Cleric Anjem Choudhary called the book an ‘insult to the Prophet’s honour’, a capital crime under Sharia.… Read the rest
‘Respect’ for Religion Makes Censorship Normal 
Sep 30th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
The firebomb attack on Gibson Square was an assault on one of the bravest publishers in the business.… Read the rest
India: At Least 147 Killed in Temple Stampede
Sep 30th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Scores more were injured, many seriously, in the crush at the Chamunda Devi temple in Jodhpur.… Read the rest
DR Congo: Things Get Even Worse
Sep 30th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Some civilians were trapped in combat zones and were killed, wounded, raped or illegally detained.… Read the rest
Saudi Government Calls Ismailis ‘Infidels’
Sep 30th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Preaches religious tolerance abroad, persecutes minorities at home.… Read the rest
Crazed Cyclist Returns Despite Heart Condition
Sep 30th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
He returned to cycling after ’embracing’ a Japanese hands-on healing process known as ‘reiki.’ … Read the rest
Conversions, Caste and Communalism
Sep 30th, 2008 | By Yogesh SnehiIn the past two years the debates on religious conversions, caste and communalism have gripped India in a serious imbroglio which is fallout of the present nature of state politics in the country. The years 2007-08 have been the most volatile ever since the anti-Godhra riots in the state of Gujarat in 2002, which exposed the role that the governments in India have played in arousing communal passions through state machinery. These are difficult times, and the time that would follow poses more complex challenges for state-politics in India. We can trace the beginnings of these events in the year 2007, though hypothetically, to a controversy in Punjab: the chief of Dera Sacha Sauda (a religious sect founded 1948, which … Read the rest
Ban, ban, taliban
Sep 29th, 2008 5:23 pm | By Ophelia BensonUpdate: an attentive reader noticed what I didn’t: this story is dated 2003. This of course doesn’t make it an atom less revolting, it just makes it not Breaking News. (I must say, I didn’t know NWFP was that bad five years ago…)
What was that I was saying about what worthless malevolent thuggish bastards the Taliban are?
… Read the restMale doctors and technicians have been banned from carrying out ultrasound examinations and using electrocardiographs (ECG) on female patients by the Islamist government of Pakistan’s North West Frontier province in its latest step towards “Talibanisation”. The ban effectively excludes all women from undergoing such crucial medical examinations as the province has only one female ECG technician and none trained in ultrasound.
Women in Afghanistan Killed for Working
Sep 29th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Kandahar’s MP recently narrowly survived an attempt on her life which killed her husband.… Read the rest
Interpol Slams Murder of Malalai Kakar
Sep 29th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Secretary General said estimated 700 police officers were killed in Afghanistan January-June.… Read the rest
Pakistan’s Taliban Bans ECGs for Women
Sep 29th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Men could get excited, women could lure men, therefore women just have to stay ill and die.… Read the rest
More on Malalai Kakar
Sep 29th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
She was famous for her bravery throughout Afghanistan and had survived several assassination attempts. … Read the rest
Our Elitism is Better Than Your Elitism
Sep 29th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Liberals object to Palin because she lacks experience and knowledge, but conservatives – er – … Read the rest
Graphs on Decline of Stupid Academic Fads
Sep 29th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Without a big theory, you can’t pretend you have specialized training.… Read the rest
Gender Division Based on Mahram and Non-Mahram
Sep 29th, 2008 | By Jahanshah RashidianIn general, where religious values are dominant, gender discriminations remain influential at all levels in society. The monotheistic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – not differently from the primitive or undeveloped cultures, adamantly conserve their gender biases. In this article, I argue that gender inequalities in Islam go beyond the gender biases of other monotheistic religions.
The main reason for gender inequalities in Islam has roots in a traditional division of society into the two groups of “mahrams” and “non-mahrams.”: the mahram group contains the non-marriageable adult people who are close members of family, whereas the non-mahram group refers to the rest of people.
Asserting of non-mahram dogma in Islam is not initially unrelated to the Prophet’s concerns about … Read the rest
Max Dunbar Reviews ‘Unjust Rewards
Sep 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Polly Toynbee and David Walker on rising inequality.… Read the rest
Meet Malalai Kakar
Sep 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
‘Perhaps the biggest reason the force needs women is the escalating rate of domestic violence.’… Read the rest
AFP on Kakar Murder
Sep 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Kakar, a mother of six, was known for her courage in one of Afghanistan’s most conservative provinces.… Read the rest
Suspected Arsonist Thugs Still in Custody
Sep 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Publisher Martin Rynja thinks there must be open access to literary works; thugs don’t.… Read the rest
Reports of 3 More Women Killed in Balochistan
Sep 28th, 2008 |
Filed by Ophelia Benson
Three women reportedly buried alive a few days after they protested against previous live burial.… Read the rest
