Last week, six relief workers in Mansehra, a city in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP), died after an attack on their office. In 2008, gunmen killed four staff members of another international aid agency. Charities and international aid organisations are under constant threat in Pakista

The birthday of the prophet Muhammad, which fell on 26 February this year, is celebrated by Muslim communities throughout Indonesia with religious services and other special events. In Java, the event has taken on a unique form in the Sekaten Festival. The week-long cultural festivals are hosted in

A major breakthrough in medical science has been achieved, as panacea for all diseases has been found in the form of umbilical cord blood stem cells. It is the greatest life saving medicine, as it can cure diseases like Leukemia, diabetes, cerebral palsy and the list is endless. If any organ of the

Winston Churchill said, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried." And the same very sage also said, “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." What has the average voter in Pakistan to say about the

FORGIVENESS
We just sang Frederick Faber’s Hymn:
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea.
There’s a kindness in his justice
Which is more than liberty.
This hymn speaks of “welcome for the sinner” and “graces for the good.” It speaks of “plentiful redemption” and “the s

The declining sex ratio over the past several years shows that girls and women not only face indignities and gender inequality in society, they are even denied the right to be born if their families do not wish so. In fact many families do not wish their women folk to deliver baby daughters.
Femal

Catholic Church is rated as the most organized organizations in the world. Its top ranking office bearers spend much of their time in planning meetings. The reports of these meetings would provide us with beautiful strategy to implement but there would be no word about the budget. One might feel why

Winston Churchill said, "Democracy is the worst form of government except for all those others that have been tried." And the same very sage also said, “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." What has the average voter in Pakistan to say about the

Launched by a small group of non-partisan civic-minded citizens called Laïque (Secular) Pride, the March for Secularism will bring Lebanese together on 25 April in support of secularism, and to bring attention to the letter and spirit of the Lebanese Constitution. Participants will walk from the Bei

At the end of 2009, King Abdullah II of Jordan dissolved Parliament halfway through its four-year term, claiming that it was handling legislation poorly. Prime Minister Samir Rifai assured local media that parliamentary elections would take place no later than the end of 2010. In the midst of this c

Iranian women's groups and other organisations are fighting a much discussed proposed law which they say would encourage polygamy by allowing a man to take a second wife without the permission of the first under certain circumstances. The proposal comes at a time when the country has been rocked by

A critical component of Indonesia's democratic future involves recognition of the special role of Islam in the state. Because most Indonesian Muslims want their government to respect Islamic customs even if they do not support the creation of an Islamic state, the line between support for and opposi

On 10 March, three Muslim women will be honoured alongside philanthropist Melinda French Gates and human rights activists Panmelo Castro from Brazil and Rebecca Lolosoli from Kenya, by Vital Voices Global Partnership, a Washington, DC-based organisation that works to empower women around the world.

Communal violence has been a burning problem faced by Christians in many North Indian States but it remained un-addressed for years. The anti-Muslim riots in 1992 united the Muslims to face the fanatics. The increased violence in Southern states and prolonged violence in Khandmal, Orissa has made t

The Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF) signifies a new approach to addressing persistent regional imbalances in rural development and strengthening local self-governance across India in 250 districts including 27 States. Truly this is a significant scheme in the history of Panchayti Raj.