(0830 PST, April 11, 2011) There have been some signs of progress made in Libya towards a possible ceasefire, with Muammar Gaddafi accepting a proposal from the African Union. However, as the plan includes allowing Gaddafi and his family to remain in power, it has been greeted by protests in the opposition strongold of Benghazi.

AU Representatives Mobbed by Protesters in Benghazi

(Al Jazeera English: 0420 PST, April 11, 2011) Representatives from the African Union have been greeted by protesters as they arrived in the northern Libyan city of Benghazi. They are in the opposition stronghold to present their "Road Map to Peace" to the Transitional National Council.

The plan has already received the approval of Libya's Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli. Al Jazeera's Laurence Lee, reports from the rebel stronghold, where AU leaders found themselves "mobbed by the crowds."

Gaddafi Accepts Roadmap to Peace

(Al Jazeera English: 2239 PST, April 10, 2011) There has been more than a month of fighting in Libya - and at last there appears to be some hope on the horizon. And it has come in the form of the African Union.

A delegation from the organisation, including South African president Jacob Zuma, has visited the capital, Tripoli. And they say Muammar Gaddafi has accepted their road map to peace. Al Jazeera's Anita McNaught reports from Tripoli.

(Democracy Now! 0902 PST, March 21, 2011) Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his family were flown on Friday by the South African government back to their home in Haiti after seven years in exile. Just before their journey, President Obama called South African President Jacob Zuma to try to prevent the trip. But the South African Government said it would not bow to pressure, so the Aristides boarded the flight in Johannesburg on Thursday night.

Democracy Now!'s Amy Goodman was the only reporter to join them on the journey. This is part one of our global broadcast exclusive conversation with Aristide as he flew over the Atlantic Ocean, approaching Haiti. "If we decide to go back when we had an army of 7,000 soldiers controlling 40 percent of the national product that would mean we are headed back to misery, instead of doing something to move from that misery to poverty with dignity," Aristide says.

(Mosaic Video Alert: February 4, 2011) Massive demonstrations in support of Egypt's pro-democracy protesters were held today in Iran, Tunisia, Turkey, Belgium, Jordan, Thailand, South Africa and the Czech Republic. Protesters in Malaysia marched to the U.S. embassy in Kuala Lumpur, demanding U.S. president Barack Obama pressure Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down immediately. The protesters clashed with police, who tried to break up the demonstration.

Click here for important background information on the unrest in Egypt.

I had the good fortune to have the ever sunny Brazilian singer/songwriter Jair Oliveira in the studio last September. Oliveira is the son of Jair Rodriguez, one of Brazil’s most beloved musical stars, and famous for his hit “Deixa Isso Pra La” which is arguably the first Brazilian hip hop song. For those you who follow the blog, you may remember at that time Oliveira sang a charming song he wrote for his baby daughter, called "Showertime."
He also sang a song about soccer, and suggested that I hold it in reserve for the upcoming World Cup in South Africa.  Which I did. It’s a damned good song too.
Let the games begin!

South Africa's new president Jacob Zuma assumed power this week with no shortage of controversy trailing him. Derided over the years as a terrorist, a communist, and an uneducated polygamist, Zuma arrived at the presidency having recently beaten back charges of rape and corruption. Free market devotees worry that Zuma will unravel South Africa's free trade policies. And on the left, observers are clamoring for the former freedom figher and long-time ANC leader to address the nation's epidemic poverty, crime, and HIV/AIDS infection rates.

But with all the speculation of dramatic change, Zuma's first week can't but seem a bit anticlimactic. Saturday's inauguration ceremony was marked by the appearance of Nelson Mandela to whom Zuma kneeled before addressing the nation. Zuma's midweek cabinet selection provided hope to both partisans on the right and left and pleased a broad cross-section of the South African press. Even the Mail & Guardian cartoonist Zapiro, a long-time Zuma satirist, agreed to depict the new president in a more conciliatory light.

Still, South Africa's inaugural week was not without its controversy. Opposition leader Helen Zille accused Zuma of putting his three wives at risk of contracting HIV and therefore was unfit to tackle social policy. BBC News further published a report that detailed Zuma's use of the nation's growing spy services, particularly for his defense against corruption charges.

Will Zuma prove to be a leader to unite South Africa? Or will critics prove justified in their skepticism of his ability to lead?

Watch the Global Pulse episode on Jacob Zuma here.

This week's Global Pulse examines stories of global job loss and steps that governments are taking to intercede. Just in the past few days, strikes have captured headlines in the French island nation of Guadeloupe as well as in South Africa, where the marquee 2010 World Cup stadium has hit yet another roadblock. Further strikes are deemed imminent in the UK, whose major commuter rail unions are set to vote on a coordinated work shutdown in March.

And how well are governments responding to the plight of workers? In Guadeloupe and South Africa, government authorities have for now shown little inclination to negotiate. Behind the scenes though, an ideological debate is brewing regarding appropriate labor outreach. At Firedoglake for instance, a blog thread entitled "Why American Industry (And Its Future) Matters" speculates that government investment in labor today could curtail massive economic pain in a future of shuttered companies and spiraling layoffs.

Can governments stave off a new global era of labor unrest? Check out this week's episode and let us know your thoughts in the comments section above.

With the feast behind us, and hopefully some well targeted toasts given, the Friday after Thanksgiving becomes a day to recover, relax and gear up for the holiday barrage. This year, as the season bodes poorly for commerce, perhaps it's best to focus on those intangible things that give us great value and joy. Although I have called  your attention to our music documentary Soweto Strings before, I would like to approach its virtues from another angle today. The film, about a classical music school for South African children is noteworthy for the way it shows how music can flourish and change lives no matter where it finds itself. But it is also about a remarkable teacher, Rosemary Nalden.  I have been lucky to have had some inspiring teachers in my life, and she reminds me of them, with her fierce devotion to education, and her delight at the receptive nature of her pupils. So may I suggest, as you watch Soweto Strings this week, that you think on some of the pivotal teachers in your life, and say a private "Thanks" for their efforts.

This week we are showing Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony as part of our continuing theme of "What change looks like." The film focuses on the role that singing played in the successful struggle against apartheid, and ends with a message of hope and joy. But since those days, much has changed and along with the sweet has come the bitter. The issue of poverty has not been sufficiently addressed in South Africa and when people are poor, crime rises. The country lost one of its most significant musicians, in the senseless murder of Lucky Dube at the hands of a carjacker. When I spoke to Vusi Mahlasela (one of the artists featured in Amandla!) about contemporary music in South Africa, he did not hide his disappointment with how easily so many of the youth turn away from their roots to embrace Western pop or expect musical mastery to come easily. In his efforts to turn this trend around, he has established music schools to revitalize traditional music. So, when we watch Amandla, let's keep in mind that what change looks like keeps changing.

We've been trumpeting the arrival of several new programs, and this week we're rolling three of them out. Soweto Strings is a totally endearing documentary about violist Rosemary Nalden, the music school she founded in Soweto, and her exceptional students. Coming from the impoverished township, their lives have been difficult to say the least, yet all of them show an openness and enthusiasm for learning classical music that Ms. Nalden (and we) find irresistible. On a side note, I showed this documentary to a friend of mine, who used to be the Concert Master for the Metropolitan Opera here in New York, and he thought Ms. Nalden had put together "a damned fine orchestra!"

We are also debuting two new music blocks (and in a few weeks these will be available streamed on our website, too).

Block #106 "Mashups" is a fun-filled block with videos that are musically and visually eclectic. Here's a brief rundown: Magnifico's "House of the Rising Sun" goes Balkan, Mexican Institute of Sound visits the dinosaur room, Rahul Sharma presents a philosophical hallucination, SoCalled deconstructs his head, Ojos de Brujo create a spiritual and cultural collage, Dengue Fever pays tribute to the Road Warrior, and Antiquarks get down on the dance floor - with the hurdy gurdy.

Block #108, aka "Romance" has Ziskakan praising Gypsies in Rajasthan, Sona Mohapatra presenting different styles of Indian dance, Federico Aubele playing guitar a bordello, while Rupa and the April Fishes take us to a Paris Bistro that is not really in Paris. Then Dato brings us a mournful love song illustrated by sand art, and we finish with Kiran Ahluwalia and a contemporary setting of an ancient Urdu love poem.

Starting in mid-June we'll be rolling out five new world music blocks, and some great new music documentaries. With themes ranging from "What a World" to "Romance" to "Mashups" and plenty of exciting live performances these new music blocks will be a great way to start your summer off. Faves to watch out for: a spirited Gaucho improv with Renato Borghetti, and some truly great Balkan Brass fusion with Shantel.

Of the new documentaries, Soweto Strings is an uplifting true story of a dedicated music teacher in South Africa whose young students are an inspiration to us all. They come from poverty and troubled home lives, but somehow gravitate to classical music, bringing a whole hearted enthusiasm and discipline to their studies. This is the one to watch if you've got the blues!