The writer, V S Naipaul, like the apostate Salman Rushdie, is much revered in the west. Both are of Indian origin although Naipaul was born in Trinidad where his forefathers were taken as indentured labourers.

The Crescent International is often considered ‘blunt’ in its reporting of world events. We make no apologies for this. We tell the truth as we see it without mincing words. The western media, with minor exceptions, indulges in double-speak.

Nothing beats the bizarre, stinging war of words and mudslinging that has been raging for the last few weeks between Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri and his minister for the displaced Walid Junblat.

Early last month, US president Bill Clinton completed a historic nine-day visit to China which included a number of carefully-orchestrated media bravura and photo-op performances similar to those that have typified his style on the American domestic political scene.

Foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in the Muslim world have become the primary vehicle for spreading western culture and pornography.

The international conference in Rome, Italy discussing the formation of a global permanent criminal court under the aegis of the United Nations has finally agreed to create it in the face of intense US opposition.

As a country of immigrants, some Canadians act decidedly mean toward new immigrants. In the past, anti-immigrant feelings were passed off under the pretext of economic uncertainty. This excuse is no longer valid.

The importance of Muslim unity, preservation of the Ummah against international plots, support for the intifadah in Palestine and the Islamic resistance in Lebanon as well as condemnation of Zionist attempts to usurp the holy city of al-Quds were major themes discussed at the eleventh International Conference on Islamic Unity in Tehran