Bassem Youssef rose to fame after the January 25 uprising in 2011 which led to the toppling of the former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarack. His satirical program which started online from his own living room soon reached an audience of millions. In less than two years, Mr. Youssef has become a household name in Egyptian media. In the second season of his program Al Bernameg, Bassem Youssef has sparked more controversy than any other media personality in the country, poking fun at everyone from fellow TV presenters to well-known Muslim scholars and most recently President Mohammed Morsi himself.
The authorities in the Iranian city of Isfahan say air pollution there has reached emergency levels. Schools have been shut and Isfahan's 1.5 million citizens have been advised to leave if it was possible. High air pollution levels are also been recorded in the Iranian capital Tehran. Some analysts say the pollution has been worsened significantly by the low quality of petrol and diesel fuel now being used in Iran as Western sanctions prevent it from importing refined fuel.
Pope Benedict has highlighted unregulated financial capitalism as a major source of tension and confrontation in the world. In his New Year message, the Pope said other threats included the growing gap between rich and poor, as well as terrorism and crime. He celebrated a mass in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome using a mobile platform to conserve his strength.
BBC News.