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Live from Abu Dhabi Connect the World takes you on a journey across continents, investigating the stories that are changing our world.
Connector of the day: Waris Dirie
A degree of stigma still surrounds the issue of female genital mutilation.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/06/art.waris.dirie.jpg caption="Waris Dirie is a successful model and author"]
It is, understandably, a subject that a lot of people still feel uncomfortable talking about in public.
One person, more than perhaps any other, is helping to bring it into the public spotlight.
Waris Dirie is a Somalian supermodel and human rights activist who has led a rich and varied life since recovering from her own circumcision, performed at the age of five.
To avoid an arranged marriage with an older man, Dirie fled Somalia for London, where a fashion photographer discovered her.
Since then, Dirie’s successful modeling career has given her a greater platform to fight the procedure.
She created the Waris Dirie Foundation in 2002 and has been awarded numerous honors for her work.
The new film “Desert Flower,” which has just opened at the Venice Film Festival, is based on her best-selling autobiography.
Send your questions to Waris by filling in the form below.
Berlusconi faces immunity challenge
Italy’s top court has started reviewing a law which shields Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from prosecution.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/06/silvio.berlusconi.art.jpg caption="Silvio Berlusconi introduced the law giving him immunity a year ago."]
Berlusconi introduced the law giving him immunity a year ago, shortly after he was returned for a third term in office.
In doing so he joined the leaders of many other democratic countries in being protected from legal challenge while in office.
In France, for example, the president is immune from all prosecution, a provision claimed by President Chirac to avoid prosecution over allegations of corruption from his time as Mayor of Paris.
In America, though, the president is less protected. Bill Clinton faced a prolonged court case over accusations of sexual misconduct while Governor of Arkansas, as well as an impeachment attempt in Congress.
What's your view? Can national political leaders ever be above the law? Or is the threat of legal action too often just another political tool?
Send us your thoughts and we’ll include the best of them on Connect the World tonight.
Six Degrees: Alfred Nobel to Andrew Lloyd-Webber
LONDON, England - It’s time for “Six Degrees” — our weekly challenge for Connect the World viewers and Web users.
Here’s how to play: We choose two people in the news this week and ask you to connect them through the six steps.
The week we’ve chosen chemist Alfred Nobel – who established prizes for outstanding achievements in sciences, literature, and peacemaking – and composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who is launching the sequel to musical Phantom of the Opera in London’s West End and on Broadway.
You need to come up with five other people between those two for a total of six links.
Leave your submissions in the comments section below, and the team will pick the most creative connection, and I’ll announce the winner on Friday’s show.
Need some inspiration? Check out last week’s winner, Matt Crean, who connected German Chancellor Angela Merkel to golfer Phil Mickelson.
Here’s how he did it:
- On a visit to Israel Angela Merkel was greeted at the airport by former Israeli PM Ehud Olmert.
- Olmert was also on the welcoming committee for former U.S. President George W. Bush.
- Bush was replaced at the White House by Barack Obama.
- Obama was obviously present when golfer Tiger Woods spoke at the presidential inauguration celebrations in Washington.
- Woods played with Padraig Harrington during the PGA Championship.
- And Harrington in turn has played against Phil Mickelson at the 2008 Ryder Cup.
Remember: you need five other people between those two: no more, no less.
If you want your friends to take the challenge as well, then click the “share post” button below.
To see previous challenges, click here. Happy connecting!
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