World Affairs

On Dangerous Revolutionaries

by / on September 1, 2011, 6:53 am

There is a curious pattern of dangerous behaviour  now coming out of the Libyan revolt against the government of Moamar Gaddafi. In this frightening CNN report, rebel soldiers looking to exact revenge on the dying regime have found a perfect victim demographic: black sub-saharan African (in this case Nigerians) who are in the country en route to Spain or Italy for a better [...]

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The Rape of Men

The Rape of Men

by / on August 2, 2011, 3:16 pm

Since the beginning of time, rape (and other forms of sexual violence such as sexual torture, sexual slavery, forced prostitution) has been used as weapons of and in war. From conflicts in Bosnia Herzegovina, Rwanda, Liberia, Congo and Darfur, rape has been repeatedly used to shame and psychologically traumatize victims. The world is aware of girls and women as the [...]

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Oslo Attacks: Whither Globalization?

Oslo Attacks: Whither Globalization?

by / on August 1, 2011, 2:39 pm

“…Cruelty is necessary…you should kill too many, not too few…” are some of Anders Behring Breivik’s murderous recommendations for a European cultural renaissance of sorts that would prevent the “Islamic colonization” of Europe, listed in his manifesto: “The European Declaration of Independence”. In said manifesto, Breivik – the ultra right-wing, white supremacist cum terrorist – detailed the meticulous preparation for his [...]

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Engaging the Right African Leaders

Engaging the Right African Leaders

by / on June 23, 2011, 6:01 pm

Last week was arguably a sad one for most if not all Nigerians as the government’s credibility was assaulted on two fronts simultaneously – security wise and diplomatically. The first was a series of controversial statements credited to the former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on the state of the nation and the second which eclipsed the latter, was the despicable [...]

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Justice Delayed…?

Justice Delayed…?

by / on May 28, 2011, 5:25 pm

Another day another war criminal has been apprehended in the person of the former Bosnian-Serb army leader, Ratko Mladic. He, along with former Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic handed over to the UN war crimes tribunal in 2001, Radovan Karadizc captured in 2008 and numerous other foot soldiers had been indicted by the UN war crimes tribunal for atrocious crimes against [...]

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Crimes against Wo-manity

Crimes against Wo-manity

by / on May 18, 2011, 2:32 pm

  How the mighty hath fallen!…is a phrase that I am pretty certain crosses the mind of most people upon seeing the image  of Dominic Strauss-Kahn, IMF Managing Director arraigned in court on charges of attempted rape and sexual assault. He looked forlorn, unshaven, disheveled with down-cast eyes – the look of a man defeated, with the weight of the [...]

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On Bhagwati and the Yunus Article

On Bhagwati and the Yunus Article

by / on April 6, 2011, 8:57 pm

The following was cross-posted at my blog Red Earth Earlier this month the Bangladesh government removed Mohammed Yunus as the head of the micro finance lender, Grameen Bank (GB). The reason given by the government for Yunus’ removal is that in Bangladeshi law, company heads have to retire at 60 and he is 70.  However most people believe this a political [...]

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Nigeria drops charges against Dick Cheney

Nigeria drops charges against Dick Cheney

by / on December 14, 2010, 3:10 pm

Next reports: The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on Tuesday it may drop bribery charges against former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and oil services firm Halliburton after the company offered to pay a fine. The agency said it met with officials representing Mr Cheney and Halliburton in London last week after filing 16-count charges at a federal [...]

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What We Are Reading: What’s Good For The Goose…

What We Are Reading: What’s Good For The Goose…

by / on August 18, 2010, 12:32 pm

Why does female circumcision/genital cutting/mutilation get so much attention and media while nobody seems to care that possibly the most sensitive part of the penis, the foreskin, in spite of its importance in sexual activity,  is being yanked off routinely in many countries of the world?  It is estimated that 30% of the world’s male population are circumcised — 99% [...]

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On “Stuff We Don’t Want” (SWEDOW)

by / on May 20, 2010, 4:31 pm

A term coined by a follower blogger and aid expert Tales From The Hood. It’s a tongue-in-check term used to describe ludicrous gifts in-kind (GiK) donations. Many examples abound but recent ones include 1million t-shirts, Soles for Soul, Flip-flops for Africa, recycled soaps (yes, you read right!), used bras (or Bras Without Border as they preferred to be called), and [...]

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