Iran bans showing half-naked men on TV

TEHRAN: Iran has banned TV programs showing half-naked men and love triangles, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Monday, in the latest sign of a conservative crackdown on media in the Islamic state.

It was not clear what prompted the ban — Iran TV, which has a monopoly in the country, dedicates large parts of its schedule to religious shows and announcements from the government.

But viewers were gripped a few years ago by a locally-produced soap opera called Forbidden Fruit which told the tale of an old man who decided to leave his wife after falling in love with a young girl.

“Based on a new instruction, the broadcasting of programs that show tempting love triangles is banned,” Fars said.

Exceptions would be made for shows that explicitly condemned such entanglements, it added.

“Showing half-naked men in Iranian and foreign productions is also banned,” the report said, adding that producers were urged not to show “unnecessary mingling” between the sexes.

The statement did not say how the restrictions on partially-clothed men would affect Iran TV’s sports coverage.

Since the 1979 revolution brought strict Islamic law to Iran, TV shows and films have had to comply with religious values by avoiding scenes that show intimate relations between men and women or flout Islamic dress codes for women.

The restrictions have pushed many Iranians to turn to illegal satellite channels for uncensored entertainment and international news.

Iran outlawed satellite dishes in the mid-1990s, saying it wanted to curb what it called Western efforts to corrupt its population through the spread of immoral programs.

The ban was largely ignored under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s predecessor Mohammad Khatami who tried to increase social freedoms after he was elected in 1997.

But hard-liners pressed for renewed restrictions after Ahmadinejad took office in 2005 and Iranian police launched a new crackdown on satellite dishes earlier this year.

Iran’s hardline rulers often accuse the United States and other Western countries of seeking to overthrow clerical rule through a “soft” or “velvet” revolution with the help of intellectuals, websites and satellite channels.

Earlier this year, local media reported Iran had also banned programs showing how to cook western dishes. AGENCIES

London: Three more accused in killings of Pakistanis arrested

All three accused are 16 to 22 years old. According to Midlands Police, the efforts are on to identify the accused involved in the incident.

The police sources further said that more arrests were expected within next 24 hours for which CCTV footage were being analysed.

On the other hand, a man accused in this case has been released on bail.

The dead bodies of three Pakistanis who were killed in the riots would be handed over to their families after postmortem. The dead bodies are likely to be buried in Birmingham.

White House to help Pakistan fight extremism

WASHINGTON: The United States on Wednesday said its commitment to helping Pakistan root out violent extremism would not waver, following the assassination of the governor of Punjab province.

The White House added its voice to condolences offered to the family of Governor Salman Taseer on Tuesday by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“This is an individual who had worked hard to promote tolerance and his loss is a great one for Pakistan,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

“We remain committed to the efforts that the Pakistani government is (taking) and must undertake to root out violent extremism and to bring greater peace and stability to that country and to that region of the world.

On Tuesday, Clinton said she had admired Taseer’s work to promote tolerance and education and described his death as a “great loss.”

Olivia Wilde, Maria Bello bring Hollywood to Haiti

LOS ANGELES: After the devastating earthquake rocked Haiti earlier this year, food and medical aid poured into the island country, but in the months that followed a pair of Hollywood actresses and their friends had another idea. They wanted to build a movie theater.

It may seem like a far-fetched notion, but since it opened in September, the Sun City Picture House has become a place that generates smiles on the faces of children and adults. It also has been used as a community center and school, and it helped spawned two similar buildings in different camps.

Maria Bello, who starred Adam Sandler comedy “Grown Ups,” and “Tron” actress Olivia Wilde, have documented the efforts of the group of people that brought the theater to life in a new, short documentary they expect to screen at festivals throughout the upcoming year.

“The thing that”s needed most in Haiti right now, besides the immediate relief efforts, is joy. And that”s what this movie is about,” Bello said.

The movie, “Sun City Picture House,” focuses on Haitian aid worker Raphael Louigene — whose dream was to build a movie theater — and the two American aid workers who helped him realize that dream by constructing it in just four days: Bryn Mooser from Artists for Peace and Justice, and Dave Darg, who works for Operation Blessing.

Darg directed the documentary. Mooser produced, and they hired a student from Haiti”s only film school, Cine Institute, to shoot it.

Bello, 43, and Wilde, 26, both advisory board members of Artists for Peace and Justice, had volunteered in Haiti before January”s earthquake, and even then, theaters were in short supply. Wilde remembers one night standing with “40 or so Haitians as we projected ”Home Alone” onto a sheet slung over a wall, creating an impromptu late-night outdoor theater smack in the middle of the slums known as Cite Soleil, or Sun City.”

Watching their faces in the light from a projector was an important moment for Wilde. “That”s when I understood the need for an Artist for Peace and Justice Film Project,” she said.

The Sun City theater project came to fruition when, during their earthquake relief work, Louigene shared his dream of building a theater, and Darg and Mooser said they would help.

After the quake, the pair were working full-time in Haiti on standard relief efforts, building homes and schools and bringing in medical, water, clothing and other supplies to what became known as “tent cities.”

Bello and Wilde were making regular trips to pitch in, and they all realized it was time to take their efforts beyond the basics to a different level.

“The next logical step was rebuilding some of the society and some of the culture,” said Mooser. “It became apparent right away that it was important to give Haitian kids something to do — especially as we saw increasing violence, rape and all the alcohol and drug use going on. These tent cities are pitch black at night and can become dangerous places.”

Artists for Peace and Justice paid for the construction and villagers helped with the building.

On the fourth day, the theater”s grand opening, Bello provided the inaugural movie, “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,” the 2008 film in which she starred.

“We had 200 kids that night with little bags of popcorn and juice,” Bello recalled. “Their parents stood in the back, watching them have some joy for the first time.”

In the months since it opened, the Sun City Picture House has impacted the 5000-plus community beyond just showing films, Darg said. “It”s also become a community center for the whole camp. They use it for school and meetings. They”ve taken ownership of it and keep it looking beautiful and clean.”

Wilde puts it this way: “The Sun City Picture House has created a space for stories, rather than fear and hunger.”

Darg and Mooser have built two similar structures in other communities, and they are now planning to build more.

Coordinated efforts reiterated during Muharram

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Sunni Tehreek have reiterated to work in cooperation with eachother and to coordinate with eachother to ensure peaceful situation during the month of Muaharram-ul-Haraam, trendpk.Com reported on Wednesday.

A delegation of MQM, led by Raza Haroon, called on the central leadership of Sunni Tehreek led by Sahkeel Qadri. Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Raza Haroon said that MQM has always worked for inter-sectarian harmony and aspires to work for a peaceful Muharram. Leader of Sunni Tehreek Shakeel Qadri appreciated the efforts of MQM.

64 Pakistani prisoners freed by India cross Wagah Border

Staff Report

LAHORE: All 64 Pakistani prisoners released from Indian jails returned home through Wagah Border on Tuesday.

Out of 64 freed from India with the efforts of South Asia Partnership Pakistan chapter, 55 prisoners are fishermen.

Officials of Pakistan Rangers and South Asian Partnership welcomed the released men at the Wagah Border.

Arrival of one prisoner, Abdul Rehman, on stretcher raised eyebrows of many people present at Wagah. Rehman was in critical condition. Trend Pk

Ton-up Ryder, Williamson thwart India

AHMADABAD: Jesse Ryder struck a remarkable 103 and shared a 194-run stand with debutant Kane Williamson to defy world number one India on the third day of the first Test against New Zealand on Saturday.

Ryder struck 10 fours and a six in his 205-ball knock while Williamson was equally impressive in making 87 not out as New Zealand reached 331-5 at stumps at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.

That left the visitors 156 runs adrift of India’s first-innings 487.

Ryder completed his third century — all of which have come against India — with a delightful four in the covers but was trapped lbw by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth one ball later in the day’s last over.

New Zealand batsman Brendon McCullum said the team was delighted by the efforts of the fifth-wicket pair.

“We have not seen a number five and six bat like this in a very long time,” he

400 dead, 300 missing in Tsunami-hit Indonesia

More than 400 people have been confirmed dead and 300 are still missing after a tsunami hit Indonesia.
About 200 people of the ones still missing were probably killed, carried out to sea or buried in the sand by the 3-meter waves. The tsunami was triggered by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Indonesia on Monday.
Heavy rains and high tides are obstructing the efforts for delivering of supplies to the survivors on the Mentawai Islands, off the west coast of Sumatra. Disaster-relief officials were planning to drop aid by air. However, it turned out there were not enough helicopters to reach all of the devastated areas.
The tsunami washed away 10 villages and 468 houses because of a failure in the early warning system, designed to alert people for waves higher than 3 meters. The Indonesian government has pledged millions of dollars for the relief effort, but aid agencies said people on the islands still urgently need food and shelte.
The population of the Mentawai Islands is not large, but they are a popular surfing spot. Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago, is prone to quakes and volcanic activity due to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.

UN bodies urge Pakistan to prevent ‘victimisation’

ISLAMABAD: Three UN human rights bodies on Wednesday called on Pakistan to ensure that women, minorities and the disabled were spared “further victimisation” during the recovery from devastating floods.

“The floods have disproportionately affected them,” they said in a joint statement.

“Members of minority communities, Afghan refugees, women, children and persons with disabilities, particularly those living in rural areas, were already among the most vulnerable in Pakistani society.”

The statement called on Pakistanis authorities “to strengthen the human rights-based approach of their efforts, in order to prevent further victimization of the most vulnerable population.”

In the flood hit north-western Khyber Pakhtunkwa province, scene of fighting between Islamist militants and government forces, women and especially girls have been denied access to

US eyes new support for Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The United States looked to expand support for Pakistan in high-level talks Thursday, but also nudged its frontline partner to do more after a string of disputes on how to fight Islamic extremism.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due to join talks on the second of three days of a “strategic dialogue,” an initiative by Washington to develop long-term assistance for struggling Pakistan.

Two previous rounds of the dialogue focused on agriculture, water and energy. But US officials said the latest talks will also review Pakistan’s requests for military assistance, a step likely to worry neighboring India.

US envoy Richard Holbrooke said that Clinton has devoted more time to Pakistan than any other country and credited the efforts with easing distrust between the governments, if not the rampant anti-Americanism in Pakistan.

“We believe

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