23 year old Afghan reporter/blogger, Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, sentenced to death for downloading and distributing factual information regarding the treatment of women in Islamic cultures which is considered under Shari'ah Law to be an insult against their prophet, Muhammed.
"India.Arie is heartbroken, and she wants the whole world to know it."
"Not only is her latest, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, essentially a breakup album through and through. It may very well be the first-ever inspirational breakup album"
"While a few hip-hop and neo-soul proponents have subtly championed spirituality and positivity in their music ...Testimony outdoes them all in terms of religious frankness. From the opening strains of the brief intro "Loving" to the breathtaking hidden track "This Too Shall Pass," it's a testament to India.Arie's strong spiritual pulse."
"But that's nothing new. Her previous albums, Acoustic Soul and Voyage to India, brimmed with clear-cut declarations of faith, but none as bold as those on Testimony." CLICK HERE TO READ THE WHOLE STORY BY ANDREE FARIAS OF CHRISTIANITY TODAY INTERNATIONAL ON THE FISH
Palestinian Hip Hop Artist Surrounded by 8 Gunmen in Israeli Airport
"British-born Palestinian Hip Hop artist, Shadia Mansour was surrounded by airport security and “intelligence officers” armed with guns on Saturday, September 4, 2010, in Ben Gurion Airport, Israel."
"Ms. Mansour was told to return to her luggage after a usual baggage xray and multiple searches, when eight agents ran towards her, weapons drawn and pointed, they aggressively kicked away her bags and surrounded her."
"The eight agents had their guns pointed at Ms. Mansour while having her stand in the same position for one hour in suspicion of a bomb being planted in her microphone which they had in their possession for ten minutes already."
"Although standard for Palestinians to be strip searched upon departure of Israel, Ms Mansour was made to lay down on her back as female agents pushed aggressively into her joints and neck."
"Once the female agents finished searching her the microphone was returned and Ms. Mansour was directed to her flight en route to London as though nothing had happened."
"Ms. Mansour told us “For a few minutes I really thought they were going to take my life, the way they handled the situation literally made me feel like I was an attempted suicide bomber that had just been captured or something”."