Obama and the Middle East

Seen on: The Economist

A new approach to the Middle East is necessary, says Dr Claire Spencer of Chatham House. But first, Barack Obama must lower expectations.

Nigeria: A Man & His 86 Wives

Seen on: YouTube

A eighty-four year old man in Northern Nigeria has prompted anger from Muslims, even receiving death threats, for having 86 wives. Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege, reports from Bida, where Mohammed Bello has caused huge controversy.

Big Fun With Global Warming

In this Emmy-winning short, Stinky, puts global warming into perspective.

"Palestine Is Still The Issue" - Five

Seen on: YouTube

A nation - forced off their land & subjected to military-occupation by Israel.

> "Palestine Is Still The Issue": One - Two - Three - Four

Image Day - Born Free

Polar bear cub Flocke jumps in the water at the zoo in Nuremberg. Four-month old Flocke -- German for snowflake -- has until now been kept behind closed doors.

> Reuters Pictures

"Palestine Is Still The Issue" - Four

Seen on: YouTube

A nation - forced off their land & subjected to military-occupation by Israel.

> "Palestine Is Still The Issue": One - Two - Three - Five

The Fifty-Million Dollar Note

A Zimbabwean holds a newly issued fifty million dollar note. The country is in a severe economic and political crisis, with official inflation figures at over 100,000 percent. The new note is worth the equivalent of three loaves of bread.

> AP Images

Life and Death of Steve Biko - Part one

Seen on: YouTube

This film examines the life and death of Steve Biko, following his death in custody.

"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." These words testify to the passion, courage, and keen insight that made him one of the most powerful figures in the struggle against apartheid.

Shakira's Bangladesh-Appeal

Seen on: YouTube

Musician Shakira calls for action, after visiting Bangladeshi cyclone-victims in 07.

Power of the mobile phone

Why does poverty still exist despite decades of development aid?

In this talk, Iqbal-Quadir explains why "aid does damages: because it empowers authorities instead of people," and advocates a new approach to development from below, "by the people for the people." His own experience as a child in Bangladesh and later a banker in New York brought him to realize that "connectivity is productivity" -- and that a simple cell phone has enormous power.

Now his telecom company, Grameenphone, offers service to most of rural Bangladesh, creating new opportunities by connecting villages to the world.

Iran jails Bahai 'propagandists'

Iran has sentenced three members of the Bahai faith to four years for security offences and 51 others to suspended terms.

The authorities said they were proselytising in the southern city of Shiraz under the cover of helping the poor. They were convicted for propaganda against the system in the southern city of Shiraz, a judiciary spokesman said.

Via BBC

Kenya flashpoints

Kenya's police are struggling to restore order as ethnic-gangs are rampaging across parts of the capital, Nairobi, Rift Valley and western Kenya attacking members of rival-communities.


The violence began following last month's disputed presidential-election but now has descended into a vicious-cycle of revenge attacks, leaving scores dead.

> In pictures: Fleeing mobs

"Palestine Is Still The Issue" - Three

Seen on: YouTube

A nation - forced off their land & subjected to military-occupation by Israel.

> "Palestine Is Still The Issue": One - Two - Four - Five

Patient-Musharraf

Pervez-Musharraf has promised that Pakistan will hold fair elections next month and urged the West to be more patient.

He also sought to ease worries about Pakistan's nuclear arsenal as Islamic-extremists step up their fight with his government, insisting that tight security would prevent the weapons from falling into the wrong hands.

"We have a multilayer custodial and command system," Musharraf told the European Parliament as he began an eight-day European-trip.

European Union foreign-policy chief Javier-Solana said after meeting with Musharraf that Feb. 18 parliamentary elections must be "free, fair and secure" and that their conduct would determine the bloc's relations and engagement with Pakistan.

Via Time-Magazine

UK and China to lead the world - PM

The Prime Minister has said that the UK and China will "lead the world" in the construction of eco-towns and sustainable urban development.

Speaking in Shanghai, the PM announced two agreements with China on environmental issues - the provision of £50 million from the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF) and an extension to the EU-China Near Zero Emissions Coal Programme.

"Two countries will lead the world in the creation of eco-cities and eco-towns - that is China and Britain....over the next few years the development of this new higher level of environmental cooperation will have the support of the British government."

Via Box-UK

Dhaka-Burning

Seen on: YouTube

Ron from Dhaka says >
August 20, 2007: Dhaka-University (DU) erupts in violence as army men beat students. The army-personnel mercilessly beat 3 DU-students & humiliated a teacher over a petty-dispute concerning comments passed by spectators watching a soccer match on the university ground.

August 30, 2007: General-Moeen imposes curfew in all major cities; warns tough action against trouble makers; all universities closed for indefinite period.

Background
The army sneaked into power on January 11, 2007, through a bloodless-coup.

Via Bangladesh-Blogger

Spain foils terror-threat

Bomb-related material was found during raids in Barcelona which led to the arrest of 14 people suspected of links to terrorism.

Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba said, suspects included 12 from Pakistan and two from India. The Civil Guard detained the suspects in Barcelona as part of a joint operation with Spain's National Intelligence Centre (CNI).

Election issue
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said that it was too early to arrive at any conclusions as to what the suspects might have been planning.

"Let's be as cautious as is advisable in these cases, with regard to the scope, intentions and what this group of radical activists represent," he said.

Via BBC

Khaleda-Zia: Out on parole

Former Bangladesh prime-minister Khaleda Zia and her two sons were temporarily released from jail to attend the funeral service of her-mother, an official said.

"The authorities have released Khaleda-Zia and her two sons on parole for several hours to attend the funeral service of her mother," home ministry spokesman Shahnur Mia said.

Zia, the country's last elected prime minister and the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and her two sons were arrested last year by the country's military-backed emergency government.

Via AFP

Kenya's bloody protests

Seen on: YouTube

Protests across Kenya against Mwai-Kibaki, the Kenyan president, have seen over 20-people lose their lives. Al Jazeera's Andrew Simmons reports from Nairobi on the third-day of opposition-backed demonstrations.

Pakistan's Shia-Sunni divide

Differences between Pakistan's Sunni-majority and Shia-minority go back to the schism following the prophet's death. But in the past two decades those differences have been manifest in repeated-violence.

Related-Verse >
Those who split up their Religion, and become (mere) Sects,- each party rejoicing in that which is with itself! (The Romans - Verse 32)

Zia's legacy >
Most sectarian violence in Pakistan takes place in the province of Punjab and the country's commercial capital, Karachi.

There have also been outbreaks in Quetta.

Musharraf is not the only Pakistani leader to have such-problems. Most analysts agree it began in 1979, when Zia ul-Haq began Islamicising Pakistani politics.

Via In2Verses