World Watch: Court-ing Kenyatta

* Kenya: African leaders called on the International Criminal Court to transfer charges of human rights abuses against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta to that country’s legal system.

* Australia: Cardinal George Pell, Australia’s top Catholic Church official, publicly apologized for the cover up decades of sexual abuse by priests against children.

* Syria: European Union nations are reportedly undecided over whether or not to sell weapons to Syrian rebels.

* Iraq: At least fifty people were killed when a series of bombs exploded in several areas of the capital city of Baghdad.

Video Source– YouTube via Al Jazeera English 

Online Sources – ABC News; BBC News; The Guardian; Al Jazeera English

World Watch: Money Woes

* Europe: European Union leaders are supposedly close to reaching a deal for greater regional fiscal discipline as well as an agreement over a second Greek bailout.

* Iraq: Several Iraqi government officials are none too pleased over the alleged use of "unarmed aerial vehicles" (also known as drones) by the U.S. in Iraq’s territory.

* Canada: Three members of a family where convicted of murdering four female siblings in a 2009 “honor killing” that was described by a judge as "cold-blooded (and) shameful".

* Japan: New government data revealed that the Japanese population would decrease by one-third by 2060 due to low birth rates coupled with a rapidly aging populace.

Image Source– Flickr via Images_of_Money (CC BY 2.0)

Online Sources – ABC News, UPI, CBS News, The Guardian

World Watch: Mubarak on Trial

* Egypt: Prosecutors in the case of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak requested that he be sentenced to death via hanging.

* Japan: A 593-pound bluefin tuna was sold at Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market for a whopping $736,000.

* Iraq: At least sixty-eight people were killed as a result of a series of bombings reportedly targeting Shia Muslims.

* Middle East: A U.S. State Department spokesperson said that the next round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians will take place on Monday.

Video Source– YouTube via euronews

Online Sources – CNN, CBS News, Al Jazeera English, Reuters

World Watch: A post-Gadhafi domino effect?

* Libya: The death of former Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi has reportedly “inspired” Yemeni and Syrian anti-government protesters, while questions continue over the circumstances behind the death.

* Iraq: U.S. President Barack Obama said that troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of this year.

* Thailand: Floodwaters that inundated towns and villages throughout Thailand reached into the capital city of Bangkok.

* Greece: European countries approved an $11 billion bailout loan plan that may prevent the Greek government from defaulting.

Video Source – Via the YouTube page of the Associated Press. (“Inspired by the scenes of euphoria in Libya, Syrian protesters poured into the streets on Friday and shouted that President Bashar Assad's regime will be the next to unravel now that ousted Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi is dead.”)

Online Sources- The Globe and Mail, Bloomberg, BBC News, Reuters, CNN

World Watch: Hunger pangs

* Africa: Oxfam called on African leaders to do more to alleviate a growing famine while Human Rights Watch accused numerous political actors for exacerbating Somalia’s humanitarian crisis.

* Germany: On the fiftieth anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall a minute of silence was observed to pay respect to those who died while trying to cross the barrier.

* Iraq: At least 74 people died as the result of a series of bombings in thirteen Iraqi cities.

* China: A Buddhist monk called for the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet by setting himself on fire.

Image – John Moore/Getty Images via The Guardian (“People await food aid distribution in Mogadishu. Human Rights Watch say Somalia's warring factions have exacerbated the crisis.”)
Online Sources- Voice of America, Bloomberg, BBC News, The Guardian, MSNBC

World Watch: War$

* U.S.: Spending on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as operations in Pakistan could cost nearly $4 trillion according to a study by Brown University researchers.

* China: A lawyer for recently freed artist Al Weiwei said that he would appeal a $1.85 million tax bill sent by authorities.

* Libya: French officials admitted that they’ve sent weapons to Libyan rebels despite the possibility that such actions would break a U.N. resolution.

* Greece: The parliament approved a staunch austerity plan that could lead to a joint E.U./International Monetary Fund bailout.

Image – Al Jazeera English
Online Sources- Voice of America, MSNBC, Reuters, The Guardian

Daily Headlines: October 25, 2010

* Bolivia: President Evo Morales said that the government will go ahead with or without a foreign partner in the production of lithium batteries.

* El Salvador: What does the information on the conflict in Iraq disclosed by WikiLeaks have to do with El Salvador's civil war?

* Latin America: The Christian Science Monitor analyzed the improved state of democracy in contemporary Latin America.

* U.S.: The Floridian convicted of killing two Chilean students last year will stand trial in April and could be sentenced to the death penalty.

Image - Scientific American ("Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the largest salt pan in the world. Beneath its crust is found the world's largest concentration of lithium, estimated at 5.4 million metric tons by the U.S. Geological Survey—or roughly half of the world's reserves.")
Online Sources - Miami Herald, The Latin Americanist, Christian Science Monitor, The Independent, CBC, BusinessWeek

World Watch: Pakistan needs help!

* Pakistan: Relief for flood-ravaged Pakistan has been slow to arrive and the humanitarian situation could worsen according to several aid agencies.

* Iraq: At least sixty people were killed when a suicide bomber exploded near a military installation in Baghdad.

* Japan: The government could consider an additional stimulus that “is likely to involve reallocating funds rather than new spending.”

* Russia: A Romanian diplomat detained and charged with spying on Russia has been ordered to leave for his native country.

Image – The Guardian
Online Sources- MSNBC, Reuters, CNN, Bloomberg,

World Watch: The cutting edge

* Ethiopia: Scientists have discovered a set of bones that may have been used to cut meat 3.4 million years ago, nearly 80,000 years earlier than previously believed.

* North Korea: World soccer governing body FIFA will investigate alleged abuses against players and the coach of North Korea’s World Cup squad.

* Pakistan: U.N. officials are seeking $460 million in international aid for thousands of victims in flood-ravaged areas of Pakistan.

* Iraq: Eleven people including eight Iraqi soldiers were killed in an attacked by presumed insurgents.

Image – The Guardian
Online Sources- Voice of America, Globe and Mail, BBC News, Bloomberg

World Watch: You only live twice

* Pakistan: Despite initial claims that he died in January it’s now been reported that Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud survived a U.S. drone attack.

* Iraq: A report by Human Rights Watch said that police routinely tortured detainees “at a secret prison outside Baghdad”.

* Asia: The leaders of India and Pakistan met on Thursday and vowed to dialogue with the goal of improving relations.

* Belgium: The lower house of parliament approved a bill that would ban women from wearing burkas.

Image – Al Jazeera English
Online Sources- AP, BBC News, MSNBC, Reuters

World Watch: Fly me away

* Europe: Restrictions on air travel in Europe will be gradually lifted starting on Tuesday though massive ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano continues to be up in the sky.

* Iraq: The Iraqi army has been credited with killing two senior Al-Qaeda leaders over the weekend.

* U.K.: Could Liberal Democrat candidate Nick Clegg provide an upset in upcoming elections for British Prime Minister?

* Zimbabwe: On the thirtieth anniversary of Zimbabwean independence President Robert Mugabe tossed aside irony and called for his countrymen to refrain from violence.

Image – The Telegraph (“The departures board at Heathrow Airport.”)
Online Sources- Xinhua, Christian Science Monitor, Guardian UK, CNN

World Watch: Why did the Cheonan sink?

* South Korea: South Korean officials are unsure what caused the explosion that on Friday sunk a naval ship near North Korean waters.

* Zimbabwe: It’s stunning that of the very few items that government leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe can agree on one of them would be the suppressing of gay rights.

* Iraq: Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi appears to have won Iraq’s parliamentary elections by a razor-thin margin.

* Russia: Now it’s official – the U.S. and Russia agreed to a nuclear arms reduction agreement.

Image – MSNBC (“South Korean naval ship Cheonan in an undated picture.”)
Online Sources- Guardian UK, BBC News, Times Online, New Zealand Herald

Weekend World Watch: Seven and fifty

* World: Marches were held around the U.S. on Saturday in protest of the seventh anniversary of the military invasion of Iraq while South Africans are preparing to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre.

* Europe: Outrage over sex abuse scandals in countries like Ireland and Germany continue to put pressure on Pope Benedict XVI.

* Russia: Approximately fifty rallies were held nationwide as part of a "Day of Anger" against the Russian government’s economic policies.

* France: French officials have egg on their face after mistaking five Catalan firefighters on vacation for a group of ETA separatists.

Image – Guardian UK (“The day that changed the course of South African history: on 21 March 1960, police opened fire on thousands of unarmed protesters, killing 69 people. The massacre sparked decades of armed struggle and forced the world to confront apartheid Photograph: Corbis.”)
Online Sources- Washington Post, BBC News, Times Online, Reuters, New York Times

World Watch: Another natural disaster

* Asia: Disaster teams from several Asian countries are heading towards Fiji after an untold number of deaths due to Cyclone Tomas.

* Sri Lanka: Is Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war finally over?

* Iraq: Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi holds a slim lead in parliamentary elections over current PM Nouri al-Maliki.

* Russia: The U.N. has blasted environmental problems in construction projects for the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.

Image – ABC Online (“There is significant damage to schools and hospitals and dozens of homes have been destroyed” as a result of Cyclone Thomas hitting Fiji.)
Online Sources- Guardian UK, BBC News, Times Online, ABC Online

World Watch: Revelations

* U.K.: A British court ordered the release of intelligence information related to a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who claimed that he was tortured.

* Iraq: Officials have ordered the expulsion of 250 people linked to security firm Blackwater.

* Ukraine: Former Prime Minister Victor Yanukovich appears to have won Ukraine’s presidential election.

* Afghanistan: At least 165 people died as a result of a series of avalanches.

Image – MSNBC ("Former Guantanamo detainee Binyam Mohamed in a picture taken in London in 2000, prior to his detention.")
Online Sources- Reuters, Guardian UK, CNN, BBC News

World Watch: The not-so-beautiful game

* Togo: Africa's ruling soccer body banned Togo from the next two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments after the national team withdrew last month when gunmen attacked them.

* Israel: A pair of senior Israeli officers were "disciplined" with regards to the January 2009 military offensive on Gaza.

* U.K.: In a move seen as an attempt to attract conservative Anglicans opposed to opening the Church to gays and women, Pope Benedict XVI will visit Britain later this year.

* Iraq: At least 54 people died near the Iraqi capital of Baghdad after a suicide bomber targeted Shiite pilgrims.

Image – BBC Sport
Online Sources- BBC Sport, The Latin Americanist, Guardian UK, MSNBC, New York Times

World Watch: Nap Time

* World: According to a study carried out by U.S. researchers chronic sleep deprivation cannot be resolved by a night or two of very good sleeping.

* Iraq: A court sentenced eleven suspects to death over their role in a series of 2008 bombings that killed over 100 people.

* Sudan: Tensions have escalated ahead of national elections after the military and rebels clashed in the region of Darfur.

* Iran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has blamed the U.S. and Israel in the recent death of a prominent Iranian scientist and professor.

Image – CBC
Online Sources- UPI, BBC News, Voice of America, Reuters

Weekend World Watch: Trial and error?

* U.S.: Controversy has erupted after Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the criminal trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be held in New York City.

* China: At least forty people have died and thousands were left homeless in areas of China including the capital of Beijing as a result of heavy snowfall.

* Ethiopia: “Ethnic-Somali rebels” have reportedly killed a "significant number" of Ethiopian troops and taken over several towns.

* Iraq: British officials are looking into allegations of over 30 new cases of prisoner abuse in Iraq since 2003 including rape and torture.

Image – Guardian UK (“The rubble of the World Trade Center smolders after the 9/11 terrorist attack.”)
Online Sources- The Telegraph, Reuters, BBC News, Los Angeles Times

World Watch: Hunger to live

* World: There are over one billion people with not enough food to eat as prices are too high in developing countries according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

* Afghanistan: U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry has reportedly opposed plans for a troop increase of up to 40,000 soldiers.

* Iraq: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be called to testify at a public inquiry into Britain’s role in the Iraq War.

* Europe: The region’s third-largest air carrier is expected to form after British Airways agreed to buy Spain’s Iberia.

Image – Guardian UK (“A boy looks at corn, rice and millet at the food market in Maradi, Niger.”).
Online Sources- MSNBC, BBC News, Reuters, Bloomberg

World Watch: The filth and the fury

* South Africa: A judge postponed the trial of four white ex-university students who filmed a shocking video of five black workers eating food that had been urinated upon.

* Iraq: At least 155 people died as a result of a series of bombings on Sunday which have been blamed by Prime Minister Nouri Maliki on Al-Qaeda militants.

* Europe: The war crimes trial of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karodic at The Hague is expected to start on Tuesday “with or without” his presence.

* World: According to a U.N. human rights official, women and gays worldwide tend to be unfairly “caught between being victims of extremist groups and victims of counter-terrorism measures.”

Image- AFP (“The video drew massive anger after it was leaked last year.”)
Online Sources- MSNBC, csmonitor.com, BBC News, Reuters