Human Rights Watch has issued a scathing report on the tiny African nation of Eritrea. Under the autocratic rule of President Isayas Afewerki, Eritreans are subjected to “arbitrary arrest and detention, torture, forced labor, and inhuman conditions in detention; rigid restrictions on freedom of movement and expression; and religious persecution”, causing a humanitarian crisis.
“Eritrea’s [...]

Strange goings-on in a remote and mountainous area of Central Asia. Afghan robbers are reportedly crossing the Tajikistan frontier to rustle trees.
Tajiks living near the Afghan border are concerned about a recent increase in robberies, and claim that trespassing Afghans are to blame, RFE/RL’s Tajik Service reports.
In the latest incident, in the village of [...]

Delara Darabi is 22 years old and has been on Iran’s death row for almost six years. In 2003, she confessed to killing someone to protect her boyfriend, who was 19 at the time and told her she would not face the death penalty because she was under 18. She has since retracted [...]

The British Home Office calls it “search engine optimisation”, but that’s just a euphemism for “manipulation”.  Whatever you call it, it’s idiotic and futile.
Whitehall officials will train pro-West Islamic groups to manipulate their Google search ranking in an attempt to drown out extremist voices online, The Register has learned.
The policy is being developed despite recent [...]

The collect for today, The Octave Day of Easter, being The Sunday After Easter Day, from The Book of Common Prayer (Canadian, 1962)
Almighty Father, who hast given thine only Son to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification; Grant us so to put away the leaven of malice and wickedness, that [...]