G8 and the financial reform

The leaders of the G8 major industrialised nations have agreed to hold a summit with other states to discuss global financial reform. They have also agreed to reopen world trade negotiations that collapsed earlier this year.

The move follows a call by UK PM Gordon Brown, ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, to rebuild the IMF to help regulate the world's financial systems. Meanwhile shares fell across the world amid fears of recession.In a joint statement, the G8 leaders said that changes had to be made to the "regulatory and institutional regimes for the world's financial sectors to remedy deficiencies exposed by the current crisis".

The amazing thing about them is that they expect the people who have nothing to do with all this mess to pay in the end. These G8 are the ones who control and created this financial disaster ignoring as usual the needs of the simple people, all they care for is the ...stock holders!!!

7 Years Since 9/11

It was 7 years ago that we watched live the apocalypse toppling over NYC. Of course, the images that struck and shocked one the most were the ones of anonymous bodies publicly jumping from a burning hell made of steel, concrete and horrifying flames into death, from the 80th, 90th or 105th floors of the Twin Towers.

But 2001 marked also the start of the Bush Jr. Era early that year, with the president's popularity among the American people rising incredibly short after the 9/11 events.

Of course, the "War Against Terrorism" that followed led to that place that we know so well where... hundreds of thousands more died and despotism reigns. Now the American elections are near, and hopefully (the whole world hopes that) there is a chance to rethink both priorities and methods.

9/11/2008, a day for... deep reflection!

Blaming USA

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the US of provoking the conflict in Georgia, possibly for domestic election purposes.

Mr. Putin told CNN US citizens were “in the area” during the conflict over South Ossetia and were “taking direct orders from their leaders”. He said his defense officials had told him the provocation was to benefit one of the US presidential candidates. The White House dismissed the allegations as “not rational”.

And of course US blames Russia for …Kosovo!!!

Ovi today

American National Security in the Age of Insecurity: 3/5 by Dr. Habib Siddiqui
Part three: Is It Possible to Find Common Grounds for Global Security with Dar al-Islam?

On the Truthfulness of Sports by Alexandra Pereira
This is not even a matter of taking sports too seriously, but giving them the dignity they should have instead, realising the role of fairness as an athlete scores another point or crosses the finishing line. Fair-play, you know…

Le Reve Brise d’Hillary Clinton by Europe & Us
En prenant pour colistier le sénateur du Delaware Joe Biden, Barack Obama a définitivement anéanti le rêve de ceux qui nourrissaient encore l’espoir d’une seconde place pour Hillary Clinton.

Earth Trail Gold — A Song by Christopher Wilkinson
At this time of juncture, a cusp in the stars, a chasm of hope and fear, I wrote Earth Trail Gold. It addresses the mothers of the world to take their power and reclaim the power they do hold…

Madonna kicks off world tour

Madonna has begun her latest world tour in Cardiff, unveiling a stage show that involved 250 crew, £1m of jewellery, 16 dancers and eight costume changes.

And now my question does it include any …music? I doubt!!!

More money because of …Georgia!!!

The Finnish Defense Minister Jyri Häkämies called for more military spending as a response to the Georgian crisis. He said the Defense Forces budget should be raised by 50 million Euros a year.

Former opposition leader Eero Heinäluoma of the SDP said increasing material expenditures is no solution to the Georgian crisis. He said the money would be better spent on health and eldercare.

Why? Is he afraid that Russians will invade Finland to defend the poor Russian immigrants who immigrated for a better life? These Finns have real problem with Russians, it’s just it is in their mind and they don’t need to spend money in weapons but in a good psychiatric!

Beijing Olympic finale

The Beijing Games draw to a close on Sunday after what many have described as one of the best Olympics ever held.

China, having beaten the United States to top the medals table, will hand the Olympic flag to the 2012 hosts London at a closing ceremony from 1300 BST. Kenya's Sammy Wanjiru won the men's marathon on the final day.

Let’s see how long it will take till we find out what really happened in this Olympic games of fraud, drugs, corruption and deception!

Ovi today

Filling the gap by Thanos Kalamidas
And his name is... Joe Biden and it was like hell for all of us who don't live in the States, not very familiar with the name and the background to find out who Biden, Mr. Joe Biden is.

Just Four Years to Go by Clint Wayne
As the immensely encapsulating Beijing Olympics draw to a close there is a real sense of anticipation and feelgood factor presently sweeping Great Britain as the 2012 London Games become a step nearer.

Humanitarian boats to Gaza in trouble by Gush Shalom
Gush Shalom calls upon the government to let peace boats reach Gaza - Message from the ships mentions electronic jamming hurting vital systems.

"Some Bodies", "I Had A Heat Attack" & "Green Tea" by G. David Schwartz
"The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth." - Jean Cocteau

Zimbabwe inflation rockets to 11,250,000%

The rate of inflation in Zimbabwe jumped to just over 11,250,000% in June, official figures show. "It gained 9,035,045.5 percentage points from the May rate of 2,233,713.4%," said state media quoting the Central Statistical Office (CSO). However, experts believe the actual rate of inflation may be much higher.

Zimbabwe is in the midst of a dire economic crisis with unemployment at almost 80%, most manufacturing at a halt and basic foods in short supply.

High money supplies have also been fuelling hyperinflation. Critics have accused Africa's caricature dictator Robert Mugabe's government of printing money to finance his election campaign and prop up the economy. Month-on-month inflation in the country accelerated to 839.3% from 433.4%.

Mugabe must go soon, today …yesterday!

How to turn the cold war into …the cool war!!!

NATO foreign ministers have said there will be "no business as usual" with Russia, as they urged Moscow to pull its troops out of Georgia immediately. The declaration followed emergency talks in Brussels about the conflict with Georgia over its breakaway region of South Ossetia.

Some Russian troops have been seen leaving the Georgian town of Gori. But Georgia's interior ministry dismissed the move as a "show aimed at creating the illusion of a withdrawal".

Are they serious or they are joking? How do they mean this …no business as usual? What was ever …usual in the relationship between NATO and Russia?

Ovi today

Musharraf's end game by Thanos Kalamidas
The first one has gone and it was about time. Pakistan's dictator Pervez Musharraf resigned under the pressure of facing charges. Obviously he proved to have a bit of brain and just like Pinochet a few years ago he chose to leave power graciously.

The Anger, the Longing, the Hope by Gush Shalom
One of the wisest pronouncements I have heard in my life was that of an Egyptian general, a few days after Anwar Sadat's historic visit to Jerusalem.

Photography By Mari Hokkanen by Alexandra Pereira
Mari Hokkanen (b. 1979) is a fantastic young Finnish female photographer: talented, original and technically skilled. Mari appreciates nostalgic places or environments where she feels she can start telling a story.

South Ossetia: The Guns of August by Rene Wadlow
As the eyes of much of the world was focused on the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing on 8/8/08, Georgian troops moved into the province of South Ossetia to restore Georgian control.

Ovi today

Tanzanian hopes, human sacrifices by Thanos Kalamidas
Magic has found its way again in Tanzania. Despite the state’s laws people are killing albinos once again.

The Train They Call the City Of New Orleans by Christopher Wilkinson
New Orleans is sinking. I’m thinking about my country — America — its people and its pride. I do believe in the principles my country stands for.

2nd Opinion #56 by Thanos K & Asa B
He is bad …really bad! Seriously, I think you’ll need a second opinion after this.

“never in my life” by Bohdan Yuri
“The crown of literature is poetry. It is its end and aim. It is the sublimest activity of the human mind. It is the achievement of beauty and delicacy. The writer of prose can only step aside when the poet passes.” - W. Somerset Maugham

Mugabe’s …democracy

“One of them grabbed my arm and flung me to the ground... They dragged me by my hair to where my husband was lying and they trussed us up with ropes lying on the gravel."

That’s how Mugabe’s supporters understand democracy!!!

Go hang

A spokesman for Zimbabwean dictator and caricature Hitler, Robert Mugabe has rejected Western criticism of the country's disputed presidential run-off election.

At an African Union summit in Egypt, George Charamba said the West had no basis to speak about the situation - and can "go hang a thousand times".

Zanu-PF's Robert Mugabe said he had won the vote, boycotted by the opposition.

Little prick, you are lucky I’m totally against the capital punishment otherwise I would like to explain to you who should go and …hang and why!!!

Ovi today

George Russell: The Song of the Greater Life by Rene Wadlow
George Russell (1867-1935) helped create agricultural cooperatives in Ireland after Independence as part of a larger aim of spiritual awakening to a greater life.

And that was June 2008... by The Ovi Team
What have we learnt during the month of June? Well, Spain is the best European football team, Robert Mugabe is crazier than ever, Obama is the Democrat nominee, Bill Gates doesn't have a job and eight-year-old party invitations are newsworthy.

Let's Talk About Guns! by Leah Sellers
Imagine rootin' tootin' pistol packin' mamas and papas strolling the neighborhoods with their children and squeaky baby carriages, shopping at grocery stores, with hip and shoulder holsters and pistols strapped to their well-intentioned bodies.

2nd Opinion #53 by Thanos K & Asa B
He is bad ...really bad! Seriously, I think you'll need a second opinion after this.

Robert Mugabe subdued in victory

Ovi today

The Politics of Philosophy within Neo-Conservatism in the US by Emanuel L. Paparella
To understand the mind-set of neo-conservatism in America, one needs to examine the origins of the classical, rationalistic, esoteric philosophy of the school of Leo Strauss at Chicago University.

Mugabe: Africa's serial killer by Thanos Kalamidas
Supporters of Robert Mugabe show their power by beating people in cities and villages of Zimbabwe, people who didn't go to vote or people who showed their support to the opposition, even people who were quiet in the name of their family's peace.

L’avenir de l’Union européenne ne s’inscrit plus dans les traités by Newropeans-Magazine
Le Non des irlandais n’en finit pas de faire pleurer les chaumières oui-ouistes européennes.

"desert sands" by Bohdan Yuri
"I would as soon write free verse as play tennis with the net down." - Robert Frost

Pakistan Taleban execute spies

Militants in Pakistan have carried out what officials have called a "public execution" of two Afghans before thousands of cheering supporters.

The pair was alleged to have helped an American missile strike that killed 14 people in a border village last month. Correspondents say that the brazen nature of the killings - one man was decapitated and another shot - show the Taliban’s growing power. The deaths took place in the Bajaur tribal agency near the Afghan border.

American spies? That sounds like they cover their failures with innocent but then what more to expect from religious freaks?

Clinton and Obama rally in Unity

Hillary Clinton is to join Barack Obama at a rally - their first public event since she pulled out of the race to be the Democratic presidential candidate.

The rally in Unity, New Hampshire, is seen as an opportunity for party supporters to come together after the divisive primary battle. The event follows a joint dinner in Washington where Mr. Obama offered help to clear Mrs. Clinton's campaign debts. Mrs. Clinton is expected to back Mr. Obama's White House bid at the rally.

At least!!!

Mugabe votes …Mugabe

Voting is reported to have got off to a slow start in Zimbabwe's run-off presidential election in which Robert Mugabe is the only candidate.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the contest because of violence against his supporters. He told them that if they had to vote to protect themselves from attacks to do so, but described the day as "a shameful humiliation" for the country.

Mugabe ignored calls from world leaders to postpone the poll. Foreign ministers for the Group of Eight nations (G8) meeting in Japan said they could not accept the legitimacy of a Zimbabwe government "that does not reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people". US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said they would consult other members of the UN Security Council to see what "next steps" might need to be taken.

That’s how caricature Africa’s Hitler understands democracy!!!

Ovi today

Voices and legality by Thanos KalamidasThe Iranian government condemned the new EU sanctions against Teheran over the uranium enrichment program as illegal and this raises the question what is legal and what illegal.

Nice Beavers! by Clint Wayne
As a self-confessed 'Wildlife Freak', it was with great interest that I watched this week's BBC News report detailing the formation of a Beaver dam and the possible breeding success of two Beavers released under licence here in the UK.

Missile defence system, did Lithuanians betrayed Poland? by Newropeans-Magazine
Probably most of you heard about the anti-missile defence plan for Europe. In short anti-missile radar should be deployed in the Czech Republic, and an interceptor base in Poland.

Cyprus report by Euro Reporter
Euro Reporter finds itself on Cyprus today.

Enjoying Life in Another Way

Life can be very busy if you let it be so, but once you make yourself relax, and sit down at a small round wooden table in a cosy coffee shop located in the city centre where you can still find your own inner peace, watching the steam rising up from the cup, enjoying the strong coffee smell mixed with chocolate and sweets, while the air is so clean and warm inside that you can feel the notes dancing on your skin when the music flows in the room gently, people are talking in different languages which are so pleasant that you even find it rhymes with the music in a special way, at that moment, you could drift into your own world...

By Frances Zheng

Mandela, Mugabe is a failure

Former South African leader Nelson Mandela has added his voice to the growing international condemnation of the political violence in Zimbabwe.

In his first public comments about the crisis, he noted "the tragic failure of leadership" of President Robert Mugabe. Southern African leaders earlier called for Friday's run-off presidential vote to be postponed because conditions did not permit a free and fair election.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has urged foreign help to end the crisis. Speaking at a dinner in London to mark his 90th birthday, Mr. Mandela said: "We watch with sadness the continuing tragedy in Darfur. Nearer to home we have seen the outbreak of violence against fellow Africans in our own country and the tragic failure of leadership in our neighboring Zimbabwe."

Now time to do something serious, Mugabe’s cell is awaiting!

Ovi today

Torturing Aristotle by Thanos Kalamidas
Today is International Day in Support of Torture Victims and Thanos asks whether there is any way to identify the meaning of the word 'torture'.

Impasse by Luis Alves
Os últimos eventos políticos vêm confirmar que o processo de regionalização português não deve estar excessivamente dependente do sistema político-partidário, sob o risco de ser eternamente adia

Life Undercover #79 by Thanos K & Asa B
It is time to change the sheets... our inquisitive duvet-loving hero has some female company now asking the great questions of life, religion and the universe.

"Letter from the Warmer Regions" by Jan Sand
"There is as much difference between good poetry and fine verses, as between the smell of a flower-garden and of a perfumer's shop." - Augustus William Hare and Julius Charles Hare

Mugabe’s real face

A Harare journalist says he has seen militiamen loyal to President Robert Mugabe chopping off people's hands and breaking their fingers to prevent them from voting in Friday's runoff.

His story speaks to a larger violence that has wracked the African nation since April. The 23-year-old woman in Harare, Zimbabwe, said she could talk, but only briefly. It was 3:30 p.m. there and she had to be home before the 6 p.m. curfew, she said.

"I should be home in an hour, hour and a half. If I'm not home by then, it means trouble," she said Tuesday. Zimbabweans are accustomed to violence, but the beatings and bloodshed have been epidemic since early April, days after opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai pushed longtime President Robert Mugabe into a runoff election for the nation's top post.

Tsvangirai dropped out of the race this week, citing intimidation and vote-rigging. He is now in hiding at the Dutch Embassy, uncertain like most Zimbabweans whether the violence would continue. Zimbabweans and outside observers say militias loyal to Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) have engaged in intimidation tactics designed to deter Tsvangirai's supporters from casting ballots.

The real face of a monster called Mugabe!

Burma blocks emergency telecoms

Two teams of foreign aid workers dedicated to delivering emergency telecoms in disaster areas have been forced to leave cyclone-hit Burma.

The members of Telecoms Sans Frontieres (TSF) left the country after attempts to reach affected areas were blocked. The charity, which described the situation as "unprecedented", said it had no other choice but to leave. TSF finally reached Burma on 1 June after waiting nearly a month to be granted visas to enter the country.

The worst cyclone that has hit Burma is the dictatorship and the dead are countless!

Obama helps Clinton with debt

Sen. Barack Obama has asked top contributors to help his former rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Hillary Clinton, retire her debt, an Obama campaign source said Tuesday.

Obama did not direct members of his National Finance Committee to contribute to Clinton's campaign, the source said, but asked them to do so if they were so inclined. Clinton suspended her campaign and endorsed Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination this month.

She has amassed a campaign debt of about $22 million, but about $12 million of that is money the New York senator loaned to the campaign herself. Individual donors can contribute $2,300 to individual candidates. Clinton and Obama have scheduled a joint campaign appearance Friday in Unity, New Hampshire.

Obama said Tuesday that he had spoken with Clinton by phone earlier in the day as well as on Sunday. "We had a good conversation," he said. "We're looking forward to seeing each other tomorrow and campaigning on Friday."

Nothing worse than an opponent who feels sorry for you!!!

Berlusconi bill

Italy's Senate has passed legislation which opponents of PM Silvio Berlusconi say is designed to help him in his legal battles with the nation's courts. The bill would freeze some long-running trials for a year, including one involving Mr. Berlusconi in Milan.

And the government is set to introduce another bill that will give top public figures immunity from prosecution. Mr. Berlusconi has faced corruption charges in the courts for many years but has always protested his innocence. The prime minister argues he has long been a victim of politically-biased judges and prosecutors. Although Mr. Berlusconi was found guilty in one corruption case, the verdict was overturned on appeal and other cases were dismissed under statutes of limitation.

Now we know why he became PM, to legalize his corruption!

Toxic fears for Senegal recyclers

Senegal urgently needs to decontaminate areas in and by the capital, Dakar, where hundreds of people have been exposed to lead poisoning, the UN says.

The warning followed a World Health Organization investigation into the deaths of a number of children in an area where lead batteries are recycled. It found very high concentrations of the toxic metal both outside and inside homes in Thiaroye Sur Mer town.

The WHO said many children showed evidence of neurological damage. The health officials say those affected break apart car batteries to resell the lead. About 950 people living in the Dakar district of NGagne Diaw were continuously exposed through ingestion and inhalation of lead-contaminated dust, the WHO said.

What comment can you do when they poison earth?

US to ignore Zimbabwe poll result

The US will not recognize the outcome of Friday's presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe, a senior state department official has said.

Robert Mugabe could not claim a legitimate victory amid the current campaign of violence against the opposition. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from the poll, but Mugabe says the vote will go ahead. Southern African leaders are to meet to discuss the crisis on Wednesday.

Mugabe, Africa’s caricature Hitler must go now!

Ovi today

American Politics, Terrorism and Islam: Part 5 by Dr. Habib Siddiqui
Soon after capturing power in 1917 the Bolshevik party started behaving as a mafia-like organization where, according to Russian historian Yuri Felshtinsky, "almost no one died by a natural cause."

Scandals and Media ...in Greek by Dimitra Karantzeni
Dimitra's thoughts on the latest events and scandals and how the Greek media present them ...all in Greek!

A Swiss Army Book by Asa Butcher
Do you know what a 'Layter' signifies? What about a 'Yan' or a Yan-a-Bumfit? Come now, it is quite simple for those addicted to 'Ducks and Drakes'!

Belgian report by Euro Reporter
Euro Reporter is off to Belgium, so I'd better not waffle on...

Taliban’s drug holy business

The Taliban made an estimated $100m in 2007 from Afghan farmers growing poppy for the opium trade, the United Nations says.

Antonio Maria Costa, head of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), said the money was raised by a 10% tax on farmers in Taleban-controlled areas. The UN estimates last year's poppy harvest was worth $1bn.

Mr. Costa said the Taleban made even more money from other activities related to the opium trade.

I presume they were blessing and pray to Allah before spreading death!

Ovi today

Mugabe must go by Thanos Kalamidas
Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai announced that his party is pulling out from the elections stating that this election will not be fair and free, yet he automatically hands victory to Mugabe!

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Don't sit here or you could be beaten by Linda Lane
I stopped a fight between 15 men at 3am in Dhaka Airport, over one man wanting to sit in the seats pictured. These were the only comfortable seats left in the room where one could conceivably have a nap.

Bush Fait Ses Adieux a l'Europe by Europe & Us
Ce fut davantage une visite protocolaire qu’une tournée d’adieux chargée en émotions. A cinq mois des élections présidentielles américaines...

Lift Spirits #06 by Thanos K & Asa B
Lift doors slide open, you enter, press the button and then face that awkward proximity to a stranger... perhaps this will lift your spirit./too

Tsvangirai Seeks Refuge in Dutch Embassy

Zimbabwe's opposition presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai was taking refuge at the Dutch Embassy in Harare this Monday. Tsvangirai had affirmed on Sunday that a "free and fair election was impossible".

Dutch authorities in the Netherlands announced that Tsvangirai had been asked by members of his own party, the MDC, if the Dutch Embassy could provide him with protection and security for now. "We, of course, gave him the opportunity to hide" the Dutch spokesman said.

The MDC denounced a raid of the police on its offices during which 60 people were arrested, including women and children, and taken to be "questioned". "The government will act on anyone, anywhere who is thought to be contravening the laws of the country," a spokesman of Mugabe declared, in order to justify such action, adding that the people taken will be questioned by the police on their claims of being... victims of political violence!!

Goodness... any bigger contradiction? I don't know why, but they don't seem the right people to "question" them on THAT!!!

Bishops in gay parade

Conservative Anglican leaders have opened talks in Jerusalem on the future of the Church with criticism of its leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Archbishops of Nigeria and Uganda attacked his failure to discipline the US Episcopal Church for consecrating an openly gay bishop in 2003. The 300 bishops are meeting to discuss the future of the worldwide Anglican Communion, amid fears of a split. Many of them say liberals are rewriting the Bible to fit modern trends.

Are we going to see bishops in the gay parade?

Criticism mounts on Zimbabwe

International criticism is mounting on Zimbabwe after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of a presidential run-off because of pre-poll violence.

Zambia's leader Levy Mwanawasa, who heads a regional bloc, said a vote held in current conditions would be an "embarrassment" to the region. The US urged UN action over President Robert Mugabe's "illegitimate" regime.

Zimbabwe's ruling party said opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai had withdrawn from the poll to avoid "humiliation".

Africa’s caricature dictator, Robert Mugabe has to go NOW!

Ovi today!

Tony Judt on the West's Misremembering of its History by Emanuel L. Paparella
Tony Judt, as the consummate engaged historian that he is, has recently written another book on the lessons of history. It is a collection of brilliant essays meant as a reprimand to the liberals who "acquiesced in President Bush's catastrophic foreign

iBite by Thanos Kalamidas
iBite is a snappy selection of news from around the world accompanied by a cynical, albeit humourous, comment from Mr T. Kalamidas.

Hungarian Report by Euro Reporter
Hungary is this day's the Euro-reporter with some EU, some role models and a gay parade.

ShowBizz #41 by Thanos K & Asa B
An arrogant rooster, a sycophant pig, a wiseass dog and an intelligent tortoise are just some of the stars of Thanos and Asa's Show Bizz

Ferry hit by typhoon

Fears are growing for more than 700 people on board a ferry which has capsized in the central Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Fengshen.

The ship has been out of radio contact for more than 24 hours and gale force winds are hampering rescue efforts. Officials on a nearby island have reported three survivors. They also said four bodies had been recovered.

The Red Cross estimates some 155 people have died across the country in floods and landslides caused by the storm. The Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo, has demanded an explanation as to why the ferry was allowed to leave port on Friday despite warnings that a typhoon was about to hit.

FYROM’s murderer

Police in FYROM have arrested a journalist on suspicion that he is behind three murders he reported on.

The journalist, Vlado Taneski, is accused of raping, torturing and killing three elderly women in the south-western town of Kicevo. FYROM police began to suspect him after he included details in his reports that they had not made public.

Other men have reportedly already been convicted of the first two murders. The third was committed last month. Mr. Taneski, 56, has not yet been charged with any offence, police said. They allege that he kidnapped and abused the women before cutting them into pieces and dumping them in plastic bags.

I suppose he reported the truth and only the …truth! So except human and drugs trafficking another talent raises in FYROM!

Ovi today

Interview with a Finnish Conscientious Objector Made Prisoner by Alexandra Pereira
During the first two days I was held in a Prison building that is condemned by the European Council because it does not fulfill all the human rights requirements. It was during the wintertime. I was cold and shivering under the blanket.

Islam and Terrorism - Is there a relation? by Dr. Habib Siddiqui
These days Islam is equated with terrorism. There is little doubt that this mendacious campaign against Islam has gotten a tremendous boost after 9/11. Who can also forget the images of the "suicide bombers" in the Occupied Palestine?

Mbeki: A mediator that failed by Thanos Kalamidas
If there is a chance for a civil war in Zimbabwe the time is very close and if somebody has part of the responsibility then it will be Zimbabwe's appointed mediator, the president of South Africa Thabo Mbeki.

"compromise" by Bohdan Yuri
"I don't create poetry, I create myself, for me my poems are a way to me." - Edith Södergran

Mugabe the psycho!

Robert Mugabe has accused the opposition of lying about political violence in the country to cast doubt on forthcoming polls.

The opposition says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed and many more beaten in the run-up to next week's presidential run-off election. He also said the opposition MDC would never be allowed to run the country and that "only God" could remove him.

The MDC is due to decide on Monday whether to contest the run-off. Speaking at a campaign rally in the southern city of Bulawayo on Friday, Mugabe told supporters: "We will never allow an event like an election reverse our independence, our sovereignty." Mugabe repeated his accusation that the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was acting in the interest of Britain, the former colonial power, and other Western countries.

The man is definitely a psycho and perhaps a cell in a psychiatric clinic will be the best solution!

Ovi today!

Happy Summer? by Asa Butcher
How much longer do I have to suffer the frustrations of summer? Personally I prefer winter because you know what you are going to get and therefore will not be disappointed when presented with yet another cloudy day.

An Apology by Gush Shalom
This week, the Prime Minister of Canada made a dramatic statement in Parliament: he apologized to the indigenous peoples of his country for the injustices done to them for generations by successive Canadian governments.

"Sea Note" by Jan Sand
"Poetry is ordinary language raised to the nth power. Poetry is boned with ideas, nerved and blooded with emotions, all held together by the delicate, tough skin of words." - Paul Engle

Four scandals and a funeral (in Greek) by Thanos Kalamidas
Some thought for the latest events in Greece, all in ...Greek

Rape a …war tactic

The UN Security Council has voted unanimously in favor of a resolution classifying rape as a weapon of war.

The document describes the deliberate use of rape as a tactic in war and a threat to international security. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said violence against women had reached "unspeakable proportions" in some societies recovering from conflict.

The UN is also setting up an inquiry to report next June on how widespread the practice is and how to tackle it. Human-rights group hailed the resolution as historic.

Ki-moon doing something right?

Sarkozy warns EU expansion

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the European Union will not be able to expand further without ratification of the Lisbon treaty.

An EU summit in Brussels has been overshadowed by divisions over the reform treaty - which was rejected by Irish voters in a referendum last week. A decision on what to do next is expected to be postponed until October. The EU leaders, who continue talks on Friday, did agree to scrap diplomatic sanctions against Cuba imposed in 2003.

That’s a …thought, but the reason the Irish rejected the treaty wasn’t just the expansion but a seriously ill EU!

Ovi today

The challenge by Thanos Kalamidas
At this very moment more than forty million people all around the world have become refugees escaping from their homes, which is why we need days such as World Refugee Day.

In Darfur, Minnesota, Another Kind of Siege by Doug McGill
Every once in a while, someone in this tiny speck of a prairie town catches sight of a "Save Darfur!" poster in a magazine or a newspaper, or on the flickering TV at the Darfur Lounge on main street.

How Bizarre! by Asa Butcher
Browsing the news daily we often miss these little bits of news at the bottom of the page. They are often funny, sometimes weird, and they give us a new perspective on life, so here's the first of a new column series: How Bizarre!

Italian report by Euro Reporter
Euro-reporter travels to Italy, surviving tuna fish nets and getting ready for a bite into a pizza with the name ...Berlusconi special!!!

Bush at No 10

US President George Bush is meeting British PM Gordon Brown for formal talks at Downing Street, on the second day of his two-day visit to the UK.

The two are set to focus on the Middle East, oil and food prices. Mr. Bush arrived at No 10 after breakfast talks with ex-prime minister Tony Blair. The trip is part of Mr. Bush's final European tour before he leaves office. On Sunday Mr. Bush also met the Queen. His arrival in London was greeted by hundreds of anti-war demonstrators.

I just hope he realized that Brown is not called Tony! But then again …does it matter?

EU meeting on Irish No

European Union foreign ministers are gathering in Luxembourg for talks on how to respond to the Irish rejection of the Lisbon reform treaty.

Voters in the Irish Republic, the only state to hold a referendum on Lisbon, rejected the treaty by 53.4% to 46.6% last Thursday. The treaty cannot be implemented unless approved by all 27 EU states. But the majority of EU members agree that those who have yet to ratify the treaty should carry on and do so.

They knew it before happen, didn’t they? So why the panic now?

Ovi today!

Dead Parrot? by Clint Wayne
The Irish nation has spoken with a resounding NO. Will the masters of the European Union listen? Don't be so naive.

Barack Obama's Audacity of Hope by Emanuel L. Paparella
There's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and a white America and a Latino America and an Asian America; there's the United States of America.

Ireland Says "No" To Plan B, But Don't Worry, We Still Have Plan C, Plan D And Plan E by Europe & Us
Since the days of Shakespeare, drama is at home in English-speaking countries. So it was almost pathetic that the results of the Irish referendum about the Lisbon Treaty were announced on Friday 13th.

French report by Euro Reporter
Sarkozy and bin Laden... it can only be Euro Reporter in France.

Mugabe fights …traitors!

President Robert Mugabe has vowed that the main opposition party will never lead Zimbabwe and said he was prepared to "go to war" for his country.

He is due to face Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, in a 27 June run-off poll. Mr. Tsvangirai was released after being arrested for the fifth time this week. Meanwhile, deputy MDC leader Tendai Biti appeared in court in Harare, where a judge is to rule on the legality of his arrest on treason charges.

Mr. Tsvangirai has been detained several times on the campaign trail. On Saturday, he was stopped with 11 members of his party at a roadblock, the MDC said, and held at a police station for three hours. The MDC issued a statement saying that it was now clearly impossible to talk about free and fair elections.

The man who is responsible for treason against humanity talks about …traitors?

Ovi today

Hammering Concrete! by Thanos Kalamidas
A brand new exhibition from Thanos Kalamidas.

The Big Three in Asia by Valerie Sartor
Bill Emmott, the former chief editor of The Economist, presented a talk at The Beijing Bookworm about his newest book: 'Rivals: How the Power Struggle Between China, India and Japan Will Shape Our Next Decade'.

Our Global Societies' Philosopher's Stone by Leah Sellers
Alchemy is sometimes vilified because it's associated with magic. In my mind, magic is just unknown Science; just as today's science fiction is tomorrow's Science.

"Schiavo" by Jan Sand
"Each memorable verse of a true poet has two or three times the written content." - Alfred de Musset