Jakarta – In Yogyakarta, the cultural centre of the island of Java in Indonesia, the governor, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, has set an interesting precedent by refusing to ban the Ahmadiyah religious group. The group was founded by a 19th century Indian religious leader, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, who claimed he was the promised Messiah foretold […]
BEIJING – More than 2 million people have been displaced or otherwise affected by flooding in eastern China’s Zhejiang province that is also pushing up food prices, state media reported Sunday. Torrential rains have left huge areas of the relatively wealthy province under water, with 422,500 acres (171,000 hectares) of farmland inundated, […]
During the current budget session, Pakistan National Assembly bombarded the defence budget with sharp criticism. This shows that country has the potential to take on any issue if it wishes so. Can one hope same show up to repeal the religion clause which was inserted in the Constitution back in […]
by Dr. Monzur Ahmed The honey bee exhibits a combination of individual traits and social co-operation which is unparalleled in the animal kingdom. A glimpse into the nest makes it apparent why honey bees have fascinated us from the earliest days of scientific observations. The infrastructure of the nest, the […]
Bern University has set up a professorial post in bee health with the aim of better understanding the insect and its dwindling colonies. The post, funded with a SFr5 million ($5.89 million) donation by the Biel-based Vinetum foundation, will be attached to the university’s veterinary faculty. It aims to study the largely […]
by Peter Siegenthaler, swissinfo.ch As the Swiss Refugee Council marks Refugee Day on June 18 with a focus on what refugees have to offer society, European states worry about a new wave of asylum seekers. Swiss justice minister, Simonetta Sommaruga, tells swissinfo.ch that she wants to simplify and speed up […]
By RAZAK AHMAD | REUTERS KUALA LUMPUR: A forthcoming Islamic reality television show in Malaysia aims to find the best women preachers and change conservative mindsets on the role of women in Muslim societies. The 13-episode prime time program titled “Solehah,” an Arabic word meaning “pious female,” is a talent contest that will […]
By Hana Namrouqa MUJIB NATURE RESERVE – The Mujib Nature Reserve is expected to be declared a biosphere reserve at the end of this month, thus achieving international recognition for Jordan’s jewel of eco-tourism, according to officials. UNESCO is expected to declare the reserve a biosphere on June 28, according […]
Some voices in the US Congress are reportedly suggesting that the US cut back its financial contribution to the UN system and withdraw from some of its main bodies, such as the UN Human Rights Council, if the UN General Assembly votes in favour of recognising an independent Palestinian state […]
The light shines on Jerusalem JERUSALEM — When night falls on the Old City of Jerusalem this week, the walled enclave sheds its role as one of the world’s most contested pieces of real estate to become a luminous carnival of art installations and performances. Jerusalem’s Festival of Lights, now […]
Russia’s Rosoboronexport military corporation and DCNS, the warships’ French maker, signed the contract on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg Economic Forum. French Foreign Trade Minister Pierre Lellouche, who was present along with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, estimated the contract at 1.12 billion euros. A Mistral-class ship can carry up […]
By RFI Ex-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn tried to claim diplomatic immunity when he was arrested over the attempted rape of a hotel maid, police transcripts revealed Thursday. More: http://www.english.rfi.fr/americas/20110617-strauss-kahn-tried-claim-diplomatic-immunity
One of the seven French children hospitalised with E coli was in a serious condition Friday, according to hospital sources. The four-year-old boy needs intensive care and sophisticated medical techniques, they say. The child needed dialysis overnight, according to Health Minister Xavier Bertrand, who visited the hospital in the northern […]
By ARAB NEWS MAKKAH: On behalf of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, Prince Naif, second deputy premier and minister of interior, inaugurated a scientific forum for Haj research, which is attended by nearly 1,000 speakers, experts and delegates. Prince Naif commended the efforts of King Abdullah to […]
By ARAB NEWS JEDDAH: Work is under way to establish the first global Islamic historical encyclopedia of its kind on the Haj, Makkah, the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Involved in the preparation of the encyclopedia are Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research […]
Casablanca, Morocco (CNN) — Some protesters not satisfied with the Moroccan king’s proposed constitutional reforms have called for a peaceful demonstration Sunday. “The national coordinators (of the movement) have called for a demonstration Sunday for a truly democratic constitution and a parliamentary monarchy,” a member of the Rabat wing said […]
Migraine sufferers treated with a homeopathic preparation of ginger and the herb feverfew may find some pain relief, according to a preliminary study. Feverfew, which is derived from a flowering plant, has long been thought to be a remedy for headaches. It might offer an alternative to standard migraine medications, […]
JAKARTA — A $70-million haul of Ming Dynasty porcelain has been found in a 16th-century shipwreck off the Indonesian island of Java, a Portugal-based salvage company said Friday. Arqueonautas Worldwide (AWW) and its Indonesia-based partner RM Discovery Inc. said an “archaeological reconnaissance operation” had confirmed the discovery of the “biggest […]
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore has taken a firm stand against claims made by the Obedient Wives Club, saying the group’s views are contrary to Islamic teachings and demean women and the concept of family. In its first statement following news of plans for a Singapore branch of the […]
Foto: The Khalif of the Ahmadiyyas: Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad from London opens the Muslim House of God. Luebeck: In the economic area Genin the Muslim House of God of the Ahmadiyya was opened on Monday. Its head, a Khalif, came especially from London for the occasion. A piece of […]