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‘Getting to the Heart’ of the Organ Trafficking Industry

Organ donation is a much-needed act of kindness. The total number of organ transplants carried out in the period between April 2011 and March 2012 in the United Kingdom was 3,953 –an improvement upon the 3,725 transplants recorded in 2010/11. This represents an increase of 22.2% above the 2007/08 baseline. However, despite these improvements, overContinue reading “‘Getting to the Heart’ of the Organ Trafficking Industry”

Femmes Fatales: Women in the Military

Women in the military have a history that extends over 400 years into the past. Women all over the world serve in the military and in different roles. Yet only certain nations permit women to fill active combat roles. The US recently overturned a 1994 rule banning women from serving in certain combat positions, potentiallyContinue reading “Femmes Fatales: Women in the Military”

Singapore: A wealthy city-state where the freedom is poor

Singapore is known to outsiders for its unique laws on the likes of chewing gum, tobacco, toy currency (not counterfeit, but the ones children play with) and pornographic material. It is also one of the wealthiest countries in the Asian continent, if not the world, with a GDP per capita of $60,900. Likewise known forContinue reading “Singapore: A wealthy city-state where the freedom is poor”

Lèse-majesté in Thailand

“The law’s defenders claim that Thailand’s love for its king is incomparable. Its critics say the law has become the foremost threat to the freedom of expression”. (David Streckfuss – Truth on Trial in Thailand) Lèse-majesté – the crime of speaking offensively about the monarchy, has been present in Thai legislation for over a century;Continue reading “Lèse-majesté in Thailand”

Do They Know It’s Christmas Yet?

In November 1984 supergroup ‘Band Aid’ released their charity single ‘Do they know it’s Christmas?’ and sold 3.69 million copies worldwide. Proceeds were to be donated in support of famine relief following Michael Buerk’s report from Ethiopia. The Thatcher government was highly criticised for obtaining the record’s value added tax; only later under much publicContinue reading “Do They Know It’s Christmas Yet?”

Religious Oppression and the Muslim Brotherhood: Egypt in Focus

The Egyptian government has struggled to consolidate its power since the fall of Hosni Mubarak; the Muslim Brotherhood now dominates the newly elected government. The fact that a religious political organisation is the dominant political power has brought unwelcome consequences for religious minorities in Egypt. Coptic Christians represent the single biggest religious minority in theContinue reading “Religious Oppression and the Muslim Brotherhood: Egypt in Focus”

Will Cuba still remain an Island-Cage?

Last summer, I had the chance to travel throughout the eastern part of Cuba and stay in casa particulares – rooms in Cuban homes rented by locals who obtained a license from the government. This trip gave me the chance to receive a first-hand perception of how Cubans have lived under the Castro regime forContinue reading “Will Cuba still remain an Island-Cage?”

The Silent Victims of Sex Trafficking

When people discuss human trafficking, the usual stereotypical imagery is evoked: an international young woman trafficked across borders, a group of children forced to harvest distant crops, an inner city brothel exposed as exploiting dozens of young girls and women. But rarely do we read of the male victims of human trafficking. Men typically occupyContinue reading “The Silent Victims of Sex Trafficking”

North Korean Brides for Sale

The one child policy in China is infamous for its strict controls limiting phenomenal population growth. However, such a policy has backfired, as a cultural preference for sons over daughters has resulted in high levels of abortion and staggering amounts of female infanticide – young girls are twice as likely to die as young boysContinue reading “North Korean Brides for Sale”

The Pussy Riot Controversy: Freedom of Speech vs. Breaching the Peace

All-female Russian punk band Pussy Riot has been thrown into the spotlight following three controversial jail sentences for its members. The women were found guilty of “premeditated hooliganism performed by an organized group of people motivated by religious hatred or hostility”. The arrests followed a spontaneous concert, for which the group are most known for,Continue reading “The Pussy Riot Controversy: Freedom of Speech vs. Breaching the Peace”