Pakistan is coming under increasing pressure to crack down on cross border militant attacks.  Read about it here.

Inflation has spiraled out of control under the leadership of Robert Mugabe.  Read about it here.

The implications for security from the rising price of oil and food has analysts concerned.  Read about it  here.

The Network 20/20 Pakistan delegation has returned home, but our work is far from over. In the months ahead we will be publishing our report along with some short films about our findings. For now, here are some photos and observations from the trip.

When people in the U.S. think of Pakistan, many imagine a man like this. We have seen him on the news screaming for the death of America and we are afraid. Men like that are the exception, not the rule. Most people here long for a robust democracy.

The reality is that there are many more men like this.  He, too, deserves a break today.

It’s a poor country, but there are many who strive to make it better.  On this trip, I encountered some of the smartest people I have ever met. They are Pakistanis and they are working tirelessly to raise up their country.

Infrastructure is a huge challenge in Pakistan. The country needs good roads and—even more important—reliable power. The electricity goes down every day. This unpredictability prevents the economy from moving forward.

Textiles are a huge export business, but this fellow works strictly on local goods.

Independent women can have a rough time here, yet they have risen to the highest ranks of politics and they will remain an active force in shaping the nation’s future.

It’s hot here—and not just politically. The temperature in Lahore is close to 110 degrees. These two are in a growth business.

In Peshawar, at the border crossing with the North-West Frontier Province, I witnessed some of the glorious chaos that is Pakistan. This boy crossed into Peshawar, from a region that foreigners are forbidden from entering. His future will depend on education and opportunity. What are the forces that could conspire against him? Will Pakistan reach its potential? Will he view the U.S. as a friend or foe?  Is there anything that we can do to help ensure that he has a peaceful and prosperous future?

For the answers you’ll have to wait for our report.

Rami Khouri writes thoughtfully about the US role in the Mid-East. Read it here

Turkey’s Constitutional Court has overturned a measure allowing headscarves to be worn in universities, a ruling that could threaten the AK party.  Read about it here.

As if the cyclone was not damaging enough, Myanmar’s military government denies their citizens help by dragging their feet in allowing foreigners access to deliver aid. Read the latest here.

Do you think you know the world?  Test your knowledge here

No matter where you live, the repercussions of a nuclear bomb going off anywhere in the world will affect those least able to help themselves. This is the third part in a continuing series by Network 2020 member George Billard. Based upon Graham Allison’s book Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe.

The world holds it’s breath while Mugabe starts cracking down on the opposition.  Read about it here.