Latest stories
20 February 2019
150 years of Ceylon Tea: A day in the life of a plantation worker
The wages Sri Lankan plantation workers earn are nowhere near enough to bear the costs of living for the family, so many are forced to look for work elsewhere.
19 February 2019
Azerbaijan leader gives first TV interview after 15 years in office. He could use more practice.
"My conclusion: the government is very worried!"
Three babies die from measles in Macedonia outbreak. Is anti-vax propaganda responsible?
Macedonia has one of the lowest rates for measles vaccination in Europe, according to the World Health Organization.
18 February 2019
DigiGlot Newsletter: App links refugees with volunteer translators
The DigiGlot Newsletter is a bi-weekly collaborative newsletter that reports on how indigenous, minority, and endangered language communities are adopting and adapting technology to change the internet landscape.
EU proposal pushes tech companies to tackle ‘terrorist content’ with AI, despite implications for war crimes evidence
AI tools can assess whether a video is violent or graphic. But can they determine the video’s intended purpose?
Censored on WeChat: As tensions in China-US trade conflict rose, so did WeChat censorship
The second installment in our series looks at the most censored topic in the 2018 WeChatscope dataset: the China-US trade war.
17 February 2019
Russian public sector workers ordered to ‘like’ social media posts promoting the 2019 Winter Universiade
This is not the first instance of Russian public officials acting as "human bots" to promote the government's agenda online.
Dapper former eye surgeon retrains sights on Afghanistan’s presidency
Few give 2014's runner-up Abdullah Abdullah a hope of winning and his entry into the race has given many a feeling of deja vu.
16 February 2019
‘Space ventures can improve the quality of life on Earth’ — an interview with International Space University president
Today, the International Space University has more than 4600 former students, and of those, more than 80 percent are working in space industries.
Nigeria postpones 2019 general elections hours before polls open, citing ‘logistics and operations’ concerns
"Why on earth would elections be postponed with just a couple of hours left? Why did they wait until the last minute?"
Biryani Stories: In search of the origin of Biryani
Whether it had its beginnings in modern-day Iran or the Indian subcontinent, everyone agrees that Biryani is "the king of South Asian cuisine".
15 February 2019
Venezuelans see the politics of humanitarian aid play out in online attacks
A unique and technically sophisticated attack this week targeted VoluntariosxVenezuela, an opposition-aligned humanitarian aid website.
14 February 2019
The Caribbean needs to work on its homophobia, but it doesn't need a lecture
"To Gabriel’s credit, he […] accepted he was wrong. That is a solid first step."
Netizen Report: Will India’s regional internet shutdowns ever end?
Internet shutdowns continue apace in India, Venezuela's opposition websites are under pressure and Uganda's social media tax is driving down internet use.
Australia revokes Chinese tycoon's citizenship over alleged political interference in Australian politics
"...winding back CCP [Chinese Communist Party] interference as an unacceptable and counterproductive part of bilateral engagement is a step towards developing a healthy China-Australia relationship"
Japanese ads aimed at women criticized for misogyny. Again.
This is the latest in a long line of Japanese ad campaigns that have sparked controversy online for alleged anti-women messaging.
Athan: A youth group promoting freedom of expression in Myanmar
"All lawsuits filed against journalists must be withdrawn. All journalists staying under detention including Reuters journalists must be released unconditionally. Defamation must be decriminalized in accordance with international standards."
13 February 2019
#MetooUyghur campaign asks Chinese government to prove that Xinjiang detainees are still alive
Uyghur communities from all over the world are using the #MetooUyghur hashtag to demand answers about the welfare of their loved ones.
Users flood Reddit with China censorship memes, balk at $150 million investment from Tencent
While Chinese companies regularly invest in US media companies, this makes for an unusual match.
Four southern African nations petition to lift the international ivory trade ban
The proposal to lift the ivory trade ban has released a clash between elephant conservationists and those who favor the practice, citing economic reasons.
