The anatomy of an attack on Iran By David Moon In mid-June, Hugh Tomlinson in the Times of London wrote that the government of Saudi Arabia conferred on Israel the “green light” for use of its airspace for an attack on Iran. This revelation was said to be conventional wisdom inside the Saudi military. Tomlinson also quoted an unnamed United States military source stating to the effect that the US Department of State and the Defense Department had both said “grace” over this arrangement. The Saudis and Israelis immediately denied the report, while US officials made no specific comments on … Continue reading How Israel may attack Iran

Homely Homemaking Homebodies? Why the Quran Commands Muslim Women: “Stay in Your Homes” Posted by Sadaf Farooqi بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم In Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah addresses the wives of Prophet Muhammad [صَلى اللهُ عَليهِ وَ سَلم] with specific commands to guard their chastity: وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا “And abide quietly in your homes, and do not flaunt your charms as they used to flaunt them in the old days of pagan ignorance; and be constant in prayer, and render the … Continue reading Why does the Quran Commands Muslim Women: “Stay in Your Homes”?

‘Young Imam’ Is the Reality Show Creating All the Buzz in Malaysia Aspiring Mullahs Show Their Stuff; Swooning Fans and a Free Trip to Mecca By JAMES HOOKWAY Astro EntertainmentContestants, above, face elimination from ‘Young Imam.’ KUALA LUMPUR—The U.S. has “American Idol.” Britain has “The X Factor.” Malaysia, one of the world’s more progressive Muslim nations, has something rather different—a televised search for the country’s most eligible young religious leader. “Young Imam” might look familiar at first glance. Ten good-looking male contestants in sharp-looking suits are assigned to sing and complete a series of complex tasks. At the end of … Continue reading ‘X’ factor for Imams – Aspiring Mullahs Show Their Stuff!

Plato: ancient Greek philosopher’s ‘secret music code’ cracked by British scientists The works of Plato, the ancient classical Greek philosopher, appear to contain a hidden musical code, a British academic has claimed. By Andrew Hough telegraph.co.uk Plato is considered by some to be the greatest of all the Greek philosophers. Photo: GETTY IMAGES His study suggested Plato was a secret follower of Pythagoras (C). It also suggested he anticipated the scientific revolution of Galileo (L) and Sir Issac Newton (R) by about 2,000 years. Photo: SUPPLIED Researchers claimed they cracked “The Plato Code”, the long disputed secret messages hidden in … Continue reading Plato – ‘secret music code’

Russian ‘spy ring’ labelled nutty and feckless by former CIA agents Current and former US intelligence officials have expressed their bemusement at details of an alleged Russian spy ring uncovered by the FBI. telegraph.co.uk FBI agents photographed by a neighbour at 35B Trowbridge Road in Cambridge, Mass., a residence owned by Donald Heathfield and Tracey Foley Photo: AP A court-artist’s impression of five of the 10 Russian spy suspects Photo: AFP/GETTY IMAGES A defendant known as ‘Anna Chapman’ allegedly communicated with a Russian official in Manhattan in January Photo: Facebook Eleven “secret agents” have been arrested amid claims that the … Continue reading Russian ‘spy ring’ INNOCENT TWITS?

Wonder Woman, the most famous female super-hero in the world, will get a massive costume redesign and origin. telegraph.co.uk Lynda Carter as ‘Wonder Woman’ and her character’s new trendy make over This 69-year-old superheroine, published by DC Comics, will don a new — and less revealing – costume in the landmark 600th issue of her comic book, in stores this week. After spending decades fighting crime in star-spangled spandex, the time has come for Wonder Woman to update her costume that includes leggings. Related Articles Want an easy life? Pick up your husband’s socks Dame Vera Lynn: the original Forces … Continue reading Wonder Woman makeover!

Russian spy ring: Medvedev’s allies blame US politicians for ‘Right-wing conspiracy’ By Andrew Osborn telegraph.co.uk Dmitry Medvedev and Pres. Obama eat at Ray’s Hell Burger restaurant, Arlington (Photo: Reuters) Footage of US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev munching burgers in an American diner last week went down a storm in Russia. It was shown ad nauseum until every Russian must have known off by heart exactly what condiments the two world leaders had to choose from and how many ice cubes they had in their respective drinks. News that eleven people in the United States have been … Continue reading Medvedev’s allies blame US politicians for spy ring

The stiff language of the second amendment dates back to 1791, and neither US political party dare upset gun-rights advocates Sahil Kapur guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 June 2010 00.20 BST Article history Guns line the walls of the firearms reference collection at the Washington Metropolitan police department headquarters in Washington. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/APIn a landmark victory for gun-rights advocates, the supreme court on Monday ruled by a margin of five to four that permissive federal gun statutes apply to all US states and cities. The McDonald v Chicago decision deemed unconstitutional an attempt by the crime-riddled capital of Illinois to regulate … Continue reading Bulletproof gun lobby strikes again

The press baron argued that the unjust federal ‘honest services’ law should go – and now it has been virtually overturned Dan Kennedy guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 29 June 2010 23.30 BST Article history There may come a time that the imprisoned press baron and former Daily Telegraph owner Conrad Black, convicted in 2007 of defrauding his own company, is celebrated as a hero in the annals of American justice. Along with two other plaintiffs of dubious reputation (former Enron master of the universe Jeffrey Skilling and a onetime Alaska legislator named Bruce Weyhrauch), Black persuaded the US supreme court that the … Continue reading Conrad Black, hero of US justice?

A bill seeking to outlaw boycotts of Israeli institutions and products – including in settlements – is diplomatically explosive Miri Weingarten guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 June 2010 10.00 BST Article history A new “anti-boycott bill”, the third in a series of proposed laws that aim to curtail the ability of civil society to criticise Israeli government policy, will punish Israelis or foreign nationals who initiate or promote a boycott of Israel. The bill not only prohibits boycotts of legal Israeli institutions, but also of settlement activities and products. It seeks to impose fines on Israelis who “promote boycotts” and transfer the … Continue reading Israel’s anti-boycott belligerence