OFTEN people object to the term ‘feminism’ as being a western one. One maulana when invited to speak in a workshop of this title refused to come as he considered feminism un-Islamic. Is the use of this term objectionable from an Islamic viewpoint? Not at all. In fact, Islam is […]
German gay and lesbian groups are outraged at an item posted on the website of an association of Catholic doctors that offers psychotherapy and homeopathic treatment for homosexuality. The Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD) has called the offer of advice an “insult” and an “imposition,” and accused the […]
In the years after the passing away of Muhammad, the next stage of legal development began with the rise of “proto-qadis” (judges) who, though appointed by political authorities, quickly achieved a measure of independence from the “state.” These proto-qadis, according to Hallaq, began as arbitrators, administrators, even storytellers, but they quickly began […]
The trial of MP Geert Wilders on inciting hatred and discrimination charges wound up on Wednesday with the MP breaking his near silence to address the judges directly and call on them to find him not guilty. The trial will formally close on June 9 with the verdict due on […]
Dutch builder and evangelist Johan Huibers has nearly finished a full-size version of Noah’s Ark. The boat is 130 metres long, 30 metres wide and 23 metres high. The same as the measurements given in the Old Testament. RNW ‘The story is not made up; it is in the Bible, […]
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Three academics say there was a bubble in LinkedIn Corp’s shares during the first four days of its trading, which they have determined definitively using a model they designed. The three have devised a model they say can establish in real time whether prices in a […]
Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic in economical advanced countries. Childhood obesity is defined as having a Body Mass Index in or above the 95th percentile. In the United States, 17% of children age 2-19 are obese. A study conducted by the World Health Organization in Europe estimated that 24% […]
An honest study of the causes of the Dark Ages and European renaissance will lead to the inevitable conclusion that Muhammad, may peace be on him, was the Light of the Dark Ages. John Davenport writes in an apology for Mohammed and the Koran: “It is in the compositions of Friar […]
The New Zealand entrant in the US “Olympics of spelling” has been eliminated, although she did not botch her words on stage. Belinda Gibbon, 14, from Wellington Girls’ College, correctly spelled “terraqueous” meaning consisting of, or formed of, land and water, and “upsilon”, the 20th letter of the Greek alphabet […]
McDonald’s is to apologise for the quality of their coffees served in Australia, and better blends and barista training are to be brought in to see the standard improve on this side of the ditch as well. The company has conceded its coffee is not up to scratch for its […]
WASHINGTON — No American president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt has won a second term in office when the unemployment rate on Election Day topped 7.2 percent. Seventeen months before the next election, it is increasingly clear that President Obama must defy that trend to keep his job. Roughly 9 percent […]
Patriarch calls for finding solutions to national problems Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rai said on Thursday that Lebanese parties should seek common goals and find solutions to national problems. “We are meeting here today and we are aware that in Lebanon we separate between religion and statehood,” Rai told the press […]
A new poll shows parents are split over whether their newborns should be screened for fragile X syndrome, the most common type of inherited mental disability. The findings fuel an ongoing debate over which conditions should be part of mandatory newborn screening programs in the US. Fragile X syndrome, or […]
By Elena CASAS In Friday’s papers, Liberation puts former minister Luc Ferry on the front cover as ‘Dirty Ferry’ after he alleged – without naming names – that a colleague had been arrested for paedophilia. Le Parisien asks if this is the end of the French macho, now that the […]
PESHAWAR: A daylong clash between militants from Afghanistan who crossed the border and attacked a Pakistani checkpoint left 23 troops and 35 insurgents dead, police said Thursday, underscoring the challenges facing Pakistan as it tries to stamp out insurgents in its northwest. The fighting came as a top […]
More and more Israelis apply for a foreign passport, not for easier travel but because something has gone terribly wrong here. The numbers are climbing rapidly and the phenomenon is intriguing: Many Israelis are longing for a second passport. If Shimon Peres (now president ) once promised “a car for […]
AFP – Russia banned European vegetable imports Thursday and Spain said it would seek compensation over being wrongly blamed for the mysterious lethal bacteria that has killed 17, mainly in Germany. German authorities have failed to pinpoint the origin of the outbreak, which has sickened hundreds in the last month […]
As a Palestinian who lives in the Old City of Jerusalem, I must admit, I am so glad I’m not going home today. Instead of making my usual journey back to Jerusalem via the miserable Qalandiya checkpoint, I will be staying on this side of the wall. Today, of all […]
Statistics show one in four Tel Aviv couples divorces, and 20 percent of the city’s families are single-parent households, a rate considerably higher than the national average. The Tel Aviv municipality is giving serious consideration to a proposal meant to facilitate divorces in the city. According to the Central Bureau […]
KLANG: The Sultan of Selangor hopes the newly-constructed Masjid Istana Diraja will be used to strengthen family ties among members of the state royalty. “I understand there are about 1,000 of my kin and Selangor royalty (kerabat). “I hope this mosque will be a suitable centre to unify them and […]