Posts tagged news
The enraged protesters swept aside those few soldiers of the Republican Guard who were present, and they forced open the two doors. They burst into the room. Some among them did recommend “Do not touch him”, but the majority of the group rushed at the defenseless president, striking him with their fists, and kicking him …
Drug money is fueling abnormally high property prices in Dushanbe and in the provinces. Other signs of great wealth are visible, including lavish houses and vehicles that are well beyond the means of the public servants who own them.
In a report (pdf) released this month, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that 75 to 80 tons of Afghan-made heroin and 18 to 20 tons of opium pass through Tajikistan annually. This means that about 200 kilograms of heroin and 50 kilograms of opium enter the country every day. Only a tiny fraction of this amount is seized.
The report also notes that many senior officials are either directly involved in the trade or take bribes to look the other way. According to the UNODC, much of the $1.4 billion made from heroin trade in Central Asia in 2010 went to Tajik traffickers.
A painting by Cape Town-based artist Brett Murray depicting President Jacob Zuma’s genitals has ignited online debate about morality and freedom of speech in South Africa.
Image by kickmugabeout.blogspot.com
New Malawian President Promises to Lift Ban on Homosexuality
In her first national address Joyce Banda told Parliament that her government will repeal laws that discriminates against people based on sexual orientation.
Malawi will be the first country in Africa to lift ban on homosexuality since 1994. It is outlawed in 38 African countries and it can be punishable by death in Mauritania, Sudan, and northern Nigeria.
The governments of the Gulf are discussing transforming the current Gulf Cooperation Council into an EU-style union. The move comes in an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension caused by the Arab uprisings and Iran’s growing influence. As a first step, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain might seek closer union.
Global Voices Ivan Sigal interviewed at the re:publica 2012 conference in Berlin, Germany.
Spain: Arts Also Blossom in the Global Spring
All images were published under the CC BY 3.0 License.
Don’t say that a hundred thousand Hindus or a hundred thousand Muslims have been massacred. Say two hundred thousand human being have been slaughtered.
Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) was a short-story writer, a dramatist and also a translator from Punjab. His centenary birth anniversary is being celebrated across Pakistan and also in India.
A 19 year old Jordanian kidnaps a 14 year old girl (with the assistance of his family) – takes her to a location where a tent was set up for him to rape her repeatedly for three straight days before the police roll in. The court sentences him to death by hanging but he manages to produce a very recent marriage certificate signed by a judge. The court then stays the execution but claims that it will be reinstated should the boy divorce her without a “justifiable cause”. A professor of sociology from the University of Jordan was widely quoted by the original article produced by Arab Al Yawm – that “women are different in nature from men” and that the girl should now make her best of the situation and play the role of a good wife, mostly by putting this whole silly rape thing behind her.
Blogger Naseem Tarawnah summarises a rape case in Jordan that has angered people.
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Mostar in Autumn, by Evan Wakelin.
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Ki Nikham by Ari Goldwag. This is an a capella song, which is the only music religious Jews can listen to during days of mourning in the Jewish...
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The number of languages spoken worldwide vs. the languages of the internet.
