Burkha wearing housewife poised to win Middle East ‘Pop Idol’ A Saudi housewife who wears full Burkha while delivering poetry denouncing attitudes to women in her country is poised to win the Middle East’s equivalent of Pop Idol. Richard Spencer in Dubai telegraph.co.uk Hissa Hilal, recites one of her poems at a Million’s Poet show Photo: AP As a televised show-case for Arab culture, “Million’s Poet” marries modern life to a thousand-year-old tradition. Modelled on the ITV television show Pop Idol, with prize money of almost a million pounds, it was supposed to bring a touch of glamour to writers … Continue reading Brave Saudi Burkha lady poised to win ‘Pop Idol’!

Israel lobby presses Congress to soften Obama’s tough stance on Netanyahu American Israel Public Affairs Committee circulates letter urging White House to ‘reinforce’ relationship with Israel Chris McGreal in Washington guardian.co.uk Aipac has persuaded more than three-quarters of the members of the US House of Representatives to sign a letter calling for an end to public criticism of Israel. Photograph: Pete Souza/AP America’s main pro-Israel lobby group is mobilising members of Congress to pressure the White House over its bitter public confrontation with Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. The move, by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), appears … Continue reading Likud and Baptist Extremists in US set to force President Obamas hand?

How To Say It? Swift Written by James Randi _ Well, here goes. I really resent the term, but I use it because it’s recognized and accepted. I’m gay. From some seventy years of personal experience, I can tell you that there’s not much “gay” about being homosexual. For the first twenty years of my life, I had to live in the shadows, in a culture that was — at least outwardly — totally hostile to any hint of that variation of life-style. At no time did I choose to adopt any protective coloration, though; my cultivation of an abundant … Continue reading Homosexuality is now officially UNCOOL! Extremist James Randi is GAY!!!

A needless furore over halal fast food Uproar over a French burger chain’s use of Islam-friendly ingredients ignores commercialism while pushing identity politics Nabila Ramdani guardian.co.uk A family meal from the film La Graine et Le Mulet (Cous Cous, 2007), directed by Abdellatif Kechiche Like those B-list celebrities who regularly appear on daytime TV cookery shows, the French are generally quite comfortable with being defined by what they eat. Everything from blanquette de veau in the east to poule-au-pot in the west have helped mould the national character, with novel new regional recipes welcomed from all compass points throughout the … Continue reading Uproar over a French burger chain’s use of Islam-friendly ingredients?

I long for a real Labour voice to slam this City-fearing trio The TV debate proved it. Darling, Osborne and Cable still don’t see they were conned into propping up the banks at our expense Simon Jenkins guardian.co.uk Same old problem. Just when you need a Labour party there is none in sight – and clearly not one in the coming election. On Monday evening the parties’ three economic spokesmen went head to head and stroked each other to a draw. They nattered away like cleaning ladies over how to clear up after the great bankers’ ball. There were smashed … Continue reading TV debates prove it – politicians are spineless weasels when it comes to truth

VIEW: Sharifs’ controversy —Zeeshan Noel Christopher We must acknowledge that, contrary to the speech of Quaid-e-Azam on August 11, 1947, it is now clear that Muslims are still considered Muslims and Hindus are still treated as Hindus in this Islamic Republic of Pakistan “What is hidden in the heart leaps out of the tongue” was, perhaps, the most comprehensive and succinct reply from Mr Shahbaz Sharif’s opponents after his appeal to the Taliban a few days back. When the dead bodies of innocent people, who lost their lives in the recent bomb attacks, were being buried in Lahore and the … Continue reading What is hidden in the heart leaps out of the tongue

COMMENT:: Reasons behind the basant ban — I —Nasir Abbas Mirza Basant is democratic and egalitarian in concept and practice. It is uniquely Lahori; no city in the world could imitate or import it. If only for a few delightful days, it removed boundaries and barriers between social classes For decades the religious extremists in Punjab tried to ban basant but they just could not. They tried everything in the book: called it a Hindu festival, anti-Islam, waste of time, waste of money and what have you, but basant kept on growing in popularity and participation until such time that … Continue reading Pakistan needs to be proud of its cultural heritage.

development: Means to prevent hunger —Syed Mohammad Ali Pakistan is amongst the list of countries trying to lease its land to rich Gulf States to grow crops that will be exported, so as to attract more foreign investment, despite the fear of water depletion and increased food insecurity Access to adequate food is one of the most basic of human rights that still keeps eluding the development community as a whole, despite the billions of dollars spent every year to better the lives of deprived people around the world. While there is said to be enough food in the world … Continue reading Pakistan – leasing land to grow crops for Arab states

Indian couture Asia-bound, but eyeing west Indian models present creations of designer Niki Mahajan, at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2010 in New Delhi, India.–AP NEW DELHI: Demand for Indian couture has surged in the Middle East and East Asia in the last five years but the West remains out of bounds due to lack of exposure, designers and buyers said at India’s largest fashion event. Most Indian designers focus on a burgeoning market at home, where a rapidly growing middle class is consuming high fashion like never before, but a significant number are expanding abroad. “Buyers … Continue reading Indian and Pakistani fashion designers need to seek inspiration from their common heritage