Munich

By Al Jazeera Staff in Middle East on February 4th, 2011
Photo by AFP

From our headquarters in Doha, we keep you updated on all things Egypt, with reporting from Al Jazeera staff in Cairo and Alexandria.  Live Blog: Jan28 - Jan29 - Jan30 - Jan31 - 

By Alan Fisher in Europe on November 9th, 2010
Photo from AFP

In the dull north German morning, they moved slowly towards their final destination. The blue flashing lights of the police escort provided the only colour in the uniform grey cloak of the landscape.

Beside the road, the cast aside remnants of the protesters last stand. Thousands of them who came to block the path of the 11 lorries carrying nuclear waste to the former saltmine which will be its home for now, and many worry may be their home for always.

The police came after dark. I have never seen so many: hundreds upon hundreds. Each pair assigned to one protester, lifting up the dead weight, moving them to the side and starting over again. The police queued to take their turn. There were the odd shouts of anger, but this was largely peaceful and dignified. 

It took hours. The demonstrators covered a lot of ground. The roads to the area outside Gorleben were blocked. No cars, no buses - even bikes were eyed suspiciously.

By Alan Fisher in Europe on February 7th, 2010
Afghanistan and the role of Nato was scheduled to be today’s big discussion at the Munich Security Conference.  The big hitters were here, Nato's secretary general, the Afghan president, but instead there's one thing everyone is still talking about.  And that's Iran.
 
The foreign minister left here saying the future was bright, the future was international co-operation.  But first thing on Sunday, back in Tehran, the Iranian president, not for the first time, muddied the waters.  Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has ordered his nuclear scientists to step up the uranium enrichment programme.  It's not what the Western powers wanted to hear.
 
By Alan Fisher in Europe on February 6th, 2010
Photo by AFP

The Munich Security Conference has grown over more than 40 years to become an important point in the calendar for those interested in such things.

It started with the idea of addressing the stand-off in Europe between the US and the West, and the powerful Soviet bloc.  Now, the changing global situations throws up many more issues, many more questions.

The most talked about topic here over the first two days has been Iran and the country's controversial nuclear programme.

In a late night session, Manouchehr Mottaki, the Iranian foreign minister, made his country's position clear: soon there will be a deal which will see his country send its enriched uranium abroad to be returned as "safer" fuel rods.  The most important word there is soon.

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