Cases of violence against women are increasing rapidly in Afghanistan; a frightening reminder of pre-war life under the Taliban. This shocking report investigates how much has actually changed in the country.
6 months ago, 22-year-old Najiba was mercilessly killed by the Taliban, just one hour's drive from Kabul. The Taliban created a fake court and once they decided she was guilty, executed her within an hour. "It was tyrannical and barbaric - it is impossible that the law would allow what they did", says Mullah Badam, who witnessed the killing. Cases of violence against women in Afghanistan have surged in recent months, with many living in abject fear of attack for minor "crimes". Yet there are some women in Afghanistan who are fighting back, including MP Fawzia Koofi, who plans to take on Hamid Karzai for the presidency. An outspoken champion of women's rights, she has faced assassination attempts and numerous death threats. She argues that for her male political opposition, "women's rights are a matter of sacrifice".
As Spain announces more austerity for 2013, the country has erupted in protest. This report, which dives into the heart of the shocking street violence, reveals a deep divide between government and people. "The government is trying to scare the people," one protester says, following the government's dubbing of a protest outside the congress as a possible coup d'etat. It ramped up the already tense mood among a people that blame the right wing government for Spain's economic problems. As protesters refuse to leave and sit down in non-violent protest, the police break off into small groups and chase them down. "The police started to charge indiscriminately toward anyone. We are returning to fascist repression." Rubber bullets and bricks fly back and forth in street exchanges of a shocking intensity. "We are not animals! We are people!", one woman pleads with the police. But the police don't wait long before storming down the streets, shooting rubber bullets at close range into fleeing crowds. The streets may be clear for now, but as the crisis in Spain deepens with no end in sight, popular resistance towards the government is only intensifying and police methods of control are raising concerns.
Jihan Hafiz
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USA - Who Killed Shaima?
- 15 min 27 sec [1 October 2012]
When Shaima Alawadi, an Iraqi American mother of five, was beaten to death it drew attention to Islamophobia in the US. But was her murder a hate crime or an honour killing within the Iraqi community? "I'm sure she is in a better place now," says Fatima, Shaima's daughter, the first person to find her mother after she was beaten to death. The family had previously received a note saying, "Go back to Iraq" and another left beside Shaima's body called her a terrorist. Integration is still a proving a tough process in the city of El Cajon, home to the second largest community of Iraqi migrants, where dozens settled after the first Gulf War. "It's a difficult place to settle several thousand refugees from a very different culture," explains Will Carless, a New York Times reporter. As Shaima's family refuse to trust American police and "hang out their dirty washing", the mystery of Shaima's death remains unresolved.
SBS
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Vietnam - Wandering Souls
- 23' min 53" sec [1 October 2012]
Vietnamese war veterans helped Australia find its last six soldiers missing in action. Putting past resentments aside, two former Australian soldiers now aim to return the favour in Operation Wandering Souls.
In a country where most families lost someone during the war, the enduring grief for many Vietnamese is not knowing where their loved ones had fallen. Using Australian war records, maps and combat references, Derrill de Heer and Dr Bob Hall have now produced the first comprehensive account of where nearly 4,000 missing Vietnamese troops might be found. "You only get a couple of chances in life to make a real difference, and this is one of them", Bob Hall smiles.
ABC Australia
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UK - JK Rowling Interview
- 9' min 36 sec [27 September 2012]
Harry Potter author fails to cast spell over critics
The media circus is once again swirling around author JK Rowling as her new book is released. In this interview she speaks candidly about her views on literature, her future career and the price of fame. "I like having my pen name: it makes me feel like there is a nice division between Jo the writer and Jo the mother." As conversation moves from meeting Barack Obama to buying her wedding dress in disguise, it is clear that life remains anything but normal for the Harry Potter author.
Guardian Films
