Zafar Hilaly America entered Afghanistan eight years ago to drive out the Taliban. Last week in London the Taliban were being invited, actually importuned, to return and share power. And, what is more, offered $1.5 billion over a five-year period to inveigle them to do so. Nations are entitled to change their minds, but when they adjust their principles some explanation is necessary. There was none in London. Likewise, eight years ago we were regaled with grainy newsreels of executions of adulterous women by the Taliban in Kabul. Those who wished could also view amputations interspersed with stomach churning accounts … Continue reading The London non-conference

Ayaz Amir We live in a world of our own, obsessed with self-created problems, and lashing out at windmills which, much of the time, seem wild creations of our own imagination. To real problems we are oblivious. We are not even aware, as keenly as we should be, of our own neighbourhood. It is nothing short of criminal that our media outlets don’t have full-time correspondents based in Kabul and Delhi. Our knowledge of our two neighbours, to the west and east of us, is largely derived from outside sources — western news outlets — when it should be through … Continue reading Fumbling response to a ‘cold’ doctrine

Why even some of the most zealous non-believers may abandon the crusade against religion. BY ROBERT WRIGHT Three years ago Wired magazine popularized the term “New Atheism” with a cover story about the “crusade against belief” launched by Richard Dawkins (No. 18), Daniel Dennett, and Sam Harris. (Christopher Hitchens, No. 47, filled out the roster later.) Now the crusade is encountering powerful and possibly pivotal resistance. It isn’t that the citadels of faith are rolling back the tide of unbelief. Among intellectuals — a target audience of the New Atheists — professing traditional faith is no more common than it … Continue reading The Anti-God Squad Mullahs!

Pheasant terrorising North Yorkshire village ‘attacks people in street’ A pheasant is terrorising a village – trapping people in their homes and attacking people in the street. Telegraph uk The foul tempered pheasant which is terrorizing residents in Newsham Photo: NORTH NEWS The vicious bird has launched several unprovoked attacks on villagers in recent weeks. Men, women, children, prams, bikes, dogs and cars are said to have have fallen foul of the bird in Newsham, near Richmond, North Yorkshire. There are tales of the plucky cock lying in wait for children to get off the school bus, before chasing them … Continue reading Terrorist Pheasant on loose in Yorkshire!

(but it will take you 37 hours) Towering, kite-shaped airships could herald a new era of luxury transport following today’s introduction of the Aircruise concept. Standing 98ft taller than Canary Wharf, packing 330,000 cubic metres of hydrogen gas and capable of lifting 396 tonnes, the Aircruise concept features penthouse apartments, bars and even dizzying glass viewing floors. Aircruise was created as the antithesis of a hurried, crowded passenger jet. London-based design and innovation company Seymourpowell wanted to rethink transport – on the premise ‘slow is the new fast’. It could ferry 100 people from London to New York in a … Continue reading Flying to New York? Then why not go by luxury airship