Fainter broadcasting signals mean Earth will soon be undetectable to extraterrestials Robin McKie, Observer science editor guardian.co.uk Aliens are less likely to be able to pick up signals from Earth and make contact. Photograph: Colin Anderson/Getty Images/Blend Images Human beings are making it harder for extraterrestials to pick up conversations and make contact, the world’s leading expert on the search for alien life warned yesterday. At a special meeting on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (Seti), the US astronomer Frank Drake – who has been seeking radio signals from alien civilisations for almost 50 years – told scientists that earthlings … Continue reading Aliens (Off-worlders) can’t hear us, says astronomer

Talat Fraooq One of the post-9/11 narratives has focused on the root causes of terrorism by carrying out in-depth analyses of the phenomenon. One school of thought sees a fundamental connection between poor economic conditions and terrorism and considers poverty to be a significant determinant in this regard, whereas the opposing view ascribes terrorism to religious fundamentalism and not poverty. This viewpoint is defended on the grounds that the terrorist leadership and operators include affluent people who use religion for political ends. Yet another perspective maintains that terrorists are motivated by injustice and perceived social, political or historical wrongs embedded … Continue reading Fighting terrorism in Pakistan

Anjum Niaz The writer is a freelance journalist with over twenty years of experience in national and international reporting Today we live among phantoms, among bogeymen, among illusions. We delude ourselves that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry will purge Pakistan of corruption. Others daydream that Asif Zardari will gift democracy to Pakistan as if it was his personal fiefdom. Many among us hallucinate that General Kayani will bring back the spectre of military dictatorship. Some simpletons fancy Prime Minister Gilani telling his president and his cabinet to confess their sins and cough up the supposed loot. In Greek mythology, a chimera … Continue reading Corruption’s many chimeras

Raoof Hasan After sixty-two years of bludgeoning through sequential alleys of darkness, suffering the agonies of military dictatorships, ill-governance, institutionalised crime and widespread corruption that sunk in deep, the country finally saw the advent of an independent judiciary at the culmination of a memorable people’s struggle led by the lawyers’ community. But, within less than one year of the historic event, just when one thought that the country would be finally rid of the innumerable ailments that plagued our body politic, there are conspiracies galore to frustrate the independence of judiciary and replace it with a bench that would swear … Continue reading Edging to the brink – how dancing with idiots has destroyed Pakistan

Mashal Sahir This is just one case that has been reported. The fact is that there are millions of Shazias out there who are forced to work at a young age and who suffer cruelty or may even lose their lives because of such injustice and their cases never get reported On January 23, 2010, an innocent 12-year old child Shazia was reported to have been tortured to death. She had been employed as a maid in Advocate Naeem’s house who, along with his family members, including his wife, son and sister-in-law, has been accused of inflicting torture on her. … Continue reading Shazia murder case — time for Pakistans lawyers to move away from a mullah like attitude to justice

Zubair Torwali We have no choice other than to make our democratic institutions strong enough to lead the country further. Ironically, a number of politicians too are busy in maligning the democratic government. In spite of all these odds, this government needs to complete its tenure That democracy has suffered long in this country is a bitter truth. It must now be given a chance. The crooks in the infamous establishment never want it to flourish in Pakistan. Here I would again repeat the common saying that the worst democracy is always better than the finest dictatorship. Today we see … Continue reading Challenges to the democratic government in Pakistan?

Munir Attaullah A government must undeniably be of the people and for the people. Sure, a government that pays no heed to the voice of the awam risks losing the next elections. But until that time, that government, and not the awam, should be allowed to govern Three score and three years ago our fathers, under the undisputed leadership of Mr Jinnah, brought forth in this subcontinent a new nation, conceived as a homeland for Muslims, but also dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal, and should be treated as such by the state. Lest there be … Continue reading Idle political musings

By Irfan Husain Both Javed Miandad and Mohammed Yousuf have blamed the T20 format for the deterioration in our Test team. But other countries play both types of the game without seeming to suffer any ill-effects. – Photo by AP. Despite all the material progress mankind has made, our gullibility when it comes to superstition never ceases to amaze me. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the Roman ruler famously ignores the warning to “beware the Ides of March”, and is assassinated. But before his death, ‘strange portents’ are seen in the sky. However, as Cassius tells his friend Brutus: “The fault, … Continue reading What the stars foretell for Pakistani cricket

By Anwar Iqbal The US is offering $100 million to set up the fund to lure Taliban fighters to join the political mainstream.—File photo WASHINGTON: The United States and its allies are expected to set up a $500 million integration fund at a conference in London this week to lure Taliban fighters to join the political mainstream. “We are going to go to London to affirm our international support for it,” said US special envoy Richard Holbrooke. “Money will be forthcoming for it. I can’t say how much. The Japanese are going to take the lead.” In an interview to … Continue reading US, allies plan $500m fund to woo Taliban