Journey into America Highlights Muslim-American Diversity Akbar Ahmed looks at Muslims in America in new book Ahmed, wearing tie, and his team take readers on a tour of America’s Muslim society. By M. Scott Bortot Staff Writer Washington — Akbar Ahmed has spent a lifetime explaining the Muslim world to the West, and vice versa. In his latest book — his latest journey — he finds the two together in the United States and watches how they interact. Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam is the story of Ahmed and five of his students as they traverse the country, … Continue reading Akbar Ahmed looks at Muslims in America in new book

Cameron sparks diplomatic row with Pakistan after ‘export of terror’ remarks • David Cameron makes strongest criticism of Pakistan yet • Islamabad accuses PM of damaging prospects for peace Nicholas Watt in Delhi guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 July 2010 18.07 BST Article history David Cameron said Islamabad could no longer “look both ways” by tolerating terrorism while demanding respect as a democracy. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PADavid Cameron today sparked a furious diplomatic row with Islamabad after accusing elements of the Pakistani state of promoting the export of terrorism. In the strongest British criticism of Pakistan so far, the prime minister warned Islamabad … Continue reading Islamabad accuses PM of damaging prospects for peace

Let EDL thugs demonstrate in Bradford Our right to demonstrate is one of the pillars of democracy and more important than vague worries over ‘community relations’ Sunny Hundal guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 July 2010 15.00 BST Article history Members of the English Defence League protest against Islamic fundamentalism in Stoke. Photograph: NTI Media Ltd/Rex FeaturesOn 28 August the English Defence League plans to hold a massive demonstration in Bradford. Locals aren’t too happy and this week the Bradford Telegraph & Argus has launched a petition to persuade the home secretary to ban it. It says the EDL march would, “damage community … Continue reading EDL in Bradford

Civil funerals in Wrexham; Pakistan reaches out to Buddhists; female turban-wearers in Toronto; another Saudi cleric speaks Riazat Butt guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 July 2010 12.55 BST Article history When I worked in the Manchester office of the Guardian I often wrote the Northerner, a round-up of northern news. This feature is a bit like that, except it’s about belief and will never mention Coleen McLoughlin, unless she becomes a nun. • As it happens there have been lots of nuns in the news this week – singing, fugitive and fake – but let’s kick off with a story about Wrexham, … Continue reading Divine dispatches: a religion roundup

India’s $35 tablet: a stalled revolution India’s new $35 tablet computer needs manufacturing success and demand if it is to revolutionise IT literacy – it has neither Suhasini Sakhare guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 July 2010 11.00 BST Article history Kapil Sibal, India’s minister for human resource development, unveils the low-cost computing device. Photograph: Stringer/India/ReutersKapil Sibal, India’s minister for human resource development, recently announced that Indian scientists had developed a tablet computer that could be manufactured for just $35. The device has been developed primarily for students and is part of the government’s ambitious plan to connect 25,000 Indian colleges to broadband. … Continue reading India’s $35 tablet

Why David Cameron’s words disappoint Pakistan Pakistan has made huge sacrifices in the war on terror. Yet the PM criticises us based on intelligence leaks that lack credibility Wajid Shamsul Hasan guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 July 2010 19.00 BST Article history David Cameron’s assertions about Pakistan’s role in terrorism are ‘completely contrary to the realities on the ground’. Photograph: ReutersI was surprised to read the reported remarks made by David Cameron when speaking to Indian businesspeople in Bangalore this morning, especially when he said: “We cannot tolerate in any sense the idea that this country [Pakistan] is allowed to look both … Continue reading Cameron’s words disappoint Pakistan

It’s India’s poor who need British aid, not its military and business elites In tickling the vanity of Delhi’s super-rich, David Cameron shuns the most principled area of the two countries’ relationship Pankaj Mishra guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 28 July 2010 20.00 BST Article history This week David Cameron flew to India in a chartered plane, accompanied by six ministers, innumerable corporate chiefs, and even a few Olympic medallists. Cameron has vowed to forge a “new special relationship” with the world’s second-fastest growing economy, which the Labour government, infatuated with the old special relationship, neglected to build. A foundation for this alliance … Continue reading British aid to India?

By Rafia Zakaria dawn.com This photograph taken on July 26, 2010 in Kaufbeuren, southern Germany, shows computer screens displaying an Afghan War Diary on the Wikileaks website. – Photo by AFP. There are decisive battles in every conflict, milestone moments that change the course of a war and are duly recorded in the annals of history. Few expected that such a milestone moment in the Afghanistan conflict would have occurred in quite this way. On Sunday, July 26, Wikileaks.org, a website run by anti-war activist Julian Assange, published over 90,000 documents relating to the war in Afghanistan over the past … Continue reading Wikileaks: a wake-up call ?

By Irfan Husain dawn.com Team leader and Tech. Sgt. Jeff Hedglin, left, a Pararescueman, or “PJ,” of the 58th Rescue Squadron deployed to Afghanistan from Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, helps corpsmen, and US and Afghan soldiers load an Afghan with a gunshot wound aboard a Pavehawk CASEVAC helicopter en route to a nearby military hospital in Kandahar province, Tuesday July 27, 2010. – Photo by AP. The vast trove of leaked intelligence reports recently posted by Wikileaks over the Internet has elicited a furious denial from the ISI about its alleged role in Afghanistan that emerges from many … Continue reading The high cost of defeat

Dawn Editorial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaks during a press conference in London Monday July 26, 2010. Assange said Monday he believes there is evidence of war crimes in the thousands of pages of leaked US military documents relating to the war in Afghanistan. The remarks came after WikiLeaks, a whistle-blowing group, posted some 91,000 classified US military records over the past six years about the war online, including unreported incidents of Afghan civilian killings and covert operations against Taliban figures. – Photo by AP. Pakistan Cameron warns Pakistan over insurgent funding Cameron warns Pakistan over insurgent funding Truth is … Continue reading Secret papers