Rafiq A. Tschannen is a Swiss national. He converted to Islam and joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the age of 16 after reading the German translation of the Holy Qur'an. He worked in 15 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, first as Finance Director in the private industry and later as Chief Executive Officer of NGOs and International Governmental Organizations. He is now devoting his time to The Muslim Times as Editor for Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Switzerland and as Associate Chief Editor.
JAN 26, 2017 – Switzerland should recognise the rights of young people born and raised here and who are well integrated into Swiss life. Adrian Wüthrich, president of trade union umbrella group Travail Suisse, believes facilitated naturalisation is needed for third-generation foreigners. By Adrian Wüthrich On February 12, Swiss citizens […]
By AFP – Jan 26,2017 – JORDAN TIMES A picture taken on Thursday shows new apartments under construction in the Israeli settlement of Har Homa (foreground-left) situated in East Jerusalem, in front of the West Bank city of Bethlehem (background-right) (AFP photo) OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israeli officials gave […]
Jan 26,2017 – JORDAN TIMES – Rami G. Khouri Despite all the negative gestures and statements he has made in the past 18 months, my personal and journalistic instinct is to see what US President Donald Trump actually defines and implements as policies before judging him conclusively. That should take just […]
By JT – Jan 26,2017 – JORDAN TIMES AMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah is scheduled to start a working visit to the US next Monday, a Royal Court statement said Thursday. During the visit, the King is slated to hold talks with key US administration officials and members […]
Exhibition on View April 7 Through Aug. 27 January 25, 2017 “Jeweled Splendors of the Art Deco Era: The Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan Collection” at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum will feature more than 100 extraordinary examples of luxury cigarette and vanity cases, compacts, clocks and other […]
Pig embryos with human DNA were grown inside these pigs in the US Sarah Knapton, science editor 26 JANUARY 2017 • Scientists have created the first human-pig hybrids in a breakthrough which could pave the way for doctors to grow an unlimited supply of organs for transplants. Britain is currently […]
Rex Tillerson, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, spoke largely about accountability and honesty from the new leadership during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He said that the “utmost mission” was defeating ISIS and that the United States must be “clear eyed” about Russia. […]
By Michael Igoe @AlterIgoe U.S. global health policies took a hard turn to the right, the World Health Organization narrowed the field in a critical leadership contest, and the AIIB sent another signal that global development’s center of gravity is shifting East. This week in development news. And then there were […]
January 23, 2017 James Miller A screen grab from a video released by the Islamic State-affiliated Amaq news agency, said to be in Palmyra on December 11 Share There are at least four separate coalitions that claim to be battling the extremist group Islamic State (IS). Three of those coalitions […]
‘This is an immigrant town and we are a sanctuary city’ Rachael Revesz New York @RachaelRevesz Hours before President Trump enforces a Muslim ban and hours after he ordered federal agents to start building the wall along the Mexican border, Muslim leaders held an emergency rally to protest the executive […]
Decision comes days after Donald Trump’s inauguration and a year after prosecution of German comic who wrote crude poem about Turkish President By Katie Forster @katieforster Germany has decided to abolish a law which defends the honor of foreign leaders. International heads of state will no longer be able to ask the […]
By Dawood Rehman | Published on January 26, 2017 ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has banned TV anchor Amir Liaquat and his programme over hate speech, according to […]
In Afghanistan, ranked the worst country in the world to be born a girl, some parents are bringing up their daughters as sons. Then comes puberty and the ‘bacha posh’ are expected to to switch back Mehran Rafaat with her twin sisters outside their family home in Afghanistan. Photograph: Adam […]
By AFP – Jan 26,2017 – JORDAN TIMES A photo taken on Monday from Jerusalem shows the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim in the Palestinian West Bank with the mountains at the east of the Jordan River in the background (AFP photo by Thomas Coex) RAMALLAH — A […]
Pakistan’s former army chief, Raheel Sharif, is at the center of a controversy after documents leaked to the media purportedly showed he had been allocated a large tract of land in Lahore. DW examines. According to the media reports, Raheel Sharif was given the land worth 1.35 billion rupees (12 […]
By Khetam Malkawi – Jan 26,2017 – JORDAN TIMES AMMAN — The comprehensive national strategy for combating extremism is in the final stages of development and is expected to be wrapped up next month, a senior official said on Wednesday. Retired Major General Sharif Omari, director of counter-extremism and […]
The Local news@thelocal.ch 25 January 2017 File photo: Ana Ulin Customs officials in India have fined a priest working in a parish in Switzerland for hiding three gold ingots disguised as chocolate bars in his baggage, Indian media reported. The 59-year-old Catholic priest travelled to India on Monday and was […]
From the community: Ilustration by Syeda Waseema Sadaf (Posted by chicagonwnasirat, Community Contributor) Community Contributor chicagonwnasirat Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of creating a racism-free America has since challenged racial inequality in various ways. But even before the advent of Dr. King, Prophet Muhammad of Islam (peace and blessings […]
By Juan Cole | Jan. 25, 2017 | By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Reuters is reporting that on Wednesday, Trump will announce a halt to the issuing of visas to citizens of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. If this report is correct, Trump […]
JAN. 24, 2017 Palestinian protesters throw stones at Israeli forces during clashes near the West Bank town of Betunia on June 12, 2015. (AFP/Abbas Momani/File) BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — A Palestinian youth on Tuesday was sentenced to 18 years in an Israeli prison for manslaughter after allegedly throwing a rock at […]