Amid revolt, Assad sings reform song

By ASSOCIATED PRESS BEIRUT: Syria’s president promised a national dialogue Monday to consider political reforms, but his vague overtures to a pro-democracy uprising fell flat as protesters took to the streets shouting “Liar!” and demanding his ouster. In only his third public appearance since the revolt erupted in March, Bashar […]

Israel: Dog sentenced to death by stoning

Israel, 20 June 2011: A Jerusalem rabbinical court recently sentenced a wandering dog to death by stoning. The cruel sentence stemmed from the suspicion that the spirit of a famous secular lawyer, who insulted the court’s judges 20 years ago, had been transferred into the dog’s body. Several weeks ago, […]

ICRC appeals to Syria for access to victims

by Simon Bradley, swissinfo.ch and agencies The president of the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has demanded “immediate access” to parts of Syria hit by violence. Meanwhile, the Syrian army has begun a military operation to restore security in the town of Jisr al-Shughour near the Turkish […]

The bigots within…

Circumvention, hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness describe best the behaviour of clergy and politicians when it comes to condemning terrorists and extremism. Fearing electoral losses, the politicians and ulema have chosen to either remain mum or side with the rising tide of bigotry and fanaticism. The Sharifs of Punjab are playing the […]

Protestant group backs same-sex marriages

Though the New York Senate remains undecided about voting on legislation to legalize same-sex marriage, the region’s largest Protestant conference has approved a resolution asking its national policy-setting board to allow these weddings in its churches. At a meeting earlier this month, the 2,000 clergy and laity delegates of the […]