Lourdes: realistic about religion A film about the Lourdes pilgrimage paints an accurate picture of religion, partly by showing that belief isn’t always earnest Julian Baggini guardian.co.uk Sylvie Testud in the film Lourdes A film about a pilgrimage of the sick to a famous shrine in the French Pyrenees in the hope of a miraculous cure doesn’t sound like a bundle of laughs. True, the idea that the Virgin Mary appeared there 18 times to a young woman called Maria-Bernada Sobirós, more commonly known now as St Bernadette, might strike many as comically absurd. Lourdes, however, does not mock or … Continue reading Lourdes: realistic about religion?

US-Afghan relations sink further as Hamid Karzai accused of drug abuse Former UN diplomat Peter Galbraith questions Afghan premier’s mental stability Jon Boone in Kabul guardian.co.uk Barack Obama with Hamid Karzai last month. Peter Galbraith’s comments come as the White House considers cancelling an invitation to the Afghan president. Photo: Charles Dharapak/AP The war of words between the former deputy head of the UN mission to Afghanistan and the country’s president escalated last night when Peter Galbraith suggested that Hamid Karzai‘s “mental stability” was in question and that he has a substance abuse problem. Galbraith, the US diplomat who worked … Continue reading Hamid Karzai accused of drug abuse

The intolerance syndrome thenews.com.pk Raoof Hasan The symptoms of excessive violence being exhibited as a matter of routine by various segments of our society have been on display for long, but they have only now begun to be translated into a consistent collective character trait. This has rendered the society into becoming unmanageable and unwieldy, with conflicting violent groups that are operating mostly to assert their will on the rest of the society. We have succeeded in painting a picture that is an extremely perverse version of how we should have evolved as a nation. When I was growing up … Continue reading The intolerance syndrome unleashed by Zia

Pakistan, the most dangerous country in the world? By Sumair Abro dawn.com ‘We may stand divided on many issues, but when one or a few of us excel at sports, we stand proud and united. So why not use this God given power to shape our future and influence the world?’ Zeeshan rues poor state of departmental hockey The year was 1994. It was an authentic spring morning in March and I was sitting with a group of friends at La Baguette Cafe. The room as usual was noisy, filled with mists of cigarette smoke; waitresses were pale skinned, dark … Continue reading Is Pakistan, the most dangerous country in the world?

Moscow revisited by mass murder By Mahir Ali dawn.com A part of a car used in the bomb attack is pictured (L) in Kizlyar March 31, 2010. Suicide bombers killed at least 12 people in North Caucasus on Wednesday, two days after deadly attacks in Moscow. A car packed with explosives blew up as police gave chase, and a bomber in a police uniform set off a second blast in a crowd of police who rushed to the scene, authorities said. – Photo by Reuters. On a typically freezing day in early February, a bunch of folk from the Chechen … Continue reading Moscow revisited by mass murder by the black widows

Reinventing the Taliban By Rafia Zakaria dawn.com Valued space is created for saying that the Taliban can indeed be rehabilitated and transformed into potential partners in peace, unlike Al Qaeda which must be eliminated at all costs. British Foreign Secretary David Milliband emphasised in an interview the need for “political talks” with the Taliban as part of the ultimate solution to the region’s problems. – Photo by AP. Controversy has raged in recent days over whether the video of a 17-year-old girl being flogged by the Taliban, released last April, was real or staged. The initial news report published in … Continue reading Sexy Taliban making hearts flutter?

The times, they are a-changin’ dawn.com I could’ve been in any city of the world as I munched on onion rings at Johnny Rockets while members of the bikers’ club, sporting top notch Harley Davidsons, gathered outside for a meeting and some photo ops. I was not the only woman around as I clicked away on my phone camera, taking in the bikes and jeeps plastered with stickers for a breast cancer charity, among others. The men looked like bikers anywhere in the world – colourful bandanas and shiny leather jackets. A few Hummers were parked to the side and … Continue reading Saudi Women more Free than Pakistani?

The Eurabian threat By Irfan Husain dawn.com Although the number of Muslim women in Europe affected by the law of banning a Islamic veil is tiny, this shift away from the generally tolerant attitudes of the past is an indicator of the mounting resentment the local population is feeling about the millions of Muslims in their midst. –Photo by ReutersMore and more, references to ‘unsustainable immigration’ in Europe are code for rising concerns about the ever-expanding Muslim presence there. Recently, Belgium passed a law banning any Islamic veil that covers the face. The logic is that those who can see … Continue reading The Eurabian threat to Christian Extremists!

Women walk topless through US city in protest Dozens of women walked topless through a US city – and expressed surprise that men turned up to watch. telegraph.co.uk By Paul Thompson Published: 12:15AM BST 06 Apr 2010 Hundreds of onlookers, mostly men, turned out to watch the topless demo Photo: WGME Organiser Ty MacDowell, 20, said the protest in Portland, Maine, was aimed at showing the double standards in the state of Maine. Men are allowed to walk down the street shirtless but, although not illegal, women are too afraid to go topless. Related Articles Peru with children: A beano … Continue reading Women walk topless in protest!

A family has claimed to have seen the image of Jesus in a discarded piece of chewing gum. telegraph.co.uk Previous 2 of 2 Images Next 11 year old River Noden holds the chewing gum Jesus Photo: AL STEWART 11 year old River Noden holds the chewing gum Jesus Photo: AL STEWART Nelly Noden had been chewing her gum on Good Friday but left it on the mantelpiece while she ate some crisps. When she returned, she claimed the gum had turned into an image that resembled Christ. Related Articles Jesus ‘appears in a pan’ Pictured: ‘face of Jesus Christ’ in family log fire … Continue reading Jesus ‘appeared in my chewing gum’