Dine and wine in London’s abandoned subway stations (VIDEO) |
- Dine and wine in London’s abandoned subway stations (VIDEO)
- Dogs in Malaysia, in Islam and in Christianity ― Rama Ramanathan
- Cameron under fire by Britain’s press over EU bill ‘outrage’
- Pochettino’s focus on Spurs’ EPL fight, not Lamela’s ‘rabona’ stunner
- Struggling Liverpool needs to plug leaky defence, says Rodgers
- Is the fence too low for the White House?
| Dine and wine in London’s abandoned subway stations (VIDEO) Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:58 PM PDT LONDON, Oct 25 ― Underneath the streets of London, up to 26 tube stations sit dormant, some not see by the public since World War II. One organisation is working to lease these so-called ghost stations ― planning to transform them into museums, bars or restaurants. Bloomberg's Angus Bennett met Ajit Chambers who has been on a five year mission to open up London subterranean secrets. ― Bloomberg
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| Dogs in Malaysia, in Islam and in Christianity ― Rama Ramanathan Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:55 PM PDT
Today I had to explain to someone what is going on in Malaysia with respect to dogs. When I Googled "Muslims dogs" the first result I got was an article in TIME titled "A Guy Held a Dog-Petting Event and Got Death Threats from Muslim Hard-Liners." The article reports that the event was held in an affluent section of Malaysia and attracted over a thousand people who came to learn what Islam has to say about dogs. It adds that after the threats were made, the organizer went into hiding. Two other dog stories are well known to Malaysians. In July this year, during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Scotland, the organisers used dogs to display the names of the competing nations. A leader of Malaysia's Islamic political party, PAS, and the leader of Malaysia's Malay Supremacist group Perkasa (whose patron is Tun Mahathir) said the use of dogs was disrespectful and an insult to Muslims. In August 2013 a Muslim dog trainer was hauled up by the police for investigation under both the Penal Code and the Sedition Act because of a video greeting released during a Muslim festival. She was alleged to have made the video. The featuring of dogs in the video was alleged to be an insult to Islam. A couple of days ago Malaysia's National Fatwa Council issued a ruling on dogs and Muslims. It promulgated a rule ― in Malaysia Muslims are expected to treat pronouncements by the NFC as law ― that "touching and holding dogs is against mainstream Islamic doctrines in this country." Dogs have been in the news for non-Muslim reasons too. In September this year a video showed a dog used in Schiphol airport to return "left on the plane" personal belongings to KLM passengers. The video proved to be a misrepresentation, but the gift of smell and the cuddliness of the dog remains entrenched in the minds of all who saw the video. Which of us who has been in airports in Australia, Europe or the USA doesn't have stories of dogs ― small and large ― who are used by customs and security agents to enforce laws and keep us safe? Which of us hasn't seen dogs used to sniff out people in fallen buildings after earthquakes and tsunamis? Which of us doesn't know that guide dogs help the blind? Yet in September this year some people decided to organise a "Walk your dog in front of a mosque day" in Toronto, Canada. This event was apparently organised as a response to some Muslims kicking a fellow protesters dog during an anti-Israel rally in Toronto in August. What does all this protesting about dogs indicate about Islam and Muslims? Well, many Muslims have weighed in on this matter. This is what I have learned. Firstly, the Quran doesn't have a commandment concerning dogs along the lines of "thou shalt" or "thou shalt not." Apparently the Quran mentions dogs twice. In one place (Surah 5:4) it says it's okay to eat meat carried by a hunting dog. In another place it says a group of good believers (Surah 18:13) had a dog with them (Surah 18:18, 22). Secondly, there are Hadith (traditions of the Prophet) which say both negative and positive things about dogs. I was surprised to find an entry for "Dogs" in Patrick Hughes' Dictionary of Islam. This is the entry in full: "DOGS are unclean animals; for according to a tradition by Abu Hurairah, Muhammad said that when a dog drinks in a vessel, it must be washed seven times, and the first cleansing should be with earth. (Mishkat, book iii, c. ii. Pt. 1.) "Most people believe that when a dog howls near a house it forebodes death, for, it is said, a dog can distinguish the awful form of Azra'il, the Angel of Death." (Burton's Arabia, vol. i. p. 290). Ibn 'Umr says that dogs used to come into the Masjid at Makkah in the time of the Prophet, but the Companions never purified the mosque when the dog was dry. The Imam Abu Yusuf holds that the sale of a dog that bites is unlawful, while the Imam ash-Shafi'i has said that the sale of a dog is absolutely illegal, because the Prophet said the wages of whoredom and the price of a dog are forbidden. Abu Hanifah holds that dogs which are trained to hunt or watch may be lawfully sold. (Hamilton's Hidayah, vol. ii. P. 453) It is lawful to hunt with a trained dog, and the sign of a dog being trained is that he catches game three times without killing it. The dog must be let slip with the ejaculation: Bismillahi 'llahi Akbar! "In the name of God, the great God!" when all game seized by him becomes lawful food. This custom is founded upon a verse in the Quran, Surah v. 6: "Lawful for you are all good things and what ye have taught beasts of prey to catch, training them like dogs; ye teach them as God taught you. And mention the name of God over it." Rules for hunting with dogs will be found in Hamilton's Hidayah, vol. iv. P. 170." That entry admirably sums up what I have read in many online articles Muslims have written about dogs and current events in Malaysia and in Canada. Next I will tell you what I found about dogs in dictionaries of the Bible. My copy of The Illustrated Bible Dictionary (IVP: 1980) does not have an entry for "dog." My copy of The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (IVP: 1998) has the following entry: "DOGS. Although the phrase "a dog's life" epitomises a life of ease devoid of anxiety in contemporary Western society, a "dog's life" in a biblical context shocks the reader with visions of squalor, dismal poverty and the life of a pariah at the bottom of the social scale. Dogs are repeatedly depicted in terms of their disgusting and inadequate diet. Typically they devour what is left over after humans are finished eating, and that is usually described as mere crumbs (Mt 15:26, 27; Mk 7:27, 28). One certainly does not give them quality fare (Mt 7:6). Consequently dogs are never satisfied and are constantly on the lookout for nourishment. Since what they manage to scavenge is inadequate, they may consume what is repulsive (Prov 26:11; 2 Pet 2:22) or what is not fit for human consumption (Ex 22:31). Of all the domesticated animals there is a particular revulsion for the dog, who alone is willing to eat humans corpses, a fact that is reprehensible to every human and exploited uniquely by the book of Kings as a curse that comes upon wicked dynasts (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:23, 24; 2 Kings 9:10, 36). A threatened psalmist mingles all these elements when he describes his enemies as those "howling like dogs and prowling about the city. They roam about for food and growl if they do not get their fill" (Ps 59:14-15 NRSV). The metaphor applies appropriately to Israel's greedy leaders: "They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough" (Is 56:10 NIV). It is not surprising that dogs are more than once juxtaposed with swine in the Bible (Is 66:3; Mt 7:6; 2 Pet 2:22) for both are ritually unclean animals whose repulsive behaviour even for animals strikes humans as foolish or even bizarre. After making the point that human existence is "full of evil" (Eccles 9:3), Qoheleth, the main speaker in the book, does state that it is better to be alive than dead, though only barely: "even a live dog is better off than a dead lion!" (Eccles 9:4 NIV). To identify oneself as a dog is therefore to draw attention to one's miserable condition as an inconsequential creature ("a dead dog" 1 Sam 2414; 2 Sam 9:8 NRSV) or to the miserable treatment that one is receiving (1 Sam 17:43; 2 Sam 3:8; 2 Kings 8:13). To refer to another human as a dog is to insult the other as among the lowest in the social scale (2 Sam 16:9). Jesus seems to intentionally echo Jewish sentiments toward Gentiles when he rebuffs the entreaty of the Syro-Phoenician woman with the words, "it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs" (Mk 7:27 NIV). But accepting the designation ― and the priority of Jews and then Gentiles – she responds in faith, "Yes, Lord . . . but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs" (Mk 7:28 NIV). Paul, on the other hand, spares no imagery when he warns the Philippians against the Judaisers who are attempting to rob them of full membership in the people of God: "Watch out for the dogs!" (Phil 3:2)." It appears the Quran has little to say about dogs and that what is said is ambivalent. It appears the Hadith have mixed reports about the Prophet of Islam's practice in relation to dogs. It appears the Bible has much to say about dogs and that what is said is negative with no exceptions. The Bible uses dogs to illustrate sad truths about life and reality, sin and its consequences. Before the advent of the Messiah there was a revulsion for dogs. Now there are no distinctions between clean and unclean animals. The only distinctions which remain are between clean and unclean persons. Our attitude towards others, including animals, even swine and dogs, reveals how much we reflect God, the Compassionate. *Rama Ramanathan blogs at http://write2rest.blogspot.com/ **This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online. |
| Cameron under fire by Britain’s press over EU bill ‘outrage’ Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:55 PM PDT
"One step nearer the EU exit — Cameron goes to war on £1.7 billion (RM8.96b) bill," said the Daily Mail's front-page headline. Cameron has promised a referendum on Britain's membership of the bloc if his Conservative Party wins next year's general election, but has so far said he would campaign to stay in, albeit only after securing reforms. The Mail said Britain had been "given a huge bill for exceeding expectations in economic recovery" while "under-performing countries such as France are set to receive millions in rebates." But the paper asked why Cameron had been "kept in the dark about shock demand." The prime minister ruled out paying the bill — a recalculation of Britain's contribution based on new accounting measures — by the December 1 deadline, but the Times warned this could cost the country dear. "Cameron defies EU over 'wealth tax' as costs spiral," said its headline, adding that Brussels could levy a penalty charge of £42.5 million a month if Britain failed to pay up. "The United Kingdom is being taxed more heavily not out of a concern for fairness but because of success," said its leading article. "Growth in Britain has exceeded projections in the past four years, which is not something that can be said of the dysfunctional eurozone. Cameron reaction 'disproportionate' Centre-right broadsheet The Daily Telegraph called the demand "shocking." "The idea that the Commission can produce an astronomical figure without properly explaining its origin, and give the UK just a few weeks to pay it, is quite simply outrageous. "Britain's courage in pursuing austerity. In the past few years the UK has done its best to put the finances in order and has achieved impressive levels of growth, while other countries squandered and slumped. How does the EU reward British prudence? By demanding more money." But the Financial Times criticised Cameron's angry outburst, and said that the surcharge was reasonable. "Cameron's outburst on Friday — declaring himself to be 'downright angry' — is disproportionate," said its editorial. "Last year he declared that he would campaign 'with all my heart and soul' for Britain to stay in the club. Today, that declaration is barely believable. Mr Cameron looks like someone who will do anything to save his premiership and his party, whatever the cost to his country." Cameron is facing pressure from the eurosceptic wing of his party, which fears losing votes to the anti-EU UK Independence Party. The centre-left Guardian also attacked Cameron's response, and questioned how long he had known about the charge. "Action to head off the confrontation and to draw its sting could — and should — have been taken. Yet it was not. Why? "Either Mr Cameron's outrage was synthetic and cynical. Or he and his ministers and officials were asleep on the watch and let it catch them unawares. It is hard to know which is worse." — AFP |
| Pochettino’s focus on Spurs’ EPL fight, not Lamela’s ‘rabona’ stunner Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:46 PM PDT
Lamela's 'rabona' strike was quickly installed as a strong favourite to be goal of the season — but Pochettino showed no emotion as the ball hit the back of the net and indeed appeared more concerned by Spurs' defensive frailties as they secured a comfortable 5-1 win over Asteras Tripoli. A hat-trick for young striker Harry Kane added to the feel-good factor at the north London club but Pochettino knows the upbeat mood created by Thursday's result will disappear if they don't beat strugglers Newcastle. Spurs have won just one of their last six Premier League games, in a run stretching back to August, and their failure to build on a positive start to the season has left them in ninth position going into the latest round of matches. Newcastle, who've won just once in the English top-flight this term, albeit last time out against Leicester are languishing in the bottom three but Tottenham captain Younes Kaboul warned his side nothing could be taken for granted against Alan Pardew's men. "You have to take all the games at 100 percent and you always need to have a winning mentality," central defender Kaboul said. "Newcastle are coming here having just got their heads above water with an important win last weekend and now they will feel confident ahead of facing us, but we have to win and take the three points." Game management Tottenham centre-back Federico Fazio will be missing after being sent off in last weekend's 4-1 defeat by Manchester City. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also collected a red card when he was dismissed against Asteras, prompting Pochettino to criticise his side's failure to close out the game without late drama and develop the good habits that will prove crucial at other stages in the campaign. Lloris's suspension will be restricted to European competition but manager Pochettino said: "At 5-0, we need to manage the game better and not give the possibility to the opponent to arrive one against one with our goalkeeper. For that, I'm not satisfied." Nabil Bentaleb and Kyle Naughton will be missing from the Spurs squad because of ankle injuries while Kyle Walker has yet to recover from a pelvic problem. Newcastle had lost on four successive visits to White Hart Lane before last season's victory, a win inspired by a superb performance from their Dutch keeper Tim Krul. But this weekend Newcastle manager Pardew must contend with several injury issues as he looks to guide the Magpies to back-to-back wins for the first time in almost eight months. Papiss Cisse has joined the casualty list after failing to train all week due to a knee problem not believed to be linked with the broken kneecap suffered earlier this year by the Senegal forward. "We're sweating a little bit on a few of them," Pardew said. "We've not got what you'd call a crisis, but there's one or two we're waiting for including Emmanuel Riviere, is he going to be available? Then there's Papiss and Cheick Tiote. "I'm not going to be clear on any of them until tomorrow (Saturday)." Defender Mike Williamson is also a doubt, and Rolando Aarons, the England youth midfielder, remains sidelined with a hamstring injury while Dutch international Siem de Jong and Italian full-back Davide Santon are longer-term absentees. However, Ryan Taylor's return to the squad for the first time since late 2012, after the former Wigan utility man battled back from two career-threatening knee injuries, has provided a much-needed boost to Newcastle's bid to climb out of the relegation zone. "It's an inspirational story and it's such a pleasure to put Ryan's name down on the travelling party." Pardew said. — AFP |
| Struggling Liverpool needs to plug leaky defence, says Rodgers Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:41 PM PDT
The Reds have kept just one clean sheet in their last 18 matches and Rodgers' pre-season overhaul of the defence, which saw the Liverpool manager splash out on Dejan Lovren and Alberto Moreno, has so far failed to solve the problem. This season Liverpool have shipped 19 goals and a weakness dealing with set-pieces has contributed to several defeats, including Wednesday's 3-0 loss against Real Madrid in the Champions League. Liverpool are already nine points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea heading into today's clash with Hull at Anfield and Rodgers knows there needs to be an immediate improvement at the back to avoid losing touch with the top four. "Defensively we need to be better as a team, not just the defence and goalkeeper," he said. "We all pride ourselves on clean sheets but we need to be more competitive and aggressive in those moments as a team. "That was the disappointment against Real Madrid and also the goals we have conceded a large number of them have been soft and it is our job to improve that quickly. "We need to work harder and make it better." Meanwhile, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says Spain striker Diego Costa could climb off his sick bed to face Manchester United tomorrow. Costa missed Chelsea's last two matches with Crystal Palace and Maribor due to a hamstring problem and also spent a night in hospital earlier this week due to a virus, but could feature at Old Trafford. "Diego has a little chance," Mourinho said. "I'm not saying he can (play). I'm saying that we are trying. We will see what happens between Friday, Saturday and Sunday. "Everything happened to him. He was obviously injured and he had to go to the hospital with a viral situation that we didn't manage to resolve without being in hospital over one night." Chelsea won't cry over injuries Despite his injury problems, Mourinho is confident Chelsea can maintain their unbeaten start to the season. "We are playing well, we are getting good results," said Mourinho. "We don't cry about injuries. We just think one injury means an opportunity for somebody else." Tomorrow's match pits Mourinho against United manager Louis van Gaal, who kept the Portuguese on his staff at Barcelona after he had been first brought to the Spanish giants by former England manager Bobby Robson. But with United, having laboured to a 2-2 draw away to West Bromwich Albion last time out, Dutch manager van Gaal knows it will take more than a detailed knowledge of Mourinho's methods for his side to beat Chelsea. "Now we have to play against Chelsea and in the Netherlands they say 'that is another Kuche', or another 'biscuit'. By that I mean another level," van Gaal said. Southampton may have lost several key players, as well as manager Mauricio Pochettino, to rival Premier League clubs in recent months but that hasn't stopped the Saints soaring to third in the table. Last week they recorded their biggest top-flight win when they thrashed Sunderland 8-0. Southampton also boast the meanest defence in the Premier League so far this term, having conceded just five goals in their opening eight matches. Nevertheless, manager Ronald Koeman believes the south coast side, who face Stoke at St Mary's today, still have room for improvement. "We showed them some clips from the first 20 minutes against Sunderland," said Koeman. "That's not how I like us to start at home. They know what happened — it wasn't a good start," the former Netherlands defender added. That defending champions Manchester City are second in the table, five points behind Chelsea, is no surprise but West Ham in fourth place certainly is. City travel to the London club's Upton Park ground on Saturday having let slip a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw away to CSKA Moscow that left them in severe danger of failing yet again to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League. Fixtures (1400GMT unless stated) Today: Liverpool v Hull, Southampton v Stoke, Sunderland v Arsenal, Swansea v Leicester (1630GMT), West Brom v Crystal Palace, West Ham v Manchester City (1145GMT) Sunday: Burnley v Everton (1330GMT), Tottenham v Newcastle (1330GMT), Manchester United v Chelsea (1600GMT) Monday: QPR v Aston Villa (2000GMT) — AFP |
| Is the fence too low for the White House? Posted: 24 Oct 2014 05:35 PM PDT
It's about the White House fence. Is it high enough? Should it be electrified? Are tourists allowed to get too close to the building? After a series of security lapses that raised questions about the safety of the US president, do authorities need to change or reconsider the fence surrounding the First Family's residence in the heart of the city? White House fence jumpers are hardly a new phenomenon. But the spectacular breach that saw an Iraq war veteran sprint across the White House lawn in mid-September and enter the building with a knife in his pocket has rattled the US Secret Service, which is tasked with protecting the president. A complete security review was ordered, and the results are due in two weeks. The arrest of yet another fence-jumper this week has fueled the debate over how to best secure the building where American presidents and their families have lived and worked since 1800. President Barack Obama's administration has stressed its commitment to finding a balance between the "top priority" — protecting the president — and making sure the symbol of American democracy does not become a fortress. "It certainly would be possible to build a multi-story bombproof wall around the 18-acre complex of the White House," spokesman Josh Earnest said. "But that, I don't think would be striking the appropriate balance." He said experts were considering a range of measures, such as deploying more personnel and technology, or placing additional fences or other barriers. "It's not just protecting a popular tourist destination; it's about protecting the symbolism of that popular tourist destination continuing to be accessible to the American public and to the individuals who are responsible for electing the person who lives there," Earnest said. Tourists visiting Washington for the first time are often surprised by the almost unobstructed view of the White House. From the North, across from Lafayette Square, the gardens surrounding the building seem surprisingly easy to reach, with an iron fence about 2.2 metre high the only barrier. Maintaining the concept of accessibility is key, even if visitors clearly cannot just walk through the front door unhindered. Washington's non-voting representative in the US Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, this week demanded a taller fence with a curve at the top that would make fence-jumping more difficult. But she also warned against the temptation to push tourists farther away. Any changes to access "should be in line with current public access to the areas surrounding the White House and maintain the current views of this historic and national landmark," Norton said. Jeffersonian ideals Beyond its appeal to tourists, the area near the White House is a symbol of the right to freedom of expression, a place where all sorts of protesters gather. Anyone can come in front of the gates to express anger or joy, megaphone in hand. And the range of opinions expressed is indeed broad. Anti-nuclear activists have faithfully kept a peace camp there since 1981. One day, a man in an orange jumpsuit demands the closure of the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. On another, a man in a white Hazmat suit demands a ban on flights coming from African countries affected by the Ebola virus. While the debate now centres on boosting security, access to the White House gardens was for a long time far easier. The first fence was put up under president Thomas Jefferson. But the goal then -- when Washington was still largely rural — was to keep the cattle out. The third US president (1801-1809) in fact did much to encourage Americans to consider the place as their own, opening the house to the public for the first time. Jefferson was intent on "making it clear that the White House was a structure that belonged to the American people, it was not a structure to be hidden away," said William Bushong, chief historian of the White House Historical Association. While the fence was completed gradually, the gates were often open, with the gardens serving as a public park for most of the 19th century. The fence has remained little changed over the years but the entire security apparatus has evolved. Cars have been blocked from travelling on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House since the deadly 1995 bombing of a federal building in Oklahoma City. Some have recently suggested naming a "czar" to oversee White House security. Obama recently named one to manage the Ebola crisis. Could he name another to reconcile Jeffersonian ideals and an American president's 21st century security needs? Earnest, the White House spokesman, found the idea amusing. "It would be a little ironic to have a White House czar, though, wouldn't it?" he asked reporters, who responded with laughter. — AFP |
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