Just in time for the weekend, here’s a round-up of some articles and podcasts to keep you informed. Do you have any suggestions? Please post them in the comments!
First up, Caitlin Boyce is heavily critical of the process surrounding rape trials in her article on the recently dismissed Dominique Strauss-Khan case. As she notes, the person bringing the rape charge is very often subject to character assassination – but as she then highlights, “When a robbery is reported, one can’t imagine the police waiting to investigate until they have established whether your past boyfriends have ever been in trouble with the law, or whether you’ve ever lied on an insurance application form.”
Next up is a BBC article that looks into the claim, “I’m not fat, I’m pregnant!” It may seem to be at the ‘fluffy’ end of the news spectrum, but also serves to highlight the huge disparity in maternal health care; while women in the UK are told not to be so greedy, expectant mothers in South Africa are simply aiming to survive.
With Gaddafi in the headlines as the rebels take Tripoli, it is very easy to caricature and lampoon the man with the traveling tent. In an audio interview, Jane Kinninmont of Chatham House, and Nabila Ramdani, a freelance journalist, discuss the (future) role of women in Libya – pointing out that while Libya has the highest female literacy rate in North Africa, respect is still lacking.
As the US Presidential Race gathers momentum, focus is on Romney, Newt, Obama and Huntsman – what about the whirlwind of the last election, Sarah Palin? She has reporters devoted to her every move but has not yet declared herself… will she? Should she? The members of the ‘Palin Industrial Complex‘ care a lot. Should you?
…and finally, just for the title: “Turkmenistan: Famous Melons Named for President.” Available here.
