Category: International

Criminal law, International, Politics

Iran Hangs Woman Who Claimed That Intelligence Official Drugged And Raped Her

eg2vZynW_400x400We previously discussed the pending execution of Rayhaneh Jabbari, 26, for killing a former Iranian intelligence official who she said had raped her. Early reports that the execution had been carried out were premature and international efforts intensified to save Rayhaneh. I regret to report that the Associated Press is now confirming that today the Iranians hanged Rayhaneh in the latest outrage to come from that medieval legal system.

Continue reading “Iran Hangs Woman Who Claimed That Intelligence Official Drugged And Raped Her” →

Academia, International

Study: Gladiators Ate Primarily Grains and Drank Ash Tonic

400px-Gladiators_from_the_Zliten_mosaic_3Having just come back from exploring the Coliseum in Rome, this story captured my interest. Anthropologists have analyzed the diet of gladiators in the city of Ephesus and determined that they mainly lived on a beans-and-grains diet rather than meat. a drink made of plant ashes that was supposed to “fortify the body after physical exertion and … promote better bone healing.”

Continue reading “Study: Gladiators Ate Primarily Grains and Drank Ash Tonic” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

Pakistani Court Upholds Death Sentence For Mother of Five Who Was Accused Of Insulting Mohammad

We have previously discussed the outrageous case of Asia Bibi who is the latest victim of a death sentence under the medieval Sharia law system imposed in Muslim countries — sentenced to death for insulting Mohammad. Now, a court in Lahore upheld the verdict and affirmed the death sentence for the 50-year-old motion of five. She said that her nightmare began when she took a drink of water from a bucket being used by Muslim women. As a Christian, she was viewed as unclean and the women assailed her and later accused her of saying something insulting to Mohammad. Not only did leading Muslim clerics in Pakistan support her execution but one offered a reward for any faithful Muslim to murder her.

Continue reading “Pakistani Court Upholds Death Sentence For Mother of Five Who Was Accused Of Insulting Mohammad” →

International, Politics

Illegal Poppy Production in Afghanistan Reaches “All Time High” After U.S. Spends $7.6 Billion On Eradication

1024px-Afghan_poppiesWe have previously discussed how domestic programs are being cut while the government pours billions into Iraq and Afghanistan. I have previously written about the waste of billions of dollars by the government without any significant discipline for government officials. We have become accustomed to reports of unimaginable corruption and waste in Afghanistan from bags of money delivered to officials to constructing huge buildings to be immediately torn down to buying aircraft that cannot be used. The common element to the stories is the absence of any reported prosecution or even discipline for those responsible. We now have yet another example of spending huge amounts of money on failed programs because no one has the guts to cut off the money. The latest example is our $7.6 billion eradication campaign for poppy fields which has proven an utter failure. Yet, no one wants to be accused of being soft on drugs — so officials sending kept spending as we cut educational, scientific, environmental, and infrastructure programs at home. It is better to waste billions than make a tough decision in government.

Continue reading “Illegal Poppy Production in Afghanistan Reaches “All Time High” After U.S. Spends $7.6 Billion On Eradication” →

Free Speech, International, Religion, Society

Leading Muslim Cleric: Twitter is “The Source Of All Evil and Devastation”

Twitter Logo200px-Codex_Gigas_devilSaudi Arabia’s top Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh has announced that he has found “the source of all evil and devastation” in the world. It is no small achievement. The source you ask? Twitter. That’s right, Twitter is “the source of all evil and devastation.” This is one of top ranking Islamic cleric in the most powerful Muslim nation on Earth.

Continue reading “Leading Muslim Cleric: Twitter is “The Source Of All Evil and Devastation”” →

Constitutional Law, International, Politics, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Attack Buses and Riders Over Ads Calling For Equal Rights For Women To Pray

10258065_10152705666090673_8596767114169859453_oBus riders this week found themselves under attack by dozens of ultra-Orthodox Jews who hurled stones and slashed the tires of their buses. The reason? Some buses featured ads supporting the right of women to worship at a holy site in Jerusalem. This is only the latest such attack by ultra-Orthodox Jews who have manned “modesty patrols” on the streets and attacked women who call for equal access at sites like the Western Wall.

Continue reading “Ultra-Orthodox Jews Attack Buses and Riders Over Ads Calling For Equal Rights For Women To Pray” →

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Religion, Society

“Bad Hijab”: Iranian Women Reportedly Being Attacked By Acid For Not Being Properly Veiled

150px-muslim_woman_in_yemen220px-Hydrochloric_acid_ammoniaWe often discuss the disconnect of religious fanatics who rape or beat or kill women and girls in the name of morality. Often such abuses seems to be condoned by governments like Iran. However, after a series of acid attacks on women for not being properly veiled, the Iranian government is actually investigating and denouncing the attacks.

Continue reading ““Bad Hijab”: Iranian Women Reportedly Being Attacked By Acid For Not Being Properly Veiled” →

Bizarre, Environment, International

Run, Sponge, Repeat: China Holds Marathon With Runners Wearing Masks and Cleaning Skin To Deal With Hazardous Air Pollution

220px-Air_Raid_Precautions_on_the_British_Home_Front-_Anti-gas_Instruction,_c_1941_D3948The 34th Beijing International Marathon was held on Sunday — an event long-planned by the government to highlight its economic development and tourism. It did not work out quite that way. Instead of a marathon, the race looked like a competition to see who could hold their breath for over 26 miles after pollution levels surpassed the hazardous level. It looked more like a medical emergency with hundreds of runners using oxygen masks to breath and using sponges to clean off pollution on their skin. The government of course reported only “moderate” pollution. When the Chinese government says that pollution is moderate, it may be time to be a couch potato at home like this lovely couple.

Continue reading “Run, Sponge, Repeat: China Holds Marathon With Runners Wearing Masks and Cleaning Skin To Deal With Hazardous Air Pollution” →

International

Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs Join Fight Against ISIS In Syria

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

no-surrender-mc-logomedian-empire-fighters-kurdish Dutch and German 1%er Motorcycle clubs have joined the fight against ISIS in the besieged Syrian city of Kobane.

The Dutch club “No Surrender” and Germany’s “Median Empire” are reportedly participating in combat roles against ISIS.

Median Empire, which comprises some members of the Kurdish diaspora, has been in the Kurdistan region since at least April of 2014 offering humanitarian aid and support for the ethnic minorities under persecution of ISIS.

No Surrender is a large club in The Netherlands having approximately equal members as that of the Dutch chapter of the Hells Angels.

Continue reading “Outlaw Motorcycle Clubs Join Fight Against ISIS In Syria” →

International, Travel Blog

Day Nine: Our Final Day (Rome)

IMG_1425IMG_1387We returned to Rome from Sicily for a final day in this great city. Every day seems to top the last in Italy and this was no exception. It was the perfect way to finish our long visit in Italy and Sicily. While the days have been quite warm (though still better than summer months), this was a cool day with intermittent clouds. Perfect for one last day of walking around Rome. This was the day that I would satisfy another long-standing desire: to visit the Castel Sant’Angelo. It would again surpass all of my expectations.

Continue reading “Day Nine: Our Final Day (Rome)” →

International, Travel Blog

Day 8: A Night In Catania (Sicily)

250px-Catania_BW_2012-10-06_11-32-08_2_fjOur final day in Sicily was spent in Syracuse and then Catania. We arrived in Catania in the early evening at our hotel Hotel Liberty near the center of town. Catania seems a city that embodies the principle that you should not judge a book by its cover. It is a city without much of the natural beauty of a Syracuse or the charming streets of an Agrigento. Indeed, when you drive through the city you recoil a bit due to the trash and the graffiti. While we stayed at Catania to be close to the airport for our flight, we ventured out and found some interesting sights.

Continue reading “Day 8: A Night In Catania (Sicily)” →

Criminal law, International

Italian Nurse Accused Of Killing As Many As 38 Patients

v3-TwitterDanielap copyOne of the stories making the news here in Italy is the arrest of Daniela Poggiali, 42, a nurse who is accused of killing at least 38 of her patients because she found them or their relatives to be annoying. She was initially charged in the death of an elderly patient and now police believe that she is a serial killer.

Continue reading “Italian Nurse Accused Of Killing As Many As 38 Patients” →

International

Wealth Gap: Just $3,650 Puts A Person In Top Half of Wealth In The World

painting1The Credit Suisse global wealth report (pdf), is out and it has some surprising findings on the world wealth distribution. The report says that the richest 1% of the world’s population is not only getting wealthier but owns more than 48% of global wealth. The bottom half of the world population owns less than one percent of the world’s wealth.

Continue reading “Wealth Gap: Just $3,650 Puts A Person In Top Half of Wealth In The World” →