Shibam at risk

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site twenty-eight years ago, Shibam in Wady Hadhramout, is now reportedly at risk of being washed away by torrential rains.

Somaliland: the wonder Land

Most people know Somalia. Somalia, a country that - since 1991 - has had more suffering and turmoil than any other place on Earth. Somalia, a place associated with guns, bombs, blood, famine and pirates. But there is another Somalia: Somaliland. Very few people know of Somaliland. Very few people know of it, because it is quiet and peaceful. And is a success.

As reported.................will Israel heed?

The Dubai police has released identities of 15 new suspects linked with the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. TIME had this to say about the murder and Israel's very likely involvement; most observers in the region - including in Israel - have come to the same conclusion that Mossad was behind the murder:

Yemen one of the least favored by Americans

Interesting: in a recent poll of Americans by Gallup, Yemen is one of the least favored nations by them. Yemen was included on the list for the first time this year, amid news that the Christmas Day underwear bomber had ties to a Yemen-based al Qaeda terrorist group. Its 21% favorable rating is among the lowest in the Feb. 1-3 poll, although about one in four Americans have no opinion of that country.

In fact, very few Americans even know where Yemen exactly is. It is all about perceptions and the mind. Americans are easily influenced and swayed by their news media. A news media that is very powerful. A news media that can many times, repeatedly hammer at a subject or a point. A news media, through the TV and the Internet, that has tentacles in every American household. For the last few months, that is exactly what the American extensive, news media has been doing: hammering at Yemen.

National Geographic Abu Dhabi is a hit

National Geographic Abu Dhabi is now one of the most watched TV channels here. The non-profit scientific and educational institution, which started as a club way back in 1888, is very well known and recognized world wide, but - very few here ever knew about it before the airing of the Abu Dhabi Arabic channel.

Sights and Photos from Petra, Kingdom of Jordan

Petra! A site like no other. That is a fact. Looking at photos, videos and movies of Petra is utterly incomparable to seeing the real Petra.

The giant red mountains and vast mausoleums of a departed race have nothing in common with modern civilization, and ask nothing of it except to be appreciated at their true value - as one of the greatest wonders ever wrought by Nature and Man.

Although much has been written about Petra, nothing really prepares you for this amazing place. It has to be seen to be believed.

Petra the world wonder, is without doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

It has to be seen to be believed! The BBC gives a very good description of how visitors would feel when visiting the site:

They cannot fail to be staggered by the magical combination of man-made and natural beauty.

Your breath is taken away the moment you emerge from the narrow gorge that forms the main entrance. In front of you, the majestic classical facade of the treasurer's house, carved out of the rock face.

Down the spectacular valley the wonders continue. The 4,000-seat auditorium, also hewn from the rich red sandstone. Tombs and places of worship towering down from the cliff faces on either side.

All this was made possible by the engineering skills of the Nabateans, more than 2,000 years ago. They channelled water down a series of ceramic-lined culverts, making life possible in this arid hideaway.

I have never seen a site, natural or artificial, that filled me with such an overwhelming feeling of wonder or admiration as Petra. Even my wife, who is not that very keen on historical sites or world wonders, could not help being so awed that she walked around staring and with eyes wide open. The site is both a natural wonder and a man made one.

Sights from Wadi Musa, Jordan

Had it not been very close to Petra, the very small town of Wadi Musa or Wadi Mousa - Valley of Moses - would have remained just a little decrepit place. Most of the hotels, low budget ones and many five starred, are located in Wadi Musa. And it is where most tourists stay during there visit to Petra. When some of these hotels were being built, impressive ancient remains were found during their construction.

Sights and Photos from Jerash, Kingdom of Jordan

Few countries have as many archaeological and historical sites as Jordan; a number of these sites are within Amman and many are just a short distance from the city. Outside Italy, hilly Jerash or Jarash or Gerasa or the Pompeii of the East - is one of the largest and one of the most well preserved Roman architecture. The ruins date back to about 2,000 years; within the same site, archaeologists have found ruins dating to even a further thousands of years back. In less than an hour by road north of Amman, you can reach the site and be able to see some of the most impressive, most spectacular, beautifully preserved Roman ruins:

Female circumcision in Hadhramout

Though health and medical workers have been banned almost ten years ago from performing it, female circumcision or clitoredectomy or better described as female genital mutilation, is still practiced by many in Hadhramout. From IRIN:

The Great Umayyad Mosque, Damascus

During his  ten year reign as Caliph in the beginning of the eighth century Al'Walid Bin Abd Al'Malik addressed the citizens of Damascus with these words:

'Inhabitants of Damascus, four things give you marked superiority over the rest of the world: your climate, your water, your fruits and your baths. To these I wanted to add a fifth: this mosque.'

That mosque the Caliph was talking about is the Great Omayyad Mosque - جامع بني أمية الكبير - in Damascus. A mosque like no other: grand, exquisite and one of the most impressive mosques you can ever see. And one of the finest examples of Muslim architecture and the first one to be so large and with such luxury. Very few places on Earth have such an incredible history as this site; and for so many religions and beliefs. Very few other mosques too, have some of the darkest past of Islam enshrined in it as here. This mosque, too, is a living testimony to the great Golden Age of Islam, when the esteem of Damascus was unmatched allover the ancient world, as a capital of a great Arab-Muslim Empire, encompassing a host of kingdoms. In the eighth Century, the borders of this Empire spanned altogether vast lands, extending from the Caucasus Highlands in the north, to the Great Sahara southward, and from the Great Wall of China eastward, to the Iberian Peninsula and the Atlantic Ocean westward.

Google Buzzes

Mountain View always comes up with cool, interesting products. I don't like social net-working and am sort of averse to it. But whatever might be said about Google's newest creation: Google Buzz, it is undoubtedly Google's way of offering a comprehensive and unifying international means of communications.

As with all their other major releases, there was no fanfare or loud noises about this latest Google offering. It has been quietly and slowly released. Whoever has Gmail, automatically gets Google Buzz. I am certain, that most who are using Gmail had never heard of the new feature and have suddenly seen it popping up when opening their mail. Gmail users have the option of either using Buzz or not. Those who decide to use Buzz can share; or connect to other Twitter, Flickr and the likes; or simply use it to communicate and collaborate.

Sights from Damascus, Syria

Damascus or Ash'Sham or the Pearl of the East, is old. Very old. It has a long history and is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world; some say that it has been inhabited, continuously for the last 5,000 years. Conquered by Khalid Ibn Walid in 635, it later became the center of Islam and its seat of power.

Approximately 40% of cancers are potentially preventable.....

That is the the very good news. But, when it comes to the much dreaded and misunderstood disease - there are still too many bad news. The worst being that cancer treatment is very expensive. The whole process: testing and the exams involved, and medication - is just too costly. Many, if not most, with cancer - can not afford the process. For most with cancer in the developing world, many who have the disease never know so; and for most who have the disease - either there are no proper facilities for taking care of and treating the disease or the expenses involved, are too high.