Dhobley, Somalia: A teacher writes in Arabic on a blackboard. (via Guardian)
Breaking: Somalia al-Shabab militant base of Baidoa captured
Ethiopian and Somali troops have taken a strategic stronghold of Islamist militants in south-west Somalia.
Eyewitnesses told the BBC that about 50 vehicles, including some 20 tanks, had entered Baidoa city.
The BBC’s Mohamed Dhore in the capital, Mogadishu, says Baidoa was the most important al-Shabab base after the southern city of Kismayo.
Al-Shabab, which has recently joined al-Qaeda, confirmed that it had withdrawn its forces.
The aurora borealis, or the northern lights, illuminate the sky above the village of Kraknes in northern Norway, Feb. 18. (source)
Back in London from amazing Malaysia, but looks like I will be off again very soon.
Will try to post more frequently.
Greeting and mingling with the former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamed after his keynote speech at our 9th annual forum for the development of African Charities. He is such an inspiring leader and I have witnessed for myself the reason why he was the longest serving elected PM in Malaysia (22years). This years forum has been exceptional and Malaysia far exceeding my expectations. The week is almost coming to an end.
“The elements behind these attacks were Iran and its protege, Hezbollah.”
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of being behind twin attacks on Israeli targets in India and Georgia on Monday in a move likely to further escalate tensions between the two countries and increase international pressure on the Iranian regime. (source)
Monarch butterflies hibernate at the oyamel forest in Piedra Herrada sanctuary in Temascaltepec, Mexico. Monarch butterflies every year return to these temperate woods. (source)
I admire your blog man, what kind of job do you exactly have? (That let's you travel around the world quite often.)
Asked by
kwagner
Thanks for following. As much as I enjoy blogging and being a newsaholic, unfortunately this doesn’t pay for the bills. I work for an International NGO based in the UK that has offices in 17 countries. And working in the overseas department allows me to travel frequently.
Malaysia is more beautiful than I expected.
World Press Photo of the year awarded to Samuel Aranda
The international jury of the 55th annual World Press Photo Contest announced Friday that it had selected a picture by Samuel Aranda as the World Press Photo of the Year 2011.
Jurors said the photo of a veiled woman holding a wounded relative in her arms after a demonstration in Yemen captured multiple facets of the “Arab Spring” uprisings across the Middle East last year. It was taken at a field hospital inside a mosque in Sanaa on October 15.
The winning photo was selected from 101,254 images submitted by 5,247 photographers from 124 countries. (source)
Off to beautiful Malaysia for our NGO’s annual AGM. Looking forward to meet all our African partners in one place. In the meantime I am afraid blogging will be limited. And I say I’m afraid as the Syrian crisis is getting more complicated. Islamicly speaking the prayer of travellers are accepted; so I send my prayers to the people of Syria. (Taken with instagram)
Feb. 6, 2012. A Syrian man hugs his seriously wounded brother in a house used as a hospital in Bab Amr, a southern neighborhood of Homs.
Syria is no longer sliding into war or staring at the abyss of warfare. Syria is at war. On assignment for TIME this week, photographer Alessio Romenzi risked his life documenting civilian casualties in Bab Amr, a district in the besieged city of Homs.
See more here.
Full moon rises over London: A plane passes in front of the moon as it rises over Albert Bridge on Feb. 7, 2012 in London. (source)
![reuters:
This Reuters graphic shows there have been 6,519 men, 190 women and 465 children killed in violence in Syria as of Feb. 5, 2012. The most fatalities in a single day since April of last year happened on Feb. 4, 2012 with 400 deaths reported.
The latest on Syria | Follow Reuters on Tumblr
[Graphic: REUTERS | Sources: UNITAR-UNOSAT, Syria Violence Document Center, syrianshuhada.com, syriamap.wordpress.com, news reports]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lz17ldzGvr1qmaoalo1_500.jpg)
This Reuters graphic shows there have been 6,519 men, 190 women and 465 children killed in violence in Syria as of Feb. 5, 2012. The most fatalities in a single day since April of last year happened on Feb. 4, 2012 with 400 deaths reported.
The latest on Syria | Follow Reuters on Tumblr
[Graphic: REUTERS | Sources: UNITAR-UNOSAT, Syria Violence Document Center, syrianshuhada.com, syriamap.wordpress.com, news reports]
“The regime didn’t expect us to continue our struggle against them. They didn’t think we would persist. So now it is using its last card. It is the genocide card.”
Syrian activist Karam Abu Rabea via Skype. (source)
