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Archive for October, 2015

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 […]

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31 Oct, 2015

Greatest Fear of Old Age: ‘Who Will Take Care of Me?’ — UBS Investor Watch Report

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 27, 2015  – UBS Wealth Management Americas (WMA) today released its quarterly UBS Investor Watch report, “Unassisted Living,” revealing that the greatest fear among wealthy investors as they age is being a burden to children (42%), trumping fears of surviving on life support (34%) or living in a nursing home (15%). Though […]

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31 Oct, 2015

New Research Reveals Top 10 Things That Make Women Feel Good

October 30, 2015 LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The average woman will spend up to £31,0001 in her lifetime to feel great, according to new research2. But in the same study2, which was commissioned by Feel Good Contact Lenses (http://feelgoodcontacts.com/information/eye-care.aspx), results prove that it’s the smallest things that make the world of difference to a woman’s confidence and that cost almost next to […]

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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 […]

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30 Oct, 2015

‘Silence is too often the only safe option left’ – new UN report on sources and whistleblowers

United Nations, (UN News Centre) – 22 October 2015 – Governments and international organizations are failing to ensure adequate protections to whistleblowers and sources of information, according to a new report by the UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression. “Countless sources and whistleblowers around the world are intimidated by officials, co-workers, and others, depriving […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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30 Oct, 2015

Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil to deliver four talks on how travel & tourism will shape the rising Asian Century

Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil will be delivering four talks in November and December 2015 that will highlight the multi-faceted role of travel & tourism in shaping the rise of the Asian Century. Covering the themes of religious tourism, Islamic travel and the newly-declared UN Sustainable Development Goals, all four will be at […]

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29 Oct, 2015

At UN, every country votes for Cuba blockade to be lifted, except U.S. and Israel

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 27 October 2015 – In a near-unanimous recorded vote, the General Assembly today adopted, for the twenty-fourth time, a resolution on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba, despite resumptions of relations between the two countries. With all […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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29 Oct, 2015

RSS leading a systematic campaign to create Hindu rashtra, says ex-Indian Navy chief – DAWN.COM

India is being scorched by a brand of Hindutva that is “fanning the flames of division and fear across the country”, even as the people in power have failed to unequivocally condemn recent hate crimes in the name of religion, L Ramdas, who served as chief of the Indian Navy between 1990 and 1993, said […]

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29 Oct, 2015

China blacklists 10 travel agencies

BEIJING, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) — China has named and shamed 10 travel agencies as the country attempts to create a sound environment for tourists, the National Tourism Administration (NTA) said Sunday. The tourist companies, which are based in Yunnan Province, Hainan Province and Shandong Province, have been blacklisted, effective for two years, due to “irregularities.” […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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29 Oct, 2015

Accor amongst 11 global firms signing pact to promote inclusion of Persons with Disabilities – UN labour agency

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 28 October 2015 – Eleven major international companies today agreed to promote and include persons with disabilities throughout their operations worldwide in a move the International Labour Organization (ILO) hailed as “not only just a good moral cause” but also “good for business.” In an announcement, ILO said that Accenture, […]

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29 Oct, 2015

Nepal six months on: A race against winter

(Kathmandu/Bangkok, 23 October 2015) Six months after the devastating earthquakes that shook Nepal in April, shelter and food remain top priorities as winter approaches. With the Government of Nepal, humanitarian partners provided emergency shelter to over 700,000 families, but the effect of the coming harsh cold weather is a concern with many people still without […]

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29 Oct, 2015

UN rights expert warns of racial profiling of minorities and discrimination in criminal justice systems

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 28 October 2015 – In criminal justice processes worldwide, minorities face discrimination ranging from excessive and sometimes lethal use of force, torture by police, to longer periods of stay in pre-trial detention, discrimination during judicial procedures and biases influencing sentencing, according to the UN human rights expert on minority issues. […]

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29 Oct, 2015

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Releases 2014 Global Citizenship Report

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 27, 2015 – Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT) released its 2014 Global Reporting Index (GRI G4), outlining the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, community involvement, opportunities for associate development, and best practices in corporate governance. The Index follows previous publication of a full Global Citizenship report in 2014 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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27 Oct, 2015

China opens up 30% of its low-altitude airspace

Beijing, (Global Times) October 19, 2015 – China has opened over a third of its low-altitude airspace, which had been fully controlled, amid the country’s continuing efforts to maximize low-altitude airspace resources. Control over about 33 percent of the low-altitude airspace has been relaxed, said Cai Jun, a senior airspace regulator at the 4th China […]

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27 Oct, 2015

China plans to raise retirement age

Beijing, (People’s Daily Online), October 15, 2015 – The average retirement age in China is under 55, which demonstrates that Chinese people retire the earliest in the world, said a senior official when introducing achievements in employment and social security work during the 12th Five-Year Plan. There will be an average of 1.3 people of […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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27 Oct, 2015

Strong El Niño will ‘test’ disaster resilience in hazard-prone Pacific region, UN warns

26 October 2015, SUVA (UNISDR media release) — The Head of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Margareta Wahlström, today opened the 2015 Pacific Regional Disaster Resilience Meeting amidst fears that El Niño will result in more extreme weather events across the hazard-prone region of small islands and atolls. Ms. Wahlström said: “These […]

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27 Oct, 2015

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

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 […]

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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 […]

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26 Oct, 2015

Chinese tourist detained for taking naughty pics on Malaysian beach

(People’s Daily Online) October 23, 2015 – Pictures of several overseas tourists posing nude on Sibuan Island off Semporna have gone viral. Interpol was contacted to help identify the tourists after the police received complaints from the public on Oct.15, 2015. According to Chinanews.com, a Chinese national involved in this incident was detained by the […]

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26 Oct, 2015

Manila to host First ASEAN Corporate Governance Conference and Awards

Manila, Philippines (PRWEB) October 24, 2015 – The Philippines has been named host of the first ASEAN Corporate Governance Conference and Awards by the ASEAN Capital Markets Forum (ACMF). Headed by capital market regulators from 10 ASEAN jurisdictions, the ACMF has partnered with the Philippines’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to organize this event promoting […]

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26 Oct, 2015

Air China’s New Winter/Spring Schedule Makes it First Chinese Airline to Cover All Six Continents

BEIJING, Oct. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Air China’s 2015/2016 Winter/Spring Schedule has come into effect on October 25, 2015. The new schedule features 660 flights per week on average, up about 20% compared with its 2014 counterpart, with 110 international/regional passenger routes to 69 international/regional cities. In particular, with the commencement of the Beijing–Johannesburg and Beijing […]

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26 Oct, 2015

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

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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23 Oct, 2015

ARC Assists U.S. Government to Convict Rogue Travel Agent for Fraud and ID Theft

ARLINGTON, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 20, 2015 – Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC) announced that the company’s fraud prevention team provided essential information to the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service that resulted in the conviction and recent sentencing of Sandra M. White, a former Coloma, Michigan travel agent for fraud and […]

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23 Oct, 2015

UNICEF hails Myanmar religious groups seeking religious tolerance for sake of country’s children

United Nations, (UN News Centre) 21 October 2015 – In the light of upcoming elections in Myanmar and amid reports of rising religious intolerance, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) today welcomed a joint statement by the leaders of four main religious groups in the country calling for tolerance and respect of religious freedom as […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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23 Oct, 2015

China publishes new rules to boost clean governance amongst party cadres

Beijing, (China Daily) Updated: 2015-10-22 – The Communist Party of China Central Committee has published new rules on clean governance and sanctions for those who violate the Party code of conduct, as the CPC improves the management of its 88 million members. The two new regulations, adopted at a meeting of the Political Bureau of […]

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23 Oct, 2015

Chinese President pledges stronger support to eradicate poverty by 2020

BEIJING, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) — The Chinese government will enact more support policies to lift the country’s 70 million poor people above the poverty line by 2020, President Xi Jinping pledged on Friday ahead of the 23rd International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Addressing the Global Poverty Reduction and Development Forum in Beijing, Xi […]

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23 Oct, 2015

Israeli Army Installs Concrete Roadblocks at Bethlehem Northern Entrance

BETHLEHEM, October 22, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli forces Thursday afternoon installed cement roadblocks at the northern entrance of Bethlehem, said security sources. Israeli forces reportedly installed concrete roadblocks at the sidewalks of Jerusalem-Bethlehem Main Road in the vicinity of Jacir Palace and Paradise hotels at the northern entrance of the city, obstructing Palestinian locals’ movement. […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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23 Oct, 2015

Sweeping changes in UK visa rules for Chinese visitors

LONDON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) — Tourism visas for visitors to Britain from China are to be valid for two years as from 2016, Prime Minister David Cameron announced Wednesday. The extension of the visa period from the current six months is aimed at bringing significant benefits to the British economy by making it easier for […]

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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 […]

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23 Oct, 2015

Political failures, lack of hope, at root of latest Israeli-Palestinian violence – UN deputy chief

United Nations, (UN News Centre)  – 22 October 2015 – The Israel-Palestine conflict has “once again entered a dangerous phase,” United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Security Council today, warning that the latest eruption of violence, rising tensions at holy sites in Jerusalem and the alarmingly vitriolic nature of public discourse in the […]

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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 […]

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19 Oct, 2015

Japan’s seniors staying fit, strong, for longer, poll finds

Beijing, JIJI Press, Oct 12, 2015 – Physical strength and athletic ability of elderly people in Japan have continued to improve, an annual government survey found Sunday. In the survey, physical and athletic ability of people aged 65-79 was measured with six kinds of exercise, including six-minute walking distance, grip strength and sit-up. By age […]

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19 Oct, 2015

Japan, Iran ministers agree on bilateral investment pact during Tehran talks

TEHRAN, Kyodo, AFP-JIJI, Oct 13, 2015 – Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida and his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, on Monday struck an agreement on a bilateral investment pact. The two foreign ministers said in a joint news statement that they have agreed to set up a council for Japan-Iran cooperation to discuss a variety of […]

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19 Oct, 2015

Beijing sees Iran as a strategic partner for global cooperation

Beijing, Oct 10, IRNA – Vice-President of the China-Iran Friendship Association (CIFA) Tai-fu Lin said on Saturday that Beijing regards Iran as strategic partner for international cooperation. Speaking to the Sixth Annual Seminar of Iran-China Relations, Lin underlined benefiting from chances available in light of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. She said her country […]

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19 Oct, 2015

The Hindu temples of Rawalpindi: Old wisdom in a new world – DAWN.COM

In the kaleidoscopic streets of bustling Rawalpindi stand tall a few Hindu temples that are hitherto the centre of Hindu festivity. The temples tell stories of the city’s diverse religious past and the neglect that the city’s heritage has now fallen into. Since the partition of the subcontinent, these temples have somehow withstood the wear […]

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19 Oct, 2015

India holds “White Cane Day” to sensitize people on challenges faced by visually challenged people

New Delhi, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, 14-October-2015 — Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment is organizing White Cane Day on October 15 to sensitize the common man about the challenges being faced by visually challenged people. A week long activities already started on World Sight Day from October 8th 2015 will conclude tomorrow […]

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19 Oct, 2015

Iran emerges as a new economic power, says head of Indian energy security group

TEHRAN, Oct 18, (NNN-IRNA ) – With sanctions going away, Iran is emerging as a new economic power, Chairman of the Energy Security Group of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Narendra Taneja said in an exclusive interview with IRNA. Removal of Iran’s sanctions would lead to Iran emerging as a […]

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19 Oct, 2015

200 Jewish terrorist settlers attack unarmed Palestinian village with fire bombs

HEBRON, Palestine, Oct 18 (NNN-MA’AN) – More than 200 Jewish settlers attacked the Palestinian villages of Wad al-Haseen and Wad al-Nasara, near the illegal Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba overnight, in the eastern Hebron district of the occupied southern West Bank, locals and medics said. During the attack, Israeli settlers threw stones and fire bombs […]

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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 […]

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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, […]

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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 […]

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19 Oct, 2015

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

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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17 Oct, 2015

Black, Palestinian artists and activists affirm solidarity in new video

Jadaliyya , Thursday 15 Oct 2015 — More than 60 leading Black and Palestinian artists and activists are featured in a new video highlighting challenges that both communities are confronting, including militarised policing and the prison industry. The video features Lauryn Hill, Danny Glover, Cornel West, Angela Davis, Alice Walker, Sapphire, Lisa Gay Hamilton, the […]

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17 Oct, 2015

China approves US$15 bln in infrastructure projects

BEIJING, (Xinhua) 2015-10-15 – China’s top economic planner approved the construction of eight infrastructure projects, with an estimated total investment of 95.3 billion yuan ($15 billion), it announced Thursday. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) authorized plans to build two railways, one in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the northwest and the other linking […]

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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 […]

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16 Oct, 2015

Systematic discrimination against Rohingyas will trigger regional crisis, ASEAN MPs warn

BANGKOK, 16 October 2015 – Increasingly marginalized and desperate, Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar’s Rakhine State are being forced to flee in ever-greater numbers, exacerbating a regional crisis that ASEAN leaders are woefully ill prepared to cope with, ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR) warned today. “ASEAN met to discuss the refugee crisis in May, but […]

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16 Oct, 2015

International Labour Organization tackles “uberization” of work

IRU Press Release, 16 October 2015 – In an unprecedented move, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted a Resolution on Transport Network Companies that underlines their negative impact on job security and working conditions. The resolution was adopted today at an ILO Tripartite Sectoral meeting on Road Transport, attended by governments, workers and employers. Participants […]

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16 Oct, 2015

White supremacist allegedly kills Iranian-American student falsely accused of being a “terrorist”

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 13, 2015 – A coalition of Iranian-American organizations, including Iranian Alliances Across Borders, Iranian American Bar Association, the National Iranian American Council, PARS Equality Center, and the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, released the following statement calling for a full investigation into the brutal murder of 22-year-old Iranian-American student Shayan […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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15 Oct, 2015

Indian activists to boycott RTI conclave to protest govt security curbs – Hindustan Times

New Delhi – Prominent RTI activists, including Magsaysay award winner Aruna Roy, will boycott the transparency law’s 10th anniversary celebrations to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, terming security restrictions on civil society members as an attempt to muzzle dissenting voices. The boycott of the high-profile function came amidst growing nationwide outrage against what […]

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15 Oct, 2015

Trolled, Naseeruddin Shah says being targeted for being Muslim – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Veteran Bollywood actor Naseeruddin Shah, who was trolled on Twitter for his comments during former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri’s book launch two days ago, on Wednesday said he was targeted for being a Muslim. He said he was proud to be an Indian and he would not allow anybody to question his […]

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15 Oct, 2015

Writers have “manufactured” a controversy & protest: Finance Minister – The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday hit back at writers who have returned their Sahitya Akademi awards to protest against the alleged spike in intolerance under the Modi government, saying the agitators had manufactured a protest and were indulging in politics by other means due to their ideological intolerance. While terming the killing […]

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15 Oct, 2015

Writers protest: Indian government should respect The Word | The Indian Express

Why should unarmed writers, singers and dancers worry a government that has been voted to power through a popular mandate of proportions not seen in 30 years? History tells us they need to worry. The ruling establishment does not have to look any further than the manner in which UPA 2 handled the entire anti-UPA […]

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15 Oct, 2015

Whistleblowing investigator fired by whistleblowing agency for whistleblowing – The Independent

A whistleblowing investigator who went public about a dysfunctional witness protection programme has been fired for whistleblowing. Darrell Whitman put his job as an investigator for the federal Whistleblower Protection Programme on the line to claim that the agency had failed to defend workers who reported illegal activity and corporate safety infringements in the San […]

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15 Oct, 2015

How women make peace: Muslim woman ends anti-Islam protest by giving protester a hug – Sydney Morning Herald

An anti-Islam protest being staged by a lone woman outside a mosque in the United States ended after members of the community came to engage her in a discussion about her views, and one Muslim woman walked over to give her a hug and invite her inside. Photos of the hug have gone viral around […]

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15 Oct, 2015

In India, dancing to a divisive tune – The Hindu

By Vishakha Desai What I find particularly distressing about this trend of sharper focus on caste, religion, and ethnicity is the promotion of divisiveness rather than the idea of “E Pluribus Unum”, one in many. Just when the world desperately needs the idea of mutual respect necessary for living side by side by in an […]

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15 Oct, 2015

Govt tacitly enabling attacks on writers: Amitav Ghosh | The Indian Express

Author Amitav Ghosh Wednesday said that while he “appreciated the courage” of writers who had returned their Sahitya Akademi awards, he would not return his own as that would “amount to a repudiation of the institution’s history”. He also said the government was “tacitly enabling attacks (on writers)” and accused the Akademi of “dereliction of […]

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14 Oct, 2015

Korean casino lures Chinese gamblers with models and C-listers

By Yuan Can

(People’s Daily Online), October 13, 2015 – A gambling house located on Jeju Island, South Korea is always ablaze with lights even during the daytime. The house is full of gamblers. VIP rooms are located on the second floor for clients with greater stake. Taking advantage of a visa exemption policy for Chinese visitors, casinos […]

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14 Oct, 2015

Beijing police bust global smuggling ring, $4m wildlife parts seized

By SU ZHOU

Beijing, (China Daily) 2015-10-13 – A three-month police investigation has led to the seizure of a large haul of endangered wildlife parts and the disruption of an international smuggling ring, the Beijing Forest Police Bureau announced on Monday. The wildlife trafficking case, which was code-named “May 21”, led to the confiscation of illegal wildlife parts, […]

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14 Oct, 2015

30 Palestinians Killed by Israel since Start of October

RAMALLAH, October 13, 2015 (WAFA) – Thirty Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army and security forces since the beginning of October 2015, according to figures released by the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The ministry said over 1,400 Palestinians were injured by live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets used by the Israeli forces during […]

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14 Oct, 2015

Israeli Settlers Burn Olive Fields, Attack British Activist near Nablus

NABLUS, October 14, 2015 (WAFA) – Israeli settlers Wednesday set fire to large swaths of Palestinian-owned agricultural land near the village of Burin, to the south of Nablus in the West Bank, and injured an international activist while hurling stones at them, according to local sources. Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activities in northern West […]

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14 Oct, 2015

Polish tourists visiting Iran on rise

Isfahan, Oct 12, IRNA – Polish Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz said on Monday that number of Polish tourists visiting Iran will rise. Borusewicz told Governor General of Isfahan Province Rasul Zargarpur that the number of the tourists from Poland to Iran will enjoy multiple growth if a direct flight becomes operational. He said that Iran […]

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14 Oct, 2015

Chinese leader stresses urgency of reforming global governance

BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) — President Xi Jinping stressed the urgency of strengthening global governance and reforming the global governance system against a backdrop of growing global challenges, according to a Tuesday press release. Reform is about “laying down rules for the international order and international mechanisms” and “deciding in which direction the world will […]

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14 Oct, 2015

American Express Meetings & Events Forecasts Strong Growth in Global Meetings Activity in 2016

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 13, 2015 — According to the American Express Meetings & Events 2016 Global Meetings Forecast (“the Forecast”), positive economic trends combined with the global expansion of companies will drive continued growth for the meetings industry in 2016. Across all regions, the number of training and internal meetings is expected to experience high […]

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14 Oct, 2015

Is “Islamic Terrorism” A Myth? – Interview with Elias Davidsson, Countercurrents.org

13 October, 2015 Countercurrents.org – Not many people have the guts to question the official narrative of the attacks committed on 9/11 in the United States of America, in London, Madrid, Mumbai or elsewhere, which governments attribute to Islamic terrorists. Elias Davidsson is one of those, who in 2002 became skeptical of the official account […]

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14 Oct, 2015

FREE Download: GPCI 2015 Report Unveils World’s Most Powerful Cities

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–October 14, 2015 — The Mori Memorial Foundation’s Institute for Urban Strategies, a research institute established by Mori Building, unveiled today the results of its Global Power City Index (GPCI) 2015 report, which ranks 40 global metropolises according to their “magnetism,” or power to attract creative individuals and enterprises from around the world and […]

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13 Oct, 2015

RSS and BJP: Battling for India’s ‘soul’, state by state – Reuters

KOLKATA, Reuters – An ascendant Hindu nationalist group wants minority Muslims and Christians to accept that India is a nation of Hindus, and is pushing some of them to convert. An election in the volatile state of West Bengal has become a prime target in its game plan. The group’s strategy: To spread its Hindu-first […]

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13 Oct, 2015

Rise of intolerant India threatens PM Modi’s global image – Vir Sanghvi, The Hindustan Times

Images of Sudheendra Kulkarni, his face and body blackened by the ink flung at him by protesters, are now being flashed all over the world. As the protest was over Kulkarni’s willingness to help a former Pakistan foreign minister launch a memoir, the message that has gone out is this: How can there ever be […]

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13 Oct, 2015

Boycott Zionism, protesting Palestinian students tell India – The Hindu

President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Al Quds University here in Palestine met with protests by students who urged India to “boycott Zionism.” Mr. Mukherjee went to the university to inaugurate a Centre for Excellence in Information Communication and Technology before wrapping up his Palestine visit, the first-ever by an Indian President. As soon as Mr. […]

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