Ram’s birthplace Ayodhya is in Pakistan, says book
By Mohammed Shafeeq,
Hyderabad : Ayodhya, the birthplace of Hindu warrior-god Ram, is in Pakistan, claims a book by a top Muslim leader.
Ayodhya in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh is not the original city by the same name as it was inhabited by human beings only in 7th century BC while Rama is believed to have been born 18 million years ago, says "Facts of Ayodhya Episode" authored by Abdul Rahim Quraishi, assistant general secretary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).
AMU’s Minority Character, the Judiciary and the Executive
Dr Syed Zafar Mahmood
ZakatIndia.org
The citizens of India would be grateful to the Hon'ble Supreme Court for very kindly taking note of the contents of...
HH the Amir receives chairman, board members of Arrouiah daily
By KUNA
Kuwait : His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received on Sunday at al-Sief Palace Chairman of the Board of Arrouiah Newspaper Shireeda Abdullah Al-Mousherji, the Daily's Editor-In-Chief Saud Al-Sebeiei and its General Manager Mubarak Mazyad Al-Mousherji on the occasion of issuing the first copy of the newspaper.
The reception was attended by HH the Amir's Office Director Ahmad Fahad Al-Fahad.
Across 19 states IMRC reached out to over hundred thousand people during Ramadan
By TCN News,
Hyderabad: Misra Begum from Shiraz area in Srinagar district of Jammu and Kashmir is old now and has no male relative to...
Saudi expects to receive 2 mn pilgrims for Haj
Riyadh, (IANS): Saudi Arabia expects to receive around two million pilgrims this Haj season, including 1.7 million foreigners, the media reported on Sunday.
More than 1.8...
Dialogue only way to move forward, says Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary
Priorities of Pakistan’s government include the economic development and peaceful neighborhood, says Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary.
By Aslam Chandio, TwoCircles.net,
Islamabad: Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Aizaz...
Book Review : Wanted—Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family
By Yoginder Sikand, TwoCircles.net,
Name of the Book: Wanted—Equality and Justice in the Muslim Family
Edited by: Zainah Anwar
Publisher: Musawah/Sisters in Islam, Kuala Lumpur (www.musawah.org)
Email: [email protected]
Pages: 261
Price: 28 Malaysian Ringgit
ISBN: 978-983-2622-26-0
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
Sharia Laws and Democracy
By Yamin Zakaria
In comparing two systems, two major components need to be assessed. Firstly, the laws, and secondly is the consistent application of the laws upon the subjects.
Former Bangladesh ruler visits ancestral home in Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata: Former Bangladesh head of state Gen. Hussain Muhammad Ershad Sunday arrived at his ancestral home in West Bengal's Cooch Behar district with his son Eric.
Emotional scenes were witnessed as Ershad's relatives received him on his first visit to Dinhata in 34 years with flowers and hugs.
Udayan Guha, son of the ex-Bangaldesh president's childhood friend and former state agriculture minister Kamal Guha, called on Ershad who is now spending time with his relatives at his ancestral home.
Israeli attack on Gaza flotilla, UK’s slow response condemned
By TCN News,
New Delhi: The Israeli attack on the convoy of ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza early Monday is being widely condemned. At least 19 passengers were reportedly killed in the attack. Slow British reaction to the attack even when the fate of 28 Britons among some 700 passengers on the humanitarian flotilla remains unknown has also been condemned.
Cricket champions bat for HIV prevention at ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
By Aslam Chandio, TwoCircles.net,
Islamabad: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has launched a new edition of its HIV awareness campaign, THINK WISE in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand, cricket stars will unite to support the initiative, which has been active since 2003.
Afghanistan: Democracy with the flavor of narcotics
By Dr Mohammad Nazrul Bari and Milad Alimoradian,
Afghanistan has been the core of exhaustive research and analysis. This great landlocked country with an excellent ancient history has seen lots of difficult and different situations, especially in the last century; it suffered massively from several external and internal issues such as political, sociological, religious, etc. However, by looking at the internal issues we see that it’s linked to external interventions, which are not proliferating and productive for the country. This simply means that the external elements created the major devastating issues in the country: exploitation in all various forms can be seen as one of the main issues.
BSF court clears trooper of felani killing
Kolkata: While upholding its previous verdict, a special BSF court has acquitted a trooper who was accused of shooting dead a minor Bangladeshi girl...
Ten-Year action plan for Islamic world: Muslim states agree on creation of Anti-terror Islamic...
Islamic heads of more than 30 states have agreed a Ten-year plan of action in a bid to tackle extremism and security issues threatening...
More flood warnings for Pakistan, Jacobabab threatened
By DPA,
Islamabad : Authorities Monday warned of more floods as efforts were under way to save a major city in southern Pakistan.
Meteorological department chief Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry said a second wave of floods on the Indus river has reached the southern province of Sindh and threatened to swamp more areas.
"This second wave is around one million cusecs (28,320 cubic metres per second) to 1.1 million cusecs (31,152 cubic metres per second)," he said.
Afghanistan sees first democratic transition amidst ‘sigh of relief,’ hope from the new government,...
By M Reyaz, TwoCircles.net,
Afghanistan is all gear up for the first peaceful transition in over four decades – and in fact first democratic transition in its history - with a “sigh of relief” after months of impasse due to electoral related fraud allegations, and optimism for future amidst mixed reactions for the democratic strides in last 13 years.
Afghani woman alleges fraud marriage by Major, Army starts probe
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Indian Army is probing charges that one of its
doctors allegedly duped a young Afghan woman into wedlock despite being
married, a senior army official said Tuesday.
A day after Kabul resident Sabra Khan met Home Minister P.C. Chidambaram
here seeking permission to prosecute Major Chandrashekhar Pant, the Indian
Army said that a probe has already been initiated into the charge.
"The matter is under investigation and further action will be taken based on
the facts emerging from it," Director General of Medical Services (Army) Lt.
Man carrying sleeping daughter sparks online fundraising campaign
Beirut : An online fundraiser has raised more than $100,000 for a refugee from Syria and his daughter after sharing moving pictures of the...
Sikh pilgrims’ tents in Pakistan catches fire; no casualties
By Awais Saleem, IANS,
30 Taliban militants killed in Afghanistan
By IANS,
Kabul: At least 30 Taliban militants have been killed and 14 injured in various Afghanistan provinces in the last 24 hours, the country's interior ministry said Saturday morning.
National seminar held on Indo-Iran Cultural relations
By TCN News,
Aligarh: The first newspaper, ‘Mirat-ul-Akhbar’ published in Calcutta (Kolkatta), India in 1822, edited by great social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy was in Persian, pointed out Professor Mohd Tahir Ali, former Head, Department of Arabic, Persian and Islamic Studies, Vishwabharti Shanti Niketan (West Bengal) as he eulogized shared socio-economic-political and cultural ideals between India and Iran.
Pakistani Mohajirs’ plight highlighted at UN
Geneva: The European Mohajir Network has highlighted the sorry human rights status of Pakistan's Mohajirs -- the Muslims who migrated from India following Partition...
Two killed in Lebanon suicide bombing
By IANS,
Beirut: At least two soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing Saturday at an army checkpoint in Lebanon's Hermel town, Xinhua reported.
According to...
Jinnah book sales soar after author Jaswant’s expulsion
By Vishal Gulati, IANS,
Shimla : Curiosity equals book sales. That equation seems to be at work here with copies of Jaswant Singh's "Jinnah: India - Partition - Independence" flying off shelves as people dig into their pockets to find out why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader expelled its veteran leader.
The queues started soon after the party president Rajnath Singh, who is here with top leaders of the party for a three-day introspection session, announced the expulsion Wednesday morning.
Japan’s trade deficit with Kuwait, Middle East widens
By NNN-KUNA,
Tokyo : Japan's trade deficit with Kuwait widened 65.1 percent in April to JPY 146.64 billion (USD 1.41 billion) from a year earlier, and the nation's trade deficit with the entire Middle East also grew 54.1 percent to JPY 1.138 trillion (USD 10.94billion), the Finance Ministry said Thursday.
Exports to Kuwait rose 23.6 percent to JPY 14.96 billion (USD 143.9 million) in April, and imports jumped 60.1 percent to JPY 161.60 billion (USD 1.55 billion), the ministry said in a preliminary report.
Islamabad beauty is new Miss Pakistan World
By Gurmukh Singh, IANS,
Toronto : Natasha Paracha from Islamabad has been crowned the new Miss Pakistan World in an annual beauty pageant which, according to its founder, would enable Pakistani women "to stand up for change and progression" in a society that frowns on such events on its soil.
The 23-year-old graduate from the University of California at Berkeley replaces Mahleej Sarkari who created quite a stir last month when she called Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf a hunk and expressed a desire to date him.
At age 135, is he really world’s oldest person?
By IANS,
Dubai : At age 135, the world's oldest person might well be a citizen of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The identity card of Nasir Al Hazry, a resident of Al Ain in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, shows his age as 135, the Khaleej Times newspaper reported.
Al Hazry's family came to know about it only recently when the Al Ain office of the UAE's department of naturalisation and residency officially mentioned his age in the identity card. His exact date of birth has, however, not been revealed, the Khaleej Times said.
At least 3,000 dead in Libya: rights group
By DPA,
Paris: At least 3,000 people are estimated to have been killed so far in Libya's two-week-old uprising, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said Wednesday in Paris.
Freezing weather kills over 900 people in Afghanistan
By RIA Novosti
Kabul : The death toll of people killed by unusually severe cold weather in Afghanistan since December last year has risen to 926, a spokesman for the country's Ministry for Emergency Situations said on Saturday.
The spokesman said that only within the last five days the number of people killed by the frosts increased by 129.
The national weather authorities earlier said that this winter is the coldest on record with temperatures reaching lows of -30 degrees Centigrade (-22 Fahrenheit) in 17 of the country's 34 provinces.
JIH demands reconstruction of gutted Rohingya refugee camp in Delhi
On late Saturday, over 250 Rohingya refugees were rendered homeless as more than 50 shanties were destroyed in fire. Vowing to extend full cooperation...
Egyptian army arrests leading Sinai militant
Cairo: Egyptian military arrested Friday a leading member of Al Qaeda-inspired Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group in a raid on southern Arish city of...
‘Martyrs of Badr killed 203 in Syria’s Aleppo since July’
Beirut: At least 203 people have been killed in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo by the anti-regime Martyrs of Badr Brigade, the Syrian...
3rd Indo-Pak calendar launched in Islamabad
By TCN News,
Islamabad: 3rd Indo-Pak ‘Calendar for Peace & Love’ was launched in Islamabad on January 15 at Curiosity Junior School. The calendar was launched along with a discussion or “Sharing the hopes for a peaceful co-existence”.
25 ulemas to be banned in Pakistan at Muharram
Islamabad: Pakistan's Islamabad police have proposed that the entry of 25 ulemas into the city during Muharram should be banned by the local administration....
India’s info on Saeed ‘sketchy’: Pakistan
By NNN-PTI,
Islamabad : Pakistan on Saturday said the information given by India on JuD chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed's involvement in the Mumbai attacks is "sketchy" and will not hold in court to prosecute him.
"The information we have received (from India) is sketchy," Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters here.
The minister also ruled out extraditing Saeed to India.
"We need statements of forensic experts and authentic mobile reports reestablishing connection of terrorists with militants. We need more information from India to make our case solid," he said.
India Fraternity Forum trains volunteers to help Hajis in Mina
By TwoCircles.net news dek,
Dammam: India Fraternity Forum (IFF) conducted a workshop for Hajj volunteers who will be going to serve Hajis at Mina during the days of Dhul Hajj 9 to 12. The event was organized to provide guidelines and instructions to volunteers and train them so that they could serve the Hajis in a better way.
The event featured U. T. Khader, MLA of Mangalore, Karnatak, Abdul Sathar, President of Tamilnadu Social Welfare Association, P M Harris, Reporter of Malayalam News. Abdulla Kutyadi presided over the function.
In MIT, a celebration of Faiz’s life and works
By TCN News
Cambridge, Massachusetts: A program to celebrate the life and works of one of Urdu’s greatest poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz attracted a room full of Faiz fans to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on June 27, 2010.
Bangladesh Army to generate, sell power
By IANS,
Dhaka : A company floated by the Bangladesh Army will produce 50 MW power at an army camp outside the national capital and sell it to the government.
The state-run Power Development Board (PDB) Thursday signed agreements with the army's DPA Power Generation International Ltd and another firm, Sinha Power Generation Company.
Lt. Gen. Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, chairman of Bangladesh Diesel Plant Ltd, said the Pagla plant is the first of its kind for the army. "We will purchase modern equipment for setting up the plant."
Book Review: Islamisation of Pakistani Social Studies Textbooks
By Yoginder Sikand,
Book Review:
Name of the Book: Islamisation of Pakistani Social Studies Textbooks
Author: Yvette Claire Roser
Publisher: Rupa & Co
Price Rs. 195
Pages: 109
ISBN: 81-291-0221-8
Reviewed by: Yoginder Sikand
A Tale of Two Winners :Indo-Pak Noble Peace Prize,2014
By Dr. Asma Anjum Khan for TwoCircles.net,
Begum Para is daughter of our Ghafoor uncle. This is her first article. It’s about the, ’joint’ Noble Peace Prize, for the two eternal foes called India and Pakistan.
#Satyrathi, #Malala#NoblePeacePrize2014#BenAffleck#HughJackman#MoonSighting#AshishVidyarthi#Taliban#Fudoos#Mullas #FawadKhan
Indian expats hold blood donation camp in Dubai
By TCN News,
Dubai: To celebrate the 43rd UAE National day celebration the Indian Cultural Society - U.A.E, Karnataka Chapter in co-ordination with Al Barha Hospital conducted Blood Donation camp on December 13 at Al Barha Hospital Dubai.
Indian Cultural Society, UAE’s new officer bearers elected
By TCN News,
Ajman (UAE): The Indian Cultural Society UAE, an NRI wing of SDPI, formation of central committee at its meeting here elected the new office bearers for the duration of three years.
Aliyar from Kerala was elected as the president, Naseer Karaje from Karnataka was elected as the general secretary, Hasan TM as vice president and Munavar and Naushad were elected as secretaries during a programme held on April 17, 2015, a release from Indian Cultural Society, UAE, said here.
Japan to resume refueling mission near Afghanistan in February
By KUNA
Tokyo : Japan's parliament enacted Friday a legislation authorizing its Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) to resume refueling operations in the Indian Ocean, setting to resume logistical support for the US-led anti-terrorism campaign in and around Afghanistan as early as mid-February after a three-month hiatus.
Later in the day, Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to issue an order to the MSDF to prepare for the dispatch of ships to the region.
UAE officials meet foreign leaders
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : Officials of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sunday met their counterparts from France, Morocco and Seychelles and discussed expansion of ties.
Fazal Karim Kundi elected as Deputy Speaker of NA
By IRNA
Islamabad : The National Assembly on Wednesday elected the country's parliamentary Deputy Speaker.
He is a member from NWFP, was nominated for the office of the Deputy Speaker by the Pakistan Peoples Party of slain leader Benazir Bhutto, PML-N Party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and their allies.
He secured 246 votes out of 318 polled in the 342-member lower house of the parliament, according to the announcement by the incumbent Speaker Dr. Fahmida Mirza. 4 votes were declared invalid.
His rival Khush Bakht Shujaat of the opposition parties secured only 68 votes.
Monthly Iraq Death Toll Up 50 Percent
By Prensa Latina
Baghdad : The amount of Iraqis killed in March increased by 50 percent in comparison with February, as a result of the spiral of violence that ravages the Arab country, official sources reported on Tuesday.
According to data provided by the Iraqi Ministries of Interior, Defense and Health, that percentage represents the deaths of 1,082 persons, 925 of them civilians and rest members of the Army and the police.
The balance of dead soldiers reached 54 and the police forces lost 103, while the total of wounded was 1,630.
200 religious leaders to attend Madrid Interfaith Conference
By IINA,
Makkah : The Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) has extended invitation to some 200 prominent religious figures representing Islam, Christianity and Judaism from around the world to attend the forthcoming global interfaith dialogue conference.
TMMK writes to PM on India’s stand at UN report on Palestine
By TwoCircles.net News Desk,
New Delhi: President of Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhgam (TMMK), Prof. Dr. M. H. Jawahirullah, has written to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh urging him to rectify the stand taken by the government on the Goldstone Report on Palestine at the UN General Assembly.
IFF’s ‘Seerathunnabi’ campaign across Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia
‘Present World and Our Prophet (PBUH)’ held by India Fraternity Forum
By TCN News,
Dammam (Saudi Arabia): The India Fraternity Forum (IFF) organised public programme ‘VarthamanaMathuNammaPravadi’ as part of Seerathunnabi campaign for the purpose of promoting the message of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) in Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.
Abu Dhabi: Indian expats group helps a needy Indian to return home
By TCN News,
Abu Dhabi: Indian Cultural Society, Abu Dhabi Chapter (UAE) has once again extended its helping hand to an Indian worker to return back to India.
Shawkath, an Indian from Bihar, came to UAE last June with a dream and an intention of earning good livelihood for his family, through an agent to work for a Manufacturing Company, as an Accountant with all service benefits.
Rohingyas fleeing India stranded in no man’s land on Bangladesh border
Dhaka, Jan 21 (IANS) At least 31 Rohingya Muslims trying to enter Bangladesh from India have been stranded in no-man's land between the two...
Indian in Saudi Arabia swindles many in chit fund scam
By IANS,
Dubai : An Indian national in Saudi Arabia is absconding after allegedly swindling many people in a chit fund scam.
The Indian embassy in Riyadh alerted the police in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu to look out for T. Sekar after receiving a complaint from a group of 20 victims of the scam, the Arab News reported.
Sekar hails from Nagappattinam district in Tamil Nadu.
One of the victims, Ayyappan, told the newspaper that he lost 19,000 Saudi Riyals ($5,066) in the chit fund scam run by Sekar.
Thousands flee Egyptian prison: Reports
By IANS,
Cairo : About 5,000 Egyptian prisoners broke out of a prison in the Fayyoum Govenorate amid the nationwide riots Saturday night, Xinhua quoted the Dubai-based Arabiya TV report Sunday.
Discussion on Yemen organised by ‘Yuva Kranti’
Iranian ambassador Dr. Ansari, Syrian cultural minister, Former Indian Foreign Secretary Muchkund Dubey, Hannan Mollah, Mohsin Taqvi, Dr Rakesh rafiq, TV actor Abaas Haider, among others attended the seminar.
By TCN News,
New Delhi: "Yuva Kranti" organised a round-table discussion on Yemen on May 2 in the national capital. The title of the round-table was “New Geopolitical equations in middle east with focus on recent bombing of Yemen by Saudi Arabia".
India will support Palestine cause, engage with Israel: Mukherjee
By Arvind Padmanabhan
Amman : India will continue to support separate statehood for Palestine while also engaging with Israel to forge an independent...
2016 Haj pilgrimage schedule released in UP
Lucknow : The Uttar Pradesh Haj Committee has released the schedule for annual Haj pilgrimage for 2016, an official said on Wednesday.
According to the...
Two Pakistani Taliban leaders killed
By IANS,
Islamabad : Two key commanders of the Pakistani Taliban have been killed in clashes with security forces in northwest Pakistan, the Dawn newspaper reported Sunday.
Indian Sufi Sunnis condemn Lahore blasts, ‘Talibani Jehad’
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Indian Muslims and scholars have condemned the ghastly attack on innocent Sufi followers which killed around 50 people and injured about 200 at the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Syed Ali bin Usman Hajweri, popularly known as Data Ganj Bakhsh, in Lahore on July 2.
Muhammad Saeed Noori of Raza Academy Mumbai, a representative body of Majority Sufi Sunnis said, “The Purinitical and Extremist approach of these terrorists and bunch of dacoits has
Dhaka can take lessons from Beijing, says Rasheda
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Adviser for Women and Children Affairs Rasheda K Chowdhury described Dhaka-Beijing friendship as an excellent one since time immemorial in terms of trade and commerce, culture and history and said, Bangladesh could take lessons from China.
Bangladesh should follow the strategies of China to move towards economic prosperity as Beijng had shown amazing economic achievement in agriculture, industry and human resources development, she said at a discussion at a city hotel on Saturday afternoon.
Banana speed eater hospitalised in Ukraine
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: A girl in Ukraine had to be rushed to the hospital after she tried gobbling some bananas against the clock during a speed eating contest.
China regrets military strike against Libya
By IANS,
Beijing: China Sunday expressed regret over the military strike against Libya, saying Tripoli's territorial integrity should be respected.
Terrorist infiltration attempt foiled in Syria
By IANS,
Moscow: The Syrian military Saturday fought back an infiltration attempt by an armed group north of the port of Lattakia, the SANA news agency reported.
Ten-day International Peace Conference starts in Mumbai
Over 40 speakers to discuss international, social and political issues
By TCN News
Islam in Bosnia: an interview with Armina Omerika
By Claudia Mende
Islam has been practiced in Bosnia for centuries. Freelance writer Claudia Mende asks Armina Omerika, an expert in Islamic studies at the University of Erfurt in Germany, whether the Bosnian Islamic tradition could serve as a model for the integration of Muslims in other European societies.
How has Bosnian Islam come to terms with the non-Muslim Bosnian state?
Bangladesh Foreign Adviser meets Malaysian Foreign Minister
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka : Foreign Adviser of Bangladesh caretaker government Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury called on Malaysian Foreign Minister Dr. Rais Yatim on the sideline of the D-8 Conference now being held in Kuala Lumpur.
During the meeting on Sunday, they discussed ways and means of further strengthening the bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, a message received here said.
India-born Bhutto applies for Pakistan identity card
By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS,
Islamabad : Sassi Bhutto, the India-born granddaughter of Pakistan's former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, has applied for Pakistan national identity card apparently with an objective to enter politics and claim her share in the family property.
Sassi, 26, in her application submitted to the registration authority has mentioned her place of birth as India. However, the city of birth has not been named in the application.
Imran Khan taken off plane in Toronto
By IANS,
Toronto : Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan was taken off from a US bound flight for questioning here Friday, a media report said.
Eminent journalists, writers discuss Indo-Pak friendship at IIC, Calendar with paintings
The occasion was the calendar launch with paintings from school students from both countries.
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
New Delhi: India International Centre played host to intellectuals from India and Pakistan on the occasion of Aaghaz-e-Dosti, an Indo-Pak friendship initiative on December 21, organized by Mission Bhartiyam from India and The Catalyst from Pakistan.
Afghan vice president dead
Kabul : Afghanistan Vice President Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim died Sunday following cardiac arrest, media reported.
Fahim died following a heart attack in his Kabul...
Indian workers accuse Saudi company of not paying salaries
Riyadh : A group of Indian workers in Saudi Arabia have accused a local company of not paying their salaries for six months and...
Ebola suspect tests negative in Pakistan
Islamabad : A person suspected of having Ebola in Pakistan has tested negative for the disease, media reported Thursday.
Tasawar Hussain, who arrived in Karachi...
Al Jazeera urges Germany to release its journalist
Doha: Al Jazeera has urged Germany to immediately release its journalist Ahmed Mansour, detained at a Berlin airport on the request of the Egyptian...
Khaleda Zia’s son dies in Malaysia
Dhaka : Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko died of heart failure Saturday, the party confirmed.
Khaleda's press secretary...
Now visa row heats up between India and Pakistan
New Delhi : After ceasefire violations escalated tension between India and Pakistan, a row also erupted over denial of visas to diplomats from...
Centre not to extend ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir
New Delhi (IANS): The Centre on Sunday decided not to extend the suspension of anti-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir as announced in the...
Is the Swiss ban an opportunity?
By Richard Chartres and Ali Gomaa
Cairo/London - The recent vote in Switzerland banning the construction of new minarets casts an unnecessary shadow on the remarkable history of tolerance, hospitality and integration that is the true story of Switzerland. It is important to remember, however, that this vote in no way changes the fundamental affirmation in the Swiss constitution that "the freedom of religion and philosophy is guaranteed. All persons have the right to choose their religion or philosophical convictions freely, and to profess them alone or in community with others."
Arabs are very intelligent, ahead of Indians: Barkatullah Varsity VC
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Prof. Ravindra Jain, Vice Chancellor of Barkatullah University, Bhopal, has said that Arabs are very intelligent people and are ahead of Indians. They took full advantage of the literature in Sanskrit and Hindi which flourished in India during the period of the Rig Veda and Upanishads (from 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C.).
Indian ulema ready to intervene for 17 Indians facing death sentence in UAE
By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net,
Lucknow: As the fate of 17 Indians facing death sentence in UAE still hangs in balance muslim ulemas and clerics have launched an intiative for their release on compassionate grounds.
Headmaster beheaded, schools torched in Afghanistan
By DPA,
Kabul : Suspected Taliban militants beheaded a headmaster and torched two schools in southern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
Sakandar Shah Mohammadi, head of Al Berooni School in Qara Bagh district of Ghazni province was beheaded Saturday, the education ministry said in a statement.
On the same day, dozens of militants, riding on motorbikes, came to Zardalo area of the district and torched two elementary schools, Muhibullah Khepilwak, district governor, said. One of the schools was a girls' school and the other for boys.
Urdu can bring India, Pak together: former Jang editor
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net,
PPP to occupy Speaker slot, ANP Deputy Speaker, 21 members NWFP cabinet agreed; AFRASIAB
By NNN-APP
Peshawar : The select committees of the Awami National Party and Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians formed to evolve consensual power sharing formula for the future coalition government in the NWFP Wednesday agreed to keep 21 members cabinet in the first phase with PPPP to occupy the slot of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker from the ANP.
The select committees headed by President of ANP NWFP Afrasiab Khattak and Provincial Chief of PPPP Rahimdad Khan met here at the residence of Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour.
Tree For Harmony Campaign organized in seven countries
By TCN News,
New Delhi: In a move to join Environment and Peace together as very important issue in present days, Mission Bhartiyam along with other organizations organized the 3rd ‘Tree for Harmony’ campaign in seven countries namely India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Cameroon.
Pakistani teachers pledge to transform classrooms
By IANS,
Lahore : Pakistani teachers are taking the lead in transforming their classrooms into real-life learning and interactive stations to rid students of boring study sessions.
Around 80 teachers vowed to change their working practices at the conclusion of a six-day workshop for secondary school teachers conducted by the Punjab Education Foundation (PEF) at Gujranwala town in the province.
Earliest Chinese version of Quran found in China
By IANS,
Beijing: An earliest Chinese version of the holy Quran, a handwritten copy completed in 1912, has been found by Muslim culture researchers in China's northwestern Gansu province.
Political crisis in Yemen and proxy war of Saudi Arabia
By Dr.Mohammad Nazrul Bari,
Yemen was among the four Arab countries convulsed by huge protest and demonstrations from February 2011 onwards including Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. In February 2011 after the Arab spring at Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh was forced to leave his office by the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council. Saleh’s power was divided into several groups. Mansoor Ali Hadi, Deputy of Ali Abdullah Saleh, got elected as the new President of Yemen with full support of Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh, Myanmar to start Rohingya repatriation in November
Dhaka, Oct 30 (IANS) Bangladesh and Myanmar on Tuesday agreed to begin the repatriation of the 1st batch of Rohingyas from November, it was...
Apex court unseats Dhaka lawmaker
By IANS,
Dhaka : Bangladesh's Supreme Court has unseated a ruling Awami League lawmaker who had contested last December's parliamentary poll before the five-year time bar stipulated following his retirement from the army.
The apex court upheld a high court verdict and directed the Election Commission to hold a by-election - from Bhola-3 constituency from where Major (Retd) Jasim Uddin's election was held - as invalid.
Jasim Uddin is the first lawmaker in the current parliament to be unseated.
New Pakistani envoy Abdul Basit arrives in India
New Delhi : Senior Pakistani diplomat Abdul Basit, set to take over as his country's new high commissioner in India, arrived here Sunday.
Basit, who...
Bangladesh: taking pictures of remaining voters starts in Dhaka
By NNN-BSS,
Dhaka, Bangladesh : Bangladesh Election Commission (EC) on Friday started taking pictures of those, who could not be enrolled as voters earlier, in the city's select centers.
The task of taking pictures will continue from 9 am to 6 pm everyday till August 24, the EC sources said. Besides, they added, the EC is correcting the already finalized voters' list by excluding the names of fake ones.
"Voters of an electoral area will be able to collect their national identity cards from the concerned centers," said Deputy Election Commissioner of Dhaka city Biswas Lutfur Rahman.
Genesis of Saudi, Iranian activism in Levant
By Soroor Ahmed, TwoCircles.net,
To call the civil strife in Syria just a sectarian clash would amount to criminal over-simplification of history. The origin of the turmoil in Levant can be traced to the carving out of Lebanon from Syria by the colonial powers that also created Israel.
With about 43 % Christian and 57% Muslims–– Sunnis and Shias––as well as minority Druze population, this tiny country was designed as another future base for the western powers.
Indian-Americans condemn action against JNU students
By TCN News
New York (USA): Leading Indian American advocacy organisations have condemned the recent suppression of student protests...
Pakistan PM’s land gift to friends to be probed
By IANS,
Islamabad : A parliamentary committee will probe illegal allotment of plots in Islamabad to seven people by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, a media report said.
Fire guts 200 shanties in Bangladesh
By IANS,
Dhaka : A fire that swept through a slum near Dhaka early Sunday gutted at least 200 shanties, police said.
Aaghaz-e-Dosti organises discussion in Book Fair
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Aaghaz-e-Dosti, an initiative for Indo-Pak friendship, organized a discussion on the topic "Books Connect Us" (in the context of...
Kundapura youth commits suicide in Doha
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
Doha: A 23 Year old mobile technician committed suicide by hanging himself from the tree at Al Wakrah in Doha on Monday 31st March 2014.
Malaysian hockey’s father Sultan Azlan Shah dead
Kuala Lumpur : The 'Father' of Malaysian hockey Sultan Azlan Shah passed away in the Malaysian city of Ipoh Wednesday. He was 86.
Azlan Shah...
Protests continue in Islamabad’s Constitution Avenue
Islamabad : Protesters Tuesday continued to occupy Islamabad's Constitution Avenue despite the Supreme Court's order to vacate the area, Dawn online reported.
The Supreme Court...
OIC Islamophobia Observatory presents first report to Islamic summit
By KUNA
Dakar : The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Islamophobia Observatory's first report, to be presented to the 11th Session of the Islamic Summit Conference set to begin Thursday, expressed hope that member states would continue efforts toward combating this phenomena.
The report, covering May-December 2007, highlighted efforts by the observatory and the OIC secretary general to stand up to Islamophobia and to make it a priority on the international community's agenda.
Indians in Saudi capital pay tribute to Saiyid Hamid
By TCN News,
Riyadh (Saudi Arabia): Large number of dignitaries, scholars and people belonging to different spheres of life from among the Indian community attended a condolence meeting held here to pay tribute to the well known educationist and Jamia Hamdard chancellor Saiyid Hamid, who passed away on December 29 at Delhi, India.
Explosion kills three Palestinians in Gaza
Gaza : At least three Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured in an explosion in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, a security official...
Six killed in Iraq violence
By IANS,
Baghdad : Six people were killed and eight others wounded in separate bomb and gunfire attacks in Iraq Thursday, police said.
UAE Red Crescent praised for work on water in India
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Red Crescent has come for praise for its work in providing fresh water in its water-well drilling...
Bangladesh war hero who served three armies dead
By IANS,
Dhaka : Qazi Nooruzzaman, a hero of Bangladesh's liberation war who served the British Indian Navy and three armies during his lifetime, is dead. He was 86, a media report said.
UN convoy comes under fire in Syria
By IANS,
Damascus : A convoy of UN observes in Syria came under fire while touring al-Qusair area near central Homs province Sunday, local media reported.
Bomb kills Afghan official
By Xinhua,
Kabul : A district chief and two of his bodyguards were killed in eastern Afghanistan when thier vehicle hit a roadside mine planted by the Taliban militants, an official said.
The mine struck the car of Badi Zaman Sabari, chief of Nadir Khahkot district in Khost province, killing him on the spot and wounding two of his bodyguards, an official told Xinhua. Sabari was on his way to office.
Book ‘Islam & Freedom’ published in Rome
By IRNA,
Rome : The book titled ‘Islam and Freedom’ written by Mohammad Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi, noted Iranian religious scholar, was published in Rome by the Imam Mahdi (AS) Association.
Announcing this, Iran’s cultural attaché in Rome, Ali Reza Esmaeili told IRNA on Tuesday that the book was translated into the Italian language and printed in 1,000 copies.
The cover price for the 96-page book is ten euros.
45 kg of heroin seized in Afghanistan
By IANS/RIA Novosti,
Moscow: Two men were detained with 45 kg of heroin near the Iranian border in Afghanistan's Nimroz province, the Pajhwok news agency reported.
War zone diary: Miraculous escape of a photojournalist
By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter,
With the killing of Pulitzer Prize-winning German photographer Anja Niedringhaus in Afghanistan on April 4 in 2014 during the election coverage has once again revealed the vulnerability of journalist working in conflict zones. The Associate Press photojournalist was shot dead by a gunman in her car in which another journalist was also injured. In 2013 alone more than 70 journalists were killed across the globe and the scene continues to be similar.
Jinnah wanted undivided India, British brainwashed him: RSS leader
By IANS,
Bhopal : Pakistan's founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah was committed to an undivided and unified India till the British "brainwashed" him into demanding a separate state for Muslims, former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K.S. Sudarshan has said.
After attending a function organised by Gau Sewa Bharati at Indore Monday, Sudarshan was asked if he considered Jinnah secular. He said: "Jinnah had many qualities. He also remained associated with Lokmanya Tilak and was totally committed to an undivided and unified India".
Greek president does not receive Netanyahu
Athens, Aug 18, IRNA – Greek President Karolos Papoulias did not received visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to show his opposition to the Israel.
The veteran Greek politician Papoulias was Greek Foreign Minister for eight years during the premiership of Anreas Papandreous, father of current Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou.
Greece did not recognized the Israel until 1991, when Andreas Papandreou was in power.
Palestine blames Israel for deadlock in peace talks
Ramallah: Israel brought the peace talks to a deadlock by not halting settlements cosntruction, a Palestinian official has said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address...
Christians in India express concern over abuses of blasphemy law in Pakistan
By TCN News,
New Delhi: Indian Human Rights and Freedom of Faith activist Dr. John Dayal, who met with Mr. Abdul Basit, High Commissioner of Pakistan in New Delhi, recently has urged the Paksitan government to release the ailing Aisa Bibi, facing a death sentence and in jail since 2009 under the notorious Blasphemy laws, and to allow her to come to India where local groups have volunteered to take care of her urgent medical condition.
Hindu Sena protests outside Aamir Khan’s residence
Mumbai : Hundreds of activists of the Hindu Sena on Tuesday staged a vociferous demonstration outside the home of Bollywood megastar Aaamir Khan protesting...
Mumbai family forced out of cinema for not standing up for National Anthem
Legal experts say it isn’t mandatory to ‘stand’ when national anthem is played although in respect one is expected to.
By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net...
Iran central bank deputy head held for embezzlement
By IANS,
Tehran : Hamid Pourmohammadi, the deputy head of Iran's central bank, has been arrested for his involvement in a $2.6-billion embezzlement case, Xinhua reported Saturday.
World’s smallest Koran on display at Dubai Bride show
By IANS,
Dubai : The smallest copy of the Koran, the Islamic holy book, on display at The Bride Show here drew huge crowds at the recently concluded exhibition.
Almost one-third the size of its closest competitor, the 'miniature' Koran contains 10,000 lines engraved on sapphire measuring 58mm by 98mm which can be worn as pendant or a ring by brides and grooms on the wedding day, WAM news agency reported Monday.
Iran Knocks Diplomats Attack in Iraq
By Prensa Latina,
Tehran : Iran issued a declaration on Friday condemning the attack against four of its diplomats in Iraq, who died in the incident, IRNA official agency reported.
The Islamic Republic accused US agents for carrying out what it called a criminal action, and reiterated ó occupation and terrorism are the two main factors of insecurity and instability in Iraq. ó
Foreign Ministry's spokesman Mohammad Ali Hoseini stressed ó the occupiers are the main responsible for the security of diplomats and political and international centers established in Iraq. ó
Insurgents attack school in E Afghanistan
By Xinhua
Kabul : Insurgents have blown up a school, but fortunately hurt no one, in the eastern Afghanistan province of Paktika, said a statement of the U.S.-led Coalition forces released here on Sunday.
"The school was built by Afghan citizens and sponsored by Coalition forces in Farouq district of Pakitka," the statement said, adding that the incident happened Thursday.
Bhagwan Das is head of Pakistan’s public service commission
By IANS,
Islamabad: Retired Supreme Court judge Bhagwan Das, a highly respected name in the Pakistani judiciary and one of the very few Hindus to hold high office in this country, Thursday assumed charge as chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC).
Officers and staff members warmly welcomed him when he arrived at his office here after calling on President Asif Ali Zardari, who congratulated him on his appointment.
Bhagwan Das had thrice been the acting chief justice of the Supreme Court, becoming the first Hindu and only the third non-Muslim to hold the post.
New visa norms make travel easier between India, Pakistan
By IANS,
New Delhi : India and Pakistan Friday operationalised the new visa norms, paving the way for easier travel for the people between the two countries.
Expatriates have decisive role to play in the future of India: SDPI Chief
By TCN News,
Jeddah : Indian community employed in the Gulf countries have a larger and decisive role to play in shaping the future of India, said A Saeed, National President of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI). He was speaking during an impressive reception given to the national leaders of SDPI on their short visit to the Kingdom.
UAE, Latvia sign agreement
By IANS/WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Latvia Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for political consultations.
Qatar to replace sponsorship system for foreign workers with employment contracts
Doha: Qatar, host of the 2022 football World Cup, said on Wednesday it will abolish its sponsorship system for foreign workers.
The sponsorship system “will...
Bangladeshi trawler sinks, 26 missing, one body found
Dhaka : One body was found but 26 people remained untraced after a fishing trawler from Bangladesh sank into the Bay of Bengal in...
Three killed in firing near Pakistan-Afghanistan border
Islamabad : Three people, including two women, of the same family were killed on Thursday in firing near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Sources said unidentified gunmen...
Islamic Relief Worldwide leads the way for ‘Islamic Declaration on Climate Change’
By A Mirsab, TwoCircles.net,
Istanbul/New Delhi: Islamic Relief Worldwide, an international humanitarian organisation and a member of the United Nation's Economic and Social Council has...
Don’t harass innocent Muslims, Bukhari tells Modi
New Delhi : Prominent Muslim leader Syed Ahmed Bukhari on Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said innocent Muslims must not be harassed...
Pakistan to host 6th Asia Pacific conference on Acute liver Failure
By NNN-APP,
Karachi : The Pakistan Society for Study of Liver Diseases (pssld) here on Wednesday announced to hold the 6th APASL Single Topic Conference on Acute liver Failure : Asian-Pacific Perspectives here from December 10 to 12.
The event holds extreme relevance as Acute Liver Failure is a catastrophic condition that severely tests the medical expertise of the care providers and yet is also gratifying to treat; as full recovery is expected in those patients who come through.
Provincial Council’s secretary gunned down in E Afghanistan
By Xinhua,
KABUL : Unknown armed men shot dead the secretary of Provincial Council in Nangarhar province east of Afghanistan on Saturday, a police official said.
"Qazi Khan Mohammad Malik Baba was on his way to office when unknown armed men shot him dead in Darai Noor district at 8:00 a.m. local time (0330 GMT)," Abdul Ghafoor Khan the spokesman for police told Xinhua.
He put the attack on the enemies of peace a term used against Taliban fighters while the insurgents who often target pro-government figures have yet to make comment.
50 injured in students’ clashes in Dhaka
By IANS,
Dhaka : Over 50 students of rival bodies were injured in a clash at a cultural function at a university campus, adding to the tension as Bangladesh prepares for parliamentary elections in December.
Leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student front of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest islamist party, Saturday attacked a cultural function of Udichi Shilpi Goshthi on the Jagannath University campus.