Colin Powell: "Those kind of images going out on Al-Jazeera are killing us around the world"

Colin Powell:

"Those kind of images going out on Al-Jazeera are killing us around the
world. This business from the congresswoman from Minnesota saying, let's examine
all congressman to see who is pro-American or not pro-American." From
Atlantic

A referrence to Al Jazeera's report on racism in the US election, which has received over a million hits and wide coverage in the US media. Watch the report here.

A good question

On Behind the News program, in Aljazeera Arabic, a representative of Chadian rebels, who are now in control of most of the capital, was asked about French reaction to their advance. He said that France realizes that the Chadian society desires change and no longer wants president Deby ...., at which point the presenter interrupted to ask him: "Since when did France care about what societies want".

An excellent question.

Aljazeera's report on Bhutto receives more than half a million views

Aljazeera English's report on the death of Benazir Bhutto's death received more than half a million views in just 2-3 days. It's dramatic and captures the moment when some of her supporters received the news:

Qaddafi's son admits nurses were innocent and were tortured in prison

Aljazeera interviews Qaddafi's son, Saif Al-Qaddafi, talking about a range of issues. The main issues was, naturally, the case of the Bulgarian nurses. The presenter, Leila Al-Sheikhly, corners him so well that he admits that the nurses and the Palestinian doctor were innocent and they were tortured in prison. He acknowledges that what Libya was doing was extortion but he reasons that others - US and EU - where doing the same to them as well. It's an interesting interview, you can watch the full interview below.

Iraq Update

5 ministers and the Sunni deputy prime minister resigned from Maliki's governemnt. Tawafuq, the main Sunni bloc, has a list of demands including disbanding Shia militias and giving Sunnis more say in security matters. Both Al-Maliki and president Talibani say they agree with some of the demands and are calling for wider talks. Sunnis were marginalized for a long time so this step comes late.

Al-Maliki's government and his predecessor Jafari have both pushed a sectarian agenda that led to virtual takeover of Shia militias over security services. That meant the killing of thousands of Sunni civilians by Shia death squads and forcing many more to flee their homes.

US administration has been pressuring the Iraqi government to rain in Shia militias, among other things. Iyad Allawi has emerged as an interesting alternative to Maliki. He's presenting himself as the secular alternative to Iran-backed Shia, he also appeals to the Sunni bloc. Aljazeera had an interesting interview with him, check out below:

Documentary on Gaza; must see!

Rageh Omar goes back to Gaza after 10 years to film this wonderful documentary. He meets the head of the family that kidnapped Alan Johnston, who denies kidnapping the journalist (but they did) instead he asks why the whole world cares about the fate one westerner and not the thousands of Palestinians killed.

There is also a rare interview with Ala’a al Homs, head of Al Aqsa Martyr Brigades, the military wing of Fatah and one of the pioneers of kidnappings in Gaza; Al Homs admits that kidnappings aren't helping the Palestinian cause. The second part of the documentary is even more compelling, Rageh shows the harsh conditions in Gaza that is responsible for the violence and kidnapings in Gaza.

It's a compelling documentary. You can watch it here, part1 and part2

Aljazeera inteviews Hamza Yusuf

Interview with Melese Zinawe

Two part interview with Ethiopian PM, Meles Zenawi, have been posted on Aljazeera's Yoututbe channel, here and here. The interview, which was in March, came at a time when Ethiopian troops ousted the Islamic Courts and went into Mogadishu and Ethio-Eritrean relations are at their worst.

Of course he gives the same boring official line but I think it's worth seeing what was sold to the Americans so they get interested in Somalia again, and give even more aid to Ethiopia.

AJ Forum: Keynote - Seymour Hersh

I missed most of the keynote speech but luckily there will be podcasts up soon and Ethan's posts. I caught up with some of the questions. One question was about the discrepancy in journalisms - what is or isn't reported and how - between the West and the East. Hersh answered in his usual frankness that this won't be bridged because people will always have their prejudices, discrimination will always be there, so you have to work with what you're given without expecting others to change their ways or accept yours.

Another question was about Hersh's usage of mostly American sources in his stories, and his answer was that it depends on the story, for example when writing on Abu Guraib he had to use American sources while for stories on Lebanon for example he uses sources from that part of the world. He also talked about his meetings with Hassan Nasrallah (four times), he found him to be intelligent and determined and he's surprised that the US administrations isn't willing to talk to him.

The final questions was asked by Ethan, he mentioned how bloggers in places like Egypt were doing a great job reporting on elections and issues of human rights and as a result facing persecution, shouldn't journalists be supporting the cause of such bloggers? Hersh's answer was straight, he said we journalists are bitchy and nasty to each other, let alone to bloggers. Simply he doesn't see that hapenning. He also talked about his excitement of what bloggers are doing and how technology is changing the media industry.

Al Jazeera Forum

The 3rd Annual Aljazeera Forum is starting officially tomorrow. The forum is about "Media and the Middle East - Beyond the Headlines". The keynote speaker for the first day is non-other-than Seymour Hersh. The first day will have three sessions, and the second day will have only two sessions. For us bloggers the session on new media "Speaking Truth to Power" will be most interesting. Ethan and alaa will be on the panel, that's exciting and looking forward to it.

All the sessions will be available as podcasts and interviews with some of the delegates will be on YouTube. The official blog for the forum is here. I'll be blogging, not live, from the forum.

Aljazeera Humours the Daily Show