GENEVA, Nov 21 — Four years after cartoons of Prophet Muhammad set off violent protests across the Muslim world, Islamic nations are mounting a campaign for an international treaty to protect religious symbols and beliefs from mockery — essentially a ban on blasphemy that would put them on a collision course with free speech laws in the West.
Algeria and Pakistan are believed to be taking the lead in lobbying to eventually bring the proposal to a vote in the United Nations General Assembly.
If ratified in countries that enshrine freedom of expression as a fundamental right, such a treaty would require them to limit free speech if it risks seriously offending religious believers. The process, though, will take years and no showdown is imminent.
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LOS ANGELES, Nov 17 — Since winning “American Idol” in 2005, country singer Carrie Underwood has become one of the show’s highest selling graduates, but she warned the latest crop of “Idol” finalists to “stay true” to their fans if they want to find similar success.
NEW YORK, Nov 17 —There were no questions about the Bush doctrine, but Sarah Palin’s appearance Monday on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to promote her memoir looked less like a celebratory comeback than a redo of the presidential campaign.
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 17 — Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has begun treatment, a spokesman for his investment company said yesterday.
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