One of the important things that were learnt was that the chairs that are used for carry people and luggage on an elephants back (hawdah) really isn't good for them.

Photo by Flickr user nimzilvio made available by a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.

That day, I realized I had an unwelcome, uninvited, new life partner.

For other Russians, it's a welcome diversion from the unsettling news closer to home.

Lacking democracy s most effective brakes on unpopular wars, the US has become relatively free to get itself mired in unwelcome foreign adventures.

To many Chinese, naturally, the US presence in the region is not welcomed.

It seems the act of government officials angered many Tunisians because of McCain's Zionist affiliation as Zionism is not welcome in Tunisia like other Arab Muslim countries.

Needless to say, this invasion of foreign Jihadis is not welcome by locals.

Moreover, there were real surprises.

It s hard to come up with a surprise that would suit what we think is my severe depression.

Lebanese blogger Mustapha explains why US president George W Bush is not welcome in Lebanon in this post.

This year, educator blogs are especially welcome since a new Education Award will be awarded.

This is an unwelcome development, as politicians and public officials (parliamentarians) are not above the law and should be accountable.

Among the obstacles to spread the use of bicycles in the country is the fact that they are usually quite expensive for an average Syrian their cost has not decreased despite the currently dramatic situation and the fact that women riding is still frowned upon in conservative areas.

The outcome document embodies welcome recommendations on official development assistance targets, debt relief, enhancing and improving aid and addressing the special needs of Africa.

To the extent that this new lending is based on Africa s strengthening economic fundamentals, the recent spate of sovereign bond issues is a welcome sign.

The commitments made, by the European Union and others, to meet the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent of gross national product for official development assistance is very welcome.

The European stress tests, by themselves, were reassuring and produced no surprises.

For Global Voices, this project is a welcome source of alternative revenue.

Its focus on capacity development, its accessibility, and its long record of support for developing countries have made India an increasingly welcome donor.

Any short term economic benefits are welcome byproducts, not the main deliverables that can be planned.

And the only ones that look interesting to me are the ones that look slightly mistaken, of course, or very, very surprising.

The information concerning such goods prior to their shipment is very welcome.

The commitment of the United States of America to its Millennium Challenge Account initiative is also very welcome.

But that is how it is in the Middle East you never know what lies around the corner.

FLORENCE Severe banking crises bring painful and long lasting disruptions. But they also lead to surprises.

The issuance of the first warrants of arrest with regard to the Lord's Resistance Army is a truly welcome development.

Many consider India s increasing mobilization along caste lines a welcome assertion of identity.

On the contrary, his intention will be to appear as a reliable and unsurprising partner.

Above all, sophisticated voters will themselves be emotionally intelligent enough to be prepared for surprises.

In the end, Santos, like his summit hosting predecessors, had no choice but to inform the Cubans personally that they were not welcome, as there was no consensus regarding their participation.

It is time for action, and the quick wins proposal in the Secretary General's report is welcome in that regard.

The surprise in the first round of the French presidential election was that there was no surprise, except for the huge level of voter turnout.

Certificate untrusted

The one thing that seems certain from the upcoming vote is that barring any last minute surprises the billionaire Berlusconi will re assert his hold over Italian politics. In fact, he has been Italy s true ruler for the past 13 years.

It has changed the way we are communicating and basically we are viewing politics.

Now one day in 1772, the prince decreed that the musicians' families, the orchestral musicians' families, were no longer welcome in the castle.

The establishment of the Millennium Challenge Account, after Monterrey, is a welcome development and provides an impetus for countries to improve on governance issues as a prerequisite to improving and sustaining economic growth.

7. Takes note of the statement made by the elected Chief Minister in May 2000 that the Territory was in the process of developing diversified resource mobilization strategies, including joint ventures with the private sector, and that external assistance would be welcomed as part of that process

VIENNA A decade ago, renewable energy was viewed as an unwelcome offspring of fossil fuels, but the recent establishment of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) indicates that governments worldwide are taking renewables seriously.

Fayrouz is smitten for her own fuzzy reasons

The notion of the responsibility to protect is welcome, but its parameters should be well defined to avoid the temptation to interfere in the internal affairs of States.

Replace the word admissible with the word permissible and the word inadmissible with the word impermissible .

Thanks for reading this quick review of what's going on at Global Voices Advocacy, and stay tuned for news of a couple of surprises we're in the process of cooking up!

Only God knows what surprises they're preparing for me when force and threats don't work! Rowda_Hamed The call is not official because they called my brother.