initially hailed worldwide as marking the advent of a more business-friendly government in […]

10 Jan, 2015

Asia Times Online: Who profits from killing Charlie?

By Pepe Escobar Putin did it. Sorry, he didn’t. In the end, it was not Russia “aggression” that attacked the heart of Europe. It was a pro-style jihadi commando. Cui bono? Careful planning and preparation; Kalashnikovs; rocket-propelled grenade launcher; balaclavas; sand-colored ammunition vest stuffed with spare magazines; army boots; piece of cake escape in a […]

8 Jan, 2015

UK public must wake up to risks of CCTV, says surveillance commissioner – The Guardian

The increasing use of surveillance technology – including body-worn video, drones and number plate recognition systems – risks changing the “psyche of the community” by reducing individuals to trackable numbers in a database, the government’s CCTV watchdog has warned. In his full first interview as surveillance commissioner, Tony Porter – a former senior counter-terrorism officer […]

7 Jan, 2015

Hindu Mahasabha plans bike rally for Gandhi’s killer – The Times of India

LUCKNOW: Despite being booked last month for announcing a Nathuram Godse temple in Sitapur, Hindu Mahasabha members now plan to take out a bike rally in Lucknow on Thursday to make people “aware” about why he assassinated Mahatma Gandhi. During the course of the rally, the outfit’s members will perform a ‘bhumi pujan’ at Bhaptamau […]

7 Jan, 2015

The West is wrong again in its fight against terror – The Times of India

Islamic State (ISIS) will remain at the centre of the escalating crisis in the Middle East this year as it was in 2014. The territories it conquered in a series of lightning campaigns last summer remain almost entirely under its control, even though it has lost some towns to the Kurds and Shia militias in […]

6 Jan, 2015

Rise of Hindutva lobby poses a tough question to Modi – Hindustan Times

by Vir Sanghvi There are, broadly speaking, two views on why Narendra Modi led the BJP to such an overwhelming victory in last year’s general election. The first is the view of some members of his party and the extended Sangh parivar. According to this view, Modi won because India’s Hindu majority decided it wanted […]

3 Jan, 2015

Twitter, Facebook ‘allowing Islamophobia to flourish’ – The Independent

Twitter and Facebook are refusing to take down hundreds of inflammatory Islamophobic postings from across their sites despite being alerted to the content by anti-racism groups, an investigation by The Independent has established. The number of postings, some of which accuse Muslims of being rapists, paedophiles and comparable to cancer, has increased significantly in recent […]

3 Jan, 2015

US bases of war in the Middle East – Al-Ahram Weekly

With the launch of a new US-led war in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State (IS), the United States has engaged in aggressive military action in at least 13 countries in the Greater Middle East since 1980. In that time, every US president has invaded, occupied, bombed or gone to war in at least […]

3 Jan, 2015

Australia to toughen drone rules following several incidents – Sydney Morning Herald

Australia is set to have among the world’s toughest rules on drones after the Civil Aviation and Safety Authority rewrites its regulations in the new year. CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said the “huge growth” in popularity of the flying “unmanned aerial vehicles” – which are helicopter-like craft, with GPS and cameras – meant regulations had […]

3 Jan, 2015

5 Studies That Show How Wealth Warps Your Soul | Alternet

January 2, 2015 | “Money can’t buy happiness,” the old adage warns, although poverty is hardly a day at the beach. But according to several recent studies, excessive wealth not only fails to bring contentment, it warps your soul. (Or brain, for the skeptics among you.) That’s the thesis of a Michael Lewis essay on […]

3 Jan, 2015

Chinese commentary: Why the US recovery will create problems for emerging economies

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online) – December 30, 2014 — It is reported that US GDP in the third quarter rose by an annualized rate of 5%, the fastest rate of growth recorded since 2011. The rebound is above expectations – a 5% increase is historically unusual, especially for an economy as big as the US. […]

3 Jan, 2015

India’s New Year begins on a sorry note of fear and loathing – Hindustan Times

By Namita Bhandare First columns of the year should herald new beginnings. But for me the year begins on a note of disquiet. And nothing exemplifies this more than the controversy around the film PK. I saw the film before the #BanPK and #SupportPK hashtags began trending on twitter, before cinema halls were vandalised and […]

31 Dec, 2014

Dry January: How to cut down your alcohol intake – The Independent

By Joel Harrison As a drinks writer, it is difficult for me to take a whole month off the booze. However, I often take a short break of a week, sometimes two if it is quiet, away from anything with an alcoholic content above about 0.5% abv. It is tempting, after a week of sampling […]

31 Dec, 2014

Saudi ex-coach plans to open 30 anti-obesity gyms | Arab News

Jeddah – A local businessman plans to open 30 gyms across the Kingdom to help fight the country’s obesity epidemic. Makarem Sobhi Batterjee, previous coach of the Kingdom’s youth team, who heads Shababco Lifestyle Co., said that the government should also assist in setting up gyms to counter this growing trend. He said that America […]

31 Dec, 2014

Right-of-centre ideology lost UK the war in Afghanistan and much more – The Observer

By Will Hutton It is part of Britain’s national self-image that we win wars. The army may be smaller than it was, but it remains the world’s best. Losing is impossible to conceive. Yet in Afghanistan, Britain has just suffered a humiliating defeat, the worst in more than half a century and, arguably, ranking with […]

31 Dec, 2014

Now Indian Buddhist group wants to reconvert followers back from Hinduism – The Hindu

An estimated 6,000 OBC (1,600) families in Maharashtra have registered themselves with an organisation engaged in a campaign for ghar vapsi for ‘Buddhists’ who were converted recently. They want to embrace Buddhism, claiming it as their “real home”. As the right-wing Hindu organisations give an aggressive push to their ghar vapsi agenda in a bid […]

31 Dec, 2014

Outrage over BJP MP’s remarks on farmers suicide – The Hindu

Coming on the heels of a dozen reported farmer suicides within three days in Maharashtra’s Vidarbha region, BJP MP Sanjay Dhotre has kicked up a major controversy after he said that farmers should be “let to die” if they are incapable of or cannot afford farming. “Let these farmers fend for themselves. If crops fail, […]

31 Dec, 2014

UN vote on Palestine guarantees more Middle East conflict in 2015

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 30 December 2014 – Falling short of the required number of positive votes and faced with a veto from one of its permanent members, the United Nations Security Council today failed to adopt a draft resolution that would have affirmed the “urgent need” to reach within 12 months a peaceful […]

31 Dec, 2014

Their nation in pieces, Iraqis ponder what comes next | The Japan Times

The machine gun poking out from between a framed portrait of a Shiite imam and a stuffed toy Minnie Mouse was trained on anyone who approached the checkpoint. Like dozens of other communities in Iraq, this small Sunni settlement in northern Salahuddin province’s Tuz Khurmatu district has been reduced to rubble. In October, Shiite militiamen […]

30 Dec, 2014

Muslim scholars drop out of Oriental meet after threats from ‘Hindutva’ group – The Hindu

At least seven participants of the All India Oriental Conference (AIOC) to be held in Guwahati next month, have dropped out after receiving threatening letters. The letters, received only by Muslim scholars say, “If you will come at Gauwhati, Assam, our people will kill you” (sic). They are under the letter head of “Rashtriya Hindu […]

28 Dec, 2014

Modi govt must stop the celebration of Gandhi’s killer – Hindustan Times

The fruits of the development that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised will take some time to kick in, but we have reasons to be concerned about the deteriorating social climate in the meanwhile. Abusive language and behaviour by BJP leaders, the VHP’s ghar wapsi conversions, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s declaration that India is a […]

28 Dec, 2014

Digital detox retreats let stressed Japanese log out | The Japan Times

Kyodo, Dec 26, 2014 – While many tourists go to great lengths to always be digitally accessible, a growing number of gadget-weary travelers in Japan are seeing what it is like to leave behind mobile phones and social media services altogether. Joining a trend that started overseas last year, they are ditching their phones and […]

27 Dec, 2014

Muslim-majority Indonesia observes peaceful Christmas – The Jakarta Post

The country observed a peaceful Christmas on Thursday, which was marked by an unusually large number of Muslim government officials publicly sending “Merry Christmas” wishes to Christians nationwide, a move that many see as controversial in a country with the most Muslims in the world. One of the high-profile officials who wished Christians a “Merry […]

27 Dec, 2014

Survey: Many New Year Thai revellers plan to drink and then drive home – The Nation

Nearly a third of people planning to go drinking at New Year parties also plan to drive themselves home, a survey has revealed. The survey conducted on 3,000 people by the Public Health Ministry revealed that 36.6 per cent of potential partygoers had no qualms about being behind the wheel even after consuming alcohol. “This […]

27 Dec, 2014

No ban on alcohol for the New Year period – The Nation

Partygoers will be able to buy booze during New Year celebrations as the Alcohol Control Committee has decided to defer its decision on banning the sale of alcohol during this period. The ban was proposed on grounds that alcohol consumption is responsible for hundreds of road deaths during the New Year holidays every year. “We […]

27 Dec, 2014

People flock to Thai beaches to honour 2004 tsunami victims – The Nation

One decade on, people gathered at various seaside spots in tsunami-hit provinces to remember those who perished in the deadly waves. Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the tsunami that killed more than 5,000 people of various nationalities in this country. In Phuket province, people laid flowers and lit candles in memory of tsunami victims […]

26 Dec, 2014

Australians detained for assault, urination | The Jakarta Post

Two Australian brothers, Scott O’Hehir, 32, and Timothy O’Hehir, 27, have been detained at the North Kuta Police station after they allegedly assaulted a local man in Canggu village, North Kuta, Bali. The brothers reportedly beat up and injured the man after the latter reprimanded them for urinating inside a shop construction site and behind […]

26 Dec, 2014

Tourism developers want to wipe out mangroves that saved Thai village from tsunami – Al Jazeera

Baan Nai Rai, Thailand – Ten years ago when a massive tsunami swept away every house in this small Muslim village in southern Thailand, Cham Khiaw-Nin didn’t lament the loss of his property but rather the damage done to the mangrove forest. “Mangroves are vital to us. We survive thanks to them because fish grow […]

26 Dec, 2014

Christmas in Gaza: A season without hope as fears grow of renewed conflict with Israel – The Independent

Kim Sengupta Gaza City, Thursday 25 December 2014 -The sermons were about the sacrifice made by the Saviour, an affirmation of faith and belief in redemption, as befits a service on Christmas Day. But this is Gaza and there were also reminders of shared suffering and sorrow, the need for unity at a time of […]

26 Dec, 2014

Ban alcohol firms from sponsoring sports clubs and events, doctors urge – The Guardian

Leading doctors are demanding a ban on alcohol firms sponsoring sports clubs and events because they claim that the “outrageous” practice is fuelling underage drinking by children. The leaders of Britain’s nurses, A&E specialists and hospital doctors are among those urging ministers to outlaw the sort of deals that have seen Everton and Celtic football […]

26 Dec, 2014

PressTV – Russians angry over sanctions, wipe feet on US flag doormats

A Russian shopping mall in Moscow is using American flags as doormats in a bid to express anger over economic sanctions imposed by the United States against Russia. The mall in central Moscow invites customers to wipe their feet at its entrance on doormats bearing the United States flag. The mall’s workers said in a […]

26 Dec, 2014

Pope Rues “Globalization of Indifference” in Christmas Day Message – NYTimes.com

Dear brothers and sisters, may the Holy Spirit today enlighten our hearts, that we may recognize in the Infant Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, the salvation given by God to each one of us, to each man and woman and to all the peoples of the earth. May the power of Christ, […]

26 Dec, 2014

Religious Intolerance in India – NYTimes.com

Hope is in danger of crumbling that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would rein in the divisive agenda of his militant Hindu-nationalist supporters and allow India to concentrate on the important work of economic reform, and the blame lies squarely with Mr. Modi. During the last days of its winter session ending on Tuesday, Parliament was […]

25 Dec, 2014

What I’ve learned from living through three wars in the Gaza Strip

Alaa Radwan Alaa Radwan Alaa RadwanBy By Alaa Radwan in Gaza I am 22 years old now; and three times in my lifetime wars have taken place. The first war was the hardest and the most shocking to me since it was the first. Later I tried to get myself “used” to the worst so […]