VIEW: Societal homeostasis —Tammy Swofford Anti-blasphemy legislation may wear a cloak of piety but the law of unintended consequences produces the tense situations that exist on the ground in Pakistan today. A governmental stamp of approval against blasphemy opens the door for vigilantism Seated across from me was a professional acquaintance, Dr Yusuf Z Kavakci, a council member of the Fiqh Council of North America. Having sought out an eatery with a halal certificate to meet the dietary requirement of my Muslim counterpart, I had chosen a small Moroccan grill near an area mosque. The menu was not disappointing. Greek … Continue reading Anti-blasphemy legislation may wear a cloak of piety

Rags to riches movie fame for homeless man who became ‘China’s sexiest tramp’ By Carol Driver The extraordinary life story of a Chinese homeless man who shot to fame after his photo was posted on the internet is to be made into a movie. Cheng Guorong became an unlikely sex symbol after he was forced on to the streets when he was fired from his job and robbed of his savings. The 34-year-old was snapped by an amateur photographer as he wandered the streets, begging for food and rummaging in bins for cigarette butts last year. Tramp chic: Cheng Guorong, … Continue reading Cheng Guorong – China’s sexiest tramp

Stop Lahore’s Talibanisation By Raza RumiJuly 19, 2010 The writer is consulting editor, The Friday Times (raza.rumi@tribune.com.pk) The worst has happened. Data Darbar, which defined the contours of peaceful Islam for a millennium, has been desecrated in Lahore. Its markets have been attacked and its minorities live in fear after the Ahmadi massacre. Last year, the petrified traders of Lahore’s Hall Road burnt objectionable CDs after receiving threats from extremists. A year later, low-intensity blasts took place in the crowded Hall Road — a market for electronics and kosher and non-kosher DVDs. This week, two internet cafes were targeted in … Continue reading Lahore’s Talibanisation

By Farzana VerseyJuly 19, 2010 The writer is an Indian author and columnist (farzana.versey@tribune.com.pk) It is hypocritical to say that any depiction of Osama bin Laden will lead to a spate of suicide attacks and not use a similar standard to judge the censorship of murals delineating the works of Russian artist-novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. The Moscow metro station that was to be named after him got into trouble because there was fear that the illustrations with scenes from his books would become a “mecca for suicides”. Pravda, Russia’s mouthpiece, wondered whether such images should be displayed after the March terrorist … Continue reading Laden vs Dostoevsky

What goes into the making of a suicide bomber By Ifthikar FirdousJuly 20, 2010 Video capture of a young suicide bomber whose video tape was recovered by authorities. PESHAWAR: “There were six suicide bombers that attacked us in the middle of the night,” says Colonel Nadeem, Commandant Dir Operation. “Five of them detonated the explosives strapped to their bodies; however, one was missing till we discovered him hiding in the bushes. He was scared of killing himself because the effect of the drug had ended.” Nadeem was referring to an attack in Lower Dir earlier this month. The arrested bomber, … Continue reading The making of a suicide bomber

By Katherine Tiedemann, July 19, 2010 Monday, July 19, 2010 – 8:53 AM Share Buying me love As part of a two-day visit to Pakistan, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced more than $500 million in new civilian aid to the country as part of the $7.5 billion development package approved by Congress last year (BBC, AFP, ET, MSNBC, AP, LAT, McClatchy, Bloomberg, The News, AFP). The funds will go toward improving Pakistan’s water, electricity, hospitals, and other infrastructure projects; Clinton is seeking to convince Pakistanis that the United States’ interest in the country is not limited to combating … Continue reading U.S. announces new Pakistan aid

The video was shot in 2001, apparently without Netanyahu’s knowledge [Channel 10] A recently-revealed tape has shown Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, discussing ways to undermine the Oslo Accords and calling the United States “easy” to manipulate. The video was filmed in 2001, apparently without Netanyahu’s knowledge, during a meeting with Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. It aired on Friday night on Israel’s Channel 10, and several translations have been posted online. At one point on the tape, Netanyahu threatens a “broad attack” against the Palestinian Authority. “The main thing, first of all, is to hit them. Not … Continue reading Netanyahu says US easily manipulated by Likud

Calling All Future-Eaters Monday 19 July 2010 by: Chris Hedges  |  Truthdig | Op-Ed (Image: Jared Rodriguez / t r u t h o u t; Adapted: Reini68, NASA) The human species during its brief time on Earth has exhibited a remarkable capacity to kill itself off. The Cro-Magnons dispatched the gentler Neanderthals. The conquistadors, with the help of smallpox, decimated the native populations in the Americas. Modern industrial warfare in the 20th century took at least 100 million lives, most of them civilians. And now we sit passive and dumb as corporations and the leaders of industrialized nations ensure that climate … Continue reading Future-Eaters