Historic Aleppo burning

Fires sparked by clashes between Syrian government troops and rebels raged through the medieval marketplace of Aleppo on Saturday, destroying hundreds of shops lining the vaulted passageways where foods, fabrics, perfumes and spices have been sold for centuries, activists said.

Some described the overnight blaze as the worst blow yet to a historic district that helped make the heart of Syria's largest city and commercial hub of the UNESCO world heritage site.

The souk, a labyrinth of narrow alleys lined with shops, was once a major tourist attraction, but has been the scene of near-daily firefights and shelling in recent weeks after rebels who fought their way into the city two months ago pushed toward its centre.

Activists say regime troops and snipers have taken up positions in the citadel that dominates the city.

CBC News - UNESCO

‘Qaddafi protected by Tuareg’

Libya's new rulers believe Muammar Qaddafi may be hiding in the southern desert, possibly in a vast area near the Algerian border, under the protection of ethnic Tuareg fighters, an official said Wednesday.

Revolutionary forces gained control of Tripoli and much of the rest of the North African nation late last month, but the longtime leader fled and has been trying to rally supporters from hiding as fighting continues on three fronts. His sons also escaped and there have been several unconfirmed reports about their whereabouts. (CBS)

Rebel Touareg leader Ibrahim Ag Bahanga, rumoured to have acquired weapons from Libya and recruited some 20,000 al-Qaeda fighters in support of Moamer Kadhafi, died recently under suspicious circumstances. What implications does Bahanga’s death have on the stability of the Sahel region?
Zawaya Magharebia

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of ethnic Tuaregs left Mali to fight for Muammar Qaddafi. Now, some are returning home to tell their story on The Atlantic

Also see The Tuareg Rebellion of 2007-2009 on Wikipedia

Cage Fighting Kids

A cage fighting event which included children as young as eight has created a storm of controversy.
Footage of the bouts posted on the Internet have provoked an outcry with the British Cage Fighting Association describing parents who allow their children to take part as "morons." The event was staged at the Greenlands New Labour Social Club in Preston.

YouTube

Parliamentary scuffles

2010 – the year in parliamentary punch-ups on The Guardian