Stories from 20 February 2016
Thirty Saudi Religious Police Complete Course on How to Fight Black Magic
Thirty members of the Commission for the Protection of Virtue and Prevention of Vice completed a five-day course on how to fight black magic, identify sorcerers and even break their spells.
Online Documentary Preserves Oral History Surrounding 1950s Yugoslav Anti-Veil Law
The law was adopted "... to achieve the goal of removing the century-old sign of subjugation and backwardness of of Muslim women..."
Protests at Indian Universities Add Fuel to Public Outrage Over Sedition Laws
The arrest of student leader Kanhaiya Kumar on sedition charges has posed a rare legitimacy test for Prime Minister Nahendra Modi and his "intolerant" ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Oz Comedian's Song Challenges Cardinal to ‘Come Home’ for Child Sex Abuse Hearing
Tim Minchin has attacked Cardinal George Pell in a song and demanded he return home to give evidence to the royal commission on child abuse.
Brazilian Activist Flooded With Death Threats After Newspaper Runs Phony Interview
The well-known Brazilian journalist, teacher, and human rights activist Leonardo Sakamoto says he started receiving death threats after a small newspaper published a fake interview with him earlier this month.
Meet Fish, a Resident of the World's Largest Refugee Camp
After 23 years in the Dadaab camp, Abdullah "Fish" Hassan escaped due to violence, but his daughters are still refugees there.
The KRA Factor: The Shaming of Kadyrov’s Online Critics
The Chechen ideologists have invented a highly effective way of influencing their online critics. The method has been tested in Chechnya and is now being used outside of the republic.
How Lima Lost the Booksellers of Quilca Street
The many booksellers that occupied the busy Quilca street have been evicted and uncertainty looms over the future of not only the traders but also the greater area.
‘Uganda Is a Boiling Pot': Arrests, Rigging Claims and a Social Media Shutdown Mar Elections
"Winning an election through hook and crook while clobbering your fellow countrymen should never be a proud moment!"