Rageh Omaar in Iran

Rageh Omaar embarks on a unique journey inside what he describes as one of the most misunderstood countries in the world, looking at the country through the eyes of people rarely heard - ordinary Iranians.

It took a year of wrangling to get permission to film inside Iran but the result is an amazing portrayal of an energetic and vibrant country that is completely different to the usual images seen in the media.

Featured on BBC3, below is the full documentary split into 10 minute segments for easy viewing.

Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 1/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 2/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 3/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 4/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 5/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 6/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 7/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 8/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 9/10


Rageh Omaar, Inside Iran - Part 10/10

The Real Slumdog Millionaire!

With 'Slumdog Millionaire' headlining the news this week with its Oscar nominations, a wonderful feature was on Sky News this week when reporter Alex Crawford interviewed a real 'Slumdog Millionaire' - when a Rickshaw driver from Mumbai actually won one million rupees on the Indian version of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire'.

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three

The third episode - Part 3/8 - Africa
Pete Owen Jones continues his year long religious odyssey with a gruelling journey exploring the spiritual traditions of Africa. Pete sets off hoping to get a glimpse of man's first experience of the divine. His journey begins with the ancient practice of Voodoo in Benin, where Pete is confronted by ritual practices that contradict his own deeply held religious convictions. He is forced to decide whether he should even take part.

In the continent where all human life began, he travels to Botswana to meet the San Bushmen, inheritors of the earliest religious faith on earth. In South Africa he discovers surprising new developments in religious belief when he meets the members of the 12th Apostolic Church and is stunned to find Afrikaners who believe the world is about to come to an end. In Ethiopia he finds a group of one of the worlds youngest religions - Rastafarians who have set up a Utopian community in this harsh and unforgiving land.

It is a six-part series is on BBC Two, Tuesday's at 9pm.
In case you missed the third episode, you can watch it below, split into ten minute segments for easy viewing. Episodes one and two are also on my blog in case you've missed the series so far.

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three - Part 1/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three - Part 2/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three - Part 3/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three - Part 4/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three - Part 5/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Three - Part 6/6

Home for the Elderly: Brand new website!

I'm pleased to announce that the brand new website for the charity 'Home for the Elderly' is now online. Please visit our website for information how you can help support us and how you can make a donation or sponsoring a nursing bed.

http://www.homefortheelderly.org

Notes:
Pashupati Briddhshram ("Old Home") is the largest old people's home in Kathmandu, Nepal - Home to 238 residents, but only 9 care workers.

These neglected souls live in appalling, inhumane conditions. Some are blind, mentally ill or physically disabled, with many requiring constant medical attention and care.

Due to a lack of funding the home is marred by an acute shortage of everything, from a basic water supply, electricity and care workers.

Home for the Elderly was established to help fund essential criteria of the "Old Home" including nursing beds, heating, electricity generators and medical supplies.

http://www.homefortheelderly.org

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode two

The second episode - Part 2/8 - The Far East
In this episode of the series, Pete encounters the exotic and inscrutable religions of the Far East, from anarchic Buddhist Naked Man and Shinto Fire festivals in Japan to enlightening Taoist monks in the mountains of China.

He visits an obscure Shamanic sect in South Korea, and finds out how war helped to create the biggest church in the world. In Buddhist Thailand he explores the meaning of non-attachment, and in Vietnam he comes under the spell of a divine eye, before giving money away to a mother goddess.

It is a six-part series is on BBC Two, Tuesday's at 9pm.
In case you missed the second episode, you can watch it below, split into ten minute segments for easy viewing.

Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 2/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 2/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 3/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 4/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 5/6


Around the World in 80 Faiths - Episode Two - Part 6/6

Scenes from the Gaza Strip

Scenes from the Gaza Strip - View more of an incredibly powerful collection of photographs from the Gaza Strip featured on 'The Big Picture' on Boston.com. Gallery>