Stories about Culture
Flying fish and bearded fig trees are on the decline in Barbados
Flying fish landings have reportedly decreased by almost 50 percent since 2011, and without strategic conservation measures, Barbados could see the bearded fig tree disappear from the landscape.
Armenia and Azerbaijan: The most recent flare up puts peace prospects on the backburner
Whether these recent developments further derail prospects for peace depends on steps taken in the coming months. For now, peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is hanging by a thread.
Latin America's newest export: Narcoculture
How much truth is there in pop culture romanticizing or even glorifying drug dealers? Where does freedom of expression end and apology for crime begin?
For nomads in Mongolia, roaming is a sacred right
The Mongols say that this is why freedom is in their blood.
Palestinian writer Randa Jarrar dragged out of PEN America event for protesting
Palestinian American author Randa Jarrar was forcibly removed for disrupting ceasefire opponent Mayim Bialik by reading the names of Palestinian writers killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
A platform tries to map the reduction of artistic freedom in Brazil
The idea arose following the boycott and closure of the Queermuseu exhibition in 2017 in Porto Alegrel. On social networks, conservative groups protested against the exhibition.
Pakistan’s political landscape: What to expect from the 2024 elections
On February 8, 2024, over 128 million Pakistani voters are scheduled to vote in a crucial election that has been marred by political repression and judicial harassment against the main opposition.
Tajikistan’s president’s son is the man behind the national football team’s success at the Asian Cup
The national team’s heroics will breathe confidence and optimism into everyone implementing the national football development program called “Orzu-2026” (Dream-2026).
Portraits of exile: Musical resistance to oppression from Iranian singer Faravaz
Faravaz defied borders and societal norms, moving from early recognition in Iran to facing backlash, exile, and activism in Germany. Her journey is a testament to the resilience of Iranian women against oppression.
How Rwanda's literary giants promoted their country's rich culture through their work
Alexis Kagame, the first and last Rwandan intellectual with direct access to the original sources of the country's history, contributed significantly to preserving oral history, and the indigenous language, Kinyarwanda.
What a Messi! Hong Kong disappointed by Messi’s no show in Miami CF’s friendly against local
On social media, many Hongkongers slammed the football exhibition as the “scam of the century” and questioned the Hong Kong government’s sponsorship decision.
The battle of Bashkir people: Why the largest protests in wartime Russia happened in Bashkortostan
"Russia is stepping on ethnic rakes. The Bashkirs have their own land. At the heart of everything that happened is a word that is now distorted — patriotism."
‘The bass is the backbone': Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett, bass player for Jamaica's iconic ‘Wailers’ band, passes away at 77
"[T]he world lost not just an iconic musician and the backbone of The Wailers but a remarkable human being whose legacy is as immense as his talent."
In Kazakhstan, ‘Bloody January’ is still a taboo topic
"The authorities do not need to dwell on this topic, because why would they? They killed people, tortured them — why [would they revisit this]?"
Ghanaians’ reactions to the UK loaning back treasures it looted from them
"... a staggering 90 percent of African cultural property is currently housed in European museums. Calls for the repatriation of these stolen artifacts displayed in Western museums have intensified ..."
Could the Caribbean bridge the gap between culture and sustainability?
Tobago’s thriving culture, which includes farming and food festivals, is one example of the intersection of creative industries and concepts of sustainability like eating local and growing one’s own food.
Celebrities, celebration, and a touch of controversy at the Jamaica premiere of the Marley biopic ‘One Love’
"Last night at the Jamaican premiere of #OneLoveMovie [...] you could sense that there was something special about his music [...] encapsulated in his anthem of One Love!"
The true cost of Japan’s Linear bullet train
Rising environmental and human costs for Japan's planned "maglev," a super-fast, super-conducted bullet train set to link Tokyo to Osaka by 2045, are drawing the ire of many residents.
Uzbekistan’s repression survivors tell their harrowing stories in a new documentary
This is one of the first attempts to tell the story of more than 18,000 people who were jailed on trumped-up charges and labelled “extremists” by Uzbekistan's Karimov government.
Exploring migration, belonging and the meaning of home in Sri Lanka
At an arts exhibition in the Sri Lankan capital, multidisciplinary artist Firi Rahman portrays the agony of Slave Island residents who face the threats of gradual gentrification.
In Gaza, trapped in the rubble, body and soul
The brutality of Israel’s attack on Gaza is foreshadowed in the Japanese anime series "Attack on Titan," which first aired in 2013.