An Oliver Guitta article in the Middle East Times from yesterday analyzes the ascent of Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, particularly Algeria (Here is an earlier post about the Dec 11th Algiers bombings). Basically, the thrust of the article is that al-Qaeda is consolidating its influence in the region, …
I want to wish each of you peace, prosperity, and joy during this holiday season. Geseende Kersfees! Sinifisela Ukhisimusi Omuhle! Ikresimesi emnandi!
As many of us sit here on this Christmas Eve wondering if we have gotten that last and final gift, hoping the gifts we got are what all of our loved ones wanted, and even a bit selfishly hoping that tomorrow that one item we have been dreaming about for …
Interesting story on grafitti art on NPR this morning. In Bethlehem, Israel's security wall is being tagged by both international and local artists, in what can be seen as a display of defiance or, alternately, just an outlet for frustrated young people. You can listen to and …
The Office of Military commissions filed charges against Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al-Darbi, the brother-in-low of 9/11 hijacker Khalid al-Mihdhar at the naval detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The charges include conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, murder in violation of the laws of war, and proving …
The West African country of Sierra Leone has one of the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world. According to UNICEF, 167 out of every 1,000 children die before their fifth birthday and 1,300 women dying for every 100,000 live births. Thus with the highest infant …
South Africa is a sport-mad society and 2007 was a year to fuel the country's passions. The Proteas’ participation in the cricket World Cup and the run-up to South Africa's hosting the 2010 World Cup would ordinarily have been the stories of the year, but by winning the Rugby World …
John Carlin, former South Africa correspondent for the London Independent attended the ANC's Polokwane conference for South Africa's Independent Newspapers. In a column in that capacity, Carlin brings up a recent article on Zuma in London's Daily Mail. Carlin properly castigates the Daily Mail's predictably retrograde tone:
The Daily …
It is undoubted that the war in Iraq is taking an unjust toll on the countries children, and this toll leaves not only physical scars, but mental scars that will leave a permanent impression on the Iraqi youth. Children are the innocent victims of wars waged by …
A story from the "NY Times" , Plan on Airline Emissions Hints at U.S.-Europe Rift , is a window onto an interesting bigger story: how global warming is impacted by aviation. I've written on one aspect of this recently in a story I did …
Robert I. Rotberg, director of Harvard's Kennedy School Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution and World Peace Foundation president, has an op-ed piece in today's Boston Globe in which he praises those world leaders who have stood up against Robert Mugabe, most notably Germany's Chancellor Angela …
The annual UNICEF Photo of the Year Contest once again in 2007 left millions speechless, inspired, shocked, and enticed into action.
This years winning image looks harmless at first, a man and a young girl sitting side by side, that is until you realize this is not a photo …
The Mail & Guardian has issued its annual end-of-year grades for South Africa's Cabinet Ministers. Find Part I here and Part II here.
Dear Santa,
I write to you this year to ask for gifts for all the children around the world, the gifts I ask for you to bring them are;
An end to war and violence in their homelands
Homes and not tents
Freedom from slavery and child labor
Clean Water
Adequate nutrition
An end to the …
