Militants have blown up a boys’ school in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region bordering Afghanistan, the latest in a wave of attacks destroying educational institutes, according to officials. “A 22-room government high school in Nawagi village of Bajaur district was blown up with explosives,” said local administration official Ghulam Saidullah. “Eighteen classrooms were completely destroyed in the bombing.” Islamist militants opposed to co-education have destroyed hundreds of schools, mostly for girls, in the northwest of the country in recent years as they wage a fierce insurgency to enforce sharia law. Local tribal police and intelligence officials also confirmed the incident and … Continue reading Wild Mullahs blow up Pakistan school

By Zahid U Kramet LAHORE – Pakistan and the United States are apparently not on the same page in regard to the Afghan Taliban, particularly insofar as the Haqqani network in Afghanistan is concerned. Washington clearly sees Sirajuddin Haqqani as the enemy. Pakistan sees him as a possible ally in the exit of the US from the war theater beginning in 2011. The US views Haqqani’s fallback position (read sanctuary) in Pakistan as a direct threat to the Western coalition in Afghanistan and has warned of expanded drone strikes into Pakistani territory if it did not move more aggressively against … Continue reading Pakistan deals with its devils

By Peter J Brown China’s space program is poised to surge ahead at a brisk pace in 2010. In fact, over the next 12 months, China’s activities in space may be such that when all is said and done, 2010 could well rank as one of China’s top years thus far in terms of the total number and variety of missions launched. Part of the reason for this is the sense, created by reports that two or three major Chinese space programs are running behind schedule, that China has some catching up to do. This might help to explain the … Continue reading China’s space program poised to surge

By Neeta Lal NEW DELHI – Last week, India’s oldest political party – the ruling Congress – founded in 1885 during British rule, turned 125. The event led to nationwide jubilation within the Congress camp, with the party’s political and economic achievements over the years showcased and its revered leaders – from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi to Sonia Gandhi – lauded. The party has roped in advertising agencies to launch a media blitzkrieg to mark what are planned as year-long celebrations. A 19-member organizing committee, helmed by party president Sonia Gandhi, has been set up to plan … Continue reading India’s Congress in party mood

By Gary LaMoshi DENPASAR, Bali – Praise poured in to honor Indonesia’s fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid, on his death last week at the age of 69. The richly deserved tributes recalled Wahid’s wit, his leadership of the country’s largest grassroots Muslim organization, and his commitment to pluralism. There’s even talk of declaring Wahid, affectionately known as Gus Dur, a national hero. His usually reticent successor and some-time rival, Megawati Sukarnoputri, said, “Gus Dur meets the requirements,” and indicated that her political party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), had already endorsed his enshrinement. But the plaudits ignore the dark … Continue reading Wahid’s death buries Indonesian reform

By Jahongir Boboev DUSHANBE – As the Tajik authorities prepare to issue shares in a giant hydroelectric scheme that could eliminate power shortages, concern is growing that people are being coerced into contributing funds for the dam. When it is finished, the dam will be the world’s highest, but right now the Rogun hydroelectric plant is in desperate need of funding, so the government is urging people to contribute whatever they can to finish the work and help overcome severe power shortages. According to the latest schedule, shares in the Rogun project will be issued on January 6. President Imomali … Continue reading Tajiks feel pinch in funding dam

By David Gosset The co-existence of a gigantic bureaucratic state with an overall social plasticity and transformation whose scale has no equivalent in world history is an apparent paradox that puzzles the observer of Chinese society. Why is China so comfortable with change while Western democracies are dangerously lacking in the capacity to question their assumptions and could, in the long term, be threatened by inertia and complacency? As the Chinese renaissance gradually reshapes the 21st century and takes the global system to another level, understanding China has become a practical necessity. Instead of continually lecturing in a tone of … Continue reading Weiqi: A symbol of the Chinese experience