Russian ice dance sparks Aboriginal anger.

By Maggie Hendricks

Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin (pic) , the favorites for ice-dancing gold in Vancouver, wowed the crowds with their routine at the European Championships. They sit in the lead after their original dance, a tribute to Australian Aborigines.

Except, Aboriginal leaders don't see it as a tribute. They don't really see how it has anything to do with their culture at all.

"They have got the whole thing wrong," said Stephen Page, artistic director of the respected indigenous group, the Bangarra Dance Company. Page said there were no traditional movements in the routine, the music sounded more like it came from India or Africa than Aboriginal Australia and the body paint looked like "a three-year-old child had drawn it on"... "Probably the elders in the bush would be laughing because they would be saying, 'Look how stupid these fellas are,' " he said.

Horrors of religious violence found in Nigeria

Fri Jan 22 | JOS, Nigeria – Muslim volunteers discovered Friday that sectarian violence in central Nigeria this week extended beyond the long-restive city of Jos and into the burned shell of what used to be a small village near it.

Both Christians and Muslims died during the violence that began Sunday in the central Nigerian city once known as a prime tourist destination in West Africa.

Evidence The Pentagon Is Fighting A Religious Crusade!

(Jan 21, 09). Revelations that US troops have been using guns with a Biblical reference inscribed on part of the weapon throws the claim that their military is a secular force into question. The Pentagon has been buying scopes from a company called Trijicon for at least five years. It is South African founder started the practice three decades ago. The company has continued to insrcribe the parts ever since.

With Republican latest win - The new US bipartisan math: 41 is greater than 59

Scott Brown, a Republican upset victory in a traditionally Democrat's safe seat have change the 60:40 ratio of Democrat's majority in the US Senate.

It's not just why Scott Brown won that matters -- even more important is why it matters that Scott Brown won.

Remember, last night we went from a 60-40 Democratic majority to 59-41. On Tuesday, we had a 20-vote margin in the Senate. On Wednesday, we had an 18-vote margin.

15 political parties banned from the upcoming general election.

Aljazeera Inside Iraq - Iraq's accountability and justice commission has banned 15 political parties from running in the upcoming general election. This decision has caused a major crisis and has brought into sharp focus the fragility of the entire political process. Will the country's violence and instability increase?

Haiti aid control.

It is five days since a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, spreading fear and misery across an already fragile nation.

After a relatively slow start, US forces appear to be taking the lead in organising international aid efforts on the ground.

But there is a long way to go. Residents outside the capital complain they have been forgotten.

2,200 persons arrested in war against terrorism

Pakistan - Lahore : The security forces have arrested 2,200 persons so far in Malakand, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and other parts of the tribal areas of the country during the ongoing war against terrorism, Interior Minister A. Rahman Malik said on Saturday.

Funeral Homes Sued Over Brain in Bag

A New Mexico family is suing two funeral homes over a gruesome incident in which members unwittingly accepted a bag containing a relative's brain and only became aware of it by the odor a day later.

Funeral homes in New Mexico and Utah, where the woman died, are blaming each other for the mistake. Both have been named in the lawsuit.

UK Embassy in Yemen same story

The US and Britain have closed their embassies in Yemen, citing fears of an al-Qaeda attack.

The moves come as Washington gives the country renewed focus following the failed bombing of a US airliner on Christmas Day.

world's tallest building

Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, is set to open on Monday in Dubai amid tight security.

The 160-floor tower will be looking down at a city struggling with an economic crisis.

US embassy in Yemen closed amid terror threats.

ITN : Yemeni staff told to stay at home after terror threats following news of US UK efforts to clamp down on extremism there. Al Jazeerah said US has announce an indefinite closure of their embassy in Yemen.

Democracy in Pakistan Yet to Take Root - VOA

Two years after the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who despite threats to her life had returned to Pakistan, the political situation there can best be described as unstable and fragile. VOA's Ravi Khanna spoke recently to two Washington analysts about the situation in Pakistan in the wake of a recent Supreme Court decision to reopen corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari and some of his cabinet members.

Somalia, dozens killed over town capture.

Several people have been killed due to fighting between various different armed Somali groups each trying to take control of the central Somali town of Dhusamareb.

Dhusamareb is the capital city of Galgadud region, which is located 500 kilometers north of the Somali capital city, Mogadishu.

MACC lodges report against Pornthip

Sat, Jan 2, 2010 | SHAH ALAM: 

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has filed a police report against Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand (picture) over her statement about the possibility that Teoh Beng Hock was murdered.

MACC officer Raub Ghani, who made the report in Shah Alam this morning, claimed Pornthip had leaked the contents of her autopsy report to “irrelevant parties” and was thus in contempt of court.

Somalia Pirates Yr 2009

A controversal UN operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

A controversal operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has ended and replaced with a revised five-month mandate. The Kimya 2 operation over the past nine months has been criticised by human rights groups for supporting a Congolese army accused of rape and murders. However, army leaders have said that the mission against Hutu Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) forces in the east of the country has been a success.