Yacht hijack: should France pay the pirates?
Photo from the French military
A French luxury yacht hijacked by pirates on the coast of Somalia last Friday has highlighted a vast and growing problem in uncontrolled waters. Local bloggers explain that if the pirates get their ransom, attacks will only be encouraged. Read more...
"It's this kind of revolt that can turn into a revolution"
Protesters tear down a picture of Mubarak. Photo by Mohamed Gaber.
What was supposed to be a workers' strike turned into violent riots in north eastern Egypt on Sunday resulting in 150 arrests, around 100 injured and at least one dead. Our Observers in the country explain why. Read more...
"Putting out the flame is really going to upset the Chinese people"
The Olympic flame had to be put out for half an hour during its tour around Paris because of havoc caused by mainly pro-Tibetan protesters. ChinaWolf, who set up a YouTube channel to "defend the Chinese reputation", explains to us why he thinks the protests were unacceptable. Read more...
Bollywood singing out for condoms
A group of Indian campaigners is singing and dancing their way to the glorification of condom use. It's a crucial fight in their region, where two percent of the population is HIV positive. And the result - a Bollywood style video clip - is hilarious. Read more...
Google shares fall: is the fairy tale over?
Trend in Google's share price from 2 April 08
Google's stock price has fallen 38% from its peak last year. And, for the first time ever, the number of clicks on the California-based company's cash cow, Google Ads, have stopped climbing in the US. For some financial analysts, alarm bells are ringing. Read more...
Al Qaeda answers your questions online
Al Qaeda's number two, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has completed an open online question and answer session with the public, responding to worldwide enquirers with confirmation that the terrorist organisation does not kill innocent people; Osama bin Laden is alive and kicking; America is on the verge of collapse and that he himself is not "a big star that loves to show off and be famous". Read more...
Cristina Kirchner versus the pots and pans
Bang your pan at Evita!
"I banged my pan at Evita [reference to Eva Peron - allusion to Cristina Kirchner] ...and it felt good!"
Argentinean farmers are objecting to president Cristina Kirchner over tax increases on agricultural exports and her apparent intention to create a rift between the poor and the farmers. After three weeks of severe strikes, which have left the country paralysed, the workers have agreed to start negotiations. Read more...
"Anonymous" Israeli propaganda on YouTube
Our Observer beaten up after exposing electoral fraud
Torture is "self-defense" according to the Pentagon
In 2003 the U.S. Justice Department sent a memo to the Pentagon in which it conceived torture as a "self-defense" for the purpose of interrogating an "enemy combatant". An Iraqi deputy and a French colonel specialised in the Algerian War react to the document, declassified yesterday and published here in full. Read more...
