Around the world in 60 seconds - 20 August 2010

This week’s events include:

• Pakistan continues its battle with Mother Nature
• Iraq experiences worst attack this year
• Obama supports controversial mosque near ground zero

Pakistan continues its battle with Mother Nature

Pakistan continues its fight against the impact of its worst flood in living memory.

At least 1,600 people have been killed and entire villages have been swept away along with roads and bridges.

A fifth of the country has been affected. Electricity and communications have shut down. The price of food has gone up because a lot of produce is either inaccessible or has been destroyed.

The population is now at risk of water-borne diseases like diarrhoea and cholera.

The UN is asking for $460 million in aid but has only received half that amount so far in an unusually slow aid response. Separately, Saudi Arabia has committed $105 million in aid – the highest amount of any country – though only $5 million is in cash.

Iraq experiences worst attack this year

On Tuesday a suicide bomber blew himself up outside an army recruitment centre in the capital Baghdad. 59 people were killed making it the single worst attack this year.

The bomber triggered his bomb packed with nails while waiting in a queue along with 1,000 other applicants. It is believed to be an attempt by insurgents to stop Iraqis joining the local security forces.

Frustration in the country mounts as coalition negotiations from March’s election result continue. Despite this political gridlock, American troops ended their combat operations there yesterday.

Obama supports controversial mosque near ground zero

A fairly ordinary resource planning decision has turned into a political storm in the US.

An Islamic Centre which will include a mosque has been given permission to be built two blocks from ground zero – the site of the Twin Towers attack on 9/11.

Despite the Centre having full legal rights, 70% of Americans, nearly all Republican politicians and a growing number of Democrats believe it shouldn’t be allowed due to insensitivity.

President Obama defended it saying Muslims have the same right to practise their religion like anyone else, and that includes on private property in lower Manhattan. However he hasn’t said whether he thinks it’s a good idea.

With Congressional elections coming up in November, many are criticising Obama’s stance while others are too scared to speak out, in what has become a highly inflamed and unpredictable political issue (some Republicans think it might come back to hurt them).

Meanwhile, a few Democrats have called for an inquiry into what they believe is “covert funding” by Republicans to the anti-mosque movement in New York.

Photo – Protester in New York over the proposed mosque site