"Do We Need to Uproot Witchcraft in Africa?" demands a headline in Rwanda’s New Times newspaper.
The answer, according to the article, is no -- but that opinion is not necessarily shared around the continent.
Indeed, witchcraft -- or at least the accusation of it -- is a serious matter in much of Africa and the African diaspora.
In Ghana, belief in witchcraft is widespread, Africa News reports, and in rural areas a witchcraft accusation lead to exile.
Banished by their families and left without means of support, those accused -- usually older, impoverished women -- are forced into so-called "witch’s villages," and resort to selling charcoal to survive.
Sometimes the consequences can be even worse. Three people were arrested in Tanzania for killing accused witches, the BBC reported in 2003.
They were rare arrests in a crime that is reportedly common.
Witchcraft prejudices are hardly confined to the African continent.
The BBC reported earlier this wee...
Content suppressed by ://URLFAN, for full article visit source
Websites mentioned in article (click for rank details):
Men’s style appears to be a hot topic over at Broadcasting House. The BBC recently showed its second menswear-related series in as many months, with the original series on Savile Row being followed up by one called British Style Genius.
The overlap with the previous series was obvious, with the same narrator and the initial section [...] ... more
DRC diplomats homeless in London
BBC News Online
Belongings have been stacked near
the visa collection point
Congolese diplomatic staff have taken refuge at the Democratic Republic of Congo’s embassy in London after the electricity to staff housing was cut.
A member of the mission told the BBC that the power supply was interrupted because the bill had not been paid.
The BBC’s Jonny Hogg says those taking refuge, including three families, are upse... more
The Stage is reporting that the BBC has asked Doctor Who director Joe Ahearne to create Superpower, a fresh take on heroes. Ahearne has previously written episodes of This Life, Ultraviolet and the forthcoming Apparitions.
The Beeb has commissioned stand-alone scripts and turned production chores over to Impossible Pictures, the people behind Primeval.
Ahearne told the paper he is a major fan of Marvel’s line of super-heroes which will no doubt be a heavy influence on the series.... more
Sharp New Pantone 830SH
Sharp has announced its new HSDPA 3G mobile phone , named ‘ New Pantone 830SH ’. The phone will be release in Japan market via Softbank on the 4th October, 2008. It has 15 different colors for you to choose from ~ available in mint blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, red, vivid pink, purple, lilac, navy, white, black, silver, gold and pink gold.
The New Pantone 830SH comes with a .4-inch display with 240 x 320 resolution, 2.0-megapixel camera with auto foc... more
The New Media Event is a new event, being organised for the first time in the Middle East, that is dedicated to the growing power of new media and will identify the most important new media tools used by major corporations and organisations around the globe.
The event will be taking place from 14 – 18 December [...]... more
So Jermaine Dupri thinks he’s 21 again. He threw up all over his girlfriend Janet Jackson at his birthday party a few nights ago. And we hear she was NOT pleased:
The other night, Dupri and his squeeze, Janet Jackson, went to Tenjune, where, spies say, they shared bottles of Jay-Z’s Ace of Spades Champagne and Patrón tequila with Ne-Yo, Busta Rhymes and Ice-T - until Dupri “vomited in Janet’s lap. Ms. Jackson bolted out of the scene and sped off in her chauf... more
Almost 100 Indian guest workers at a Mississippi shipyard stormed off from their jobs one day earlier this month, claiming their employer had treated them like slaves.
Now the group is suing the company and marching from New Orleans to Washington, D.C., in a nonviolent "satyagraha," to demand a meeting with the Indian ambassador.
The men were part of a group of 500 Indians who were brought into the United States after Hurricane Katrina to work as welders and pipe fitters for Signal Intern... more
Small and marginal farmers in India will get almost $15 billion in debt relief, thanks to legislation orchestrated by the populist son of the Nehru-Gandhi political family.
Rahul Gandhi, whose family includes several former prime ministers and a turbulent history of assassination, said the farmers deserved the same treatment as "industrialists" who default on billions of rupees borrowed from banks, and then have their obligations waived.
While some farmers complained that they were exclud... more
Two new reports identify byproducts of everyday life as culprits behind an increase in avoidable cancers and other health issues.
Diesel emissions from the Port of Oakland and the freeway system around West Oakland puts millions of people at risk of cancer, asthma and other diseases, according to a new report from the California Air Resources Board.
The study found that 1,200 cancer cases per million people were attributable to diesel exhaust, most from trucks, but also from port activiti... more
Feeds and posts are not affliated with ://URLFAN. They are displayed here simply for informational purposes, if you would like to remove your feed, posts, or domain from ranking and analysis, please contact us.
Content suppressed by ://URLFAN, for full article 
Websites mentioned in article
Buzz Words mentioned in article:
How popular is www.newsdesk.org?
