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.
PNN Human rights activists broke the Israeli naval blockade on the Gaza Strip Monday, passing the six nautical mile limit imposed on Gazan boats by Israeli authorities, Press TV reports. […]
By Mona Alami The Daily Star The Syrian conflict is destroying the economy and creating a long-term economic crisis for Syria that will make a lasting peace in the future even more difficult. With the ongoing fighting, the economy’s downward trend persists and experts expect gross domestic product to decrease […]
Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appealed on Monday to Saudi Arabia to work together with his government toward achieving regional “stability,” as he pressed a tour seeking rapprochement with […]
Saudi Arabia on Monday reiterated its support for the Palestinian cause, stressing that the peace process should help the Palestinians claim all their legitimate rights, including the establishment of an independent state. The Council of Ministers, chaired by Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, made the comment […]
(Reuters) – A gauge of U.S. factory activity hit a 2-1/2-year high in November and construction spending increased solidly in October, brightening the economic outlook as the year winds down. Monday’s reports were the latest indication the economy was gaining strength despite the fiscal headwinds and could bring the Federal […]
An increasing number of people are moving to German campgrounds permanently to save money. The little communities of motorhomes and trailers offer a comfortable yet affordable lifestyle that residents say […]
Later in the evening a mob of over 50 hooligans, reportedly belonging to Muslim Milli Council of India, descended upon the Book Fair organizers and rudely demanded shutdown of the […]
By Charlotte Ikonen St Albans & Harpenden Review A local youth group has teamed up with the Woodland Trust to plant thousands of trees. More than 400 volunteers from the […]
By BASSEM MROUE Associated Press Associated Press Within minutes of opening a Twitter account this past week, the leader of Syria’s main Western-backed opposition group received an onslaught of criticism. “Welcome to Twitter Mr. Western Puppet,” one comment to Ahmad al-Jarba read. Others called him a Saudi stooge and scorned […]
BBC. An installation in Moscow’s Red Square in the form of a giant Louis Vuitton suitcase is to be dismantled. The suitcase, which had been due to house an exhibition about luggage produced by the luxury brand, had caused outrage among some Muscovites. Some MPs had decried the installation as […]
Source: Der Spiegel The Geneva nuclear treaty with Tehran offers the West new opportunities and could change the world. But secret documents suggest it is the hardliners in Iran who stand to profit the most from the new opening. The clear losers are Israel and Saudi Arabia. Rarely has an […]
By RISSC: Published: AMMAN, Jordan, December 2, 2013 — /PRNewswire/ — Latest annual release of ‘The Muslim 500’ highlights those world’s most influential Muslims and highlight changes going on in the Muslim […]
PNN Amnesty International called on Israeli authorities to cease the blockade on Gaza, as the besieged enclave has been suffering severe fuel and power shortages, Press TV reports. The human rights organization said Sunday, “Israel must immediately lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip, including by allowing the delivery of […]
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday his country wanted stronger ties with Saudi Arabia, as it seeks to ease concerns among Gulf neighbors about a potential resurgence in its influence following a nuclear deal with world powers. Zarif, on a tour of Gulf states, said after talks […]
by Igor Petrov, swissinfo.ch December 1, 2013 – 11:00 Rene Weber was a dental technician before deciding to sink his teeth into a new calling – the life of a Protestant pastor. Does the Bible provide him with an answer to every problem? Of course not, he says, but it […]
Source: NY Times KIEV, Ukraine — More than 100,000 people took to the streets of Kiev on Sunday, and thousands more rallied in other cities across Ukraine, to demand the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich, the largest outpouring of fury so far over his refusal to sign far-reaching political […]
Source: NY Times: A total of 67 people were injured, including 11 critically, a New York Fire Department spokesman, Jim Long, said. The derailment occurred when several cars of a Hudson Line train headed south from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., left the tracks about 7:20 a.m. just north of the Spuyten Duyvil […]
What began as a rock star’s heartfelt response to a humanitarian disaster went on to become one of the most influential concerts in music history. Here Graeme Thomson reveals how the disillusioned ex-Beatle turned a chaotic night in New York – and the years of financial haggling that followed – […]
(Reuters) – Wal-Mart Stores Inc said it has found safety problems at some of the factories in Bangladesh with which it does business, and that most of those factories have since made improvements. The U.S. retail group tested the safety of more than 200 factories, a company spokesman said in […]
US Representative and Subcommittee Chairman Steve Chabot said the growing escalation of violence might cause a rise of extremism in Bangladesh and that it would have a negative impact on regional security. He made the statement while addressing a hearing titled “Bangladesh in Turmoil: A Nation on the Brink?” […]