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24 January 2020
This Nigerian human rights lawyer wins second order of restraint against government
Lawyer Gloria Ballason has experienced ongoing intimidation and harassment by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, amid a growing crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent in Nigeria.
Morocco intensifies crackdown on freedom of expression
Morocco has a dire record of cracking down on freedom of expression, independent media and press freedom media.
Conservationists decry Sri Lankan decision to arm local groups against elephants
"Will Sri Lanka, where magnificent elephants have now been demoted from National Treasure to vermin, be the paradise isle that modern tourists dream of?"
For the first time, clouded leopards have been found high up in Nepal's Himalayas. But can they survive climate change?
Clouded leopards, one of the most elusive cats, were found for the first time at an altitude of 3498 meters (11476 feet) above sea level in the Langtang National Park...
23 January 2020
Malawi opens the first drone academy in Africa
The African Drone and Data Academy officially opened this month in Malawi — the first of its kind in Africa.
22 January 2020
Another #SexForGrades scandal — and the birth of a movement against sexual harassment in Nigeria
In the last few years, Nigerian women have become ferociously vocal against sexual assault of female students. This is growing into a movement with extraordinary on- and offline impact.
Editor of environmental news platform Mongabay arrested in Indonesia for alleged visa violation
"I am surprised that immigration officials have taken such punitive action against Philip for what is an administrative matter."
Pakistani director halts release of award-winning film after receiving threats
"They are holding a film hostage for all the wrong reasons and there is nothing we can do about it."
Kazakh family of writers and musicians caught in the Xinjiang vortex
The Oralbai family had a happy and productive life in China before a state purge targeting ethnic minorities tore them apart.
In preparation for the Lunar New Year mass migration, China finally gets serious about the Wuhan coronavirus
Initial rumors of a new form of coronavirus are being confirmed globally and, albeit reluctantly, by Beijing.
21 January 2020
Yorùbá loanwords: How languages evolve
Using Yorùbá words in their original forms helps ensure that culture — kept alive through language — continues to thrive.
Redemption Song: My journey to marijuana activism
"Ganja has been a source of inspiration, meditation and medication on my journey as a mixed-race, working-class Caribbean woman trying to make a way in this capitalist world."
Can El Salvador's hosting of a surfing Olympic qualifier alter the country's violent image?
While some Salvadorans are celebrating the opportunity to host a major championship, others claim that there are bigger priorities than the country's image abroad.
Is Russia getting its model for digital authoritarianism from China?
On the surface, China and Russia share much when it comes to digital governance. But their crackdowns on cyberspace also have important differences, says professor Maria Repnikova
Nigeria: A failed state — reality or perception?
In addition to threats from Boko Haram, abductions and kidnapping in Nigeria have also become the norm.
The meaning of Tsai Ing-wen's 8.17 million votes in the Taiwan presidential elections
Some analysts have attributed Tsai Ing-wen's landslide victory in Taiwan's recent presidential to the Hong Kong protests and encroachment by Beijing. But that's only part of the story.
How ‘fake news’ and disinformation were spread in the run-up to Taiwan's presidential elections
Puma Shen, director of DoubleThink Labs, shares his observations on the ways in which fake news and disinformation were disseminated prior to Taiwan's January 11, 2020 presidential elections.
20 January 2020
Facebook apologizes for translating Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s name as ‘Mr. Shithole’
"And the president of China, Mr. Shithole, signed a guest record of the house of representatives."
Restoration of Trinidad and Tobago's heritage buildings stirs debate
The restoration of heritage buildings in Trinidad and Tobago has sparked a national conversation on whether this is the best use of public funds.
Baul singer Shariat Sarkar arrested in Bangladesh for ‘insulting’ Islam
Baul singer Shariat Sarkar is accused of making comments which hurt the “religious sentiment” of Muslims. He says that there is no evidence forbidding music in Islam.
