Asia Times Online




1» Pakistan stares into a void
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Muhammad Nasir from the northwestern Pakistani town of Nowshera lives in a tented village, penniless after losing his home and job in massive floods. For the time being, he and his family are being cared for by aid agencies. But for him and millions of other victims, there is no long-term plan, no vision of rehabilitation, only a looming void that militants are preparing to fill. - Syed Saleem Shahzad (Sep 8, '10)


2» THE ROVING EYE : AfPak and the new great game
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

As much as Washington may think it's in command, wily Afghan President Hamid Karzai is playing an attacking game. He has seen the future as a power-sharing deal in Kabul with no Americans involved. And, as usual, there's never a mention of the key Pipelineistan game, Washington's real reason to spend US$100 billion a year (and counting) fighting a bunch of Arab jihadi instructors. - Pepe Escobar (Sep 8, '10)


3» DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA : Will our generals ever shut up?
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

The US military's creeping influence over the civilian command can be seen in the ability of generals to launch media blitzes to support their own version of foreign policy. It's a post-Vietnam Pentagon taking control of the media battleground, and if the US accepts the skewed visions of these Caesars-in-waiting, it will only slip deeper into imperial mayhem. - Tom Engelhardt (Sep 8, '10)


4» US religious leaders condemn Islamophobia
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Leaders of mainstream denominations have denounced "outright bigotry" against American Muslims surrounding the controversy over the construction of an Islamic center near New York's ''Ground Zero'' and planned burnings of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/ 11. Many fear such actions will fuel perceptions in the Islamic world that the United States is anti-Islam. - Jim Lobe and Daniel Luban (Sep 8, '10)


5» Iran sticks to its guns on nuclear report
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

The United Nations' atomic energy agency says Iran is hampering the work of its inspectors and continuing to enrich uranium, in contravention of Security Council demands. To the Americans, this shows Tehran is moving closer to nuclear weapons capability. To Tehran, the latest report, while "unbalanced", proves for the 23rd time that Iran is sticking to a peaceful program. (Sep 8, '10)


6» Anwar's party lays ground for a new era
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Sensing federal power within grasp in general elections Malaysia must hold by 2013, Anwar Ibrahim's People's Justice Party is gearing up to let its entire membership decide for the first time who occupies top party posts. The experiment will show to what extent the rank and file supports allies of a charismatic leader who, if history repeats itself, by 2013 may be otherwise engaged. - Anil Netto (Sep 8, '10)


7» Geomancers embrace earthly intervention
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

A fraud case involving Asia's richest woman and sex scandals with painted ladies have sullied the reputation of Hong Kong's feng shui industry, leading the art's masters to propose an oversight body to recommend reasonable fees and deal with misbehaving geomancers. Regulating a practice based on supernatural divination won't be easy. - Kent Ewing (Sep 8, '10)


8» SINOGRAPH : Chinese back no-blame equity risk
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Thirty years after the birth of China's economic leap forward with the foundation of the Shenzhen special economic zone, President Hu Jintao is calling for more reforms. Already ahead of him, individuals and companies are changing the country's financial environment by supporting with hard cash choice and risk over state and security. - Francesco Sisci


9» ICBC leads profits surge
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Led by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the world's biggest lender, first-half profits of China's main listed companies surged more than 40%, as the government's stimulus package and record loans helped to encourage expansion and consumer spending. - Olivia Chung


10» Mining threatens 'protected landscape' on Palawan
      Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:00:00 GMT

Mining companies are queuing up to exploit what may be the Philippines' largest deposit of nickel ore, on the island of Palawan, barely a year after the area was declared a national park and a "protected landscape". - Redempto D Anda