Al-Qaida in Yemen: Poverty, corruption and an army of jihadis willing to fight Dubbed an ‘urgent security priority’ by the US, Yemen has become a regional hub for al-Qaida. In the first of two special reports, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad meets the group’s new fighters Ghaith Abdul-Ahad in Jaar guardian.co.uk, Sunday 22 August 2010 21.30 BST Article history Armed men claiming to be al-Qaida members address a crowd in Yemen’s southern Abyan province. Photograph: AFP/Getty ImagesThe market at Jaar, a small city in Abyan province in southern Yemen, is on a filthy, dusty road strewn with garbage, plastic bottles, cans and rotten … Continue reading Al-Qaida Yemen

Catch the spirit by Zeresh It is an overwhelming feeling when people unite for a cause. When in an instant, strangers no longer remain strangers. In the last 10 days, I’ve seen Pakistan come together in ways never seen before. The Pakistani youth has risen and literally stepped out on the streets to help their countrymen affected by the flood.  It is exhilarating to think about not what they are doing as volunteers but what they will become. With as many as 20 million people affected, roadside relief camps have sprouted up by the dozen in Karachi. Students have taken … Continue reading Rising to the challenge – Pakistani youth

Nietzsche and Islam By Roy Jackson Routledge, 2007 Reviewed by Nicholas Birns, The New School As is well known, Nietzsche tended not to look upon monotheism, rationalism, or egalitarianism with favor. Yet, fascinatingly, his few references to Islam tended to be “generous” (1). Jackson does not cite any of Nietzsche’s comments. This omission, on the first page, foreshadows a major flaw of the book, which is that it is far more about Islam than about Nietzsche. Nothing new about Nietzsche per se will be learned from this book. Jackson’s sketch of Nietzsche’s life and work in the third chapter of … Continue reading Nietzsche was Muslim?

Outfoxed! Cheeky cub clambers over camera equipment and takes pictures of professional photographer This clever cub became the ultimate wildlife photographer after outfoxing a professional and taking her own picture as he was snapping her. The inquisitive five-month-old vixen was so intrigued by the camera equipment she clambered right on top of it. And while she was supposed to be the subject of the shoot, the cub stood on the shutter release button and took her own frames. An eye for a picture: Jessie the vixen cub clambers over camera equipment in her pen at New Forest Wildlife Park in … Continue reading Outfoxed?

Computers that read minds are being developed by Intel New technology could allow people to dictate letters and search the internet simply by thinking, according to researchers at Intel who are behind the project. By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent telegraph.co.uk Scientists are developing computers that can read minds Photo: ALAMY Unlike current brain-controlled computers, which require users to imagine making physical movements to control a cursor on a screen, the new technology will be capable of directly interpreting words as they are thought. Intel’s scientists are creating detailed maps of the activity in the brain for individual words which can … Continue reading Thought Crime ?

The secret behind Mona Lisa’s smile The secret of how Leonardo da Vinci produced the optical effects that created the Mona Lisa’s enigmatic smile can be revealed for the first time. By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent telegraph.co.uk Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci Photo: CORBIS Scientists have discovered how the artist managed to achieve his trademark smoky effect, known as sfumato, on the painting; by applying up to 40 layers of extremely thin glaze thought to have been smeared on with his fingers. The glaze, mixed with subtly different pigments, creates the slight blurring and shadows around the mouth that … Continue reading Mona Lisa – Secret

Dracula beats new blood to top vampire poll Twilight may be a top box office draw but old timer Dracula was voted the top screen vampire today. telegraph.co.uk Christopher Lee as Dracula (1958) The Transylvanian count proved to be top of the popularity stakes, beating characters from TV shows such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Being Human. Dracula beat the new blood to top the list in a poll commissioned by leading sci-fi and fantasy magazine SFX. The fiendish bloodsucker was memorably played by actor Christopher Lee in numerous Hammer films and revived by Gary Oldman in the 1992 … Continue reading Best Vampire is…… Dracula!

Julian Assange: WikiLeaks founder hits out at rape smears as Swedish warrant for his arrest is withdrawn Julian Assange’s supporters are quick to point the finger at American intelligence agencies and say they were expecting slurs after he posted 77,000 Afghanistan war documents online Jamie Doward and Tracy McVeigh The Observer, Sunday 22 August 2010 Article history WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Photograph: Andrew Winning/ReutersJulian Assange, the secretive founder of WikiLeaks, the website behind the biggest leak of US military documents in history, was the subject of conspiracy theories last night after prosecutors withdrew a warrant for his arrest in connection … Continue reading Julian Assange: hits out at rape smears

Breaking the taboo over the mental health crisis among Britain’s gay men Gay magazine Attitude this week explores a taboo subject – that many homosexuals suffer self-loathing, isolation and depression Tracy McVeigh The Observer, Sunday 22 August 2010 Article history Behind the thousands taking part in gay pride marches may lie blighted lives and high suicide rates. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/GettyMatthew Todd is feeling uncharacteristically nervous. “It’s a big taboo, we’re expecting it to cause quite a stir,” admits the editor of Britain’s award-winning gay lifestyle magazine, Attitude. Above the obligatory cover shot of a shirtless Adonis-type torso, this month’s mag … Continue reading Gays hate themselves?