The Russian investment vehicle that bought a $200m stake in Facebook last year is preparing to buy stakes in dozens of well-known internet companies as Russia turns to the internet to lead its future prosperity. By Rupert Neate telegraph.co.uk Yuri Milner, chief executive of Digital Sky Technologies Photo: Getty Images Digital Sky Technologies (DST) has already invested $1bn (£693m) buying up stakes in web companies including Zynga, the makers of the popular online social game FarmVille, and acquiring AOL’s messenger service, ICQ, for $188m. Yuri Milner, chief executive, said: “There are a few dozen companies globally that we are following. … Continue reading Facebook is just the first step, say Russians

A mum-to-be is in little doubt that her baby boy is doing fine – after he gave her the thumbs-up in an amazing hospital scan. telegraph.co.uk The baby gave the thumbs-up sign in the 20-week scan taken at Wythenshawe Hospital. Photo: MEN Marie Boswell, 35, says friends and family have been amazed by her son’s distinctive ‘ok’ sign in the 20-week scan taken at Wythenshawe Hospital. Marie, of Wythenshawe, Manchester, said: “It’s really funny, the thumb is so clear – we can’t believe it. “I have big hands but nothing on the scale of his – he looks like he’s … Continue reading Baby gives mum thumbs-up in womb

VIEW: The protests, the ban and the faithful! –Junaid Zuberi We have left no stone unturned to prove that we are indeed a community that believes in violence and that does not have an iota of tolerance and forgiveness The Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered a temporary ban on Facebook and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) went several steps ahead by first announcing complete blockage of the popular networking site for an indefinite period followed by a ban on YouTube. The nation is swimming in the ocean of ignorance characterised by unchecked emotions. In our quest to prove our righteousness … Continue reading Mullahism and Facebook

by Asif Akhtar http://www.dawn.com So looks like its double-whammy for Pakistani entertainment enthusiasts this time. First we get beaten out of the Twenty20 World Cup after having our hopes raised to unbelievable heights, prompting people to make all sorts of sour remarks on Facebook to vent their frustration. Then this whole high-stakes emotional censorship bonanza prompts to block Facebook for a whole week! Oh where will disappointed sports fans and withdrawal-ridden Facebook addicts go to now that the pleasant lull of the Facebook Newsfeed and the unmistakable sense of constantly being connected to all your friends have been stripped off … Continue reading What do Facebook and cricket have in common?

by Zeresh http://www.dawn.com Before yesterday’s ban on Facebook, I would have laughed off the idea of being addicted to a social networking site. Really. It couldn’t have come down to this. Or has it? Completely supporting the cause of the ban, despite myself, in the span of an hour, I found myself typing http://www.facebook.com in my browser at least twice. The address, for very obvious reasons, is proudly displayed as a bookmark on my toolbar but I still typed each letter out, prolonging it painstakingly, as if to give the Lahore High Court enough time to revert its decision. I … Continue reading Diary of a closet Facebooker

By Irfan Husain dawn.com Hamid Mir’s connections with Islamic militants are hardly a secret. –File Photo When you make a name and a (very good) living from the spoken word, it’s hard to make the case that a recording of your voice is a forgery. This is the dilemma Hamid Mir, the popular anchor of the TV chat show Capital Talk, is facing today. Having heard the leaked conversation between a person who sounds uncannily like the TV personality, and another who is apparently very close to the terrorists then holding Khalid Khwaja, I will take a lot of convincing … Continue reading Anchors, spooks and jihadis

.com dawn Rana Ashraf Khan, father of Salman Ashraf Khan, co owners of Hanif Rajput Catering Services, speaks during an interview with AP. – AP Pakistan Caterer among six arrested in NY bomb plot Caterer among six arrested in NY bomb plot ISLAMABAD: A catering company executive who was among six men apparently detained by Pakistan for allegedly helping the Times Square bombing suspect had differences with American policy in the region but no hatred towards the country, his father said Saturday. Like Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-American accused in the failed New York bombing, the six Pakistani detainees are all … Continue reading Pakistan detainee was happy in US, father says

The world cannot expect Palestinians to abandon violence while remaining silent on Israel’s repression of nonviolent activists Yousef Munayyer guardian.co.uk When will there be a Palestinian Gandhi? I’m often asked this question by people who sympathise with Palestinian suffering but are uncomfortable associating themselves with resistance movements that they see as violent or terrorist. The reality of course is that Palestinian nonviolent resisters are not only active today but have a long and storied history in the Palestinian struggle. The real question is: why haven’t we heard about them? Like many resisting oppression, Palestinian Gandhis are likely to be found … Continue reading Palestinian nonviolence relies on global non-silence

Conservative Islam collides with punk Taqwacore bands have sparked controversy, but conservative Muslims need to get used to the proliferating diversity of Islam Asif Akhtar guardian.co.uk It already seems like high-censorship season in Pakistan, with Facebook and YouTube being banned by the Lahore high court over the “Draw Muhammad” contest. However, a much more interesting collision is taking place on the media peripheries in Pakistan, only this time the conflict isn’t between Islam and the west but between Muslims with very different views of Islam. Nearly a year after its release, the controversial documentary titled Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk … Continue reading Punks and Mullahs!

A more powerful protest would be to let Pakistanis use Facebook and Twitter to oppose ‘Everybody Draw Mohammed Day’ Bilal Baloch and Nadia Naviwala guardian.co.uk, Since “Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!” was announced on 20 May, those associated with its creation have been rushing around to distance themselves from the ensuing controversy. Cartoonist Molly Norris has announced, “I am NOT involved!” Apparently, Facebook user Jon Wellington used her cartoon to create the group. But even he has stepped back, “Ya’ll go ahead if that’s your bag, but count me out.” It’s not so easy to step away from these developments, however. … Continue reading Pakistan Facebook ban not the answer