US backs independent Palestinian state – Obama
Source: BBC President Barack Obama has said on a visit to the West Bank that the US is “deeply committed” to creating a sovereign state of Palestine. Speaking after talks […]
How the Secret Service Almost Shot Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Atlantic Monthly: One morning in September 2006, during the United Nations General Assembly, President George W. Bush’s daily intelligence brief contained a particularly chilling item. It was three sentences long, and it scared the hell out of the dozen or so White House officials cleared to read it. According to […]
The photos Saudi Arabia doesn’t want seen – and proof Islam’s most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca
The Independent: The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion pound expansion. Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections […]
Robert Fisk: The cost of war must be measured by human tragedy, not artefacts – What does heritage matter in the face of such tragic desolation?
by Robert Fisk, The Independent What is a child’s life worth against all the antiquities of Syria? Any reflection of Syria’s architectural disasters must include this question. The child, a humanitarian must say, is worth all the columns of Palmyra and mosques of Damascus. The child, a cold-hearted historian might […]
How real is the rise of Africa?
Source: The Economist: The continent has entered its 2nd decade of sustained growth. Most countries have been growing at more than 5% every single year since 2003, and projections show that this momentum will continue. While the new services industries are important, they alone will not enable African countries to […]
World Focus: The eyes of the world are trained on Israel. But will there be anything to see?
by Robert Fisk, The Independent So will it be tragedy, farce or tourism? Obama’s a tourist, so says the Davy Crockett of the American journalistic frontier and philosopher king of The New York Times (aka T Friedman, Esq), but he’s wrong. The winner of the Nobel Prize for Public Speech-making […]
Letters: An appeal to Indonesian Muslims
Friday, Dec. 18, 2009 will be noted as a sad day in the history of Indonesia. On that day, a group of people on their way home from attending an Islamic New Year parade attacked the Santo Albertus church under construction in Bekasi. Fortunately, no one was injured in the […]
Iraq Anniversary: 10 Lessons from America’s ‘Dumb War’
Source: Spiegel Polish special forces and US Navy Seals pose for pictures under a portrait of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in the port of Umm-southern Iraq in March 23, 2003. A decade on, polls suggest that a majority of Americans view the 2003 invasion of Iraq as a mistake. Right […]
Pakistan’s Extremist Democracy
by Ahmed Rashid NYR BLOG This spring was supposed to open a new chapter in Pakistan’s tenuous embrace of inclusive democracy. At midnight on March 17, following constitutional rules, the […]
Decentralize the Church: How the New Pope Can Combat Catholic-Phobia
Source: Spiegel. The Catholic Church is out of touch with believers, and risks losing more of the flock if it fails to reform. An important step would be giving national […]
Al-Assaf: Fitch move boosts Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s global standing
Jeddah: ARAB NEWS Thursday 21 March 2013 Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf said that yesterday’s positive rating announced by Fitch Ratings, an international agency, would enhance confidence in the strength of Saudi economy and its continued growth. His remarks came after Fitch Ratings affirmed Saudi Arabia’s Long-Term foreign and local currency […]
Community in Crisis: Bitter Conflicts Divide Berlin Jews
Source: Spiegel dapd Amid accusations of waste, nepotism and smear campaigns, long-established members of Berlin’s Jewish Community are in open conflict with relative newcomers from abroad. Severe financial difficulties are at the core of their problems with one another. More:
Pope Francis Talks Celibacy, Pedophilia In 2012 Interview (Report)
Epigraph: Then We caused Our Messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow them, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed […]
China may wear out African welcome
Source: Asia Times. By Nan Chen From the eight-lane Nairobi-Thika highway built by Chinese construction companies to the ubiquitous Chinese restaurants around town, the signs of China’s activity are everywhere in Kenya – right down to the friendly nihao called out by Kenyans as I walk down a Nairobi street. […]
Amid civil war, Syrian port prospers under Assad’s protection
Source: JORDAN TIMES TARTOUS — This once sleepy Syrian port now buzzes with shoppers milling about crowded marketplaces. Lines of cars wait patiently at traffic lights — a rare mark […]
He sticks to his one and only message; Bomb Bomb Bomb, Bomb Bomb Iran.
Source: Asia Times: By Pepe Escobar. So here’s a modern geopolitical parable that would puzzle Aesop. Bibi publicly insults POTUS. He unabashedly supports Mitt Romney (who?) in the US presidential elections. He hits the “peace process” with a barrage of Hellfire “facts on the ground” (with loads of Palestine “collateral […]
Australian PM calls for leadership ballot
Source: TOI CANBERRA: The Australian government plunged into crisis with Prime Minister Julia Gillard caving in to building pressure and calling a leadership ballot of her ruling Labor party for later Thursday. Her decision follows senior cabinet minister Simon Crean openly calling for the move with Gillard lagging badly in […]
Interpol rejects Pakistan’s request to arrest Pervez Musharraf
Source: TOI ISLAMABAD: The Interpol has turned down Pakistan’s request to issue a red corner notice for the former military ruler PervezMusharraf for refusing to cooperate in the probe into BenazirBhutto’s assassination, days ahead of his homcoming from self-exile. Musharraf has cleared the final hurdle to his plans to return […]
‘Desecration’ of holy book causes uproar in Sikh community
Source: Dawn.Com Photo shows a copy of the letter sent by the Delhi Dharam Parchar Committee to the Pakistani High Commission. A copy of the letter in its entirety can be seen here. SHIKARPUR/KARACHI: A huge rift over the alleged desecration of a holy book was averted in Shikarpur after […]
Serbia, Kosovo talks fail to reach deal
ar 21, 2013 – 01:31 BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Serbia and Kosovo failed to reach an agreement on Wednesday to end the ethnic partition of the former Serbian province, but European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said she hoped a new round of talks next month would seal a deal. […]