Worldfocus blogger S. Azmat Hassan writes how mankind has engaged in violent extremism since Biblical times. Terrorism is propaganda by deed, since terrorism is theater. So, Hassan argues, al-Qaeda succeeds every time it plants fear and uncertainty in our hearts and minds.
South Asia
U.S. seeks hearts and minds in combatting global jihad
U.S. government implements tougher airport security rules
Following a failed attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up a flight into Detroit on Christmas morning, the Transportation Security Administration imposed tougher screening rules for passengers originating in 14 mostly Muslim nations. See more about the countries selected.
U.S. military official accuses CIA of lacking key knowledge
One week after the killing of 7 CIA officers in Afghanistan, an American military official has condemned U.S. intelligence failures. A new report by the highest-ranking military intelligence officer in Afghanistan, Major-General Michael Flynn, says that there is too much emphasis on collecting info about capturing insurgents. For more, Daljit Dhaliwal interviews Jeff Stein.
Using human development as antidote to Islamic terrorism
Umar Abdulmutallab’s audacious attempt on Christmas Day -- to ignite explosives that he had smuggled on board a Northwest Airlines flight approaching Detroit from Holland -- has been a top story for the past few days. Worldfocus blogger S. Azmat Hassan writes how the U.S. should rely more on soft power to prevent violent Islamic extremism.
Acute problem of deforestation threatens Indonesia
Deforestation in Indonesia is responsible for much of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. Indonesia's failure to slow the destruction could impact global warming. Michael Novacek of the American Museum of Natural History discusses the acute problem of deforestation in Indonesia.
Canadians debate their commitment to war in Afghanistan
The Canadian contribution to Afghanistan has generally received little attention, even though there are 2,500 Canadian troops in Afghanistan, mostly in the dangerous southern areas. The latest casualties are likely to increase the debate in Canada over their commitment to the war. In a Worldfocus Signature story, Martin Himel takes a look at Canada's war role.
Top 10 Worldfocus Blogwatch Features of 2009
Worldfocus presents highlights from our Blogwatch section, as well as other web feature articles. This year saw many significant events -- ranging from great recession to the post-presidential election protests in Iran. Read our top 10 web articles from 2009, about Dubai, cartoon porn and Ogadeni militants.
CIA employees killed in Afghanistan suicide bomb attack
Yesterday, a suicide bombing at a U.S. base in Afghanistan killed eight Americans, seven of whom were CIA employees. Today, a spokesperson for the Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying a Taliban bomber wearing an Afghan military uniform blew himself up. Jeff Stein, a former U.S. Army Intelligence officer, joins Martin Savidge for more information.
Pashtunistan faces huge escalation of U.S. anti-terror war
Worldfocus multimedia producer Ben Piven writes about the U.S. war in Pashtunistan, a misunderstood place not found on any world map. The knee-jerk American reaction after September 11th was to strike at the Taliban-ruled nation that harbored a huge al-Qaeda contingent: Afghanistan. But the U.S. has widened its campaign to the region of Pashtunistan.
The Top 10 Innovative Global Solutions of the Decade
The Worldfocus newsroom celebrates the end of the decade with a look at some of the smartest ideas worldwide. We produced an eclectic list of ten innovative solutions to social and political problems. View a slideshow of the winners -- from Bangladesh and Bhutan to Guyana and Rwanda.