Fear brings out the worst in us. A ladybug lands on my hand. “How cute” I think to myself and gently blow it on its way. But if a harmless spider crawls on my arm I freak. I not only flick it off but stomp on it as well. My irrational panic causes a violent, hate- [...]

Xe, the US-based security firm formerly known as Blackwater, is under investigation by the US justice department, for trying to bribe Iraqi officials.
According to the New York Times, the attempted pay-offs were made in hope of securing contracts after a deadly shooting in 2007, which eventually led to the companys expulsion.
The US justice departments fraud section opened the inquiry late last year to determine whether Blackwater [...]

At its heart, Obama’s Nobel acceptance speech reveals that even this most eloquent and reflective of presidents cannot find a new vocabulary to describe America’s relationship with, and role in, the world.
The reason is clear: such a vocabulary cannot exist in the geopolitical framework in which Obama, whatever his intentions, feels constrained to operate.
Instead, the myth of American exceptionalism must [...]

Humans are mad.  There’s no question about it – as a species we are certifiably insane.  When aliens jump in their UFOs for a joy ride, I’m sure they swing by Earth, just to have a laugh at the crazy antics of the dominant species… or perhaps they discuss our self destruction with horrified bemusement.

Frank interviews TEAR Fund International Programmes Officer Ian McInnes on his recent trip to Somaliland and Uganda, regions troubled by conflict. FInd out the challenges of working in a place like Somaliland and hear how TEAR Fund is making a difference.

The following is a great vid with a remake of a Bob Marley Song featuring musicians from various parts of the world. Fabulous!

The following is reprinted with permission from Reuters AlertNet. Images used in this article were obtained from the author and are used with permission from the author. The views expressed in this article are the author’s alone.
Through our partner in Sri Lanka, TEAR Fund is one of the few organisations with good access to those suffering through displacement.
Written by: A [...]

Sometimes when I squash a bug I think about the tiny, mysterious, irreplaceable spark of life I’ve snuffed out. Even if I could perfectly rebuild the body of the bug I couldn’t put the life back into it. But I still kill mosquitoes and wasps with extreme prejudice.
A girl I knew was so pro life she disliked walking on grass [...]

This just appeared in the Guardian UK:
Hundreds of civilians are being killed or seriously injured in artillery and gun attacks as the Sri Lankan army attempts to finish off the last Tamil Tiger rebels trapped in a shrinking pocket of land.
Injured civilians lucky enough to get out have told of carnage in this so-called “no-fire zone” – a 17 sq [...]

Article by: Ian McInnes – Country Director World Concern Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka’s three decade old conflict between the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) and the Sri Lankan Government is at its fiercest. 70,000 have already lost their lives in a separatist struggle for control of ‘Eelam’, a self-designated homeland for Tamils by the LTTE. Having lost control of the East of the [...]

The recent conflict between Georgia and Russia, centering around the breakaway Georgian region of South Ossetia, has been a perfect example of the use of propaganda in modern media, with both sides twisting stories to suit their own agendas. Sadly this has only been further exacerbated by the interjection of other states such as the U.S and other NATO members [...]

Written By Jacob Powell (Film Critic)

Reprinted with permission from Filmguide. For more reviews from the NZ Film Festival or more reviews by Jacob Powell, visit Filmguide.
Chances are you’ve seen some of the shocking photographs of torture, humiliation and death that emerged into the wild from the goings on of the American military prison in Abu Ghraib, Iraq; or at least [...]

Often in war times, woman, children and the elderly are abused and mistreated. Seen as the weakest in society, they make easy targets and the crimes committed against them amount to crimes against humanity.
Sexual violence against females, both young and old, is a dark and often unspoken method used in many current war situations. Darfur has helped to highlight this [...]