January 2019

26 richest people own same wealth as poorest half of humanity
by Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Just 26 individuals have more money to themselves than the total wealth of 3 billion people, sparking warnings inequality is spiralling out of control. That means just 26 individuals are as wealthy as 3.8 billion people. A new report from the Oxfam was published to coincide with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland — a week-long meeting of the global elite, with three of the 26 richest people set to attend. The report found that billionaires around the world saw their combined fortunes grow by $2.5 billion each day in 2018, an annual increase of 12 per cent, and urged governments to slap more taxes on the wealthy. Read More

The Uyghurs – Detained in their own land
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui: Uyghurs of today’s Xinjiang province (formerly East Turkestan) in far northwesternpart of China are victims of a brutal government policy of forced subjugation or elimination. They are targeted for mass detention simply because of their ethnicity and religion that is different from those of the majority Han Chinese. Nearly a million of them are now caged in mass detention camps in their native land, which came under full control of the Chinese only in 1949 when Mao Zedong came to power. [Before the annexation of their native land the Uyghurs had a distinct and rich history of their own. Their major cities Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, and Kashgar (Kashi), an ancient center of trade on the historic Silk Road near the border between Russia and China, were famous trading cities in the medieval times.] Read More

Alarming rise in religious hate crimes in India: Muslims are victims in 58% incidents
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Religious hate crime cases have increased in India since Narendra Modi's pro-Hindu government came into power in 2014 while more than 50% victims of these incidents are Muslims. In a period of nine years, from 2009-2018, as many as 278 religious hate crimes took place in the country in which 99 people were killed and 687 were injured, according to a report in Fact Checker. Muslims, who account for 14% of India’s population, were victims in 58% incidents. But if 32 incidents out of 278 where religion of the victim was not reported are kept aside, then the percentage of Muslim victims will touch 66%. Read More

What’s Next for Bangladesh?
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui: Bangladesh had her parliamentary election on December 30, 2018 in which prime minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling alliance won a third straight term winning more than 90 percent of the 300 seats contested. Five candidates of the BNP and two candidates from its ally Gono Forum were elected, while the ruling Awami League and its close allies bagged 267. The Jatiya Party, an ally of the Awami League, came second with 20 seats. [An additional 50 seats are reserved for women that will be distributed based on the proportional vote share of the contesting parties.] Read More

The Relevance of Yunus Emre in Our Time
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui: No place seems immune these days from instability, violence and insecurity. The worst victims are Muslims – attacked both from within and without the community. The extremists on both sides are hijacking the narratives about Islam, thus, bringing in much suffering to the people and creating a world of disorder. I see a close resemblance to the time of Yunus Emre. I, thus, feel very strongly that we need to take time out and reflect, and what a great way of doing such by reading the poems and adhering to the teachings of Yunus Emre! Read More

Harold Larwood by Duncan Hamilton - Book Review
By S. Rifaquat Ali: Duncan Hamilton's magnum opus is a superlative account of the most fearsome fast bowler Harold Larwood of the Bradman Era which fetched him the prestigious Wisden Book of the year for 2009 at the 2010  British Sports Book Awards. Read More

2018: Another challenging & tough year for American Muslims
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: The seven-million American Muslims remained at the receiving end since 9/11/2001 through reconfiguration of US laws, policies and priorities but their plight has taken a new twist under President Donald Trump whose anti-Muslim, anti-immigration policies and rhetoric alarmingly fomented hate crimes against them. The xenophobic rhetoric and anti-Muslim fear-mongering enjoys unprecedented influence with Donald Trump’s most vitriolic anti-Muslim rhetoric as typified by his election campaign declaration: “I think Islam hates us.” Read More

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor takes a military turn?
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: New York Times says Pakistan has eagerly turned more toward China as the chill with the United States has deepened and some of China’s biggest projects in Pakistan had clear strategic implications. In a report about Pakistan’s deepening ties with China, the paper pointed out that under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor [CPEC] Pakistan is cooperating with China on distinctly defense-related projects, including a secret plan to build new fighter jets while Pakistan is the only other country that has been granted access to China’s Beidou satellite navigation system. Read More

 The Journal of America Team:

 Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali

Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott

Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
 

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