English PEN director Jonathan Heawood is looking forward to hearing what Pope Benedict XVI has to say on his visit to Britain
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Anti-India and pro-Islam demonstrations in the Indian-adminstrated region of Kashmir, Srinagar escalated yesterday as 18 people died, many under police firing. Demonstrators had reportedly set fire to a Christian missionary school and government and police buildings as a reaction to recent reports that copies of the Qu’ran had been damaged in New York.
Journalists have been restricted from covering the news in Srinagar despite passes issued by the government. Sheikh Imran, a local reporter said troops beat him for being out past the curfew, even though he had a pass.
Kashmir has witnessed deadly clashes in the last three months, after a 17-year old boy died from a tear gas shell hurled by the police.
A Scottish missionary, who was jailed in 2008 for criticising the Gambian president, has been released. David Fulton was charged with sedition after emails he sent to friends in the UK were deemed offensive to President Yahya Jammeh. The 61-year-old and his wife spent 20 months in the notorious Mile 2 prison, facing hard labour and solitary confinement. The couple were also fined £6250 each.
Radiohead’s Colin Greenwood explains why the band released their last album direct to their fans
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