the Times

By Teymoor Nabili in Middle East on October 23rd, 2010
Photo by EPA

The New York Times has decided that the Iran angle is the most significant element of the latest WikiLeaks package. 

Among the elements the newspaper highlights is a report that the US hikers arrested by Iran in July 2009 may have been taken on the Iraq side of the border.

The way I read the relevant document, it seems the report was filed by soldiers who arrived late to the scene and relied on hearsay.

Many will take it as definitive proof of a kidnap; to me, it's impossible to conclude with any real confidence what really happened.

But the really interesting comment comes at the end of the document, under the heading "S2 assessme

By Al Jazeera Staff in Europe on May 5th, 2010
Photo by AFP

Britain has held what appears to be the tightest election race in a generation.

The Conservative party took the lead but failed to gain a clear parliamentary majority, leaving the UK with a hung parliament. Eyes are now on the Liberal Democrats, as the two main parties attempt to woo them into forming an alliance.

You can follow the the latest news from Al Jazeera's UK election team right here.  

1636 GMT It's not just Nick Clegg that David Cameron is going to have to convince of the merits of a coalition. As this story from the Financial Times shows, he faces a battle persuading his own party.

By Imran Khan in Asia on May 4th, 2010
AFP photo

Clearly it's a nonsensical headline.

But a quick glance across news headlines on Tuesday May 4 reveals the two top stories are both about young Pakistani men, one a resident of Lahore, the other with a background similar to mine, a Western citizen of Pakistani descent.

The first has been convicted with terrorism offences in India, the second arrested in connection with the Times Square foiled bomb attempt.
 
Now, I have no idea whether the chap arrested in connection with New York offence is a terrorist or not. But it almost does not matter.

Form of racism
 
Pakistanis and those of Pakistani descent are once again under the spotlight. It's a form of racism and anger is building because of it. 
 
I travel a lot. In the last eight months I have visited the US a number of times.

By Teymoor Nabili in Middle East on February 20th, 2010
Photo from EPA
By Hamish Macdonald in Europe on November 18th, 2009
Photos by AFP

We've spent the day wading through the murky waters of European politics. Leaders from across Europe arrive here in Brussels on Thursday to choose the first ever President of the European Council.

But we really have no idea who they are going to choose. The process has already been described as "secretive" - so much so, the former Latvian President Vaire Vike-Freiberga (herself a candidate) told the Times newspaper that the EU should:

"stop working like the former Soviet Union"

There is much debate about whether to choose a tough, high profile leader in order to affirm Europe's role on the world stage, or alternatively appoint a low key consensus politician from one of the smaller EU states. Both options have their critics. 

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