Eon joins rivals to cut gas prices by 6 per cent Eon today became the third British energy provider to cut gas prices, reducing household tariffs by 6 per cent. The average dual fuel bill will fall from £1,232 to £1,185, but the reduction will affect only 1.9 million of Eon’s 5.5 million British customers. Electricity-only customers or those on fixed-rate deals will not benefit from the cut. Last week, Scottish & Southern Energy announced a 4 per cent cut to gas bills after a 7 per cent reduction by British Gas. EDF, ScottishPower and RWE npower have yet to … Continue reading Monopolist bastards continue to squeeze money out of innocent British householders

Cyberwar declared as China hunts for the West’s intelligence secrets It is estimated that in the past year the number of attacks on US government agencies rose to 1.6 billion per month. Systems in the EU are even more vulnerable rgent warnings have been circulated throughout Nato and the European Union for secret intelligence material to be protected from a recent surge in cyberwar attacks originating in China. The attacks have also hit government and military institutions in the United States, where analysts said that the West had no effective response and that EU systems were especially vulnerable because most … Continue reading China declares its right to be naughty also (everyone does it why pick on China?)

Jon Venables: the thirst for revenge Reaction to the Bulger killer’s case reveals a collective neurosis that denies any resolution other than unmasked punishment Listening to Jack Straw stumbling through an interview on Radio 4’s Today programme this morning it became clear what a bind the government is now in. The hope must be that, if he does face charges,Jon Venables will have his day in court like any other defendant. It is difficult to see how this will be possible. But it is necessary if any trial is to be fair. The most disturbing aspect of the grisly and ongoing … Continue reading The unchecked rise of the British Chav Mullahs and John Venables

Fragile peace in Swat —Zubair Torwali Whatever the perception of the people, the fact remains that peace in Swat does not seem lasting and sustainable. On the contrary, the situation may get worse after the security forces leave the valley In Swat, everybody in his own capacity interprets the overall phenomenon of terrorism and efforts to counter it. It is not specific to certain circles only. People from all walks of life have their version of the game. Some link it with a great game having China and Pakistan on the one hand, and India and the US on the other … Continue reading Fragile peace in Swat

Adolescent girls’ plight —Mehr Qureshi There is no specific provision on incest in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and police, prosecutors and judges often have dismissive and condemning attitudes towards the victims Today is International Women’s Day. This day is a global celebration of the political, social and economic achievements of women. This year we are also marking 15 years since the fourth UN World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in September 1995 when 189 states, including Pakistan, came together and agreed to advance the goals of equality, development and peace for all women everywhere and to ensure the full … Continue reading Adolescent girls’ plight

TV talk shows: good, bad or just inane —Dr Syed Mansoor Hussain Being a strong supporter of freedom of the media I believe that every television channel and all the hosts have the right to say whatever they wish as long as it is within accepted societal norms of decency Every so often I decide to watch some of the Pakistani TV talk shows. After my most recent foray into the world of incessant shouting and entirely illogical arguments I was forced to coin two neologisms for the talking heads on TV. For the smoother ones, it is ‘the Gliberati’ and … Continue reading TV talk shows: good, bad or just inane

How it may have been done differently —Shahzad Chaudhry Both India and Pakistan today are at the verge of being water-stressed, at least figuratively. But that will become real very soon if we remain hostage to viewing our problems in a historical perspective. Much more than the political, territorial and security aspects, our civilisational existence is at stake A done deal is a done deal, and sulking over it post-facto does not pay much. But then India-Pakistan matters are hardly ever the last word that may seem to have been spoken. The foreign secretaries’ day-long parley in Delhi was one such … Continue reading Water problems due in India and Pakistan

Citizenship is a modern concept and a self-limiting notion. A detailed survey of a mix of Indian citizens, including Kashmiris, published by the Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) in its latest edition gives the discussion a more meaningful and complex character than it is traditionally granted. But before we take a look at its findings, it would be useful to bear in mind that references to a foreigner or a “pardesi” in popular idiom – such as folk songs and traditional poetry – are at variance with the issue of citizenship the survey puts under the scanner. Much like the loose … Continue reading Who is a citizen of India, who decides who is not?

First contact: The man who’ll welcome aliens Jon Ronson meets Paul Davies, the scientist with an awesome responsibility ‘We don’t want anybody just turning a radio ­telescope on the sky and sending their own ­messages to the source.’ Photograph: Felix Clay If we are ever contacted by aliens, the man I’m having lunch with will be one of the first humans to know. His name is Paul Davies and he’s chair of the Seti (Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Post-Detection Task Group. They’re a group of the world’s most eminent scientists and will be, come the big day, the planet’s alien … Continue reading Boffin Mullah HE Dr Paul Davies thinks he will be the first person to meet Aliens on ‘our’ behalf!