Three Muslim Malaysian transgender people on Friday won a court ruling which challenged a religious law that forbade them from cross-dressing. The ruling has been hailed as a victory for human rights in the conservative nation. A three-judge panel in the Court of Appeals unanimously ruled that Shariah law in the state of Negeri Sembilan was discriminatory since it did …
أكمل القراءة »أرشيف الوسم : people
Political Prophecies: Sealing the Fate of al-Aqsa
By Ramzy Baroud Israel’s decision to shut down al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday, 30 October, is not just a gross violation of the religious rights of Palestinian Muslims. In fact, the rights of Palestinian Muslims and Christians have been routinely violated under the Israeli occupation for decades, especially in Jerusalem, and more recently in Gaza. During the 51-day war on the …
أكمل القراءة »Saudi Arabia: authorities blame al-Qaeda for anti-Shiite shooting
Saudi authorities on Wednesday blamed militants linked to the al-Qaeda for Monday’s attack on Shi’ite worshippers that highlighted sectarian tensions in the predominantly Sunni kingdom. Late on Monday, masked gunmen in the Eastern Province killed six Shi’ite worshippers, including children, during the commemoration of Ashura, one of the holiest days of the Shi’ite faith. Interior Ministry spokesman General Mansur al-Turki …
أكمل القراءة »Getting Hollywood’s nod for Palestinian film
What will it take for Hollywood to recognise Palestinian cinema? By Hamid Dabashi- After it was premiered in Ramallah at the Ramallah Cultural Palace, Najwa Najjar’s second feature film “Eyes of a Thief” (2014) is now officially selected as this year Oscar contender in the best foreign-language film category from Palestine. Six years in the making, the nomination of Najjar’s …
أكمل القراءة »تكريم الوطنيون العرب الأمريكيين في يوم المحاربين القدامى
سيتم تكريم الوطنيين العرب الأميركيين في يوم المحاربين القدامى في معرض أصلي يقدمه المتحف الوطني العربي الأمريكي (AANM) في بهو مكتب مجلس الشيوخ في مبنى راسل في الكابيتول هيل بواشنطن. المعرض يحمل عنوان “وطنيون وصناع سلام” و يفتح أبوابه من 10 إلى 14 نوفمبر وهو مفتوح للجميع و الدخول مجاني. و في عرض تفاعلي للوسائط المتعددة تروى قصص حقيقية من …
أكمل القراءة »Zehaf-Bibeau didn’t fall through the cracks, he fell through a gaping chasm
There is hope for mental illness in Canada, but the system is broken By Clay Nikiforuk– Ricochet Just three weeks after Mental Illness Awareness week, the media is still reverberating with the shocking news of what appears, to me, to be a murder–suicide in Canada’s capital. This tragedy has sparked conversation about mental health services in Canada, and it should. …
أكمل القراءة »Saudi Arabia: gunmen kill five on eve of Shi’ite commemoration
Masked gunmen in Saudi Arabia killed five Shi’ite worshippers during a major religious commemoration, Saudi police said on Tuesday, in an unparalleled attack highlighting sectarian tension in the largely Sunni kingdom. According to the police, six people were detained in Eastern Province of the shooting, which happened late on Monday night as Shi’ites were preparing for their Ashura, one of …
أكمل القراءة »Fighting for Survival in the Sinai: Egypt’s Convenient War
By Ramzy Baroud Sinai is both heaven and hell. This triangular desert boasts an arid landscape of hopeless horizons often interrupted by leftover military hardware from previous wars. The land is comprised of breathtaking beaches, incredible history, and a fusion of fascinating cultures that reach back into the past as far as ancient times can possibly go. This thrilling land …
أكمل القراءة »Iraq: extremists reportedly publicly execute 40 tribesmen
Islamic State (IS) militants on Wednesday executed over 40 people from a tribe the Albu Nimr tribe, which had battled them in the province of Anbar. According to local sources, the tribesmen were killed in the Heet region to the northwest of Baghdad, which had been overrun by the IS earlier in the month. However, there are no hard statistics …
أكمل القراءة »BBC announces 2014’s “100 Women” program
The BBC has renewed its “100 Women” program that focuses on representing women in its international news coverage. The one hundred women chosen this year has more scientists, women working in the arts, and a considerable number of Muslim and Arab women in comparison to last year’s list. Additionally, over one-fifth of the women are under the age of 25. …
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