Recently, an Angolan asylum seeker died during his deportation from the United Kingdom. But this is not an isolated case. According to a report by the UK Institute of Race Relations (IRR), 'Driven to Desperate Measures: 2006-2010', 44 people have died since 2006 as a consequence of the iniquities of the immigration/asylum system. Another seven died at the hand of racists.

Amnesty International has called on the Egyptian authorities to immediately release, or charge with a recognizable criminal offence, more than 70 members of the Muslim Brotherhood group arrested this week. More than 150 people have been arrested since the Muslim Brotherhood chairman, Mohamed Badie', said on 9 October that the group will put up candidates in Egypt's parliamentary elections, scheduled for 29 November.

If all you ever read about gay people in Africa is in the western media (including gay media), you would be forgiven for thinking it's one endless horror story. Largely unnoticed amid all that has been the quickening development of gay communities and movements in many parts of Africa. In Kenya, for instance, David Kuria - a gay man - is standing for the senate. If elected, he'll be the second openly gay politician in Africa.