Top Gear 'damaged African plains'

Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson, James Winchester and Richard Hammond are accused with scarring the African plains. They went though a 1000 mile safari drive trough Botswana.Their journey in Arica started in a little village on the border between Zimbabwe and Botswana. To reach their destination on the Namibian border, the presenters crossed the untouched Makgadikgadi salt pans. They crossed also the Kalahari Desert , as well as the rivers and wildlife of the Okavango Delta. Mary Rice of the Environmental Investigation Agency, said they gave an bad example and they are afraid that many people will try this too.

My opinion

I enjoy watching Top Gear. I have been watching this show for many years on the BBC. They are known for their incredible journeys with cars or their crazy drag races between cars and other things such as fighting planes and helicopters. But what they did in this journey was not acceptable. Damaging African plains like the untouched Makgadikgadi salt pans is not a race track. Because of their success, Top Gear maybe set a new trend among many fans and they certainly will try this too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6281512.stm

Finnish 'YouTube killer' was bullied at school

The Finnish teenager who shot and killed 8 people in southern Finland was bullied at school. Investigators said Auvinen he planned to cause maximum bloodshed when he opened fire with a pistol at Jokela High School on Wednesday morning, killing the headmistress, a nurse and six fellow pupils. Auvinen planned his massacre on Youtube. Showing what weapons he would you and ho he would execute it. After eight casualties Auvinen shot himself through the head and died hours later in the hospital.



My opinion

It is very sad what happened. This shooting in schools is getting the last couple of years too common. I can’t even realize why people c haven’t seen his video on Youtube. This would probably would save the lives of the people who died in this massacre. I think that this kind of crime is inevitable. Because you never know when this will happen or if this will happen in your old school. But I think that this crime could have been prevented.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2831665.ece

Upbeat US military claims it has forced Al-Qaida out of Iraqi capital

The US military has highlighted its most positive evaluation yet of security in the Iraqi capital, claiming it has forced the most extreme of the insurgent groups, Al-Qaida in Mesopotamia, out of every neighbourhood in Baghdad, and has cut the number of murders by 80%. But Europe analysts doubt the latest evaluation. Thousands Iraqis have abandoned safe havens in Syria to return home. Tahsin al-Sheikhly, an Iraqi government spokesman, said 46,030 displaced Iraqis had returned home to the capital. However, in contrary, the Iraqi Red Crescent said the number of internally displaced people in Iraq had more than quadrupled during the past year, reaching 2.3 million by the end of September.

My Opinion

I wish that this was true. I believe it is a sort of propaganda to cover up what is really happening over their. And maybe if there is a little bit truth in it I am almost positive that sooner or later Al-Qaida will definitely strike back again with its guerilla warfare . To celebrate so claimed achievement is not an good idea, because thousands of people lost their lives, many are still displaced in boarding countries, and there is still tension between ethnic groups and guerilla militias on the streets of Baghdad as well as other locations In Iraq.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/alqaida/story/0,,2208152,00.html

Liverpool hit back to the power of eight

It was impossible for Liverpool to do anything more in Group A of the Champions League than taking over the third place. They took revenge against Besiktas and destroyed them with 8-0. Yossi Benayoun grabbed a hat-trick, Peter Crouch and Ryan Babel both scored twice and Steven Gerrard also powered in a shot for a memorable victory. Last month in Istanbul the Reds lost with 2-1 against Besiktas. They now only need to win one of their two remaining games to qualify.

My opinion

As a Liverpool fan I can say: ‘well done boys.’ They totally annihilated Besitkas. this can only boost their now for the Premiership and next Champions League against FC Porto.
Liverpool will do well this season, it may take a while longer for all the new players to fit into the Liverpool way of playing but they played like a team who meant business, always disturbing the opposition to get possession back.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2206464,00.html

Ferguson doubts Mourinho return

Sir Alex Ferguson doubts whether Mourinho will return to the Premiership. Ferguson admits that he keeps in touch with Mourinho since his shocking departure from Chelsea. Ferguson said that he thinks that Mourinho will end up at a top team in Italy or Spain. After leaving Stamford Bridge Mourinho said that he wanted to learn a new language and stated that he has to choose between Italian and German. There have been moments of tension between the two but they had a close relationship compared to Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Liverpool manager Raphael Benitez. Mourinho said that he will come back to manage again in England but first he wants the next step to be in another country.

My opinion

I think that it is a big loss for Chelsea. Abramovich made a big mistake by interfering with Mourhino’s game play. The new team that will contract him will definitely achieve a lot with Mourhino’s football knowledge. I agree with Sir Alex Ferguson, I also think that Mourinho will not return to English Premier League, this is because he wants some new adventure in a new foreign league. He has also dismissed speculation over the Tottenham and England national team jobs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7073133.stm

Iraq to end contractor 'immunity'

The Iraqi interior minister has said that it set new regulations for private security companies working in Iraq. This has to do with the killing of 11 Iraqi citizens by a security firm called Blackwater. Witnesses said that they randomly shot people. The new code demands that private contractors obey the Iraqi law and that they are being monitored by the Iraqi government. This means that the private contractors lost their immunity and could be now prosecuted for crimes committed in Iraq. The investigation of the death of 11 Iraqi citizens is still going on.

My opinion

I don’t even know why private contractors are allowed to fight in wars. According to the New York Times, private contractors tend to you use more violence, carry excessive weaponry and do not have top training and that you can tell due to the incident that happened with the 11 Iraqi casualties. Private contractors should not in any circumstance be involved in any wars and make profit of it. War is not a business. The Iraqi government should immediately deport these kind of soldiers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7012853.stm

Inflation mars Ramadan in Egypt

Heavy inflation in Egypt is having an impact on the blessed month of Ramadan. Although the Egyptian economy has increased by 7% this year, the people haven’t yet seen the benefits of it. In fact the opposite happened, prices of essential items like: rice, oil, nuts and sugar have increased by 30% and some even by 50%. The Egyptians are furious, instead of enjoying the Ramadan they are having to make due, because they just can’t afford to buy what they need.

My opinion

It’s is truly sad that these people have to endure this. They looked forward to this joyful month. Due to this, people can’t afford the essential items to make the delicious dishes that they mainly make in this month. I don’t even understand how the inflation there could take place while the economy has increased. The government should inform the Egyptian citizens with what is taking place in their nation.

http://search.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl?tab=av&q=inflation%20egypt&recipe=all&scope=all&edition=

Youth detention facility adds to Iraqis misery

As if it not was enough that the Iraqis lost their family members, homes, jobs, human rights and basically their lives. There is a new misery adding to the daily lives of the Iraqis. Iraqi youths are being detained without knowing for what crime they are charged with. According to an ABC report there was an enormous increase of detainees in the prisons since the US surge began early this year. Numbers increased from 250 in May to 800 till now. Most of the detainees are Sunnis. The ages of the children that are detained are between 11 and 17 years old. Allegations range from theft to murder.

My opinion

I think that the suffering of the Iraqi citizens is already terrible. An innocent child detained for months or maybe years is in my point of view very shameful. These children in this situation don’t even now why they are here as well as what their actions were for being in this horrible situation. They do not even know when their trial is, that is if they have committed a crime let alone the question is if they even get a trial. I think that these children are victims of the new Iraq order. It is a bit suspicious that mainly Sunni Arabs are held in captivity. The U.N should take actions to solve this ongoing problem.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/newsfull.php?newid=43574

Did Prince Harry Hunt Rare Birds?

Prince Harry was questioned by police about the death of two rear birds last week at the royal family’s Sandringham Estate in Norfolk . There is still an investigation going on about the killing of the two rare hen harries. The prince and an unidentified friend were nearby the scene where the birds been shot. Press reports say that the two were the only hunters at that time. Because Prince Harry and his friend were both there in that area and time, police asked them if they had any information. The official said that they didn’t know anything about the incident. Perpetrators convicted of killing highly endangered birds could face up to six months incarceration or a £5000 fine. Investigation is still going on.

My opinion

It’s not the first time that Prince Harry got involved in embarrassing incidents. He has been photographed wearing a Nazi Africa Corps uniform complete with swastika armband at a costume party. British press claim that they saw Prince Harry smoking marijuana and drinking under his age. He should finally get punished for his stupid actions. Every individual most face the consequences of his actions, even if he is royal blood.

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1678421,00.html

China wants role in space station

China looks forward to become a member of the international space station project that already persists of leading space powers such as the United States and Russia. China is proud in its growing space program and wants the world to see that it belongs to one of the leading scientific nations. Chinese newspapers stated that China will launch its first lunar probe at the end of this month. China does not take part in the international space station, due to America’s discomfort with communistic Countries. China shocked the international community in January when it blew up an old satellite with a land-based anti-satellite missile. It was the first test ever carried out by any nation. That test was highly criticized for its military purpose. That same missile could be used to shoot military satellites and can cause dangerous debris in space. But Beijing said it is loyal to the peaceful use of space.


My opinion

China is a hard working nation and deserves to take part in the international space station. America’s sees great danger in China, because every country that has the same abilities as the United States is a potential danger to them. I think that China will use its space programme for a peaceful purpose in the future and I believe that super powers like Russia and the United States posses anti-missile or anti-satellite rockets as well.



http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/10/16/china.space.ap/index.html

Truck bomb kills 10 in northern Iraq

A suicide bomber killed ten people in Northern Iraq and wounded sixty on Monday. The attack happened in Tal Marag, a village near Mosul. The death toll could have been much higher said the local police, but some of the villagers of Tal Marag were a suspicious of the truck and ran away when they saw it approaching before it exploded. The attack happened just hours before top officials of president George W. Bush were due to give their evaluation to the Democrat-controlled Congress on the impact of Bush’s decision to send 30000 extra troops.

My Opinion

In my opinionIraq will never have peace in. When the United States invaded Iraq and seized power, they already knew that there would be a civil war. I think that if even the United States would retreat their troops, suicide bombing and murder will still continue between the different ethnic groups.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/2007/09/10/truck-bomb-kills-10-in-northern-iraq-89520-19764317/

Powell smashes 100m world record

Jamaican born Asafa Powell broke his own old 100m record by 0.003 seconds on Sunday in Italy. Lowering the record from 9.77 to 9.74 seconds. The bronze medalist at the recent games in Osaka won the race with a strong following wind under the maximum limit. This new world record will help him fade away what happened in Osaka two weeks ago finishing in third place behind Tyson Gay and Derrick Atkins. Powell and his coach were both surprised he could achieve this after having heavy legs after training. But Powell said that the conditions were just right. The track was fast and the wind was right and the temperature was fine. Everything was perfect. Everybody is waiting for the re-match in the Golden League in Brussels between Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell on the 14^th September. It is certain that both will compete, but it is not sure if they will compete in the same race said organiser Wilfred Meert.

My Opinion

I think that Powell can easily beat Tyson gay. But it all depends on the concentration. Maybe due to stress Powell couldn’t defeat Gay at the World Championships. But let the numbers speak, 9.74 seconds. The golden medal doesn’t make you the fastest man in the world, it is the time you finish in 100 meters.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/athletics/6986250.stm