As I post this from my hotel room in Malaysia, the Oscar ceremony is underway in California.

Penelope Cruz has already won the Oscar for best supporting actress, I’m watching videos of Natalie Portman and Alicia Keyes both arriving in a fabulous strapless PINK gowns (WOW), and I’m hoping my all-time favourite actress Meryl Streep will win her third Oscar for what is hailed as being an absolutely brilliant performance in her latest movie Doubt (which is nominated for numerous Oscars and which I’ve yet to see!).

I am among millions of Meryl Streep fans worldwide.

Few would argue that she is the best actress of our generation. She has a record 15 Oscar nominations (and two wins as of this minute);  25 Golden Globe nominations (six awards); and prizes from every other imaginable group and organization relating to film, drama, theatre, and television.

Regardless of whether she wins an Oscar this time or not, she is an amazing woman and wonderful role model.

See more at these links:

• A red carpet interview at the BAFTAs this year
• A longer two-part (part one here, part two here) 2009 Channel 4 interview about Doubt and more.
• Talking about her role in Mama Mia
•  A two-year old interview with Ellen DeGeneres, in which the two play at doing accents (cute & fun).
• An unofficial websource with almost daily updates including magazine covers, photos, etc.
• On wikipedia

When he first met Crusita Martinez, Cesar Muniz saw only beauty where others saw a face disfigured by a brutal acid attack.

Like many women in abusive relationships, 18-year-old Crusita paid a high price for leaving a boyfriend who told her “If you’re not going to be with me, nobody’s going to want you,” before throwing acid in her face.

At the time, she was a teenager with a flawless olive complexion and glossy dark hair. With the acid, came disfigurement, isolation and shame. She wanted to die.

Seven years later, Martinez and Muniz, the man who saw beyond the scars, are happily married and have just had a new baby.

Of the estimated 14,400 candidates standing for election in Iraq today, close to 4,000 are women.

While some female candidates have had their posters splattered with mud, defaced with beards or torn up, most have been spared the violence inflicted on male candidates. As of January 29, a total of six male candidates had been assassinated.

For many of the female candidates, the elections offer a chance to inject some much needed fresh air into councils that are plagued by deep corruption and dominated by men and big political parties that are often ultraconservative.

By Sam Dagher
New York Times
Photo Credit:
Michael Kamber

Contrary to the stories below, Reuters reported yesterday that Afghan schoolgirls are becoming more reluctant to pursue their educations for fear of being harassed and kidnapped.

The story quoted Asif Nang, a spokesman for the Ministry of Education who said, "In the past eight months, around 138 students and teachers have lost their lives and another 172 have been wounded in criminal and terror attacks."

"About 651 schools have become inactive mostly due to insecurity and another 122 school buildings have been blown up or burned down across the country," said Nang, adding the Ministry of Education was working to improve protection and security for teachers and students across the country.

Hamid Shalizi
Reuters