The legendary cult director's films El Topo and The Holy Mountain are about to be re-released after a 30-year feud with ex-Beatles manager Alan Klein, who held the films. Alejandro Jodorowsky spoke with the Guardian.

From the Beeb:

Ajmal Naqshbandi has been held for nearly one month

Journalists working in Kabul have appealed to the Taleban to release an Afghan reporter, Ajmal Naqshbandi, who was kidnapped almost a month ago.

A Taleban commander, Mullah Dadullah, said he would only be released if the government agreed to a prisoner swap.

Mr Naqshbandi's Italian colleague, Daniele Mastrogiacomo, was freed two weeks ago.

He was released in a deal that led to the release of five Taleban leaders from Afghan prisons.

From the Beeb:

At least 44 people have died in fierce fighting in Pakistan's tribal region of South Waziristan, officials say.

The fighting took place after heavily armed local tribesmen began to act on a tribal council edict to drive out foreign militants linked to al-Qaeda.

That's the ongoing news. This is the interesting part:

The government has signed peace deals in South and North Waziristan in which the tribal elders have agreed to disarm or evict their foreign guests and to stop militants crossing the border to fight foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Officials say the fighting shows this strategy is working but some observers believe the government has helped instigate the battles by, for instance, spreading negative propaganda about the Uzbeks.

Local tribesmen have also accused the Uzbeks of not respecting their culture.

Locals report that soldiers have been helping the tribesmen, although the army denies this.

There are also some tribesmen fighting alongside the Uzbeks.

The question left unanswered to me is whether the clashes with the Uzbeks has any impact on the Waziristan Pashtun tribesmen's relationships with their Taliban brethern on the other side of the Durrand Line.

From the BBC:

Communications Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom said the site was banned after a 44-second film showing graffiti over the king's face was aired.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 79, is revered and it is forbidden to insult him.

The minister said a ban came after the Thai government asked YouTube's owner Google to remove it and they declined.

The contentious film also shows feet being placed over the king's face - an offensive act to Thais, who consider feet dirty.

"It's a serious case of lese majeste," said Mr Sitthichai, referring to crimes of offending the country's monarchy. "We asked Google to remove it some days ago, but they refused to."

A week ago, I posted about a Swiss guy getting 10 years for drunkenly defacing portraits of the venerated monach.