Archive for the ‘World current affairs’ Category
The great mall of China
March 8th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
The largest shopping mall in the world is in China – which might surprise you. It called the New South China Mall and is located in the city of Dongguan, which has a population in excess of 10 million and is located in southern China. The mall can accommodate 2,350 stores. However, you might be […]
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Will the world end in 2012?
March 6th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I very much doubt it, but some people are worried by a so-called Mayan prophecy that suggests that the world will cease on 21 December 2012. The prophecy was the basis for the movie “2012” which I’ve reviewed here. There are whole web sites devoted to the implications of the Mayan prophecy including one that […]
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“Rage On The Right”
March 5th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
America’s Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has produced a new report entitled “Rage On The Right” which argues that “so-called “Patriot” groups — militias and other organizations that see the federal government as part of a plot to impose ‘one-world government’ on liberty-loving Americans — came roaring back after years out of the limelight”. The […]
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When will China’s economy be the largest?
March 3rd, 2010 by Roger Darlington
At the end of this month, my wife and I will be revisiting China 10 years after we last travelled to the country on what was on our first experience of this resurgent nation [see my account of the trip here]. This time, we will be travelling with our young Chinese ‘family’ so we will […]
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Some good news from Iran
February 24th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Last Autumn, I visited Iran as a tourist. I was acutely aware of how difficult it is for any Iranian to challenge the current system of power in any way or to work for human rights in any form. As a former trade union official, I believe that Iran is one of the toughest countries […]
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Minaret collapse in Meknes
February 20th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
I’m saddened to hear the news of so many deaths in the Moroccan World Heritage site of Meknes following the collapse of a four centuries old minaret. My wife and I visited Meknes during a tour of the country in 2004 and I’ve described our time in the city here.
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What happened after Gleneagles?
February 18th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
So often, we hear something in the news – some agreement, some promise, some announcement – but there is very little follow-through by the media to tell us what happened next. Cast you mind back five years to the massive Make Poverty History campaign leading up to the G8 Summit hosted by the UK in […]
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Forgotten World (205): North Marianas
February 12th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
The Northern Marianas is a chain of 14 islands in the north-west Pacific Ocean. It is self-governing but linked politically to the United States. The territory is exempt from US minimum wage and immigration laws; this has helped to drive a billion-dollar garment trade which employs thousands of migrant workers, many of them from China […]
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Mandela’s 20 years of freedom
February 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Like so many people all around the world, today I celebrate the news of the 20th anniversary of the release from prison of Nelson Mandela after 27 years. It was such a moving occasion. Since then, I have visited South Africa and went to Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned [my account here] and where […]
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Forgotten World (204): Egypt
February 11th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Egypt conducted wars with Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973, before eventually making peace with its adversary in 1979, so the country has moved from being a warring nation to becoming a key representative in the peace process. President Hosni Mubarak has been in power since 1981; his strongest challenger is the Muslim Brotherhood […]
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