COMMENT: Letters concerning toleration — I —Ahmad Ali Khalid Faith is a matter of the heart and a concept of deep and inner conviction. No amount of violence and force can sow the seeds of religiosity and faith in the hearts of human beings. Such a transformation can only come about through compassion and mercy In the late 17th century, John Locke, one of the founders and theorists of classical liberalism and modern liberal thought, wrote a letter (‘A Letter Concerning Toleration’) about the virtues and difficulties of tolerance. His letter started a debate about the very meaning of faith, … Continue reading Letters concerning toleration

Airships: a second age They were once the future of travel. Now, more than 70 years after the Hindenburg crash, engineers are designing a new fleet of airships By Horatia Harrod dawn.com The future of air travel? The HAV3 prototype in remote-controlled flight The historic British R101 airship on its mast at Cardington Photo: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix / Alamy The HAV3 after a test flight at Cardington Airfield; in the background is one of the iconic hangars At Cardington Airfield, just south of Bedford, two vast corrugated steel hangers tower over the surrounding area. More than 800ft long – … Continue reading Airships: the next generation?

WASHINGTON DIARY: Why the US cannot leave Afghanistan —Dr Manzur Ejaz Pakistan — poised to become an industrial society like South Korea — was subverted to become more like a pauper desert kingdom of the Gulf. Of course, Pakistan’s internal mechanism played a major role but as an external force, the US encouraged the regressive processes to take hold The perception of CIA infallibly having the omnipotent powers of the Almighty has been destroyed by WikiLeaks’ disclosure of over 91,000 sensitive US security documents — amounting to the biggest leak in history and showed chinks in the CIA’s armour. However, … Continue reading US cannot leave Afghanistan like this….

Group to fight vote clearing way for NYC mosque : NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg (L) and Council Speaker Christine Quinn hold a press conference on Governor’s Island across from the Statue of Liberty to speak about the NYC Landmarks Commission vote to deny 45-47 Park Place landmark status on August 03, 2010 in New York City. -AFP Photo dawn.com NEW YORK: Plans for an Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero moved forward as a city panel opened the way for developers to tear down a building that was struck by airplane debris on Sept. 11. Even as the … Continue reading Fanatics to fight vote clearing way for NYC mosque

While you are (perpetually) away… by Shyema Are you having a good holiday Mr. President? While you are away traveling Europe, I thought I’d be a good citizen and let you know about the latest that is happening in your country. I know you left just two days ago but it seems you were never here. Perhaps a national address would have been nice before you left – you had plenty of reasons to speak to us, don’t you think? Have you ever had that nightmare when something is after you and when you feel you’ve finally dodged it and … Continue reading Having a good holiday Mr Zardari?

British MPs to snub Pakistan leader in flood protest as Zardari prepares to confront Cameron over terror claims By Mail Online Reporter Last updated at 12:28 PM on 3rd August 2010 Pakistan president attacked for trip during devastating floods Khalid Mahmood: ‘He should not be swanning around Europe’ More than 1,400 dead and millions homeless after disaster Pakistan President will ‘educate’ Cameron over terror claims Two Labour politicians have pulled out of a meeting with the Pakistan president later this week in protest at his decision to travel to Europe while his country battles devastating floods. Khalid Mahmood and Lord … Continue reading British MPs to snub Zardari

Pakistan and India care about Clinton, not Cameron To Pakistan and India, Britain is just another middle-ranking European country that has little to offer compared with the US Anita Inder Singh guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 3 August 2010 11.00 BST Article history David Cameron speaks next to the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh. Cameron’s trip got little coverage in the Indian press. Photograph: Saurabh Das/APDavid Cameron has been blamed by some in the British media for suggesting that Pakistan exports extremism and for sucking up to his Indian hosts last week. And Charles Moore, former editor of the Daily Telegraph, thinks that … Continue reading Indians dream an American dream not British

TUC is foolish to spurn Vince Cable Grassroots trade unionists often talk to those they disagree with, yet the TUC is afraid to let moderate Cable speak at conference Tom Watson guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 3 August 2010 09.00 BST Article history The TUC has withdrawn Vince Cable’s invitation to speak at its conference in September. Photograph: David Levene for the GuardianI’m just about old enough to remember the early days of the 1980s when many thought Labour didn’t need a cogent response to Thatcherism because Scargillism would destroy the Tories. All it would take was an industrial spark to inflame the … Continue reading Let Vince Cable speak

Scapegoating will not solve ‘Roma problem’ France’s plan to evict Roma people is the latest example of an aggressive EU stance that will amplify the minority’s problems Rob Kushen guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 3 August 2010 10.00 BST Article history Roma women and children in a Lyon camp who stand to be expelled under Nicolas Sarkozy’s proposals. Photograph: Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty ImagesLast week, Nicolas Sarkozy announced new plans to evict Travellers and Roma from all “illegal settlements” in France and to expel from the country all Roma who are citizens of other EU countries. This announcement has triggered bitter protest from human rights … Continue reading ‘Roma problem’ is the problem!

Cyprus problem is fuelling racism Defining each other only as ‘Turkish’ or ‘Greek’ has left Cyprus with a victim complex, struggling to cope with rising immigration James Mackay guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 3 August 2010 11.00 BST Article history Since 1974, the international conversation about Cyprus has been only of “bi-communal solutions” – Turkish and Greek. Photograph: Katia Christodoulou/EPAIn Nicosia last week, marchers from the ultra-nationalist youth group ELAM (Greek popular front) attacked two Asian bystanders. A Nigerian man was beaten and forced into the path of a moving car. This incident takes its place in the recent litany of violence against … Continue reading ‘Turkish’ or ‘Greek’ is fuelling racism