Politics

Husband of British-Iranian Hostage on Hunger Strike

Friday, November 5, 2021, marks the 13th day of Richard Ratcliffe's hunger strike. Speaking to the Guardian, he said that this time, it is more visceral. "It's smaller, darker, more pointed. I'm saying things I wouldn't have said two years ago," he added. Ratcliffe's hunger strike is aimed at pressuring the British government to take action in releasing his wife.

Police & Protesters Killed as Far-Right Islamists Protest in Pakistan

Two policemen and two demonstrators were killed in a recent surge of violence in Pakistan. Rana Arif, a police spokesman, said two police officers were killed and another injured when protesters started throwing stones on Friday, October 22, 2021. Several demonstrators were also wounded during the ensuing violence.

The Official Wizard of New Zealand Axed From Payroll

Ian Brackenbury Channell, the only known wizard-in-residence employed by a state since 1998, will be officially terminated from Christchurch's payroll this December 2021. In an interview with a local news outlet, Lynn McClelland, the Council Assistant Chief Executive, said that "the council has met with The Wizard and sent him a letter thanking him for his services to Christchurch over the past decades."

Siberian Shaman Forced into Psychiatric Ward for Challenging Putin

On September 23, the Yakutsk City Court rejected Aleksandr Gabyshev’s appeal on their July 26 ruling. In July, the city court’s ruling ordered Gabyshev’s indefinite confinement to a psychiatric facility for a mandatory “intensive treatment.” The court determined that Gabyshev lacks legal capacity due to insanity, despite the protest of his defense attorneys.

Billboard Comparing Trump to Jesus Causes Blasphemy Controversy

In early September, a photo of a controversial billboard appeared on Twitter. The sign pictured former President Donald Trump next to prophetic words partially quoted from Isaiah 9:6, which compared him to Jesus. The scripture referenced by the sign, however, is inaccurate.

Critics quickly identified the bible misquotes in the sign after the photo made its way to Twitter. The verse quoted is from Isaiah 9:6 rather than Romans 8:17. The words are easily recognized as prophesizing the return of Jesus.

Proposed Law: Religious Schools to Lose Right to Fire Based On Sexuality

Religious schools and organizations in the Australian state of Victoria will soon be prohibited from hiring or terminating based on the applicant's gender identity or sexual orientation. On September 16th, the Victorian Labor Party in Australia proposed a law that would end this discrimination.

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