By M K Bhadrakumar The inauguration of the Dauletabad-Sarakhs-Khangiran pipeline on Wednesday connecting Iran’s northern Caspian region with Turkmenistan’s vast gas field may go unnoticed amid the Western media cacophony that it is “apocalypse now” for the Islamic regime in Tehran. The event sends strong messages for regional security. Within the space of three weeks, Turkmenistan has committed its entire gas exports to China, Russia and Iran. It has no urgent need of the pipelines that the United States and the European Union have been advancing. Are we hearing the faint notes of a Russia-China-Iran symphony? The 182-kilometer Turkmen-Iranian pipeline … Continue reading Russia, China, Iran redraw energy map

In the wake of a murder, India is warning its students off going to Australia. It’s a shrill reaction, but there is a problem to address Tim Soutphommasane guardian.co.uk, Here in Australia the year has not started well on the race relations front. Yesterday saw the Australian branch of fast-food chain KFC condemned by sections of the American media over an advertisement deemed racist by African-Americans. But it is another, and more serious, international racism row that is dominating the headlines. It surrounds the knife murder of 21-year-old Indian university graduate Nitin Garg in Melbourne over the weekend. The response … Continue reading India confronts Australia over racism

Airline bombing plot: Al-Qaida supporting cleric may face arrest Hugh Macleod and Nasser Arrabiyye in Sana’a guardian.co.uk, Anwar al-Awlaki, the Yemeni cleric said to have met the Nigerian accused of the Christmas Day terrorist plot. Photograph: AP An influential Yemeni cleric, once thought untouchable by the authorities despite his preaching in support of al-Qaida, including to several of the 9/11 hijackers, tonight appeared to be a target for arrest after a senior minister suggested the US-born cleric had met the man accused of the attempted Christmas Day airliner bombing. Rashad al-Alimi, Yemen‘s deputy prime minister for defence and security, told … Continue reading Al-Qaida supporting cleric may face arrest

By Jawed Naqvi In countries like India we have to keep our seatbelts loosely fastened all the time. –Photo by AP Many of us harbour stubborn doubts about commercial airlines that offer ritual prayers before the take-off. It is a bit vague when or why the ritual of prayer was made mandatory for Pakistani commercial aeroplanes. On the other hand, there are some equally robust Muslim countries, which do not provide for a public display of divine intervention in tasks involving some degree of risk. Two reasons come to mind for a less intrusive approach to matters of faith. One, … Continue reading Unsafe landing rites of India

Outrage … Asian man was forced off bus and grilled at cop shop over rucksack and mobiles Don’t allow extremists to divide us AN innocent Asian man was forced off a bus by passengers over fears that he was a suicide bomber – because he had a rucksack and two mobile phones. Cops swooped on the Megabus coach and ordered the startled lad off for questioning after barmy commuters badgered the driver over “concerns” he was a terrorist. Last night, the bigots on board were slammed by a horrified fellow passenger, who said: “It’s terrible that people are alienated over … Continue reading AN innocent Asian man was forced off a bus by passengers over fears that he was a suicide bomber – because he had a rucksack and two mobile phones.

Who represents whom within Muslim communities, indeed any community, is contested ground, writes Jamie Bartlett. Jamie Bartlett Anjem Choudary Photo: PA There is only one thing worse than being talked about. Especially when you are the leader of a provincial Islamist group that has global pretentions. So it wasn’t surprising when the publicity hungry Anjem Choudary announced his plan to parade 500 empty coffins through Wootton Basset to symbolise the thousands of Muslims killed ‘by the oppressive US and UK regimes’ in the war in Afghanistan. The date has been cleverly left unspecified. His deft media touch suggests he has … Continue reading To what extent does Maniac Mullah Anjem Choudary represent the Muslim population?

Yemen deputy PM claims Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab may have met radical cleric linked to Fort Hood accused Haroon Siddique and Richard Norton-Taylor guardian.co.uk, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Photograph: US Marshals/EPA A Nigerian man accused of attempting to blow up a US-bound plane on Christmas Day was recruited by al-Qaida in London and may have met a radical Islamist cleric linked to the Fort Hood mass shooting, Yemen‘s deputy prime minister said today. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, was indicted yesterday on charges including attempted murder and trying to use a weapon of mass destruction to kill nearly 300 people aboard the Northwest … Continue reading Airline bomb plot accused ‘joined al-Qaida in London’