Global issues

Commercial sex and dirty needles are main HIV risk

Targeting the general public in the fight against HIV/AIDS is useless, argues author Elizabeth Pisani. Instead, focus on commercial sex, intravenal drugs users, and gay men - that's where the risks are, she says.

Asia & Pacific

Tourists begin to leave Thailand

The first Air France-KLM flight since anti-government protesters took over Bangkok's two main airports last Tuesday has departed for Amsterdam. Over 100,000 foreign tourists are still stranded in Thailand.

Dutch affairs

No more magic mushrooms for the Dutch

A Dutch law banning the possession and sale of hallucinogenic drugs has come into force. But opponents say the law was introduced without due care, and will fail to make any difference.

The State We're In - stories

Chicago school reformer

Some public school buildings in Chicago are extremely run-down, but a group of moms in one of the more privileged neighbourhoods of the city decided to completely spruce up their local school.

The State We're In - stories

Arab science

A thousand years ago, the Arab world was one of the world's great intellectual centres. Arab and Muslim scholars made advances in almost every field of science, math, astronomy, medicine, optics and philosophy.

The State We're In - stories

Nothing but the Qur’an

In Nigeria, one in five children are sent to Qur'anic schools. They spend at least four years memorising Islam's holy book. The pupils are often abandoned by their parents and are forced to beg on the streets to survive.

Dutch affairs

Joran's father denies knowledge of 'human trafficking'

Was his father aware what Joran van der Sloot did to Natalee Holloway? Joran claims he sold her to a Venezuelan man on the island of Aruba. "That's a serious crime", Paulus told his son in a taped conversation.

Europe

EU to tackle pharmaceutical tricks

Pharmaceutical companies are abusing their position to block competitors, concludes European Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes after conducting a ten-month inquiry.

South & Central America

Dutch Darwin freed in Brazil

Dutch-born primatologist Marc van Roosmalen will not have to return to prison after Brazil's Court of Appeal commuted a 14-year term he received for bio-piracy in 2007.

The State We're In - stories

Trapped in Gaza with a Fulbright scholarship

More than 500 university students in Gaza are unable to study abroad this year because of Israel’s closure of the territory. One of them tells his story.

Asia & Pacific

Mumbai nightmare finally over

Commandos killed the last remaining gunmen in Mumbai's Taj hotel to end a three-day siege by Islamic militants. Their attacks left 195 dead.

Talking point

What should be our new human rights?

The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is 10 December. Among others, your right to vote, paid holidays and retirement are protected. But what should be our new, 21st century, rights?

The State We're In - stories

Education in the Arab world

A thousand years ago, Arabs led the world in many areas of knowledge, including science, math, astronomy, medicine, optics and philosophy. But today, the Arab world lags behind much of the rest of the world.

Current Affairs

Worldwide bloggers win prizes in BOBs competition

Radio Netherlands Worldwide announces the winners of the annual Best of Blog Awards, the BOBs. A Cuban weblog wins and the English-language prize goes to the US Party Time blog.

Asia & Pacific

Mumbai: local attacks with a global impact

The assaults in Mumbai on Wednesday are unique, not just for their size but also for the subsequent political effect they may have.

Asia & Pacific

Mumbai attacks put a dent in confidence

With its colourful Bollywood dancers and hypnotic raga music, the Amsterdam India Festival had put a spell on the Dutch capital. But the attacks in Mumbai have dented western enthusiasm for India.

Radio Books

Hafid Bouazza

"There's no place like homelessness," says author Hafid Bouazza who rejects the label 'immigrant writer.' His imaginative style of wordplay is indisputably on show in this Radio Books story ‘Mockingbird.'