When it came to this year’s Christmas Message, her Majesty‘s servants were not amused. Channel Four’s decision of having Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad deliver the channel’s Alternative Christmas Message has lead to criticism from members of the government. Labour MP Louise Ellman, chairwoman of the Jewish Labour Movement, said: “I condemn Channel 4's decision to give an unchallenged platform to a dangerous fanatic… Who will deliver next year's alternative Christmas message? Will it be David Irving or Robert Mugabe?” In his speech, Ahmadinejad encouraged an embracement of “human values”. Like Iran’s shinning example of beheading homosexuals and stoning adulterous women? Sadly, Ahmadinejad did not clarify.
 
In Afghanistan, American soldiers are finding themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. In such a predicament, the CIA solution is to make things harder; CIA operatives have stated they are using Viagra to win over the trust and respect of aging Afghan war-lords. In one case, a 60-year-old warlord with four wives was given four pills and four days later detailed Taliban movements in return for more. “He came up to us beaming," the Washington Post quoted an agent as saying. "He said, 'You are a great man’”. The War on Terror - now also the War on Impotence!
 
In Thailand, the red shirts are striking back. After seven months of orange-clad, pro-monarchy, anti-democracy protests, former ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra received a moral boost as over 20,000 pro-Thaksin supporters demonstrated in the streets of Bangkok.
 
Roll Up! Roll Up! Iran has been holding Bush-Shoe throwing rallies across the country, in support of incarcerated Muntadar al-Zaidi who threw his shoes at President Bush several weeks ago. His lawyer, Dhiya'a al-Sa'adi, has confirmed that al-Zaidi had been beaten in custody, stating that "there are visible signs of torture on his body”. Al-Zaidi stands charged with attacking a head of state, President Bush, who suffered no injuries from his “attack”.
 
Taiwan has been “united” with China. China has given Taiwan two pandas, whose names mean “unite” when said together, to boost relations between the two countries. But opinion remained dived at their arrival; Two Democratic Progressive Party legislators danced in giant panda costumes in parliament to mock the arrival of the gift.