Newsline 21 October, 2009: World leaders praise President Hamid Karzai for agreeing to a run-off election, but will the second round of voting be any more fair? The Red Cross says Europeans are going hungry; and Oman's treasures are displayed in Amsterdam

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Will Afghan's run-off election be fair and free?
The Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been praised for giving his blessing to a run-off election after a UN-backed body ruled the August 20 poll was plagued by vote-rigging, but will the second ballot be any different? Policy analyst Alex Jackson says there is no guarantee the poll will be free or fair.

Europeans feel the bite of the credit crunch
A new Red Cross report shows Europeans are being hit by the financial crisis, and hundreds of thousands of people are going hungry. Spokeswoman Margarita Plotnikova explains why so many people want cash handouts to buy food.

Omani artefacts on display in Amsterdam
It may be hard at first sight to see what Oman and the Netherlands have in common - but they're both countries with a rich tradition of sea-faring and trade. Paddy Maguire visits an exhibition of Omani art in Amsterdam.