Iranian Singer Ermia's Show Biz Veil

A young singer's decision to wear a veil on the Persian language hit television show Googoosh Music Academy attracted both cheers and jeers from Iranians who tuned in.

Religious Extremism Blamed for Myanmar Riots

The Meikhtila riots in central Myanmar which also spread to other towns have killed more than 40 people and raised fears that religious and ethnic clashes would continue to worsen in the country. Many people have analyzed the roots of the violence, in particular, the rise of religious extremism which have caused division and hate in many parts of Myanmar.

St. Vincent, Haiti: Easter Traditions & Changes

I find Easter has taken on a ‘carnivalish’ vibe. From St. Vincent, Abeni muses about “the changing face of Easter”, while Theater of Life looks at the Haitian tradition of...

Majority Religion In A Country Is A Curse

Sri Lankan blogger Patta Pal Boru opines that the majority religion in a country is a curse as the simple weight of the established religion (inertia) gets people thinking about...

PHOTOS: Life Before Myanmar Violence

Senegal Releases Influential Religious Leader Charged in Disciples’ Murder

Accusations of injustice are flying after a Senegal court granted provisional release to Islamic leader Cheikh Bethio Thioune, a once privileged presidential ally in the predominantly Muslim country who was arrested in April 2012 on charges of ordering his followers to beat two men to death.

Holy Week in Antigua, Guatemala

Alfombras (carpets), processions, and floats –AntiguaDailyPhoto shares a series of photo posts on Holy Week traditions in Antigua, Guatemala.

The Pros and Cons of Drafting Israel's Ultra-Orthodox

The Israeli public largely objects to the current policy of allowing ultra-orthodox Jewish youth to avoid army service, but the rule has long been upheld thanks to political power play. Now, the policy is up for consideration.

Nine Street Kids Die in Senegal Quran School Fire

A raging fire that broke out in Dakar, Senegal in a crowded Islamic school room where students were sleeping killed at least nine children on the night of Sunday 3 March, 2013. The tragedy has highlighted just how tough living conditions for Quran school students, known as talibs, can be.

‘Foreign Ideas’ as Extremism in Central Asia

[I]n former Soviet Central Asia there is little debate that the root problem [of extremist beliefs] is “foreign ideas,” defined so broadly as to become a target of opportunity for both every political purpose and every local policeman or official’s ambition. Any sign of dissent from state policies or ideology <...> can be enough to bring the wrath of the state, sometimes with great violence.

Myanmar: Who is Plotting the Meikhtila Riot?

For three days, riots raged in the town of Meikhtila in the Mandalay division of Myanmar. A curfew was imposed by the police after a group of people reportedly set buildings and motor bikes on fire in the area. Netizens condemned those who are speading hate messages online and those who are provoking religious and ethnic clashes

Condom TV Spot Pulled in Kenya After Religious Outcry

A public service announcement promoting condom use to combat the spread of HIV in Kenya was recently pulled from the airwaves after the TV spot caused an uproar among the country's religious leaders.

Hardline Buddhists Drive Sri Lanka to Drop Muslim Halal Labeling

Religious tensions in Sri Lanka are on the rise after Islamic clerics facing massive protests from militant Buddhists put an end to the island's widespread halal food labeling system.

Cuba: A Pope from the Americas

How do Cubans feel about the new pope? Iván's File Cabinet gives us an idea.

Religious Hatred on Facebook in Tajikistan

The shattered system of primary and secondary education, corrupt and rotten system of higher education, the official clergy which has lost [people's] trust, the absence of state-controlled religious education, weak and will-less intellectuals, the presence of a large number of uncontrolled websites with extremist and jihadist content - these are the major reasons why an increasing number of young individuals in our country become extremists.

Science and Homosexuality Through the Lens of a Brazilian Pastor

Silas Malafaia, a conservative pastor and bachelor in psychology, is the head of Brazil's Victory in Christ Assembly of God Church and enemy #1 of those who fight for homosexual rights in the country. And despite heavy opposition to the ideas he espouses, Malafaia has a very large following throughout the country.

Anti-Gay Preacher Elected Brazil's Human Rights Committee Head

The election of controversial evangelical preacher Marco Feliciano, known for his vocal hardline views on homosexuality, as the chairman of the Brazilian legislature's human rights committee has earned the condemnation of religious groups and sparked protests around the country.

Argentina: San Lorenzo Celebrates Pope Francis, its Most Sacred Fan

Pope Francis is an active fan and member of Argentina's San Lorenzo football club. The club released a new shirt during a match on March 16 against Colón de Santa Fe to commemorate the new Pope.

Revenge Attacks Target Bangladesh Hindus for Islamist Leader's Death Sentence

Bangladesh's Hindus have come under attack as Islamists, angry over the death sentence handed down to top Jamaat-e-Islami party leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedi by a special war crimes tribunal, engage in a fiery rampage nationwide.

Anti-Whaling Activists Hit a Nerve in Japan

Online commentary surrounding a collision between a Japanese harpoon ship and two vessels from the marine conservation group Sea Shepherd last month has offered a glimpse into the Japanese public's nuanced perspective on whaling.

Global Voices Podcast Special: Habemus Podcast!

With two African cardinals considered at one point to be potential successors to Pope Benedict XVI, we spoke with Steve Sharra and Abdoulaye Bah from our Africa team about the possibility of an African pope.