Darfur...

Sooooo...here is yet another case of people taking religion tied with ethnicity...but a false sense of that and using it to an extreme....

The World Court is to hear the case of Darfur tomorrow...yea this is a good step...but people are still suffering immensely and no one seems to give two f-in shits....TERRIBLE...So yea the folks in Khartoum see themselves as privileged "Arabs" and the folks down south are subordinate and blah blah blah...you know the story...but man we are all freakin HUMAN lets just understand this and take care of one another and live in peace and harmony...there are a few great things in life that we can all appreciate or should be allowed to...Living, Learning and Loving are three things that make life what it is...and yea food is good, music, arts, women... and yea a whole list of things...but all of that can be summarized in those three things...

Oh yea...back to topic...so the World Court is to hear the Case of Darfur..but here's the catch...the case has been brought forth before, as have various other cases dealing with African tragedies...Mugabe was to be brought up...as was Charles Taylor and on and on and on on and on...Charles Taylor is chillin sappin on some tea somewhere...man i hate to be sooo synical...ok again back to topic....this time the case of the unlawful deaths of two humanitarian aid workers by the Janjaweed militia is to be heard....WHAT ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF DEATHS AND MILLIONS OF DISPLACED SUDANESE...man im done...gettin to wound up...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7128160.stm

"All He Has To Do is Take off That Uniform" -The Great George Bush

Soooo....the title....is a quote from Mr Bush during a press conference, when asked about Musharaf and the state of emergency in Pakistan....

Yesterday Parvez Musharaf...President of Pakistan, visited the heads of his various branches of armed forces...it was a farewell from his years as a military man...Musharaf, as of today, is a civilian, thus making him the lawful ruler of Pakistan...Musharaf joined the army at the age of 21 back in the 60's and has since then served very proudly...climbing up to the highest post and ultimately become the leader of Pakistan after the ousting of Nawaz Sharif in a bloodless coup...who was exiled but it back in Pakistan now....

Many foreign leaders have called for Musharaf to resign his army post, whereby not having it seem like some sort of military junta has been in power...we'll see where the state goes...Benazir isn't Happy, Imran Khan....yes former cricket all star is also in politics...isn't happy, lawyers aren't happy...and neither is Nawaz Sharif...oh yea and Musharaf has a rise of Islamic extremism to take care of and the growing popularity of Islamic political parties....Good Luck Pakistan!!!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16693538

British Teacher in Sudan Jailed for Naming Teddy Bear After Prophet

So listening to NPR this morning...there was the most bizarre report...a teacher in Sudan was arrested and convicted of the crime of insulting Islam and the Prophet Muhammad by naming the Classroom Teddy Bear Muhammad....yea

The teacher asked her students what they would like to name the stuffed animal...she gave them various choices ranging from Fatima, to Ali and other common Arabic names....mind you Muhammad is a very common Arab name as i have a few friends and relatives named Muhammad... and no their parents have not been jailed...the children picked the name Muhammad thus the bear was proclaimed Muhammad...

She has been found guilty but through the great work of her attorney her punishment is 10 days imprisonment followed by deportation from Sudan...she could have faced up to 15 years and 40 lashings....a tad harsh i would say...


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/29/world/main3552214.shtml?source=mostpop_story

Bush Meets Abbas and Olmert

So TODAY IS THE BIG DAY!!!

Bush met with both Abbas and Olmert separately in the white house before the actual meeting at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis...

Delegates from 40 countries joined to give their blessings...this is great...after seven years of no talks and only conflict these two neighbors are finally sitting down at the round table for formal talks...

Bush hopes to use these last 14 months or so of his presidency to achieve something...aside from two destructive wars and the loss of many civilian lives...commendable... i suppose...



http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-mideast27nov27,0,4136060.story?coll=la-home-center

Peace Summit Just Around the Corner

Good ole Condy met with Israeli and Palestinian leaders today as final preparations for the Annapolis summit begin...

Ismail Haniya will not be present at the summit and Hamas has made their feelings about this clear...this coupled with Abbas dropping Haniya as PM of the national Unity government...has really ticked Hamas off...as mentioned in the previous article...Hamas is prepared to wreak havoc and violence after the upcoming talks...

The format of first session will be involving both parties meeting separately with Bush, then later all together...hmmmm lets not hope for another Camp David...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7112457.stm

Hamas....Looking to Rain on the Parade???

So Hamas leaders have spoken out today warning of violence after the upcoming Annapolis peace talks...As mentioned before President George Bush has set up this recent round of talks between Fatah leader Abbas and Israeli Leader Olmert...

Hamas was not invited to the function and is condeming both Fatah and other Arab states for their involvement in the talks...

Hamas, based in Syria, says Israel must give back Golan heights...but doubts this will occur...various Hamas officials have spoken out warning of violence...mentioning their Qassam rockets are more powerful than ever...

Please Hamas don't ruin the possibility of peace...

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2216592,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

What Will Happen in Annapolis???

So remember back in 2000 when good ole Bill Clinton set up multilateral talks at Camp David...well the talks broke down and the another intifada broke out....pleas pleas please....lets avoid this ending for the upcoming Annapolis round of talks...

So Palestinians....what do they seek this upcoming week in Annapolis??? Its pretty simple...Abbas is seeking a state, a state to include the West Bank and Gaza along the pre 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as their capital... will this happen??? well i sure do hope so...

amongst Israel is willing to negotiate with Abbas as he has denounced Hamas and their cause...this will not only bolster Abbas' position internationally...but will further solidify his position domesticallyPalestinians...which is exactly what the US and Israel want...a moderate leader who has control and trust of his people....well we'll see what happens...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7104008.stm

Arab Leaders...Minus Saudi and Syria...Meet to Discuss Upcoming Annapolis Talks

Egyptian President, Mubarak, hosted a conference at the resort of Sharm al-Sheikh today in an attempt to prepare for the upcoming mid-east peace talks in Annapolis this upcoming week...

President Bush says he has a plan that will guarantee a Palestinian State by years end....wow ambitious...a few key Arab leaders however are not convinced...thus did not even bother showing up...

Jordan, Egypt and Palestinian leaders took part in the talks...

Syria and Saudi Arabia...two key states with lots of power in the region did not show up...Saudi is skeptical of the timeline and does not believe a Palestinian state will be established and Syria wants to put pressure on Israel over the occupied Golan Heights region...I applaud Mubarak for his efforts...hopefully this upcoming round will prove fruitful...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20071123/FOREIGN/111230063/1003

Gaza......Arafat......Fatah.....Hamas.....Rally?????

Yes, the header is confusing...as it was meant to be...today in Gaza, thousands rallied in commemoration of the death of the great Yasser Arafat, it was also meant to be a showing of support of Fatah and a rally against the occupying Hamas in Gaza...

Around a 100,000 people showed up...a significant amount of Gaza residents... i think this is a clear sign to Hamas that the people of Gaza don't agree with their tactics much and prefer peace yea??? i would say so...

New Indonesian Islamic Prophet???

So a man by the name of Ahmed Mushaddeq has started a new sect of Islam in Indonesia... a very traditional Muslim country of the simple Sunni variety...this guy has started a new sect and claims to be the next prophet and rejects Muhammad as a prophet...in face his sect rejects the basic teaching of Islam including the five pillars....

There are 40,000 or so followers of this sect but Indonesians and the Government will not take this calling it blasphemous, outrageous and false...Mushaddeq has since then turned himself into the authorities...

http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19849/al-qiyadah-al-islamiyah-2

Ministries Tax.... Yeah....Why Not

So the US congress is taking part in an investigation....6 different ministries are being investigated to see if they should pay what is being dubbed a ministries tax...

If leaders of particular ministries are found to be living too lavishly then they will be charged with a new tax...well yea absolutely...religion is non profit, brings in tons of cash and the leaders of these sects live in the lap of luxury...tax all dem lil son of a guns...


http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19832/televangelists-2

Belgium's Not Down With Scientology...

So Belgium...yes as a state....reported today that they have found Scientology to be a scam...not a religion but merely a cult that is out to get members in order to take their money...don't all religions do this...

Belgian authorities reached this conclusion after investigating their books...taxes...

They are deterring people from joining this cult as to not be scammed...

Belgium is a predominately catholic country and they prefer their folks be scammed by the Vatican...not Celebrities...fair enough...


http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19815/scientology-43

Burma Frees Democracy Activists

So yeah we all heard about the hoopla in Yangon and parts of Mandalay in September...46 people were arrested during these protests...mind you it was all done very peacefully...by monks...no one burned themselves alive or nothing...it was all good...they were led by Aung San Suu Kyi...this woman i truly admire...she however is till under house arrest...its really unfortunate whats goin on there...i will write more on Burma in a later blog...Im really gettin
over Blogging...


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7074365.stm

Cults Cults Cults...Isn't That What Religious Groups are Anway?

So Japan has over 1000 registered cults now...yes they are registered as cults...negative stigma attached??? perhaps here in the US but no no no not in Nippon...the issue at hand however is the fact that many of these cults are waaay dangerous...

Remember a few years back...gnarly poison on Subways in Japan spurred by a crazy cult and its nutzo leader??....some authorities in Japan are thinking its time for a halt...yes perhaps...

Lets get serious now...many of these "cults" however are simply peaceful Buddhists who have a philosophy that differs slightly from Zen...sooooo Its all goooooood....utnill people start killin each other...

Oh yea...I failed to mention a recent police raid on a cult accused of beating its members to death....well don't go joining a cult yea??


http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19806/japan-cults

Jailed Polygamist Attempts Suicide...

Warren Jeffs...a crazy Mormon nut who was accuse of rape a few years back has tried to commit suicide while in Prison in Texas...he attempted this twice apparently...he has attempted twice now...once trying to strangle himself...and another time trying to bash his head against his cell wall....f-in idiot....


http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19833/warren-jeffs-89

21 Found Guilty in Madrid Bombings...Not ETA

Soooo....Spanish courts wrapped up their case today concerning the 2004 Madrid Bombings...so everyone thought it was ETA at first... I mean why not? the Basque's have been fighting for autonomy and sovereignty for decades now...it makes clear sense to massacre these blasted Spaniards as to get the government to grant your wishes right...does terrorism ever work??

So yea turn out that the 21 guilty are all some how affiliated with Al Qaeda...Is this good publicity for Al Qaeda?...they now are responsible for the worst terrorist attack on European soil...Lockerbee was the in air soo can't quite be counted...



http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/four-guilty-of-madrid-bombings/2007/10/31/1193618977489.html

Pastors...good people?? bad People???

An American Pastor turned himself into authorities today. He is on bail of half a million dollars...the pastor...over the past 10 years has been having sex with minors...two girls under the age of adulthood...10 years...think about....pretty disgusting...i mean c'mon can anyone really say no to a pastor??? (sarcasm)...


http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19813/robbin-harper

Israel Reduces Gaza Fuel Supply...This Will Surely Lead to Sustained Peace

So by now you're thinking...why does a blog titled after a quote by Marx himself talk soo much about the middle east and this issues concerning Islam and Judaism...Why is he not condemning religion??

Well I AM...all of these issues are garbage... they wouldn't be issues had there not been this man made invention to control the masses and had a bunch of people not been blind enough to follow this garbage ages ago....

Any who...Israel today has decreased fuel supplies to Gaza in protest of Hamas' takeover of the territory...this does nothing but harm civilians....what is the point of this??? Yea i don't get it either...well yeah actually i do...its to put pressure on Hamas but its being done at the expense of the civilians of Gaza...im really gettin sick of talkin about unfortunate events...

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/7BBB06B3-EDAE-4F45-B524-1317194E657D.htm

Paris Hilton's Rwanda Trip Postponed....

Yeah....slightly off topic but i just had to post this...Hotel Heiress and Bimbo Slut Paris Hilton was scheduled to visit Rwanda this November as a gesture of good will with an organization she is apparently a devoted member of called "Playing for Good" hmmmm....


"There's so much need in that area, and I feel like if I go, it will bring more attention to what people can do to help,” Hilton said.

Laugh...yes it is funny... i will not comment anymore...formulate your own thoughts on this one, please!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/International_Buzz/Hiltons_trip_to_Rwanda_postponed/articleshow/2492412.cms

Hamas, Gaza, Palestine, Israel...Any Solutions....I Sure Do Hope So

So there has been continued fighting in Gaza which has now been kinda taken over by Hamas...There is a big problem here....there are two major factions on the Palestinian end and Abas must do something about this...

Hamas is a bit radical...Hamas is not in favor of the two state solution...the only thing that will work...they rather are calling for the eradication of Israel as a whole...this will not work...it is an established state and frankly in today's day and age states cannot be dissolved...ever wonder how peaceful the region would be if Hertzl would've established the Jewish state in Brazil as some proposed in the early 1900's as oppose to today's Eretz Israel? hmmmm....


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/25/news/UN-GEN-

Iraqi Delegastion Visits Turkey

In the wake of Turkish attacks on Iraqi soil Iraqi officials visit Turkish officials for joint talks on terrorism being launched from Iraqi Soil.

Turkey is accusing Iraq of allowing Kurdish rebels to launch attacks into Turkey from Iraq...The PKK is well established as a force throughout Kurdish territories including those inhabited by Kurds throughout Turkey...


http://www.newsobserver.com/1635/story/748769.html

Turkish Troops Kill 34 Kurds in Iraq!!

So a few days ago a wrote about the peshmerga and the Kurds and great it is that they have their autonomy and stability...

Well as mentioned the Kurds are not much liked in the region...especially in Turkey where the PKK is constantly being attacked by Erdogan's Turkish forces...

Today the Turks went across the skies of the "protected" norhtern Kurdish Iraq and killed 34 peshmeirga fighters...so Turkey supports the cause of Palestine but are they not realizing that they are acting like Israel in this case...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/turkey/story/0,,2198148,00.html

Karzai Asks for Regional Stability and Cooperation

So the other day leaders of the Taliban asked neighboring states to assist them in eradicating the great Satan from their lands...today the political leader of the regime in power in Afghanistan...kind of.... has asked the region to assist him in tackling terrorism...


its really sad what has become of Afghanistan over the past few decades... the countries infrastructure and economy are absolutely shot...people are impoverished...

but its a good thing...hopefully the regions religious commonalities can be unified to eradicate the problem of the region...terrorism and extremism...as long as religion doesn't go too far and create parallel regimes with different titles...

http://news.scotsman.com/latest_international.cfm?id=1676712007

Islamo-Fascism??? HAHAHA

So here around UCI there have been these posters all over the place talking about Islamo-Fascism...what the hell is that...


Its really funny because i think this is a crack at sparking some sort of sentiment within those Amercans that reside between the two coasts...as in country folk...

see if you can relate this enemy with another historical enemy....Fascists...than you can garner the support of this whole other age group by simple turning this into a big joke...yes i find it funny...

Abu Saayaf Strikes Again

So as explained in an earlier blog, Filipino Islamic Extremist group Abu Saayaf, has struck yet again...these are the folks from Mindanao and other southern provinces who are looking to succeed from the Philippines to create their own state founded on Islamic ideals....

Many argue that no, they are not trying to establish a theocracy, but merely want equal rights and opportunities which are hard to come by as a minority religious group in a catholic dominated state. Especially a state in which the Church and State are rather intertwined...

sparks Its very unfortunate and just plain sad that innocent people in a Manila shopping Mall had to lose their lives over absolute garbage...well kinda...see religion is NOOOOO BUENNNOOOOOtooo many darn problemos.....

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D488F616-EADE-4ACE-B819-B7E73F11521A.htm

Benazir Arrives....Karachi Blows Up

So Benazir Bhutto, exiled former PM of Pakistan and wife of general Ali Bhutto, former leader of Pakistan has arrived in Karachi today...

Thousands of people flooded the streets to simply catch a glimpse of the much loved opposition to Musharraf...So kinda how the pope has the Pope mobile, Benazir had the Benazir mobile...

This thing wasn't much like the Pope Mobile, but rather a huge fortified lorry...

Some schmuck decided to place a bomb in the path of Benazir's motorcade whereby leaving many Pakistanis dead and injured...unfortunate...



http://cgi.wn.com/?action=display&article=63028742&template=worldnews/paidnews.txt&index=recent

Benazir

Benazir Bhutto returns home today. She hopes to succeed in leading the parliament for a third term in a row. However, her return is accompanied by terrorist and assassination threats. She is campaigning under a liberal secular party. This makes her a likley target for fundamentalists in the country. Terrorism has become a more prevalent issue in the country since the invasion of Afghanistan and the support of it by the military dictator General Musharraf

Kurds Kurds Kurds

Well...i guess this is more of an issue dealing w/ ethnicity rather than religion...nonetheless im going to write about it ...the Kurds have been brought up in the media lately and commended for their relative state of stability amongst all the madness taking place in Iraq...the other crazies that are fighting one another...you know the minority Sunni and majority Shia...well they are of the same ethnic group..Arab...the Kurds are a different people who truly lack a homeland and constantly face these issues throughout the region in places such as Syria, Turkey, Iran and Iraq...the Kurds of Northern Iraq though... they are legit...have their own army, infrastructure, regional government and the whole nine yards..GOOD JOB KURDS!!!

12 Die Due to Devotion

12 people died today near in Indian temple in a stampede...

Festivities for the Navratri festival being celebrated in a small town south of Ahmadabad ended in this tragedy as many Hindu devotees were trampled while on a small path leading up to a temple on a hill...


its a bummer that these people were soooo devoted they forgot about their fellow man/worshiper/devotee...is that chill??

Whats more important...your fellow man? or this idea of...what do they call it...yea...faith and devotion and stuff???

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/10/14/10160220.html

Mullah Omar Urges Neighbors Not to Help Great Satan

Taliban Leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, urged neighboring states to assist Taliban forces in getting foreign forces out of Afghanistan...


This is a cry out to the neighboring Muslim states to come together and fight off this great Satan as they did to the Soviets...yea good luck getting Pakistan to publicly do that...

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/world/asia/article3053650.ece

China Comdemns US for Award to Dalai Lama

So the US awarded his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with the congressional Medal Of Honor the other day. He was awarded this for his years and years of working towards peace...even under the circumstances of not being able to reside in his homeland due to the Chinese...

The Chinese publicly Condemned the US for awarding this great man with this prestigious prize...I think he is well deserving...

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/10/11/10159560.html

Vatican Wants Peace...That a Boy Pope!!

So the Vatican released a decree today...they called for more interfaith dialogue and a call for peace around the world...ROCK AND ROLL!!!

So what can the Vatican actually do? Well ummm not much beyond influence some important folks in high ranking positions...

The Vatican also called for religious tolerance around the world and the allowance of the practice of any religion anywhere...


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Vatican_urges_Muslims_to_respect_all_faiths/articles

Bush....Yeah

So an article stating "George Bush Doesn't Get the Sanctity of Life" was released today in a publication in Tennessee...last i checked Tennessee was pretty darn AmeriCAN...so if these folks are gettin down on Bush that's a bad deal for him...no bueno....


Bush seems to not care about lives whether they be in Iraq or here on the domestic front as he does not wish to grant any sort of health network for children here in the States...c'mon now.... well here's the kicker...this guys' supposed to be a good christian yeah??

Iraq...Pullout??

The three ethnic groups of Iraq: Sunni, Shi'a and Kurd. The Sunnis, initially responsible for most of the violence in th Western region of Iraq and in Baghdad, are joining in the fight against the radicalization of the population. Local tribesmen in the Anbar province are fighting against Al-Qaeda , who claim responsibility for most of the larger scale attacks.

This is a key to the broader fight against terrorism for the United States government. With mounting pressure from the United States populace to pull out of Iraq, this news is welcome as it's a step in the direction of securing the country in time for an eventual pull out.


http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=d

Turkey Will Not Let Israel Use its Airspace to Strike Syria

So ya the Israelis and the Syrians are at it again...yup Golan Heights...

A few months ago there were rumors about a joint venture on a border park and now this? well that's the dynamics of the region...

So Turkey, a fairly secular state..thanks to uncle Ataturk, is not going to allow Israel to fly planes in through their skies...planes that are to attack Syria...

Saudis Take a Crack at Modernization...Bailing Sharia?

So Saudi Arabia, a land dominated by followers of the strict Wahhabi ideology of Islam are giving modernization a crack by reforming their law system.

It is the kings wish to modernize the law system to allow for equality and fairness in rulings.

Up until now Saudi courts have been presided over by clerics, well versed in Islamic Jurisprudence... using centuries old interpretations of Islamic Sharia law...but at the end of the day ruling according to their interpretation of a law and a crime...well in an age of globalization and economics and business at the heart of many legal issues it becomes difficult to use Islamic Jurisprudence...that a boy Saudi...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7029308.stm

Religious Rivalries Leading to Desertification???

So yeah...religion is poo...it really divides us as a kind, as humans. We label the masses by a few classifications, "religion" and now Lebanon is burning. So there are these wild fires in Lebanon.

The state is in danger of being completely desertified as only a small percentage of the territory has vegetation...well yea it is a desert...but it sucks to have no trees whatsoever....anywho there are a few issues at hand...all unfortunate...]

Friendly neighbor, Israel, has all the fire fighting capacity in the world...they deal with the same climate, terrain, and natural problems...however Israel is not willing to offer assistance to their dear neighbor...why? yea Israel and Lebanon aren't too fond of one another...why? yea Religious differences...but Italy, Jordan and Cyprus have come to the rescue.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2007/October/middleeast_October37.xml&section=middleeast&col=

More Fire and Religion

So yea the blog i wrote yesterday...the other issue at hand was the cause of the fire and the further destruction caused by this fire...not only is the state in danger of becoming hazardously close to absolute desertification...a UNESCO world heritage sight is also in danger of being wiped out. The town of Deir Al Qamar, an ancient Christian town is in danger of burning down. Sources say this fire was caused deliberately as a means of destroying this Ancient Christian Town...sounds like a buncha shit to me...others say it was caused by locals who were looking for cheaper fuel...as in they wanted to make charcoal of the surrounding forestry...either way no bueno....

http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/images/2007/10/3/1_229969_1_3.jpg

10 Dead in MILF Clash in Southern Philippines

Liberation Front) to also fight for their All throughout South East Asia there have been various separatist movements, with religion at their core. The world saw the creation of East Timor from Indonesia, there is currently an uprising and there has been for years in Aceh, Indonesia where the Acehnese liberation front has been trying to gain its Independence. The Philippines, specifically the Southern Islands, have a significant Muslim population, and they are controlled by a predominantly Catholic state. This clash of ideals mixed with a lack of representation has led the Moro within the MILF (Moro IntlIndependence. This battle has been waged for years and unfortunately today 4 Filipino commandos and 6 Moro rebels have lost their lives...Bummer...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7023585.stm

Western Culture Creeping in on Eastern...Halted by Religion

The American pop star Beyonce, former member of pop group Destiny's Child has canceled her recent concert in Kuala Lampur. Beyonce has canceled the performance out of fear that various Muslim groups in the country may protest her sometime racy and scantily clad performances.

Well whats the issue here? Beyonce is a western pop star and malaysia is a predominantly muslim country. The country is very unique in the sense that it has done quite the job at rejecting western influence. This idea of rejecting the west is not new by any means. The country's former, iron fisted leader, Muhamed Mahatir, embeded this idea of the preservation of that which is Malaysian culturally and religously. It makes absolute sense why people would protest this type of artist in Malaysia...does it come as any big surprise???

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2007/October/theworld_October26.xml&section=theworld&col=