Anwar and Erdogen,Killing Me Softly

Unholy Alliance

When one gets past the cosmetics of his public persona, one sees that Anwar has forged a coalition including PAS, a militant Islamic party that advocates the introduction of shari’a law. PAS wants to legalize stoning, the mandatory wearing of full burkas, and the amputation of hands for theft. Unsurprisingly, the extremist fringes of PAS are identical to the extremist core of Erdogan’s Justice and Development party.

Anwar has been an apologist for Erdogan’s excesses for many years, and even wrote glowingly about him in the Washington Post during the Turkish election of 2007. “This is a government clearly committed to the process of preserving democracy at great costs while taking concrete steps to dispel the misperceptions about parties with an Islamic tag,” Anwar wrote of Erdogan’s administration.

Birds of a feather flock together. So, for that matter, do faux reformists.Read more..

India unveils prototype of $35 tablet computer.

By ERIKA KINETZ, AP Business Writer Erika Kinetz, Ap Business Writer – Fri Jul 23, 12:55 pm ET

MUMBAI, India – It looks like an iPad, only it's 1/14th the cost: India has unveiled the prototype of a $35 basic touchscreen tablet aimed at students, which it hopes to bring into production by 2011.

If the government can find a manufacturer, the Linux operating system-based computer would be the latest in a string of "world's cheapest" innovations to hit the market out of India, which is home to the 100,000 rupee ($2,127) compact Nano car, the 749 rupees ($16) water purifier and the $2,000 open-heart surgery. Read more.

Click image to see the Nano car and other ultra-cheap products

Seven banks fail Europe stress test

Reuters – 2 hrs 13 mins ago

LONDON/MADRID (Reuters) - Just seven European banks failed a health check and were ordered to raise their capital by 3.5 billion euros ($4.5 billion), much less than expected, confirming fears the continent's long-awaited stress test was too soft. Full Story »

Umno kicks off campaign to win Selangor

SHAH ALAM, July 24 — Selangor Umno launched its campaign to recapture the state from Pakatan Rakyat (PR) last night with a public rally in the Malay-dominated constituency and state capital here, drawing a crowd of some 200 supporters and curious residents.

The rally was part of the party’s campaign to expose what it claimed to be irregularities in ... Read More

In schools, a crackdown on non-Muslim clubs

By Debra Chong

KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — Students, parents, teachers and religious representatives are complaining of a systematic effort by education officials to frustrate their initiatives to ... Read More