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Zimbabwean Journalists Fight for Free Speech

A group of Zimbabwean journalists in exile is determined not to be silenced by their government. In February, they started a newspaper in exile, and on Tuesday launched a Web site to help Zimbabwean refugees around the world keep track of their homeland.

The Zimbabwean

A group of dedicated Zimbabwean journalists won't take no for an answer. Their newspaper was closed down by President Robert Mugabe's regime in 2003, but they haven't given up on fair reporting on their troubled homeland or the right to free speech. Instead, they have launched their own newspaper in exile, printing a weekly tabloid in Britain and South Africa. The paper, called The Zimbabwean, hit the streets in February, and on Tuesday the Web site was launched.

The unpaid staff consists of more than 50 refugees dedicated to helping the more than three million Zimbabweans -- about 25 percent of the nation's population -- who are living in exile. Most live either in Britain or southern Africa. The paper ships 10,000 copies to Zimbabwe so those still living there can have an objective news source. Mugabe came to power in 1980 and is notorious for his crackdown on journalists critical of his regime. The paper's editor, Wilf Mbanga, says "A news blackout is dangerous for any society." The paper, he says, strives to provide coverage that is "accurate, fair and balanced." They even let the government have a say.

European Union Builds its own Amazon.com

Ever wondered what eurocrats at the European Union do all day? If you have, you're not alone. Indeed, general confusion among EU citizens as to what exactly they belong to is something that the 25-member union has long faced. In the most recent attempt to address that problem, the EU has now launched an online bookstore, which will allow the curious to sift through and download some of the massive amounts of documentation produced every year by the body -- many of them for free. But don't expect to find any beach reading here. With transparency being the raison d'etre for the site, much of what you'll find are statistical reports and other documents related to specific areas of EU government and policy. But for those researching the EU, or who want to know what leaders are deciding in Brussels, the library is indispensable.

Jacko in Jammies

Ever wondered what a quarter inch Pixel-version of Michael Jackson in courtroom pajamas would look like? Probably not, but if you are now curious, take a look at Flip Flop Flyin', the rather bizarre home to hundreds of celebrities as tiny pixel people, otherwise known as Minipops. For those with an obsessive nature, however, the site is best avoided: it can be scarily addictive searching to see what Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie or the 80s pop-icon Rick Astley might look like as pixels. The English Berlin-based artist, Craig Robinson, has achieved cult status with his Web site, which attracts over 7,000 visitors a day.

If you like more action from your pixels, digital designer Liam Wolf has created a pixel people movie, which can be downloaded onto your computer. Be warned, Episode 4 contains naked pixel people.

Polar Bears Against Bush

The Bush administration has had its eye on the oil lurking beneath the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska for years. Environmentalists have been attempting to save the region -- home to a rich variety of wildlife including elk, polar bears and millions of migratory birds -- for decades. On Wednesday, Bush came one step closer to victory on the issue as the Senate voted 51-49 in favor of opening the refuge up to drilling. "This project will keep our economy growing by creating jobs and ensuring that businesses can expand," Bush said in a statement. At least 10.4 billion barrels of oil is believed to be within the refuge's 1.5 million acre territory.

Noting that the House of Representatives has yet to consider the issue, environmentalists have vowed to continue the fight. "It only strengthens our resolve to protect America's most pristine national wildlife refuge for our children's future," said Larry Schweiger, president of the National Wildlife Federation. For more background on the issue, you should also check out this award-winning multimedia special from the New York Times.