Je ne Suis Pas Charlie.

Written By: Gul Zehra Zaidi.

The first cover of the magazine, Charlie Hebdo, since the attack on its office, is another satire of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

I am not Charlie. What I am is a Muslim, who condemns the killings of twelve people including the editor Stéphane Charbonnier, 8 other Charlie Hebdo employees, a building maintenance worker and 2 National Police officers. I refuse to believe that any person who knows Islam or has read the Holy Quran can carry out such a heinous act of murder in the name of religion.

What I am, is also, one of the 1.6 billion Muslims around the globe, who are deeply hurt and enraged by the caricatures of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) that the famous magazine, Charlie Hebdo (Charlie Weekly) has come to publish over the years. This was neither the first time the magazine published the satirical cartoons of the Prophet nor was it the first time, it was attacked over doing so. And apparently the magazine has the perfect response for the attackers all prepared in the form of their new, even more offensive and mocking cover featuring the Prophet (PBUH).

Waiting for Peace.

Written By: Kimz Aziz.

So hard it is to live

In such a world like this

Where life is not important 

Money is all that exists.

People die everyday

Some commit suicide

And others are killed

There is no room for justice

There are thefts everyday

One day the people cry

And forget it the next day.

Come what may,

We may not fall

We have spent along so much time

But all the bloodshed nowadays 

Is not at all a good sign.

This is no less than a nightmare to me 

My nation is a box full of fears and cries 

But when this all is over 

We will wake up and know

That here

Peace has arrived.

Zalipie, the Colorful Village of Poland

A small ancient village in South-Eastern Poland, Zalipie, is definitely one of the country’s top tourist attractions. Not because it has five-stars hotels or massive glass buildings, but on the contrary, due to its small wooden cottages, which are painted in the most vibrant colors.

This lovely tradition started with more than a century ago, when every single female resident in Zalipie begun to paint her home with floral motives, as she wanted to cover up some particular faults. And since the women didn’t have professionally made equipment, they manufactured the brushes themselves, using hair from the tails of their cows. As or the paint itself, women used fat from the dumplings they made. Very important is that each year, all the women had to repaint their charming drawings. And they did so, after the Feast of Corpus Christi, when they weren’t so busy with their farm work.

Look At Me

Written By: Fizzah Aziz

Look at me,

What do you see?

Look in my eyes, 

Do  they tell a story?

Look at my lips, 

Do you get fooled by the smile?

Listen to my chatter,

The never-ending happy banter,

Ever wonder if what meets the eye is all?

Find me in my solitude, 

Do I still look the happy lark you see?

Listen, and not hear what I say

Do you not glimpse a little something more?

just dig a bit, maybe..

Scratch the surface, a little?

If you still see the gaily, laughing me..

Well, either I ma natural artist,

Or you, another one of them...

Looking but not seeing.

Hearing but not listening.

Being there, but not there at all.

You are one more blinded sympathizer. 

Out of Eden Walk: Traveling the World for Seven Years

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Paul Salopek is almost one year into an epic walk around the world. He has another six years to go, but he has plenty of stories about what he's seen so far. We check in with him and hear what he's learned along the way.

Along the way he will be writing articles, shooting video and tweeting.

Salopek will take some 30 million footsteps during this journey, which he calls "the long walk into our becoming". So there is a lot of potential for blisters.

But he insists he is not doing this as some kind of extreme sport - he will be thinking hard, en route, about human evolution.

The starting point for the trek is Herto Bouri, a site in north-eastern Ethiopia populated by early humans in the Middle Stone Age.

The UK Life - Ups and Downs

It is 4:13 AM, 12/10/2014.

Dear Diary!

Why are things so tough? Why does Allah test people so much? There are so many questions and complains but well maybe there is some betterment in what Allah does.

Must say living away from home, though sounds fun but is really tough, especially if you are living in an alien country and you are short on cash.

To be honest most of my time passes in the University as I have nothing much to do elsewhere. Lectures just fly away, though for now they have been too lengthy and sleepy. Got the first taste of the standby professor Howard Stephenson and he looks like a tough professor to convince and a little strict too.

During this week I had my first English Skills lecture too, in which we have a group of 10 people from different countries learning different skills, there are people from Iceland, Norway, Malaysia, Brazil, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan and France so it is a good mix. Our first task was to introduce our partners to everyone which was fun. Well it is not a long course and except for the presentation part, I think it will go alright.

The Software part is getting onto me, really. I am really worried about how will I able to catch up with the people who have already worked on it for two years, so I tried to work and practice double but looks like I am overdoing things.

For the past two days, Police has been coming to my place and asking for my details again and again, not only me but all the other people living here too. It is a strange scary funny feeling.

There was a golden job opportunity and I was finally happy that my job was secured but then the unthinkable happened and I failed again. The manager asked me to come on the Wednesday, I went there on that day but there was a new manager now, he took me upstairs to give me the uniform but said I should come tomorrow as there is no uniforms available right now. I went back the next day and he asked me where my uniform was, and that I was supposed to buy my own uniform. I asked for another day and came back, but as soon as I reached back, got a few calls from someone from the restaurant to come back, I went back but the manager said we called you by mistake and wanted to call someone else, he told me in irritation that they don't want me to come anymore, thank you. I said thank you back and that was it.

I went to my friend's place to take the software, and met the PTI guy again, talked a lot about Cricket this time, I did get the software and was able to install it but too bad I don't have a mouse so wont be able to use it much on the laptop anyways.

Oh and also, I ate something other than Shawarma, half chicken with two naan, haha it was a nice change though the taste was no way near Pakistan.

Life is becoming so monotonous, I have been doing the same things again and again, I should try and enjoy things more and explore this area a little more as well. Need to offer prayers and recite holy quran as well that's the only way that I will have peace of mind and heart.

This completes my one month in the UK, overall it has been a good experience for me and except for a few hiccups I think I have done alright, have been strong for a change which I thought I wont be this time. There are days when I miss family and get really sad, hopefully I will be able to counter the ones which will come ahead, hopefully I will find a part time job soon , hopefully studies will go fine as well... hopefully this hopefully will come true.

Geoffrey Douglas Langlands - A Real Life Pakistani Hero

There was this email on my student ID that international students can sign up to participate in a global youth event where you have to present one aspect of your country! I for once instantly decided to sign up and was selected to participate in the event.

The event was held at the University of York which is one of the most famous universities of the United Kingdom. I was talking this as an opportunity to test myself. All the words that I say about Pakistan, all the things that I decide that I will go for Pakistan someday, this was the opportunity to see if I had what it takes to do something practical.

I was sure about one thing that I will talk about some famous personality from Pakistan but at the same time I was extremely confused about what personality to present. I was confused between Abdul Qadeer Khan, Abdus Sattar Edhi and Geoffrey Douglas Langlands.

Finally I decided I will talk about Geoffrey Douglas Langlands because of three reasons. Firstly because he used to live in the United Kingdom, secondly because he was born in Yorkshire county, and lastly because he was one real life personality that I always think needs to be promoted more.

Believe you me it took me 5 days to complete the presentation and 7 hours continuous practicing on the last day to get everything exact. I wanted to tell so much but unfortunately I just had 10 minutes in total. When I first practiced the presentation I ended it in 30 minutes because of the stuff there was to tell, gradually I tuned down the presentation and shortened it and was finishing it right on the time as well.

Confession: I was extremely nervous but excited at the same time and this rarely happens with me.

We reached Yorkshire in the morning, it was day 4 of the conference which started at 10 am, there were 4 other students from Pakistan as well who were presenting other aspects of Pakistan and it was so pleasant to see that they were so passionate about it.

It was raining, the weather was romantic and then I saw the Pakistani flag among all the other flags fluttering, believe me it feels so good.

They asked us who among us would like to present first and strangely I raised my hand, more strange was the fact that I was rather confident while going on the stage, which NEVER happens with me. Before starting the presentation I even tried cracking some jokes, which failed to make anyone laugh but well, I tried.

The presentation went really well, I was able to stay confident all the while but just when I was about to end the presentation I felt my legs kept on shaking and wouldn't stop haha.

I had divided the presentation into different parts, firstly I introduced who Geoffrey Douglas Langlands was, then I told them about how I came to know about him, then about his early life, education, family problems time in the British Army, services for Pakistan army, contribution as an educationist, Langlands School and College and in the end I concluded the presentation telling them that he is extremely famous among the youth of Pakistan and my real life inspiration.

The reaction of the people was amazing, I have never seen people clap this enthusiastically for something, though most I could hear people saying words like ' good ' ' interesting ' ' wow ' the real compliment that I got was from the announcer who said she felt like I was telling her the story about his grandfather who also spent his life in Pakistan and that she was amazed that he is still alive and is so famous in Pakistan.

In the end I also told everyone that Pakistan is not all about terrorism and that you people should give us benefit of doubt because we are fighting the war against terror for all of the World and that there were many many more people that I could have introduced to them today and that Pakistan is filled with individuals who are amazing.

Overall it was an amazing experience, I swear I could not stop smiling for such a long while, extremely overwhelmed I was by the response and happy that I was able to something practical for Pakistan. 

Wrong Reasons

Written By: Bubbles.

I fell in love with him for all the wrong reasons

One night I sunk in his arms after our passionate love making

I stared deep into his eyes in search of his love for me

It felt like I was losing him already

I kept thinking to myself how can he be so beautiful yet so monstrous

His dreamy eyes burning into mine blurred my vision

My thoughts subsided, calmness filling me in

And with that face in my sight, I gave up myself to the sweet sleep

Wishing that I never wake up.

Squads of all 14 ICC World Cup Participating Teams

Here is the list of 15 member squad of all the participating teams in the ICC Cricket World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand.

Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi (captain), Nawroz Mangal, Asghar Stanikzai, Samiullah Shenwari, Afsar Zazai (wicket keeper), Najibullah Zadran, Nasir Jamal, Mirwais Ashraf, Gulbadin Naib, Hamid Hassan, Shapoor Zadran, Dawlat Zadran, Aftab Alam, Javed Ahmadi, Usman Ghani

Australia: Michael Clarke (captain) (conditional inclusion), George Bailey (vice captain), David Warner, Aaron Finch, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, Brad Haddin (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, James Faulkner, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Xavier Doherty

Bangladesh: Tamim Iqbal, Anamul Haque, Soumya Sarkar, Mominul Haque, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicket keeper), Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Taskin Ahmed, Al-Amin Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Arafat Sunny, Taijul Islam

England: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler (wicket keeper), Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Joe Root, James Taylor, James Tredwell, Chris Woakes

India: MS Dhoni (captain and wicket keeper), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Akshar Patel, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Stuart Binny

Ireland: William Porterfield (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Ed Joyce, Andrew McBrine, John Mooney, Tim Murtagh, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien (wicket keeper), Paul Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson (wicket keeper), Craig Young

New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (captain), Trent Boult, Grant Elliott, Tom Latham, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Adam Milne, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson, Corey Anderson, Tim Southee, Luke Ronchi (wicket keeper), Ross Taylor

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq(captain), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicket keeper), Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz

Scotland: Preston Mommsen (captain), Kyle Coetzer, Richie Berrington, Frederick Coleman, Matthew Cross (wicket keeper), Joshua Davey, Alasdair Evans, Hamish Gardiner, Majid Haq, Michael Leask, Matt Machan, Calum MacLeod, Safyaan Sharif, Robert Taylor, Iain Wardlaw

South Africa: AB de Villiers (capt), Hashim Amla, Kyle Abbott, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn

Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews (captain), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara (wicket keeper), Mahela Jayawardene, Lahiru Thirimanne (vice captain), Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga (conditional inclusion), Dhammika Prasad, Nuwan Kulasekara, Rangana Herath, Sachithra Senanayake

West Indies: Jason Holder (captain), Marlon Samuels, Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Jonathan Carter, Sheldon Cottrell, Chris Gayle, Sunil Narine, Denesh Ramdin (wicket keeper), Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor

UAE: Mohammed Tauqir (captain), Khurram Khan (vice captain), Swapnil Patil, Saqlain Haider, Amjad Javed, Shaiman Anwar, Amjad Ali, Nasir Aziz, Rohan Mustafa, Manjula Guruge, Andri Berenger, Fahad Al Hashmi, Muhammad Naveed, Kamran Shahzad, Krishna Karate

Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Solomon Mire, Tawanda Mupariwa, Tinashe Panyangara, Brendan Taylor (wicket keeper), Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams

Long Nights

Written By: Bubbles.

I lie awake all these nights thinking

What if things worked out between us

What if flowers bloomed where I once buried my bleeding heart

What if you put that load off my chest and secure my insecurities with your reassurances

What if your touch feels like a sincere touch

What if you taste me with sweet promises

What if you stay by my side forever and never leave

I know I have lost you but my thoughts haven't

They pierce my soul every day and every night

I've got no control on them, they keep coming and leaving

Just like you do

The UK Life - Finally Settling In

Dear Diary!

It is 8th November, 0425h and I am unable to sleep! Last time I wrote was a long time ago which may indicate I have had a busy life or that things have been going alright, and to be very honest it has been a mixture of both.

University has been going alright I was actually very nervous about how I will manage to integrate myself with other students, dealing with the different ways of teaching and learning new software in such a short time but I have to say so far so good. I practiced the software a lot in the first month so now I feel I am getting the hang of it but the real test will begin when I will get proper assessments. Must say professors here have been really helpful, no matter what you wanna ask you can anytime, several times. There is a level of comfort which actually I am liking a lot.

I have been leafleting in the past few weeks, which at one hand is helping me earn cash but on the other hand is allowing me to get to know the nearby area, it has been fun so far except for a few incidents like a dog making me run almost half a kilometer.

The weather has been getting colder with every passing day, there was a phase in between when it felt as if summer time is returning but now proper winter has started I guess, they say this year snowfall will be more than the last couple of years so the signs are not so good. Though the weather is enjoyable.

My new hobby so far has been to go out on random street trips, getting to know the area whenever I get time. The weather and the places combine and allow me to keep walking for as long as I want. I have been to different parks, lakes, centers, shops. Observing people, the ways, how things are done, how people act and it is exciting as usual.

There have been some incidents, pleasant ones I must say during this time like me meeting a cute little boy, and presenting about a famous Pakistani personality which I will talk about in a proper separate post.

I have moved in the shared accommodation now and so far it has been good, we both get along well and it is fun must say my roommate is really funny.

Oh and I was also able to get training at a local takeaway on how to run the place. From making pizzas to burgers, to grilling chicken to making a chicken parmesan , to cutting vegetables to doing the dishes to making different sauces to taking orders, it was tiring but fun.

By the looks of it I have settled down nicely except for a few hiccups it has been fine so far, hopefully things stay the same. I really want to enjoy my time here and somehow I have not been able to do so. 

Struggling Ashley

Written By: Zoha Aziz

She liked the smell of her empty room. 

The blissful, independent smell of her solitude. 

She liked staring at the ceiling of her room, 

painted with invisible stars. 

The stars that told her -

how beautifully insouciant her heart is.

She liked the smell of cigarettes.

She smoked to escape reality.

That painful reality, and her torn dreams.

She liked listening to music to heal the scars on her heart, 

but no such luck.

She liked walking on wet grass with her,

favorite book in her hand and flowers in her hair.

She liked taking pictures of birds, 

envying them for they can fly and she can't.

She liked being unreasonably sad and depressed.

She liked to drink to face her fears. 

Her fears that were hidden in the arbour of her weary mind.

She liked writing about her arcane life.

She liked talking to herself while sitting on the toilet seat.

She liked to burry her head under her favourite pillow,

at 4 am and wonder how would it feel like to press her lips against his.

She liked drawing silly, 

nugatory patterns in her notebook to subvert convulsive thoughts in her mind.

She liked Collecting bottles of her favourite perfume.

She liked sitting in the corner of her room, near the balcony, 

a cup of coffee in her hand and stars in her eyes.