29 Sep, 2016

World Tourism Day: The Best Reporting on Universal Accessibility in Travel & Tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The theme of the 2016 World Tourism Day is “Tourism for All – Promoting Universal Accessibility”. Travel Impact Newswire Executive Editor Imtiaz Muqbil has been at the forefront of reporting on Inclusive Travel and Universal Accessibility. Below is a compendium of dispatches published since 2005 on this subject. No other travel publication can […]

26 Sep, 2016

Switzerland votes in favour of greater surveillance – The Guardian

Swiss voters have approved a new surveillance law, after the government argued that security services needed enhanced powers in an increasingly volatile world. The proposed law won 65.5% support, final results on Sunday showed. Switzerland’s police and intelligence agencies have had limited investigative tools compared with other developed countries. Phone tapping and email surveillance were […]

26 Sep, 2016

Facebook says sorry for disabling accounts of Palestinian journalists, activists – Hindustan Times

Facebook has apologised for disabling accounts of several Palestinian journalists and activists, saying “the pages were removed in error and restored as soon as we were able to investigate”. An anti-Facebook campaign was launched after the social networking giant deleted the accounts of Palestinian journalists and several publications last weekend, TRTWorld reported on Monday. “Our […]

26 Sep, 2016

Aceh wins three Indonesian Halal Tourism awards

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 September 2016 (24 Dhul Ḥijjah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NO REGISTRATION FEE FOR WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE […]

21 Sep, 2016

Germany charges official with spying on Sikhs for India – The Indian Express

BERLIN: A German immigration official has been arrested and charged with espionage for an Indian secret service for allegedly spying on members of the Sikh religion, prosecutors said Tuesday. The 58-year-old German national, identified only by the initials T S P, was accused of “espionage activity and violation of professional secrecy rules in 45 cases,” […]

21 Sep, 2016

Why Palestine, Zimbabwe made history at PTM 2016

Imtiaz Muqbil

Jakarta – The inaugural presence of Zimbabwe and Palestine at the Sept 7-9 PATA Travel Mart in Jakarta was more than just an ordinary trade event. It was a statement of geopolitical defiance – defiance against what both destinations refer to as negative perceptions conveyed by the Western-controlled mainstream media – and an appeal to […]

19 Sep, 2016

Brunei Packages Promote Grandeur of Temburong National Park

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 September 2016 (17 Dhul Ḥijjah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NO REGISTRATION FEE FOR WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE […]

17 Sep, 2016

How Everything Became War – Book Review – Truthdig

The laser-guided Hellfire missile is highly accurate. When one is fired from a Predator drone at an alleged enemy of the United States, whether in the deserts of Yemen, the mountains of Pakistan or elsewhere, it rarely misses. The remarkable innovation of pairing an unmanned aerial vehicle with a deadly precise missile emerged soon after […]

15 Sep, 2016

Pro-Israel donor suspended by Labour | The Electronic Intifada

A millionaire donor to the UK’s Labour Party has been suspended by party officials after lashing out at supporters of left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn as Nazis. The BBC reported on Sunday that Michael Foster had been suspended for breaching party rules prohibiting abuse. Foster is a supporter of Israel, and last year heckled a speech […]

15 Sep, 2016

What Did We Buy With the $5 Trillion That the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars Have Cost Us? – Juan Cole – Truthdig

A Brown University political scientist estimates that as of 2016, The Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have cost the American taxpayers $5 trillion. That number isn’t important when we consider the human cost: Some 7,000 US troops dead, 52,000 wounded in action; hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead who wouldn’t otherwise be, 4 million displaced and […]

13 Sep, 2016

India’s anti-Muslim campaign continues, Urdu cultural centre shut down

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) might have quite missed the irony of this action on their part – barely two years after they named a crossroads in Bhendi Bazaar, the city’s Muslim enclave, as the “Urdu Markaz Chowk” the authorities shut down the Urdu cultural centre after which the square was named within two days […]

12 Sep, 2016

Bangladesh to host PATA New Tourism Frontiers Forum

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 12 September 2016 (10 Dhul Ḥijjah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NO REGISTRATION FEE FOR WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE […]

12 Sep, 2016

PATA Mart 2016 proves that Big is Not Necessarily Beautiful

Imtiaz Muqbil

Jakarta – PATA’s steady turnound remained on track at the 39th PATA Travel Mart between Sept 7-9, the fifth to be held in Indonesia. While the turnout of roughly 1,000 delegates for the PTM and its associate events still paled in comparison to the heydays of the 1990s, the Mart is now well set as […]

9 Sep, 2016

I didn’t realize how often Muslims get kicked off planes, until it happened to me – Niala Mohammad, The Guardian

A recent news report documented the removal of two Muslim women working for the federal government from an American Airline flight. On its surface the airline staff appeared to be upholding safety regulations, but in reality they were engaging in discriminatory practices. I know this to be true because I was one of the two […]

9 Sep, 2016

Kerala govt to check Hindutva extremist outfits, ban arms training in temples | The Indian Express

Moving ahead with its resolve to check the activities of the Sangh Parivar outfits at the temples of the state, the CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala is all set to come out with a circular banning any type of arms-training drills at the shrine complexes. The state Devaswom department has taken the initiative to issue […]

8 Sep, 2016

10 new wars that could be unleashed as a result of the one against ISIS – The Washington Post

The borders of the Islamic State’s “caliphate” are shrinking fast. The group’s strongholds in Iraq and Syria are collapsing one by one. The U.S.-led war has reached a point where questions are being raised about what comes next. So far, the answer seems likely to be: more war. That’s partly because the U.S. strategy for […]

7 Sep, 2016

The Burkini debate: An Asian Perspective

Imtiaz Muqbil

Jakarta – When the PATA Travel Mart opened on Sept 7, one of the speakers at a session on Innovation and Technology was Shinta Witoyo Dhanuwardoyo, Founder of Bubu.com, one of Indonesia’s leading full-service Digital Agency. She is also a leading woman entrepreneur in the world’s largest Muslim-majority country. Mrs Shinta (or Ibu Shinta as […]

6 Sep, 2016

One man’s nightmare experience of applying for a German visa in Karachi – DAWN.COM

By Umair Ali Khan — I was recently awarded a fellowship by the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics (ERCIM) in Germany. After receiving the necessary documentation from my host institution Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS), I proceeded to apply for a German visa on Aug 26. From the German consulate website, I […]

6 Sep, 2016

Prison tourism: Spend a day in this 220-year-old Telangana jail – Hindustan Times

You forfeit your freedom the moment you step in and the huge door closes behind. You then get stripped of your belongings one by one: the pen, the wrist watch, mobile phone and everything else. Stripped to the bone, a coarse khaki white dress with blue stripes is handed over to wear. You are then […]

5 Sep, 2016

Pakistan hosts International Heritage, Museum Conference

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 05 September 2016 (04 Dhul Ḥijjah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. Wishing all my readers a blessed and peaceful Eid Ul Adha. ============ A WORD FROM […]

29 Aug, 2016

Stop feeding the news machine – World News Publishing Focus

Newsrooms should stop burdening their resources to provide continuous breaking news updates that the audiences don’t need, Laufer said. “If your house is on fire, you will need to know about it immediately so that you can leave. But if someone else’s house is on fire, and he or she is on another continent an […]

29 Aug, 2016

To curb plastic bottles, “water ATMs” to be installed in Chandigarh – The Indian Express

With an aim to conserve the environment and to minimise the usage of plastic bottles, the civic body has decided to set up water ATM’s at 20 different locations in the city by this month. The water ATM’s would help curbing usage of 26,000 kilograms of plastic bottles used in Chandigarh per year. A committee […]

29 Aug, 2016

Five reasons to wear a burkini, and not just to annoy the French – The Guardian

By Remona Aly Wahey – it’s that time again, people! The burkini is all the rage for the ump-flippin-teenth time, and our latest dip into controversial swimwear politics comes from – you’ll never guess – the French. The mayor of Cannes is going trigger-ban happy by curtailing the right to swim while covered on the […]

29 Aug, 2016

Israeli prison ‘like being inside a grave’ – Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera: Can you tell us about your time in solitary confinement? Amal al-Sada: I was completely isolated. I did not see day or night. It was like being inside a grave. I spent two weeks without a shower because the bathroom I had was open and directly facing the door of the cell, so […]

29 Aug, 2016

Indian Railways helps passengers quench their thirst, get a good sleep – The Hindu

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Bangalore division of the South Western Railways (SWR) launched an e-bedroll facility and water-vending machines at the Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna Station (earlier known as City Railway Station) on Monday morning. The e-bedrolls kits are of two types – one containing two cotton bed sheets and […]

29 Aug, 2016

Record payouts to UK veterans with mental health disorders – The Independent

The number of serving and ex-forces personnel being awarded compensation for mental disorders has hit record levels, leading to fears that we are now starting to see the true cost of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars in the form of the mental scars left on those who had to fight them. Analysis of Armed Forces […]

29 Aug, 2016

BJP Chief: Nationalism questioned in the name of freedom of expression – Hindustan Times

BJP President Amit Shah said on Sunday nationalism was being questioned in the name of freedom of expression and “propaganda” against nationalism could not be considered as freedom of speech. “It has become a fashion for some people nowadays to question nationalism. This is being done in different places and new theories are being planted. […]

29 Aug, 2016

IsDB seeks nominations for US$450,000 awards in Science, Tech & Women in Development

Imtiaz Muqbil

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 29 August 2016 (26 Dhul Qadah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA NO REGISTRATION FEE FOR WORLD TOURISM CONFERENCE […]

29 Aug, 2016

Israeli firm accused of creating iPhone spyware – The Guardian

An Israeli technology company has been accused of creating and supplying an aggressive interception program capable of taking over Apple’s iPhones and turning them into remote spying devices, after it was allegedly used to target a Middle Eastern human rights activist and others.The discovery, announced on Thursday, prompted Apple to issue an urgent software update […]

19 Aug, 2016

Attacks in Thailand: Visitor arrivals on upturn already

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Arrivals to Thailand are again heading upwards, barely a week after the Aug 11-12 bomb and arson attacks in various tourist destinations of Peninsula Thailand. The turnaround is a strong indicator of visitor confidence in the Thai tourism industry, and the diminishing global impact of low-grade, one-off attacks on travel & tourism. Daily […]

19 Aug, 2016

UN ESCAP issues first report on State of ICT in Asia-Pacific 2016

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok, 19 August 2016, UN ESCAP media release – Despite the widely reported phenomenal growth in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Asia-Pacific region, a new study by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), has found that broadband capabilities and access are highly concentrated in East and […]

18 Aug, 2016

Why tourism will remain a victim of terrorism

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Albert Einstein is credited with the quote which defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Clearly, that definition applies to the travel & tourism industry which, after every act of terrorism, issues a routine condemnation and then foolishly expects that to make any difference […]

17 Aug, 2016

Attacks in Thailand: Hot-off-the-Press statistics show minimal arrivals impact

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The Ministry of Tourism and Sports this morning posted the stats of daily arrivals at five international gateway airports (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Haad Yai) for the month of August to show the full impact of the Aug 11-12 bomb and arson attacks. The detailed stats include arrivals and departures […]

16 Aug, 2016

Attacks In Thailand: Much More To It Than Meets The Eye

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The explosions and suspected arson attacks in many popular Thai tourism destinations reflect five systemic and universal failures. Partially the result of living in denial and refusing to heed the lessons of history, they may hopefully lead to renewed policy approach and a more hard-nosed discourse about the inter-linkages between politically-motivated violence, safety […]

15 Aug, 2016

Islamic medical tradition “hijama” used by Olympic swimming champ

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 15 August 2016 (12 Dhul Qa’dah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA AUGUST MARKS INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR MALAYSIA Proclamations […]

10 Aug, 2016

Islamic designs flag rising popularity, elegance of “modest fashion”

Imtiaz Muqbil

Jakarta – Islamic fashion is spearheading the rise of a new global trend known as “modest fashion”. After years of designing clothes that “reduced women to objects of sexual desire or just used to sell merchandise”, global fashion houses are awakening to this new trend. At a broader level, this pursuit of the middle-path is […]

8 Aug, 2016

China launches first organised tours to Kazakhstan

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 08 August 2016 (05 Dhul Qa’dah 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA AUGUST MARKS INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR MALAYSIA Proclamations […]

3 Aug, 2016

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s speech that the Myanmar tourism industry must read

Imtiaz Muqbil

Jakarta – Sri Lanka and Myanmar have much in common. Both are Buddhist-majority countries which have recently come in from the cold, Myanmar after decades of military dictatorship, and Sri Lanka after decades of a bitter internecine ethnic conflict. Both have one more thing in common: a sizable Muslim minority. That’s where the similarities end, […]

2 Aug, 2016

Malaysian PM blasts “foreign interventions” as cause of violence and conflict in Islamic world

Imtiaz Muqbil

Jakarta — Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak has warned the Islamic countries against “foreign interventions” which he said have unleashed a “Pandora’s Box of sectarian conflict.” He also blasted “those who, out of political motivation, call for foreign powers to intervene in their own country.” The speech by the Malaysian PM at the opening […]

1 Aug, 2016

Jakarta all set for 12th World Islamic Economic Forum

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 01 August 2016 (27 Shawwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA AUGUST MARKS INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR MALAYSIA Proclamations of […]

30 Jul, 2016

Thailand’s biggest mall hosts its first World Halal Fest

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Both the causes of promoting Thailand as a Muslim-friendly destination and socio-cultural-economic integration within ASEAN took another giant leap forward with the organisation of the kingdom’s first World Halal Fest (WHF), an extravaganza of Thai-Muslim business, arts, music and culture, at the CentralWorld Shopping Complex, Thailand’s biggest mall. Former ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Surin […]

26 Jul, 2016

“Terror”: This hypocritical catch-all term has finally caught us out – Robert Fisk, The Independent

The frightful and bloody hours of Friday night and Saturday morning in Munich and Kabul – despite the 3,000 miles that separate the two cities – provided a highly instructive lesson in the semantics of horror and hypocrisy. I despair of that generic old hate-word, “terror”. It long ago became the punctuation mark and signature […]

25 Jul, 2016

UNWTO peace tourism conference helps Sri Lanka strengthen swords-to-ploughshares strategy

Imtiaz Muqbil

Passikudah, Sri Lanka – Seven years after the guns fell silent in Sri Lanka, the former battlefields of the country’s North and East Coasts hosted the first UN World Tourism Organisation conference on how tourism can play a role in building local, regional, social, cultural and communal peace. It was the perfect theme in the […]

25 Jul, 2016

Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca a Jewel of Islamic art

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 25 July 2016 (20 Shawwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA TOURISM MALAYSIA & MALAYSIA AIRLINES RESUME COLLABORATION Tourism […]

24 Jul, 2016

India-born Muslim heads security at a US Hindu temple – Times of India

WASHINGTON, PTI | Jul 24, 2016: A Mumbai-born Muslim police officer is the security incharge of the largest Hindu temple in the Indianapolis city of US, setting an example of inter- faith cooperation and social harmony at a time when religious intolerance rhetoric is on the rise due to the election cycle. An eight-degree black-belt […]

24 Jul, 2016

Gaza’s rich history is potential tourism draw – The Electronic Intifada

On a sandy Rafah hilltop in mid-April, a few workers were digging carefully into the dry land. The excavators, their tools basic, were from Gaza’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The site they were digging — at 40 acres, Tel Rafah is among the largest of Gaza’s 30-odd archaeological sites — is believed to contain […]

20 Jul, 2016

How the Spineless Travel & Tourism Industry Rewards Failure

Imtiaz Muqbil

The annual Global Travel Price Outlook just released by the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) is positioned as a comprehensive look at travel pricing and the macro-economic influencers that drive it. In addition to forecasting weaker-than-expected performance for all major global economies well into 2017, the report cites a range […]

20 Jul, 2016

Futurist professor flags dangers of Project for the New American Century

Imtiaz Muqbil

Professor Emeritus Jim Dator of the Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, University of Hawaii at Manoa, has joined me in flagging the global dangers posed by the Project for The New American Century. Last week, Prof Dator sent me the draft of a speech entitled “Mortgage Banking for the New American Empire, and other […]

20 Jul, 2016

Indian Culture ministry readies “grading system” for artists, writers – Hindustan Times

The government has decided to introduce a rating system for artists and writers on the basis of which they will get to represent India, the Indian Express has reported. The culture ministry, under a pilot project, has already graded 185 artists into three categories — O (outstanding), P (promising), W (waiting), a report said Monday. […]

20 Jul, 2016

American Nuremberg: The U.S. Officials Who Should Stand Trial for Post-9/11 War Crimes

No subject is more hotly debated than the extreme measures that the U.S. government has taken after 9/11 in the name of national security. Torture, extraordinary rendition, drone assassinations, secret detention centers (or “black sites”), massive surveillance of citizens. But while the press occasionally exposes the dark side of the war on terror and congressional […]

20 Jul, 2016

The PM and the politics of questioning – The Hindu

Recently, there were two interesting developments. First, as the second anniversary celebrations of the BJP-led NDA government began, a BJP spokesperson tweeted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the “most hardworking PM ever in Indian history”. The reason was that Mr. Modi delivered a speech every 45.6 hours in two years. And second, this summer, […]

18 Jul, 2016

World Tourism Conference 2016 to be held in Penang

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 18 July 2016 (13 Shawwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA TOURISM MALAYSIA & MALAYSIA AIRLINES RESUME COLLABORATION Tourism […]

16 Jul, 2016

What an official 9/ 11 photographer filmed and why he says it cost him his freedom

HOURS after planes flew into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, Kurt Sonnenfeld was given unrestricted access to ground zero. Sonnenfeld was working for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, an organisation tied to the US Department of Homeland Security and charged with co-ordinating first response to disasters. Armed with camera gear, […]

16 Jul, 2016

How Buddhist tax accountants and whistle blowers can change the world

By Max Lawson I can only guess at the panic in the boardrooms of the investment banks and particularly at the big four accounting firms – Deloittes, PwC, KPMG and Ernst & Young, who between them have almost complete oversight over the business of aggressive tax planning by the major corporations. But no amount of […]

16 Jul, 2016

Violence stalks journalists across India as perpetrators roam free – Hindustan Times

Journalists across the country are increasingly facing threats and intimidation. As per available data, shared in the Lok Sabha by Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary, Minister of State (Home Affairs), in March, a total of 114 cases were registered under attack on media person (grievously hurt) during 2014. Some 32 persons were arrested. However, the cases hardly […]

11 Jul, 2016

Cuba’s small Muslim community marks end of Ramadan

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 11 July 2016 (06 Shawwal 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA 1MALAYSIA MEGA SALE CARNIVAL  UNTIL 1 AUGUST 2016 […]

8 Jul, 2016

Bravo Britain: How the Chilcot Report will benefit global travel & tourism

The Chilcot report investigating the British government’s decision-making under former Prime Minister Tony Blair over the 2003 attack on Iraq will, over time, have a hugely positive impact on global travel & tourism. It has made a quantum-leap contribution to the global principles of good governance, transparency, accountability and the pursuit of truth. If the […]

6 Jul, 2016

Sole Bangladeshi Nobel laureate links terrorism to ongoing Middle East conflicts

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – Bangladesh’s only Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has issued a statement linking the 1 July terrorist attack in Dhaka to ongoing conflict in the Middle East, asserting that the world “must wake up to the fact that violence in one place breeds violence even in remotest places of the world.” The statement should be […]

5 Jul, 2016

London mayor appoints Indore-born Rajesh Agrawal as deputy – Hindustan Times

London Mayor Sadiq Khan on Wednesday appointed Indore-born Rajesh Agrawal as his deputy mayor for business to boost the city’s interests following the European Union referendum. Khan tasked Agrawal, who arrived in Britain in 2001 and grew a two-person enterprise into a multi-million pound business, with championing London’s interests and protecting jobs and growth while […]

4 Jul, 2016

The Real “Disruption” is Still to Come: Book Forecasts Fall of the American Empire

Imtiaz Muqbil

In January 2006, one of Asia’s most prominent social activists published a stark warning that a system which allows less than 60 million Americans to vote for a person who gains power to determine, with zero accountability, the fate of the rest of the world, is deeply flawed, deserves to collapse and eventually will. The […]

4 Jul, 2016

South African journalist Aaisha Patel’s Ramadan Diaries

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 04 July 2016 (29 Ramadan 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA LAUNCH OF 1MALAYSIA MEGA SALE CARNIVAL 2016 & […]

29 Jun, 2016

The biggest global mistake exposed by the Brexit vote is….

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The biggest global mistake exposed by the Brexit vote is the fallacious assumption that the rich, famous and powerful know it all. They don’t. Since time immemorial, the content of travel industry conferences and events has remained chock-full of the inevitable top-down approach which assumes that if you are rich, powerful, famous or […]

28 Jun, 2016

Brexit: BBC journalist called a ‘p**i’ as Muslim Council warns of rising Islamophobia – The Independent

A BBC journalist has been called a racially abusive term she had “not heard since the 80s” as reseachers warned the EU campaigns have “stoked” Islamophobia in Britain. Sima Kotecha, who is a reporter for Radio Four, expressed her shock after being called a “p**i” in her home town of Basingstoke in the immediate aftermath […]

28 Jun, 2016

This country is no longer safe for immigrants – The Independent

Much of liberal Britain woke up this morning (or went to bed) believing they’d encountered a different side to the country. That 17 million odd people voted to leave the EU was an indication of racism and xenophobia, it was immediately decided that this was anti-migrant vote. The shock and surprise was palpable. There’s a […]

28 Jun, 2016

Israel accused of ‘cruel and inhuman’ border crossing conditions for Palestinians by NGO – The Independent

A human rights NGO has accused Israel of forcing Palestinians to withstand “cruel and inhuman” conditions at its borders. The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, also known as B’Tselem, said even those with legitimate work permits were being made to wait for hours in extremely hot weather. B’Tselem posted an […]

28 Jun, 2016

Across the world minds are narrowing. We must fight back – The Guardian

This may seem like an unrelated pair. One was a British MP, one a Pakistani singer. But within one week, the two were killed by their countrymen. They were humanists. They faced outwards, at a moment when fascists are trying to shove us into cages of religion or race. They stood up for universal values, […]

28 Jun, 2016

Brexit – A Victim of the Law of Unintended Consequences

By Yasmin Ahammad

The sense of loss is great. The loss of a country I thought I knew, the loss of a continental union, the potential loss of the United Kingdom as it currently exists. Almost six years living and working abroad in South-East Asia has done nothing to lessen the heartbreak of watching my country unravel. Last […]

28 Jun, 2016

‘My family doesn’t feel safe here any more’: Eastern Europeans on Brexit – The Guardian

I feel scared after the referendum. In my workplace I have heard people saying things, such as: “Pack your bags and get the fuck out.” Followed by, “If you want I can give you a suitcase.” This referendum has not led to communities coming together in any way – the opposite has happened. Now I […]

27 Jun, 2016

Bahrain holds Ramadan speakers forum to advance Muhammad Ali’s legacy

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 27 June 2016 (22 Ramadan 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA LAUNCH OF 1MALAYSIA MEGA SALE CARNIVAL 2016 & […]

27 Jun, 2016

How to make post-Brexit U.K. more attractive to visitors from “developing countries”

Imtiaz Muqbil

The British tourism industry has been quick to identify the silver linings amidst the dark clouds of the Brexit-vote crisis. The UK is being marketed as great value for money due to the plummeting pound. The message is clear: The time is right to visit Britain. I stopped going to the UK five years ago. […]

23 Jun, 2016

The Beauty of an Alternative Perspective: Einstein on Israel and Zionism

Imtiaz Muqbil

Editor’s Note: The article below was one of the Soul-Searching columns I wrote for the Bangkok Post, published Aug 21, 2011. These columns were gagged by “the newspaper you can trust” in July 2012. I am reproducing it below to help promote an alternative perspective in the travel & tourism industry, which is one of […]

22 Jun, 2016

Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them

Imtiaz Muqbil

On 13 May 2016, I published a post about Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), describing him as the man who will NEVER be invited to speak at a travel industry convention. Today, this post is about a book that will NEVER be mentioned at a travel industry convention. It […]

22 Jun, 2016

A dangerous game in Kairana – The Hindu

It is now beyond a shadow of doubt that BJP MP Hukum Singh’s infamous list, made up of members of Hindu families that had allegedly fled his Lok Sabha constituency Kairana in western Uttar Pradesh and in neighbouring Kandhla in Shamli district, was a piece of fiction. Many of those who figured in the list […]

21 Jun, 2016

Casino baron donated US$1.2 million to fund anti-Muslim hatred in U.S. – Report

Imtiaz Muqbil

WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/20/2016 – Jewish casino baron Sheldon Adelson’s Family Foundation has been identified as one of 33 groups, institutions and individuals which provided or “enjoyed access to” at least US$205 million to “spread fear and hatred of Muslims” in the United States between 2008-13. A report published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) […]

20 Jun, 2016

Bethlehem University Hails its First Tourism Vocational Training Program Graduates

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 20 June 2016 (15 Ramadan 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA LAUNCH OF 1MALAYSIA MEGA SALE CARNIVAL 2016 & […]

18 Jun, 2016

Why are we so reluctant to label white attackers as terrorists? – Yasmin Ahmed, The Independent

We find it difficult to accept that white terrorist organisations are alive and kicking in the west. Some fringe far right groups have already advocated “militant direct action” in achieving their aims. Had a group of Muslims claimed to be specialising in “militant action” in the UK, surely the threat would be taken far more […]

17 Jun, 2016

As It Shapes ISIS-Centric Narrative, Orlando Police Reject FoI Request for Audio of Shooter’s 911 Call | Alternet

Hours after Omar Mateen opened fire in the LGBTQ Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, the Orlando Police Department informed the media that Mateen had sworn allegiance to ISIS in a call to its 911 emergency line. This single detail became the focus of all the coverage that followed, prompting politicians from Hillary Clinton to Donald Trump […]

17 Jun, 2016

Corporate Media’s Spin on Orlando Shooting Is Boosting America’s Dirty Wars in Muslim-Majority Countries | Alternet

Within hours of Sunday morning’s horrific massacre at the LGBTQ Pulse club’s Latin night, numerous political elites were already banging the drums for retaliatory military escalation against ISIL and hardline crackdown against Muslim-American communities. Major media outlets enabled this war crescendo by uncritically amplifying hawkish voices while repeatedly failing to mention that there is no […]

17 Jun, 2016

Questions and Anomalies Surround ‘Worst Mass Shooting in U.S. History’: Memory Hole

The “worst mass shooting in U.S. history” is reported to have occurred between 2 am and 5 am on Sunday morning, June 12, at Pulse, a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The “act of terror” is said to have produced 49 dead and 53 injured. A 50th death was that of the “shooter,” identified as Omar […]

17 Jun, 2016

Israel ‘cuts off water supply to West Bank’ during Muslim holy month – The Independent

Israel has cut off the water supply to large areas of the West Bank, Palestinian authorities have claimed. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have reportedly been left without access to safe drinking water during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a period of fasting, at a time when temperatures can exceed 35C. The northern city […]

15 Jun, 2016

No jokes please, we’re Indian – The Hindu

Sometimes the reaction is the real joke. The police force in India’s financial capital have sought legal opinion to check if they have grounds to file an FIR against a comedian for a video he recently posted on the messaging application, Snapchat. The Mumbai police were following up on a complaint from the Maharashtra Navnirman […]

15 Jun, 2016

A satiated Ramadan – Times of India

By Eternally Hungry I stopped the car near a footpath and thought of sharing the sheer delights with the street children. Well yes, because I wouldn’t have eaten them anyway. I asked one of them if they could eat mutton and the answer shook me forever, “Bhookh mein kuch bhi chalega”. I got up instantly, […]

15 Jun, 2016

Hindu Sena cuts cake for Trump, ‘messiah against Islamic terror’ – The Indian Express

Little-known right wing group Hindu Sena on Tuesday celebrated US Republican party candidate Donald Trump’s birthday at Jantar Mantar in the national capital. With a birthday cake, balloons and posters — including one showing Trump brandishing a gun, the group celebrated Trump’s birthday. The Hindu Sena called Trump the ‘saviour of humanity’ and the ‘messiah […]

15 Jun, 2016

Growing Islamophobia will only make America more unsafe – DAWN.COM

THE horror of the recent Orlando shooting at a gay nightclub that left almost 50 dead and dozens injured has shaken the United States. It is the biggest act of terrorism on American soil since the 9/11 tragedy. There has been across-the-board sympathy and a show of solidarity with the victims of the mindless and […]

15 Jun, 2016

America’s new terror reality – The Hindu

The toxic forces of global jihadist terror, lax gun control laws and pernicious homophobia converged on Sunday night at a gay club in Orlando, Florida. The outcome was the worst mass shooting incident in U.S. history. Omar Mateen, 29, a U.S.-born son of Afghan immigrants, killed 50 people and injured at least 53 using both […]

15 Jun, 2016

Breaking the Israel-Palestine logjam – The Hindu

The problem in the case of the Israel-Palestine conflict is that there’s a pro-Israel bias among the Western powers which stops them from putting real pressure on Tel Aviv to deliver. Israel knows that it can get away with anything. It’s the only nuclear armed nation in West Asia, though it hasn’t officially declared that. […]

15 Jun, 2016

The way Australian billionaires earn their wealth – Sydney Morning Herald

It turns out Australia has a disproportionate share of the world’s billionaires. We have about 0.33 per cent of the global population but account for 1.8 per cent of all billionaires, the research shows. And its finance and property – not mining – that has created more Australian billionaires than any other industry. The Peterson Institute paper says 31 per cent of […]

15 Jun, 2016

‘Ramadan Tov’: How to stop funding Israel’s occupation – Al Jazeera

Established in 2005, BDS is a Palestinian-led global movement that calls for an economic, academic and cultural boycott of Israel until it complies with international law and grants Palestinians their rights. Abu Helal says that one of the factors that sets this campaign apart from previous ones is the use of the word “tov” which […]

15 Jun, 2016

How did one of the worst paedophiles in history get away with his crimes? – The Guardian

The head of the American Nicaraguan School, Dr Gloria Doll, immediately confronted Vahey with the cache of images. He confessed that he had spent a lifetime drugging his pupils and abusing them. “I was molested as a boy, that is why I do this,” he told Doll, according to an FBI affidavit. “I have been […]

15 Jun, 2016

Orlando shooter Omar Mateen was a child of America not ISIS — RT Op-Edge

Though much is being made of Mateen’s radicalization and pledge of allegiance to ISIS – and of the fact he was investigated by the FBI not once, not twice, but three times without further action taken and was still able to freely purchase the AR-15 assault rifle he used to carry out his massacre – […]

15 Jun, 2016

‘Endemic US mass shootings driven by gun culture & nihilistic rage’ — RT Op-Edge

Due to widespread Islamophobia many US citizens are rushing to blame Islamist radicalism for an “endemic” of mass shootings and do not realize that the government’s own gun policies only fuel the violence, RT America’s Chris Hedges believes. Although most people in the US assume the radical ideology and Islamic terrorism are behind the present-day […]

13 Jun, 2016

High-powered Bangladeshi Expo bids to cut travel, trade gap with Thailand

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – The first Bangladeshi female ambassador  in 44 years of diplomatic relations with Thailand has pulled off a hugely successful trade and investment expo designed to help Thai businessmen “take a fresh look” at a rapidly emerging country with huge cost and competitive advantages. Several ministers, chambers of commerce leaders and dozens of businesspersons […]

13 Jun, 2016

Orlando Killer Worked For Company Transporting Illegal Immigrants Inside US; Was Interviewed By FBI 3 Times

In a surprising discovery, the Palm Beach Post first reported that according to state records, Orlando shooter Omar Mateen – who as we reported earlier was licensed as a security guard and also holds a firearms license – was employed by the US subsidiary of G4S plc, a British multinational security services company, whose US-headquarters […]

10 Jun, 2016

Only Solution to Palestinian Terrorism Is the End of the Occupation – Haaretz Editorial

It’s amazing how the Israeli government does not learn its lesson and recognize what should have been clear long ago: The terror will continue as long as the Palestinian people have no hope on the horizon. No military steps will eradicate it and no boastful declarations will end it. The only way to deal with […]

9 Jun, 2016

Hindutva terror is as grave a threat to the Indian people as Islamist terror — Harsh Mander, The Indian Express

Apologists suggest that Hindutva terror is only a recent development; a retaliation to Islamist terror. This obscures the fact that it was Hindutva terror and violence that took Mahatma Gandhi’s life, demolished the Babri Masjid leading to the bloodiest communal clashes in post-Independent India, and organised many communal massacres of minorities. Hindutva terror banks on […]

7 Jun, 2016

Remembering Muhammad Ali: “I declare support for the Palestinian struggle to liberate their homeland”

On the occasion of the passing of legendary athlete and struggler for justice, Muhammad Ali, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network joins millions around the world in remembering Ali’s historic legacy of commitment to the liberation of oppressed peoples and his willingness to sacrifice in order to adhere to those principles. In 1985, Ali traveled to […]

6 Jun, 2016

Turkish News Agency Anadolu launches new service on Islamic world

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 06 June 2016 (01 Ramadan ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA TOURISM MALAYSIA INTRODUCES BEST OF LABUAN HOLIDAY PACKAGES 2016 Tourism Malaysia has launched 16 holiday packages to promote Labuan as a holiday […]

6 Jun, 2016

More Time to Unwind, Unless You’re a Woman – The New York Times

If people in all of these groups are working less, then someone must be working more. The answer, overwhelmingly, is women, who have taken on an Atlaslike role in supporting American economic growth. There are reasons to believe that at least some of the growth in female work hours has been an unfair burden. It […]

6 Jun, 2016

Norway becomes first country to commit to zero deforestation – The Independent

Norway has become the first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation. The Norwegian parliament pledged the government’s public procurement policy will become deforestation-free after a committee of MPs recommended imposing regulations to ensure the state did “not contribute to deforestation of the rainforest”. Norway funds forest conservation projects worldwide and also supports […]

6 Jun, 2016

Israel escalates forced transfer of Palestinians – AJE News

Occupied East Jerusalem – With a weary slump, Maisa Tamimi squeezed onto the living room sofa between her mother and husband. “It has been an extremely hard time,” she said anxiously. “I could never have imagined I would lose my son and then my home.” In recent months, Maisa’s life has changed dramatically. In early […]