Pakistan sex taboos challenged by TV phone-in show

Sex is a taboo word in Pakistan. It is readily associated with sin, guilt and shame. But a television channel is breaking new ground by airing a weekly call-in show discussing sexual health.

In a country where fear of religious vigilantes dominates public life, it takes a lot of courage for people to open up about their sexual anxieties.

And yet, it's happening on live TV.

The show 'Clinic Online' is aired on HTV (Health TV), a channel focusing on everyday lives of Pakistanis with a mix of health and lifestyle content.
And it's proving popular. Dozens of callers - men as well as women - from across Pakistan ring the show to get on air.
A wide range of issues are brought up, from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and infertility to questions about performance, size and satisfaction.
"He doesn't come to bed with me anymore," complains a housewife. "I have tried talking to him but he doesn't want to talk about it. What shall I do?" she asks.
Tongue-tied callers Another caller, a young man about to get married, is worried about not being able to keep up with his partner's sex drive.

Dr Nadeem Siddiqui, the consultant who hosts the show, often has to ask several questions to get to the bottom of the caller's problem

"My married friends tell me that a man's sexual prowess usually goes down after the first few months of marriage. Is that true?" he wants to know.
Callers often sound a bit shy and hesitant. They are usually unsure of culturally acceptable sex terminology in the Urdu language. Many people struggle and use vague expressions to explain their predicament.
"I have developed that habit," says a reluctant female caller. "I think I am gaining weight because of it. How can I stop it?" she asks.
Dr Nadeem Siddiqui, the consultant who hosts the show, usually has to ask callers multiple follow-up questions to pin down the problem.
In this instance, Dr Siddiqui stares blankly at the camera for a while and then asks the caller to explain her question.

The show's popularity has taken many by surprise considering Pakistan's conservative culture

"I have developed that sex habit, you know, with a finger. I want to stop. Is there a medicine for it?" she asks in a hushed tone.
Now, most of the time Dr Siddiqui gives sensible suggestions to his callers. But every now and then, he goes off track.
After an uncomfortable pause, and a disapproving sigh, the good doctor has this advice for the female caller: "You should pray five times a day, refrain from watching inappropriate content on internet and read religious literature. You will be alright."
Questionable advice? After the show, I asked the doctor about his controversial advice.
"I can't be seen to be doing anything against Islam, or it would cause trouble," he said.
And therein lies the problem. While the show is giving people a rare chance to speak up about their repressed health issues, the quality of advice they may be getting remains questionable.
"Most doctors in Pakistan are not competent to tackle sexual health issues," says Dr Javed Usman, a family physician at the Dr Ziauddin Medical Hospital in Karachi.
"Our medical curriculum doesn't really address the subject. So invariably, what you end up with are doctors applying value judgements based on their own cultural and religious beliefs, not medical knowledge."
To be sure, it's a tough call in a country and a society where Islam dominates virtually every aspect of public life.
Take the issue of self-gratification. Many conservative Muslims believe masturbation is forbidden in Islam, as is oral sex. But medical research shows there is nothing inherently wrong or unsafe in these practices.

Dr Usman says doctors find it difficult to separate their beliefs from medical facts when giving advice

So, when a Muslim doctor in a conservative society is asked on a live TV show about his opinion, he has two choices: he could give his medical advice and risk upsetting the intolerant religious lobby, or he can brush science aside and invoke religion.
More often than not, he chooses what's convenient, practical and in line with his own belief system.
No wonder sexual health remains a deeply misunderstood subject in this conservative society.
Myths and misconceptions prevail, even among doctors.
But some activists are trying to change that.
Empowering the people Among them is Dr Sikander Sohani, a GP working for the health and education campaign group, Aahung. For two decades, he has worked with communities to change attitudes.
On a weekend at a school in north Karachi, he engages parents and teachers in a workshop about how to tackle some of these tricky issues.
His target audience comes from an average conservative neighbourhood. Men and women sit separately. Most women are covered in black scarves from head to toe.

Dr Sohani is trying to encourage people to take sensible decisions when it comes to their bodies

In a country where any discussion of sex is frowned upon, Dr Sohani takes a cautious, nuanced approach.
Throughout his presentation, the word 'sex' does not figure. Instead, he talks about life, body and health. When a participant mentions religion, he talks about nature.
"Sexual health is part of an overall wellbeing of an individual," he later tells me. "And what we are emphasising here is a rights-based approach to encourage safe and responsible behaviour," he says.
For him, a rights-based approach is the key to overcoming cultural and religious taboos. It is about giving individuals the skills and the knowledge to enjoy and protect their own bodies, he explains.
"Religious and cultural institutions tend to be interested in power and control over other peoples' bodies. We are trying to empower individuals to take charge and make sensible choices," he says.
As for 'Clinic Online', the chief executive of the HTV channel, Faizan Syed, says the show is going through a period of trial and error.
"Frankly, we are in an unchartered territory. Is there room for improvement? Certainly! But that doesn't take away the fact that we are providing a service that no one else has the courage or willingness to offer."

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Russia drops South Stream gas pipeline plan

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the proposed South Stream gas pipeline will not go ahead.

Speaking on a visit to Turkey, he said Russia would instead look at creating a gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border.
Mr Putin blamed European opposition to the South Stream plan, which was funded by Russia's state gas giant Gazprom.
The pipeline was to have run under the Black Sea to southern and central Europe, providing another transit route for Gazprom.
But the EU has been worried about the gas producer also owning a pipe network.
Construction work on the 930km (580-mile) South Stream project began in Bulgaria in October 2013 but was suspended in June after the European Commission said it may be breaking EU competition rules.

Russian gas giant Gazprom supplies 30% of Europe's gas

Russian officials accused the commission of blocking the work for purely political purposes.
"Taking account of the fact that until now we have not received permission from Bulgaria, we believe that in the current conditions Russia cannot continue with the realisation of this project," said Mr Putin, speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
"If Europe does not want to carry out (South Stream), then it will not be carried out, We are now going to focus our energy resources in other directions."
Mr Putin said Russia could build a gas hub on the Turkish-Greek border to supply Europe with gas to compensate for the loss of South Stream.
The head of Gazprom, Alexei Miller, later confirmed that the pipeline was finished.
"The project is closed," he told reporters.
Relations between Russia and the EU have been badly hit by the crisis in Ukraine.
The EU and the US have imposed sanctions on a number of Russian individuals and companies following Russia's intervention in Ukraine, but Gazprom has not been targeted.
Gazprom supplies 30% of Europe's gas - some 15% of it via Ukraine.
Bulgaria, an EU state, has said it feels it is being targeted by Brussels as a means of retaliating against Russia over the situation in Ukraine.
Russia and Turkey are major trading partners. Russia provides the bulk of Turkey's gas requirements and is set to build Turkey's first nuclear power plant.

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Russia warships pass through English Channel

A squadron of Russian warships has passed through the English Channel in what the Royal Navy described as a "routine" movement.

Nato dismissed reports by Russian media saying the flotilla was there to conduct military exercises.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the ships had been escorted out of UK waters by Royal Navy warship HMS Tyne.
Nato has reported increased incursions by Russian military vehicles following months of tension over Ukraine.

In a statement released to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, the Russian Northern Fleet said that its vessels were led by the Severomorsk destroyer and were anchored in French waters waiting for a storm to pass.
The fleet is now north of the Normandy coast.
"While it is anchored the crew will perform a series of exercises on combating infiltrating submarine forces," it said.
But a Nato spokesman said the ships "are not exercising in the Channel, as some Russian headlines would have us believe".
"Our information indicates that the ships are transiting and have been delayed by weather conditions," spokesman Jay Janzen told the AFP news agency.
An MoD spokesman said "We are aware that four Russian naval ships have passed through the Dover Strait from the North Sea into the English Channel, which all ships have the right to do under international law."
Earlier in November, Nato's top military commander said that recent incursions into European airspace by Russian fighters and long-range bombers included larger, more complex formations of aircraft flying more "provocative" routes than usual.
General Philip Breedlove said that incursions were fairly common and safely handled.

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US Black Friday quieter as bargains spread over two days

The traditional scrum of sharp elbows was notably less intense on Black Friday in the US this year.

The crowds, gathering at the US's big shopping centres, appeared to have exhausted some of their shopping enthusiasm on Thursday.
As last year, many retailers had opened their doors early to try to pull shoppers in ahead of rivals.
"The consumer clearly enjoys shopping on Thanksgiving," said Target's chief executive, Brian Cornell.
And, when opening the New York Stock Exchange for Friday's shortened day of trading, he welcomed the way the holiday season "has moved from an event on Black Friday morning to a multi-day event."
Many shoppers headed straight to the shops whilst still digesting their Thanksgiving turkey on Thursday, forming queues outside Macy's by 6pm on what is becoming known as "grey Thursday".

Target boss Brian Cornell welcomed the shift towards earlier shopping when opening trading at the NYSE

Cyber shopping But if footfall was subdued, online sales came to the fore.
Wal-Mart said Thursday was its second-highest online sales day ever after last year's Cyber Monday, the first Monday in December when many people order items they'd like to arrive in time for Christmas.
BestBuy's website went offline after what the company said was "a concentrated spike in mobile traffic."
The hope for many retailers is that the slowly improving US economy, combined with lower petrol prices, could push consumers to buy more than they have in recent memory.
Black Friday has been the top sales day of the year since 2005, according to ShopperTrak which tracks data on stores globally, beating into second place the Saturday before Christmas when last-minute shoppers stock up on Christmas gifts.

As with last year, many stores chose to open a day earlier on what is now being called "grey Thursday"

However, that could change this year as Thanksgiving shopping and online sales eat into Black Friday's peak performance.
Shift to labour
The earlier start to holiday shopping has placed even more focus on the plight of workers who must often leave their families in order to help shops open on Thanksgiving.
Outside a Wal-Mart in northern New Jersey, nearly a hundred members of the OUR Wal-Mart campaign - a coalition of unions and Wal-Mart employees - protested what they said were unfair working conditions at the nation's largest retailer.

Labour organisers and Walmart workers staged protests at 1,600 locations on Friday

Surrounded by dozens of police officers in the brisk cold, they chanted slogans like "Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart you're no good, treat your workers like you should" and waved banners.
Inside the store, however, Wal-Mart representatives disputed their claims.

"They're really not representative of our associates at all. Our associates are in here working hard and they're excited to be here. This is the most fun day of all," a Wal-Mart spokesperson, Bill Wertz, told the BBC.

Wal-Mart's Bill Wertz said the views of the protestors outside weren't indicative of most workers

And as for shoppers whose habits the protestors were hoping to influence?
"It does affect my shopping affect my shopping, I told myself I wasn't going to purchase too much," says Gary Philip, a shopper walking into the store.
"But," he added, "I couldn't resist on getting a tree for a better price."

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Pope Francis due in Turkey for historic visit

Pope Francis will arrive in Turkey shortly for what is billed as a historic trip to help interfaith dialogue in the country.

At the start of the three-day tour he is set to meet newly-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.
He then plans to visit Istanbul for a meeting with the head of the Orthodox Christian church.
It will be only the fourth time in history that a pope has visited Muslim-majority Turkey.
During his trip Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Istanbul's Sultan Ahmed mosque, the 17th Century place of worship popularly known as the Blue Mosque.
He is also due to sign a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians, on trying to bridge the divides between Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity.

The Pope (left) is due to meet Patriarch Bartholomew I (right) during his visit

The visit comes at a time of heightened political sensitivity in the region.
Turkey is now home to at least 1.6 million refugees from war-torn Syria, most of them living close to the border separating the two countries.
According to the BBC's Turkey correspondent Mark Lowen, there is a humanitarian angle to Pope Francis's trip.
Many expect him to touch on the plight of the region's refugees, he said.
In an interview on the eve of his visit, the Pope made his feelings on the Syrian conflict known.
He told an Israeli newspaper that the persecution of Christians in the region is "the worst" it has been since Christianity's earliest days.
Although most of Turkey's 80 million citizens are Muslims, there are around 120,000 Christians in the country - once the centre of the Orthodox Christian world.

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Phillip Hughes: Australian batsman dies, aged 25

Australia Test batsman Phillip Hughes has died aged 25, two days after being struck on the top of the neck by a ball during a domestic match in Sydney.

Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said he passed away in hospital, never regaining consciousness.
Hughes, who also played for Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcestershire, was hit by a delivery from bowler Sean Abbott.
"It's an understatement to say we're completely devastated," said Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland.
"The word tragedy gets used too often in sport, but this freak accident is a real life tragedy."
Australia captain Michael Clarke read out a statement on behalf of the Hughes family at a news conference held at St Vincent's Hospital, where the player, who would have been 26 on Sunday, was being treated.
Speaking on behalf of parents Greg and Virginia, sister Megan and brother Jason, he said: "We're devastated by the loss of our much-loved son and brother, Phillip. It's been a very difficult few days.
"We appreciate all the support we have received from family, friends, players, Cricket Australia and the general public.
"Cricket was Phillip's life and we as a family shared that love of the game with him. We would like to thank all the medical and nursing staff at St Vincent's Hospital and Cricket New South Wales medical staff for their great efforts with Phillip. We love you."
A clearly emotional Clarke then stood up and left the room.
Hughes, batting for South Australia, collapsed face first on the ground after being hit by a bouncer from 22-year-old Abbott during a Sheffield Shield game against New South Wales.
Hughes had been wearing a helmet but the ball struck him at the top of the neck, causing the injury.
He had CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation at the ground before being taken to St Vincent's Hospital, where he had a 90-minute operation to relieve pressure on his brain.

Members of the Australian national team, including Clarke, visited Hughes in hospital.

But his death was confirmed in a statement on Thursday.
"It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away," said Brukner.
"He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday.
"He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.
"As a cricket community, we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip's family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
"Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected."
Speaking at the news conference, Brukner explained that Hughes had died as a result of "vertebral artery dissection". 
The Australian flag was lowered to half-mast over the Sydney Cricket Ground where Hughes suffered the horrific injury. Flags were also lowered at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott paid tribute to Hughes, describing him as "a young man living out his dreams".
"His death is a very sad day for cricket and a heartbreaking day for his family. What happened has touched millions of Australians," he said.
"For a young life to be cut short playing our national game seems a shocking aberration. He was loved, admired and respected by his team-mates and by legions of cricket fans."
Australia coach Darren Lehmann tweeted: "RIP you little champ, we are all going to miss you! Love, prayers to all the Hughes family."

Phillip Hughes
Test Career		ODI career
* Hughes played in one Twenty20 game, scoring six runs
Tests played	26	ODI's played	25
Innings	49	Innings	24
Runs	1,535	Runs	826
Highest score	160	Highest score	138
Average	32.65	Average	35.91

The England team also released a statement on Twitter, writing: "Our deepest sympathies go out to Phil Hughes' family, friends and team-mates at this incredibly sad time.
"Phil was admired and respected by all he played with and against and will never be forgotten by the cricket community."
Giles Clarke, the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, said Hughes was "an extremely popular and hugely respected cricketer in England and Wales" and "will be missed throughout the world of cricket".
Former England star Kevin Pietersen said Hughes was "growing and maturing into a magnificent cricketer".
"He was on course to do some really great things for Australia," he said. "He had a brilliant start to his career, it's just such a sad loss."
Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar, who played alongside Hughes in the Indian Premier League, added: "Shocked to hear about Phil. Sad day for cricket. Deepest condolences to family, friends and well wishers. RIP."
The International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a statement offered its "deepest condolences to the family and friends" of Hughes.
ICC chairman Mr Narayanaswami Srinivasan added: "We are all shocked and saddened with the news of Phillip's passing.
 

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Kenya bus attack: Military 'kills 100 Shabab militants

William Ruto said the armed forces had carried out two operations in Somalia, destroying equipment and a camp from which the bus attack was planned.
However, al-Shabab refuted this, and said that its fighters were safe.
In Saturday's attack, gunmen pulled non-Muslims passengers from a bus in northern Kenya, killing 28 of them.
Al-Shabab has carried out a series of attacks in Kenya since 2011, the year that Kenya sent troops into Somalia to help battle the Islamist group.
Mr Ruto gave details of the military operation after attending a Sunday service at a church in Nyahururu.

"I can assure you that those behind the attack did not even take their supper," he was quoted as saying by the Standard newspaper.
"They were killed by our officers who we sent out immediately after the attack. They did not find time to celebrate their heinous crime."
He said security officials were in "full control" and urged other leaders to co-operate with the government rather than criticise it.
Kenya's ministry of defence said in a statement that a total of 115 al-Shabab militants had been killed over the weekend, as ground troops and fighter jets attacked militants near the Kenyan-Somali border, and two al-Shabab camps in Somalia.
In a statement, al-Shabab called the government's words "absurd" and said that its fighters "didn't face any attack whatsoever".
In Saturday's bus attack in Mandera county, close to the Somali border, witnesses described how passengers were asked to recite passages from the Koran and those who failed were made to lie on the ground before being shot in the head.
Afterwards, at least one local official said that pleas for extra security in the area had gone unanswered.
On Sunday, Mandera Governor Ali Roba called on the government to "reshuffle" its entire security team in the region, saying that officers did not follow up on cases and that a state of insecurity was considered normal.
"Many suspects who are apprehended are released from cells under unknown circumstances, even when there is evidence of their involvement in crime," Mr Roba told Kenya's Daily Nation.
Somalia-based al-Shabab said it had carried out Saturday's attack in retaliation for a government crackdown on mosques in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa that were allegedly used by extremists. Security forces seized weapons during the raids.
Mr Ruto said such police operations would not stop.
"We will not allow our praying places to be used as armoury," he said. "This operation is going to happen no matter what."
He also called on Muslim religious leaders to help ensure that mosques were not taken over by extremists.

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Ukraine in 'great war' with Russia

Russia dismissed the comments, saying they only pulled the Ukrainian people further into a bloody civil conflict.

The comments came after Ukrainian troops were forced to flee Luhansk airport in the east of the country amid an offensive by pro-Russian rebels.

Meanwhile, crisis talks between Ukraine officials, rebels and Russian envoys have broken up without agreement.

"A great war has arrived at our doorstep - the likes of which Europe has not seen since World War Two," Ukrainian Defence Minister Valeriy Heletey wrote on Facebook on Monday.

"Unfortunately, the losses in such a war will be measured not in the hundreds but thousands and tens of thousands," he added

Russia has repeatedly denied Ukrainian and Western accusations that it is providing troops and equipment to the rebels.

Russia's foreign ministry said it was "hard to believe that such statements can be made by the defence minister of a civilised state".

Meanwhile, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that there could be "no military solution" to the crisis in Ukraine.

The situation was "very chaotic and dangerous" and required "a political dialogue for a political solution" that was sustainable, he told journalists during a visit to New Zealand.

'Overt aggression'

On Monday, Ukraine's army said it had been forced to withdraw from Luhansk airport after it was attacked by Russian tanks.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said the incident was "direct, overt aggression against Ukraine from the neighbouring state".

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