Rupert Allman

Rebel forces continue to fight for freedom from the Gadhafi regime. They have taken over much of the eastern part of the country, but experts say that Gadhafi will likely retain his hold on the capital city of Tripoli. Complicating the current and future situation in Libya is the fact that it's a tribal country, with some factions supporting Gadhafi and others fighting with the opposition.

As the Federal government tries to wrangle a deal to keep the country afloat, there are already some parts of the country that are bankrupt, even if not technically “in bankruptcy.” Cities that borrowed money by issuing municipal bonds are now so burdened with debt that they can’t pay back what was promised to those who invested. Add to that mess, a few bribes, an unfathomable refinancing deal with a leading Wall Street bank, and a broken sewage system, and you’ll end up with Jefferson County, the local government for Birmingham, Alabama.

We all remember the now infamous speech that former Secretary of State Colin Powell gave to the UN on February 5, 2003. He made the case that the U.S. had enough intelligence to conclude that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and that he was a threat to countries in the region and to the U.S. Powell was making the case for going to war with Iraq. And part of his argument rested on the word of an Iraqi defector named Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi. Now al-Janabi has told The Guardian newspaper in London that he was lying and that he would do it again.

The audience at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, D.C. usually buys tickets for Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde. But today’s performance — and the audience in line to see it — is completely different. In 2009, London’s Tricycle Theater performed “The Great Game: Afghanistan,” a seven-hour series of twelve plays commissioned by the theater’s director, Nicholas Kent. Last October, the Pentagon requested that Kent bring the play to Washington for two special performances. "The Great Game: Afghanistan" opens today for an audience that includes Pentagon staff, Afghan war veterans and President Obama’s advisers on Afghanistan

With the United States engaged in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and facing diplomatic standoffs with nations like Cuba and Venezuela, Americans can tend to feel culturally isolated from some countries. A new business in Pittsburgh is trying to change that - through food. The Conflict Kitchen serves meals from countries that America finds diplomatically tricky, and by doing so, hopes to bring further awareness about cultures that might otherwise seem foreign. The BBC shares the story.

"Mubarak is not a one-man show," says Anwar Sadat professor for peace and development at the University of Maryland, Shibley Telhami. He explains that there is large priveleged class in Egypt that benefits from the status-quo and is not going to be eager to see the change in leadership. He also takes a closer look at what will happen now that Mubarak has pledged not to run again and the constitutional changes that will need to take place in order to ensure a new democratic process.

The lobby of Washington, D.C.'s Mayflower Hotel has seen more than its fair share of presidents and political elite. The hotel's piano bar has become a social scene for presidents within the hotel, from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Harry Truman, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter. Our partners at the BBC spoke with the one man who's seen it all go down, and provided the entertainment along the way — Dan Ruskin, the piano man.

In Pakistan thousands of pilgrims have taken part in the holy Shia festival of Arbaeen, many risking their own lives after two suicide bombers killed at least twelve people. In Lahore and Karachi most of the dead were policemen, challenging the bombers before they could reach the most crowded places.

Come Christmas, few modes of transportation are as iconic as the donkey. No nativity scene is complete without one — how else would Mary and Joseph gotten to the manger? 

It turns out that the donkey is still the cheapest way to get around modern-day Bethlehem. Through decades of conflict, poverty and instability in the territory, the donkey is the only viable option.

In Pakistan, the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIViC) is calling on the U.S. to acknowledge the number of civilians killed by drone attacks. According to the group, about 1,000 civilians have died in drone-related attacks; the U.S. says few civilians have been killed. We talk with the BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Islamabad, for more on this story.

In November, U.S. authorities discovered two underground tunnels intended for drug-trafficking between Tijuana and San Diego. The unusually sophisticated tunnels boasted a rail system and working lighting and ventilation. Some 30 tons of marijuana were seized in the tunnel by authorities last month. What do the tunnels look like first-hand? 

Thirty years ago today, music sensation John Lennon was shot and killed outside the Dakota building where he lived with his wife, Yoko Ono, in New York City. Radio reporter Tom Brook was the first British reporter on the scene. He explains his memory of that day and how Lennon's legacy continues to live on.

Millions in Pakistan are still without a home as winter quickly approaches. The BBC's Jill McGivering just returned from one of the most affected regions. McGivering reports that many of the victims say government officials are corrupt and are withholding resources, including blankets, money and shelter. But Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik tells McGivering "this is dishonesty on the part of the people."

After months of legal wrangling, alleged Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout has been extradited from Thailand to the United States. Bout, nicknamed the "Merchant of Death," has been accused by the United Nations of providing weapons illegally to fighters in Africa on both sides of bloody conflict, as well as South America and the Middle East. He's charged with terrorism and arms trafficking.     

Can your home country be sued for letting you be taken and harshly detained in another? In the case of the U.K. and former Guantanamo Bay detainees, maybe so. 16 former prisoners from the facility are suing Britain for alleged complicity in their treatment during imprisonment, and in turn the U.K. has agreed to pay nearly $80 million to settle with them out of court. 

In Afghanistan, our partners the BBC have gained rare access to an American prison for Taliban fighters. The BBC's Paul Wood spent time at the Parwan facility and explains how efforts are being made to ready Taliban members to re-enter society by teaching them useful skills, including bread making. 

Another day, another sex scandal for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi — only this time he faces an angry electorate and challenges from former allies in his own party. Will his political career live to see another day? We explore this question and more with the help of some audio from our partners at the BBC. 

They wear black-and-white striped shirts in a Western style, and compete for cash prizes in the "convict poker tournament." But the men participating in Louisiana Staten Prison's annual rodeo are merely volunteering to take part in a 40-year tradition. Prison administration officials say is a healthy part of the prisoners' rehabilitation — offering convicts a chance to see their families, who pack the stadium. Some call the event exploitation. 

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the detained leader of the pro-democracy party in Burma, has called on her fellow citizens to boycott upcoming elections in the military-run Southeast Asian nation. This weekend's election will be the first held there in twenty years and the state media is urging citizens to cast their ballots. Our partners at the BBC spoke with people in Burma about the upcoming election.

Not long after Barack Obama became President of the United States, a bust of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was removed from the Oval Office and replaced with a bust of Abraham Lincoln. During his campaign, President Obama was often compared to Lincoln by pundits. But is it possible Churchill has more to teach the President?