by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Syed Haider
West Asia may be one up conglomeration of Asia’s large, medium and small states, but its calm sand-covered peaks, green oasis perched amidst a sea of smoldering gray sand dunes, and parched-land flora and fauna are simply mesmerizing….
The large gray expanse of gulf holds within the world’s second largest desert and an ecological blend that makes you breathless as you immerse deep in its splendor and beauty. The gray land meets the unfathomable blue sea as one move towards its south-eastern rim.
Exhilarating sights captivate when one negotiates through the smooth highways crisscrossing the gulf cities by bus or car – Sand dunes, high rises, steel and concrete structures and tree-lined boulevards. It is joyful to gaze at the landscape wrapped in diverse shades and colors.
Dubai rose from the sandy parch-land to a world-class city within a short span of 40 years! Oil exploration has transformed it into an unparalleled business hub in the Middle East. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. The city crams with people and boasts of a high density population – the most populous metropolis in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai.
Lying on the coast of Persian Gulf, the city is the main transport hub for cargo and passengers. The revenue accrued through petroleum products and crude oil has sped up the modernization of this metropolis. Dubai’s economy heavily depends on revenues from trade, tourism, aviation, real estate, and financial services. According to government data, the population of Dubai is estimated at around 3,400,800 as of 8 September 2020.
Expect the unexpected
When you land in Dubai the sight of young girls and boys dressed up in trendy western outfits may astound you. Some feasting on pizzas, while others enjoying slapping sea winds and slurping coconut milk. The wide grey-sand beaches lined with palm groves and chirping fronds of mahogany and slapping chilly winds sweeping through the beach
STIMULATING SIGHTINGS
Besides sky-kissing Burj Khalifa, which claims to be the tallest tower in the world, Dubai has a lot many things worth visiting – MIRACLE GARDEN, which is listed in the Guinness book of world record as the longest flower walls. The garden is full of colorful flowers, once you step in their fragrance wafts through your nostrils.
TOURISM
Tourism remains the backbone of Dubai’s economy and the emirate’s strategy focuses on maintaining the flow of foreign cash into the gulf nation. Dubai entices tourists through its vast shopping arcades, malls, recreation centres, desert safari besides other ancient and modern attractions. It is the fourth most-visited city in the world based on the number of international visitors and the fastest growing, increasing by a 10.7% rate. The city hosted 14.9 million overnight visitors in 2016, and is expected to reach 25 million tourists by 2022.
Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index 2019 provides a scintillating data: Tourists spend more money in Dubai than in any other nation. According to a 2018 survey, the country occupied top slots in the list for the fourth-year in a row with a total spend of $30.82 billion. The average spend per day was around $553.
In October 2019, Dubai relaxed its liquor laws for the first time in its history, under which it allowed tourists to obtain alcohol from state-controlled stores. Earlier, alcohol was only available for the locals with special licenses. The key policy shift came as the United Arab Emirates witnessed a harsh economic crisis that led to a drop in alcohol sales by volume in a decade.
Dubai: A Shoppers’ paradise
Known as the “shopping capital of the Middle East”, Dubai boasts of over 70 shopping arcades, including the planet’s leading shopping centre, Dubai Mall. The city is also known for its exotic marketplace located on either side of the creek. Since ancient time vessels travelling all the way from South-East Asian countries – China, Sri Lanka, and India used to land here offloading their cargo and the goods in the souks adjacent to the docks thus spurring commercial activities – sustaining the local community and was instrumental in triggering the economic boom in Dubai. As of September 2013, Dubai creek has been proposed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many boutiques and jewellery stores are also found in the city. Dubai is also referred to as “the City of Gold” as the Gold Souk in Deira houses nearly 250 gold retail shops.
Beaches that recharge you
Umm Suqeim Beach, Al Mamzar Beach Park, JBR Open Beach, Kite Beach, Black Palace Beach and Royal Island Beach Club are some of the popular beaches of Dubai.
Pool and Beach club
Setting the tone for recharge, a private beach overlooking the vast expanse of blue water of Persian Gulf is sufficient to detox and re-energize you.
Adults only pool bar
Wet Deck allows guests to mix and intermingle with vintage brew next to the DJ closet.
Palm Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab
A fascinating destination, Dubai Creek Park plays a central role in Dubai tourism as it displays some of the unique tourist attractions in the city such as Dolphinarium, Cable Car, Camel Ride, Horse Carriage and Exotic Birds Shows.
The metropolis crams with a glut of parks – Safa park, Mushrif park, Hamriya park, to name a few. Each park is matchless in its own way. Mushrif park showcases different houses around the world. A visitor can check out the architectural features of the outside as well as the inside of each house.
Royal Holidays DMCC , Dubai (RHD): A Good Samaritan for globe-trotters
Royal Holidays – is a renowned travel management company headquartered in Dubai. One of the leading travel and tourism companies, it provides most of the travel requirements of the tourists and emigrants, that too, within a shortest span of time. With a robust reliability coefficient and good corporate travel service record, RH is cost-effective too.
When Syed Haider asked Yasin Bokhari on why why should a consumer visit RHD, he replied, “It is mainly because we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy to benefit our consumers. We ensure competitive rates for air ticket & holiday packages, Special credit facility (condition apply) and 24/7 services.”
In conversation with Haider, Bokhari also listed out the services RHD promises to provide, “Besides air tickets, a good holiday package, hotel reservation, travel insurance, luxury furnished apartment renting and limousine service.”
Bokhari said they have the best Dubai Leisure Packages, which includes City Tours, Desert Safari, Dhow Cruise, YAS Island, Ice Land and Deep-Sea Fishing.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News
By Pervez Bari
NEW DELHI: The Popular Front of India, (PFI), in a resolution has called upon the judiciary to fulfil its constitutional role as the guardian of justice and liberty against growing tendencies of the State being converted to autocracy. Popular Front sought urgent intervention of the apex court to put a full stop to Sangh Parivar’s efforts aimed at disturbing Muslim religious practices and capturing Muslim religious places.
The resolution was passed at PFI’s National Leaders Meet held in Malappuram in Kerala. The Meet concluded with a number of other resolutions on the current national situations.
While the Supreme Court judgment in the Babri Masjid case remains a blemish on the Indian judiciary, there were sections of people who believed and hoped that the apex court ruling against the Muslim claim on Babri Masjid would lead to peace and harmony all over the country. However, recent developments show that sacrificing of justice in the name of peace has not worked to bring peace. The same Sangh Parivar that promoted communal polarization for many decades leading to anti-Muslim violence and the destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992 have not changed their intentions and methods.
On the contrary, they have started new movements and campaigns against other Muslim places of worship replicating the chronology of old steps in Ayodhya movement. The litigations seeking the removal of Mathura Shahi Eidgah and Varanasi Gyanvapi Mosque and the PIL in SC challenging the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 are part of next round of RSS strategy. Popular Front has urged the judiciary to see through the violent divisive agenda behind such litigations and take a firm stand not to further entertain assaults on constitutional rights of religious minorities.
In another resolution adopted by the National Leaders Meet, Popular Front called on the people of the states facing assembly elections to ensure the defeat of the BJP and its allies. People of West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Puducherry are going for Assembly Elections in the coming weeks. On the one hand, a large majority of the people are suffering due to price hike, unemployment, poverty, while on the other, RSS controlled BJP government is shrinking people’s democratic space to express their grievances by imposing draconian laws and measures. The democratic and peaceful agitations of the people are being crushed using brutal force. The individuals and organizations are being targeted by crime investigating and financial enforcement agencies for openly dissenting Central government policies.
With its six years in power, the Modi government has succeeded in destroying what India had built up in the last 7 decades. It is now a globally accepted reality. The fact that two major global watchdogs have recently down-ranked India should be an eye-opener to people. While Freedom House, an American research institute had listed India as “partly free”, the V-Dem, a Swiss institute, in their report, had listed India as an “electoral autocracy.” The Meet called upon people of these states to use their votes to ensure the defeat of BJP in order to send a clear warning to the Bhagwat-Modi-Shah government against their anti-people, anti-poor, and divisive policies.
Popular Front Leaders Meet has reminded all concerned citizens and groups, organisations, institutions and parties that our Secular Democratic Republic is struggling for its last breath under strangles of RSS ideology and strategy. The sheer misuse of power by union and state government acting upon RSS instructions is leading India to a lawless and chaotic situation.
The religious minorities are not the only casualty of this increasing spread of hate, suspicion, division, insecurity and violence purposefully created by Hindutva forces with state support. History is witness that religious fascism on war with religious minorities and other declared “internal enemies” could not ultimately save even the lives of majorities they mislead, instigate and militarise under pretentons of protecting them.
The National Leaders Meet of Popular Front has requested various Hindu religious sections, communities, seers and leaders to come together for saving India and its people from destructive RSS influence at this crucial and historic juncture.
Meanwhile, the two-days meet started with inaugural speech by Chairman O M A Salam. The report presented by general secretary Anis Ahmed has shown an unprecedented growth rate all over the country in spite of pandemic restrictions and continuous government attempts to obstruct the normal activities through repressive measures.
The Leaders Meet hailed the members and units in different states for their exemplary engagement in Covid-19 relief activities, especially in undertaking the last rites of many hundreds of Covid-19 deaths. National Executive Committee members and other leaders from different regions participated in discussions.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Opinions
Frank F. Islam
In spite of Joe Biden’s win over Donald Trump for the presidency, much of the media coverage after the November 3 elections related to the future of the Democratic Party.
That discussion was precipitated by the Democrats’ loss of 13 seats in the House in 2020. By contrast, the Democrats gained 41 House seats in the midterm elections of 2018.
The events of January 6 and the subsequent turmoil focused public attention on the future of the Republican Party, rather than that of the Democratic Party. The future of the Democratic Party still remains in question, however.
In large part, this is due to the fact that the Democratic Party — as it has almost always been — is a big tent party. Democrats today cover the spectrum both demographically and ideologically. As Thomas R. Edsall points out in his New York Times column:
But it’s important to remember that conflicts are inherent in a party that seeks to represent constituencies running the gamut from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s 14th district in New York (50 percent Hispanic, 22 percent non-Hispanic white, 18 percent Asian, 8 percent Black) to 7th generation Utahan Ben McAdams 4th District in Utah (74 percent white, 1 percent Black, 3 percent Asian, 17 percent Hispanic).
After the congressional losses in 2020, those conflicts led to finger-pointing and blame-placing. Some moderate to conservative Democratic congresspeople cited the riots associated with Black Lives protests and calls to “defund the police’ as primary reasons for the losses. While some in the progressive camp attributed them to poor campaigns and a failure of Democratic leadership to help organize and do grassroots work in those districts.
The differences of opinion continued as President-elect Biden made his cabinet selections. Progressives lobbied for more left-leaning and diverse nominees while moderates and conservatives urged for more centrists. Those differences continued as President Biden saw his COVID-19 rescue plan pass both the House and the Senate with the progressives disappointed that the $15 an hour minimum wage did not stay in the Senate version of the bill. Nonetheless, on March 10 the House Democrats came together and approved the Senate version of the nearly $1.9 stimulus package and it is now law.
Disagreements and disorganization are nothing new to the Democratic Party. Indeed, if one looks back in time, it is easy to see that nationally the Party has always had some difficulty in getting its act together and the required voters in the right places behind it.
As evidence of these deficiencies, consider the following:
- Would Bill Clinton have been elected president if there had not been a third-party candidate named H. Ross Perot siphoning off a slew of votes in critical states that most likely would have gone to his Republican opponent?
- Vice President Al Gore’s loss in 2000 to George W. Bush, in what should have been a run-away given the high job approval ratings for Bill Clinton’s second term in office.
- John Kerry’s loss in 2004 to incumbent George W. Bush whose approval ratings were declining substantially in 2003 and 2004
- Hillary Clinton’s stunning loss in 2016 to Donald Trump, surrendering the traditional blue states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
- In 2020, would any of the candidates in the historically large field for the Democratic nomination for president other than Joe Biden have been able to defeat Donald Trump?
Barack Obama was not victimized by the inability of the Democratic Party to put together winning campaigns that address the complex nature of the American electorate and our convoluted electoral college presidential selection process. Obama did this by creating his own organization to parallel that of the Democratic Party, and employing it successfully to emerge victorious in 2008 and 2012.
The past is not prologue. But it does cast a shadow that could snatch defeat from the jaws of victory if the right lesson is not learned. The lesson in this instance, as demonstrated by the wins of Obama and Biden, is that the big tent needs to embrace Democrats from every corner and open its flaps to independents and cross-over Republican voters as well.
E.J. Dionne emphasized the pivotal importance of this approach in his Washington Post piece, observing:
The 2020 election perfectly captured the distinction between Democratic diversity and Republican homogeneity. Biden’s coalition was a little bit of everybody — self-described liberals (they constituted 42 percent of his voters), moderates (48 percent), and conservatives (10 percent), according to the network exit poll conducted by Edison Research. In other words, contrary to Trump’s claim that Biden is a tool for raging leftists, a majority of his electorate was non-liberal.
It appears that some in the Democratic Party are not in a learning mode currently. Progressives — especially the democratic socialists — are pushing the party and its policies to be reshaped in their image and likeness. What would that mean for the future of the big tent going forward?
It means that the tent would not be that big or welcoming. That might not matter as much in terms of winning presidential elections, but only because the Republican Party has shifted to the extreme right to become the Party of Trump (POT). This past election attests that the POT has little to no appeal for moderate Republicans or truly independent voters. As we noted in our previous blog in this series, “In spite of its footprint across the country, unless things change substantially, the POT is now and is destined to be a state, regional and local player as opposed to winner in national elections.”
The polar opposite would be true for the Democratic Party if it shifted to the extreme left or became the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP). The DSP might win the presidency but would have a much more difficult time in winning Senate and House races. The results of this could be a Democratic President confronted by Republican-controlled House and Senate.
The best path forward for the Democratic Party is to stay the course in terms of diversity and a broad base, and to improve the operational and grassroots capacity to win U.S. Senate and House races. The best examples of how to accomplish this come from the Democratic pick-up of House seats in the 2018 mid-terms and Stacy Abrams’ and her counterparts’ work in Georgia that resulted in Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock being elected to the U.S. Senate.
The Democratic winners in the swing districts in 2018 benefited from a sutge of anti-Trump voters and a very low Republican turnout. They also ran on platforms tailored to reflect the local priorities of their district, and not allegiance to a consuming ideology.
William A. Galston of the Brookings Institution notes that in 2020, for some reason, “…more Democrats than Republicans who voted in the presidential contest failed to vote for their party’s candidate, reducing their chances of prevailing in close races.” Democrats are at a structural disadvantage in House races due to gerrymandered districts and need to have candidates and organizing approaches that maximize their turnout to overcome this.
Stacy Abrams and a network of local organizers in Georgia, including groups such as the Asian American Advocacy Fund, Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, and Georgia Standup, set the gold standard for grassroots organizing. They mobilized voters of color and the disenfranchised, uniting them with white voters to enable Ossoff and Warnock to prevail in the Senate run-off races and Joe Biden to win the presidential race by 12,000 votes. The stage was set for these accomplishments through a decade-long process of planning and coalition-building.
The Georgia coalition is a model for what some presume will be the mode for the big tent of the Democratic Party for years to come: a multiracial, multi-ethnic group of upper- and middle-class white voters joining with middle- and working class Black, Latino, and Asian voters.
Michael Powell, in his New York Times feature article, explains why achieving this united bloc template will be much easier said than done. Powell highlights that in the 2020 elections “..slices of ethnic and racial constituencies peeled off and cut against Democratic expectations.” He quotes Professor Omar Wasow of Princeton University, who explains, “We should not think of demography as destiny…These groups are far more heterogenous than a monolith, and campaigns often end up building their own idiosyncratic coalition.”
Therein lies a message that the Democratic Party must hear to guarantee the future for their big tent on an across the board basis. That message was first communicated by Tip O’Neill, Democratic Speaker of the House from Massachusetts. O’Neill said “All politics is local.” That locality is not only the place from which voters come, but also the space between their ears where they make the decision on whom to support and why.
Given that, the formula for success in the future should be a process that is bottom up, top down, and managed in the middle. That formula will vary from place to place and space to space. By recognizing this, and keeping the flaps open, the Democrats big tent will get bigger and make things better for the vast majority of Americans, regardless of party affiliation.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Halal Food, Halal Industries, Halal Medicine
Asia Pacific’s First Halal Friendly Cruise Ship
Singapore :( Press Release) United World Halal Development (UNWHD) a Singapore-based Halal Consultation & Certification Authority was the first to certify Halal Friendly Cruise Ship. On Dec 2020. UNWHD certified World Dream, Genting Line Cruise as Asia Pacific’s First Halal Friendly Cruise Ship.
Ever since Genting Cruise announced, there was a positive feedback from the guests for Halal friendly cruise ship. The World Dream has welcomed about 5,000 Muslim passengers since it was recognized as the first halal-friendly cruise ship in the Asia-Pacific on Dec 11, said Dream Cruises president Mr Michael Goh.
Said that, on 17 March 2021 World Dream and UNWHD has joined hands and launched World’s 1st Ramadhan Spiritual Journey Cruise, which shall be an awe-inspiring lifetime experience for every Muslim traveller. The Hari Raya-themed cruises will take place during Ramadan, from 11 April to 13 May 2021.
The services during this spiritual journey includes communal prayer sessions and spiritual lectures, the first itinerary of its kind on board a cruise liner. Muslim guests boarding the World Dream during Ramadan can also have meals served before they start their fast at dawn (Suhur). The three-night cruises to nowhere will have two sailings, departing Singapore on May 16 and 23 which will feature halal cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, who will whip up halal pastries and mocktails. Muslim travelers while they travel with family enjoy the enchanting experience with spiritual essence.
This grand event was launched officially by the Dream Cruises President Michael Goh and Jamiyah Singapore President Dr Hasbih Abu Bakar on 17 March 2021.
Dream Cruises has also signed a memorandum of understanding with non-profit Jamiyah Singapore on Wednesday.
Part of the collaboration involves Dream Cruises donating 10 per cent of its proceeds from selected group sales bookings to Jamiyah Singapore. Ten families receiving aid from Jamiyah Singapore will also be invited on board the Hari Raya cruise on May 23.
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Muslim World
Yousuf Mohamed Al Othman Fakhroo, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs of the State of Qatar
Doha: A legislation setting a minimum wage for migrant workers came into effect in Qatar on Saturday, as part of major changes to the Gulf nation’s labour market.
The Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs announced the implementation of the new minimum wage and said it applies to all workers and domestic workers from all nationalities, dpa news agency quoted the state media as saying.
Monthly minimum wage
Qatar set a monthly minimum wage of 1,000 Qatari riyals ($275), becoming the first country in the region to adopt a non-discriminatory minimum wage.
Under the legislation, employers must ensure that workers have decent accommodation and food, and also pay allowances of at least 300 and 500 riyals to cover costs of food and housing respectively, if they do not provide workers with these directly.
In August 2020, the Gulf country announced the new minimum wage and dismantled the “kafala”, or sponsorship, employment system, allowing migrant workers to change jobs without permission from their current employer.
The new labour reforms come as Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Migrant workers
Last month, UK newspaper The Guardian reported that more than 6,500 migrant workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar since the country won the right to host the tournament in 2010.
Qatar’s government said at the time that the number of deaths, which it did not dispute, was proportionate to the size of the migrant workforce.
