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 […]

6 Jun, 2016

Students visit Tokyo mosque to get unbiased glimpse of Islam | The Japan Times

Tokyo – A recent wave of terror has fueled anti-Muslim hostility worldwide, fostering a negative image of Islam — a faith still unfamiliar in Japan. But Japan’s youth have been seeking answers to questions including what Islam really teaches and why it is blamed for violence. Many schools have introduced visits to Tokyo’s largest mosque […]

6 Jun, 2016

McKinsey report reflects state of denial in travel & tourism

Imtiaz Muqbil

A Mckinsey survey of global corporate chief executives shows that they increasingly see geostrategic instability as a very important business trend impacting on their profitability but do not quite understand what to do about it. The survey by the reputed consultancy company says that the share of executives identifying geopolitical and domestic instability as a […]

5 Jun, 2016

OPINION: Islamophobia and the commodification of hate – Anadolu Agency

Islamophobia has become popularized in recent years thanks to far-right politicians, news organizations like Fox, and popular media like the Showtime series Homeland, all of which use political conflagrations in their presentations of Muslims as villains, or worse. In news programs, political platforms, and television dramas, Muslims are denigrated, demonized, and dehumanized in ways that […]

30 May, 2016

International Muslim Media Alliance to be set up

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 30 May 2016 (23 Sha’baan 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. Wishing all my readers a peaceful and blessed upcoming Holy Month of Ramadan ============ A WORD […]

30 May, 2016

Popular UK baker Nadiya Hussain recounts Islamophobic abuse – The Independent

Nadiya Hussain says she has been shoved and had things thrown at her as part of Islamophobic abuse, which she claims gets worse after every terrorist attack committed by Muslim extremists. Hussain became a household name after 13 million viewers tuned in to watch her be crowned the country’s most popular baker on the 2015 […]

30 May, 2016

Anti-Islam protest descends into violence in Australia – AJE News

Police in Australia have used pepper spray to separate more than 300 angry protesters as anti-Islam and anti-racism groups clashed in the streets of Melbourne, the country’s second biggest city. Seven men were arrested in Coburg, a northern suburb of Melbourne on Saturday after anti-Islam protesters, some of whom were draped in the Australian flag, […]

29 May, 2016

UK History Professor Catherine Hall Rejects US$1m Prize From Israel – Truthdig

Every week the Truthdig editorial staff selects a Truthdigger of the Week, a group or person worthy of recognition for speaking truth to power, breaking the story or blowing the whistle. It is not a lifetime achievement award. Rather, we’re looking for newsmakers whose actions in a given week are worth celebrating. Catherine Hall, who […]

28 May, 2016

‘Violence more common’ in Bible than Quran, text analysis reveals – The Independent

An analysis into whether the Quran is more violent than the Bible found killing and destruction occur more frequently in the Christian texts than the Islamic. Investigating whether the Quran really is more violent than its Judeo-Christian counterparts, software engineer Tom Anderson processed the text of the Holy books to find which contained the most […]

28 May, 2016

Pakistan’s ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ gains momentum – Dawn.com

The torrential rains and landslides during April in northern Pakistan’s resulted in the deaths of more than 140 people and left widespread destruction. It is the second spell of heavy rain this spring in the area and experts say that heavy deforestation and rapid erosion of mountainsides exacerbated the damage. According to Leading Environmentalist Malik […]

28 May, 2016

Ontario parliament rejects anti-BDS law | The Electronic Intifada

A bill to blacklist supporters of the Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions movement was handily defeated in the parliament of Ontario on Thursday. Lawmakers in Canada’s most populous province rejected it by 39 votes to 18 after a debate in which the bill’s supporters falsely accused the BDS movement of encouraging 1930s-style boycotts of Jewish-owned […]

28 May, 2016

Delhi homeowners shut doors on Muslim tenants: UN varsity study | The Indian Express

FROM BOLLYWOOD actors not finding apartments in Mumbai over the years to the latest civil services entrant, who took on a Hindu surname to find accommodation in Pune, there have been a number of stories about Muslims finding it difficult to rent houses. Now, a full-fledged study stands testimony to this discrimination — in the […]

28 May, 2016

Majority of Germans think Islam does not ‘belong’ in their country – The Independent

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s public calls for tolerance and inclusivity are increasingly falling on deaf ears, a new survey into Germany’s attitudes towards Islam shows. A new poll shows almost two-thirds of Germans think Islam does not “belong” in their country. In a marked increase from a similar survey conducted six years ago in which a […]

28 May, 2016

Discharge of the Malegaon accused is a reminder of a recurring injustice | The Indian Express

The recent discharge of eight accused in the Malegaon case by the trial court, has again brought to light a recurrent theme in the prosecution of terror accused in India. The fact that the court chose to discharge the accused 10 years after the crime, speaks volumes about the prosecution evidence in the present case. […]

28 May, 2016

Palestine Museum review – a beacon of optimism on a West Bank hilltop – The Guardian

A sharp white crown rises from a hilltop in the West Bank, looking out across sun-scorched terraces of olive trees and sage bushes to the waters of the Mediterranean – a distant prospect that most Palestinians will never be able to reach. Seen from the valley below, this monolithic hangar could be the latest Israeli […]

28 May, 2016

Hindutva forces are succeeding in widening Hindu-Muslim divide – The Indian Express

By Julio Ribeiro, former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai, India Hemant Karkare laid down his life for his friends. Every man and woman in the land was his friend. He did not discriminate between man and woman, Hindu and Muslim, this caste or that. He was a professional policeman. And he was a patriot. And that […]

28 May, 2016

America’s top CEOs pocket 340 times more than average workers – The Guardian

The US’s top 500 chief executive officers earned 340 times the average worker’s wage last year, taking home $12.4m on average, according to a new report. The analysis by the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of US unions, found that the pay of executives leading the S&P 500 index of top companies actually dipped last year. […]

28 May, 2016

Working on Facebook’s Trending team “the most toxic work experience” – The Guardian

By Anonymous Working at Facebook, even as a contractor, was supposed to be the opportunity of a lifetime. It was, instead, the most toxic work experience of my life. As a curator, my job was to choose what links would appear on the Facebook “trending” box on the right side of a user’s newsfeed. Every […]

27 May, 2016

Pro-Israel group will pay young Jews $100 to watch its movies – Mondoweiss

You’ve surely heard that young American Jews are turning away from Israel. They don’t really care that much about the Jewish state. Well a pro-Israel propaganda shop has the answer. Jerusalem U is dedicated to building a connection between American Jews and Israel by producing pro-Israel documentaries. And the Israel brand has fallen on such […]

27 May, 2016

China launches app to guide visually disabled

By LUO WANGSHU

Beijing, (China Daily) 2016-05-18 – A new app connecting millions of visually handicapped people with volunteers was launched in Beijing on Tuesday. The free app, see4me.org, has two channels－one for visually disabled users and one for volunteers. It allows the visually disabled to post requests, such as medical instructions or having mail read to them. […]

27 May, 2016

Forget travel & tourism, here’s where the real money is….

Imtiaz Muqbil

When UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon addressed media at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul on 24 May 2016, he made some shocking revelations about the state of human suffering. About 130 million people have been displaced by wars, conflicts and natural disasters worldwide. The UN needs 245 billion dollars a year to care for them. […]

26 May, 2016

Mind the liberal gaps | The Indian Express

Hindu nationalists believe that India is a Hindu nation. That is a fundamentally unconstitutional idea. India’s Constitution says India belongs to all religious communities, not only or primarily to the Hindus. A Hindu-centric view of the nation automatically begins to target religious minorities. Thus, a ghar wapsi (homecoming) campaign, with the explicit or implicit protection […]

23 May, 2016

Muslim actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui gets roaring applause at Cannes

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islam for the week ending 23 May 2016 (16 Sha’baan 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA Malaysia: One Million Visitors Projected at Royal Floria […]

20 May, 2016

This is how fascism comes to America – Washington Post

What Trump offers his followers are not economic remedies — his proposals change daily. What he offers is an attitude, an aura of crude strength and machismo, a boasting disrespect for the niceties of the democratic culture that he claims, and his followers believe, has produced national weakness and incompetence. His incoherent and contradictory utterances […]

18 May, 2016

A blow against free speech – The Hindu

In the 400 years after the origin of criminal defamation in England, and in the 150 years after the drafting of the IPC, the world has moved on. There are no more duels. In 2009, the United Kingdom abolished criminal defamation altogether. More recently, the Constitutional Court of Zimbabwe struck it down as an unconstitutional […]

18 May, 2016

Dumbing down of Indian politics – The Hindu

The first obligation of the ruler is to ensure prabhavaya, or prosperity of his subjects. The second is dharna, the holding together of all human beings. A righteous ruler must not draw arbitrary boundaries between those who ‘belong’ and those who do not. The third obligation is that of non-violence. The rules of Raj Dharma […]

18 May, 2016

Has Israeli war criminal played lead role in Cannes security? | The Electronic Intifada

The French city of Cannes has denied reports that an Israeli general is overseeing security forces tasked with protecting this year’s film festival, which began on Wednesday. But authorities in the glamorous Mediterranean resort have confirmed that Brigadier-General Nitzan Nuriel was consulted as part of a security review. The city now appears to be trying […]

17 May, 2016

George Koo: Notes from a Chinese American tourist in Iran – Asia Times

A 17-day tour of Iran does not a country expert make, but it’s certainly enough to form some meaningful impressions of a country that has been virtually blacked out from Americans’ consciousness since the Iranian Islamic revolution of 1979. As our first visit to Iran, we took a custom tour from Kerman in the south […]

17 May, 2016

Tax havens accuse US of ‘hypocrisy’ over tax avoidance – The Independent

A group of tax havens have accused larger countries like the United States of “hypocrisy” when it comes to cracking down on tax avoidance. With the issue of offshore finance high on the agenda in light of the fall out from the so-called Panama Papers scandal, world leaders convened in London on Thursday to agree […]

17 May, 2016

As Palestinians mourn their Nakba, the UK must acknowledge its responsibility – Ahmed Khalidi, The Guardian

Today (15 May) marks the 68th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe): the Palestinians’ dispossession and the loss of their homeland. Yet while the Palestinians’ plight remains without redress, in the UK over the last few weeks we have witnessed a different, if related, debate, which has deflected attention to another issue; that of antisemitism […]

17 May, 2016

Two absconders in Malegaon blast mentioned as RSS workers: NIA – The Hindu

Ram Chandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange, the two absconding accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, have been mentioned as ‘RSS workers’ in the charge sheet filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) last week. Naming Mr. Kalsangra as accused number 13 and Mr. Dange as accused number 14, the NIA has referred to […]

17 May, 2016

Move to impeach Tony Blair over Iraq War gains support – The Independent

A cross-party group of MPs, including former SNP leader Alex Salmond, may renew their attempts to impeach Tony Blair following the publication of the Chilcot report later this year. According to reports, Mr Salmond has begun rallying support for an attempted prosecution, pending the findings of the report, which will be released in July. In […]

17 May, 2016

How the next financial crisis will hit the world economy – The Independent

A new economic crisis, which we are on the brink of experiencing, will have similarities, and differences, to 2008. The problem of crowded trades – where market participants all have the same basic positions and strategies, and identical risk models – will be familiar. The effect of new regulations, ironically designed to minimise the risk […]

16 May, 2016

WTTC Report on Peace & Tourism Wipes Palestine Off the Map

Imtiaz Muqbil

A report issued by the World Travel & Tourism Council to stress the link between tourism and peace has effectively wiped the globally recognised state of Palestine off the map. The serious omission has proved why tourism will never be able to seriously contribute to global peace unless groupings like the WTTC and indeed, many […]

16 May, 2016

Islamic Satellite TV Channel feasibility study approved

Compiled by Imtiaz Muqbil & Sana Shamsi

A compilation of progressive, positive, inspiring and motivating events and developments in the world of Islamfor the week ending 16 May 2016 (09 Sha’baan 1437). Pls click on any of the headlines below to go to the story. ============ A WORD FROM MY SPONSORS: TOURISM MALAYSIA SPECTACULAR SUCCESS FOR MALAYSIA AT ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET 2016 […]

16 May, 2016

Global alcohol consumption declines for the first time in a decade

LONDON, May 12 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — According to new research released by Euromonitor International, global alcoholic drinks volumes registered a decline of 0.7 percent in 2015, entering negative territory for the first time in more than a decade. This translated into a loss of 1.7 billion litres of alcoholic drinks volume sales since 2014. Historic […]

15 May, 2016

Ahmedabad to Karnavati? RSS wants name change for more Indian cities – Hindustan Times

Ahmedabad might soon be known as Karnavati, Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar and Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar, if the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has its way. The Sangh that was crucial in pushing through Gurgaon’s name change to Gurugram last month is now preparing for more such “reversals” to highlight Indian culture and cleanse foreign influence. Critics […]

13 May, 2016

The leading intellectual who will NEVER be invited to speak at a travel industry summit

Imtiaz Muqbil

Bangkok – He is often referred to as the “world’s leading intellectual.” His name is Prof Noam Chomsky, and Wikipedia describes him thus: “An American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, logician, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes described as “the father of modern linguistics”, Chomsky is also a major figure in analytic philosophy, and one […]

13 May, 2016

China launches three-year, $700b plan to upgrade infrastructure

Beijing, (chinadaily.com.cn) 2016-05-12 – A three-year action plan to improve the country’s infrastructure has been formally launched, with a total investment of 4.7 trillion yuan ($723.8 billion), the Shanghai Securities News reported on Thursday. The plan, jointly issued by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Transport, aims to improve the rapid […]

13 May, 2016

Muslim women kicked out of California restaurant sue for discrimination – The Guardian

Seven Muslim women who were kicked out of a southern California restaurant are suing the business for discrimination, alleging that they were singled out for wearing headscarves in an area that advocates say has seen an increase in hate crimes. The women, six of whom were wearing hijabs, say they were ordered to leave Urth […]

13 May, 2016

Open letter by female teenager in Israeli military prison for refusing to join the Army — The Independent

Here’s the thing: I am sitting in an Israeli military prison. And our uniforms, here in the military prison, were donated to my country by your country. Yes, it is really US Army uniforms that we are wearing, the tiger-skinned uniforms, the uniforms of the Marines, and some of them still have the family names […]

12 May, 2016

Narendra Modi and the myth of a self-made man | The Indian Express

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a good example of someone who uses his tea seller origins story to his political advantage and the people lap it up, even though no official records exist to show that he was indeed one. In fact, it is believed he was the son of a canteen contractor, making his […]

12 May, 2016

His name is Sadiq Khan – The Hindu

Zac Goldsmith, his Conservative rival, was comparatively vague on specifics, and mounted what can be aptly described as a ‘racist’ attack on Mr. Khan by accusing him of engaging with Muslim “extremists”. This was an attempt to harness, if not create, Islamophobia. That London’s diverse electorate rejected Mr. Goldsmith’s polarising campaign lends a heartwarming sheen […]