In other news, protests and celebrations have been taking place around the world in recent days to mark International Women’s Day. In Brazil, some 30,000 women are expected to gather in Sao Paulo today to mark the start of a seven-month global march to call for a global charter for equal rights for women. The world tour is scheduled to pass through over 50 countries between now in October when it will end in the African country of Burkina Faso. In Istanbul Turkey on Sunday, thousands of women were peacefully demonstrating when police in riot gear charged the crowd. Women were beaten and sprayed with tear gas. One police officer beat a woman to the ground with his baton, then another officer ran up and kicked her in the face. Police arrested 59 women for taking part in the unpermitted rally. In Nepal, a jailed women’s leader has been able to smuggle a message out to her followers calling on them to stage protests on this International Women’s Day against the Nepalese king who recently seized complete power. Meena Pandey, President of Nepal Women’s Association, said, “I call upon all Nepalese women to celebrate the occasion by raising strong voice against the authoritarian rule.” In Kuwait, hundreds of women demonstrated Monday outside the Kuwaiti parliament demanding the right to vote and to be able to stand for political office.