Stories about Breaking News from April, 2014
South Koreans Accuse Government of Botching Ferry Response
It's been 14 days since the Sewol ferry capsized, and 205 people are confirmed dead. Politicians taking advantage of the calamity and media inaccuracy have fueled anger in South Korea.
Protesting in Venezuela Will Require Authorization
(All links are in Spanish otherwise noted as [en] for English) As the protests [en] in Venezuela draw upon 100 continuous days of demonstrations, the Venezuelan Supreme Tribunal of Justice's recent verdict rules that the right to protest “is not an absolute right.” In order to carry out any type of demonstration, one needs to...
Macedonian Activists Attempt to Break Media Silence on Corruption Scandal
The majority of Macedonian media failed to relay a documented claim by Macedonia's largest opposition party about the prime minister's involvement in a corruption scandal. Social media users stepped in.
Algeria's Opposition Report Threats, Intimidation Following President's Reelection
An amendment to the country's constitution had allowed President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been in power since 1999, to run again.
French Newspaper Publishes Chart on What Nationalities Commit Crimes
The newspaper Le Progrès based in Lyon, France published an infographic [fr]entitled “”Délinquance : à chacun sa spécialité – principales nationalités impliquées” (Crimes: To each his own- the main nationalities implicated [for each type of crimes]) (see image in the twitter update below): Dans son édition du jour, Le Progrès...
So Long, Mr. Durov, and Thanks for All the Fish
After more than a year of rumors, the stockholders of Russia’s largest online social network, Vkontakte, have finally fired founder and CEO Pavel Durov.
Bangladeshis Mourn Gabriel García Márquez, the ‘Magician Of Words’
"No, I will not cry. As I believe that he will live at least a few more centuries with resonant words of love, how could I cry mourning his death?"
Facebook Predicts the Outcome of Macedonian Presidential Elections, Again?
Like in the 2009 elections, the support Facebook users in Macedonia are showing for candidates in the 2014 election is uncannily similar to the actual results of voting.
The New Government of Prime Minister Roger Kolo Announced in Madagascar
Tananews in Madagascar has published the full list of the 31 members of the new Malagasy government [fr]. Mitsangana Madagascar notes that the list includes 6 women and that 7 ministers were already part [fr] of the previous transitional government. Former prime minister Beriziky wished the new government well on twitter :...
Putting the Brakes on Independent Films in Cuba
The Ministry of the Interior (MININT) has been recently in charge of reviewing the scripts of the film projects produced in the island.
28 Dead, 268 Still Missing in South Korean Ferry Sinking
A South Korean ferry heading to a resort island sank with hundreds of passengers. The captain and crew evacuated early, well before most of the passengers.
Russia's Largest Social Network Says No to Censorship
Pavel Durov, founder and CEO of Russian social network VKontakte, has once again used his account there as a platform to speak out against Internet censorship.
One Bottle of Wine Too Many for Australian State Premier
"Memory fail' over wine gift brings resignation of New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell.
AC/DC Call It a Night After 41 Years
Daryl Mason pays tribute at The Ostrahyun blog to iconic rock band AC/DC following reports that they will retire after 41 years. More than a month ago, founding member, rhythm guitarist, co-producer and co-songwriter Malcolm Young had a stroke, which left a blood clot on his brain. Confirmation may come...
Cancer-Causing Chemical Pollutes Chinese City Lanzhou's Water Supply
Benzene, a highly carcinogenic chemical, has been detected in the city's water supply, at one point measured at a level 20 times what is considered to be safe.
Chinese Court Upholds Activist Xu Zhiyong's Prison Sentence
The ruling rejected Xu Zhiyong's appeal of his January conviction on charges of "gathering crowds to disrupt public order", a charge often used to clamp down on dissidents.
The Overlooked Crisis in Burundi
While neighboring Rwanda is making news with the commemoration of the 1994 genocide and the increased tension with France, Burundi is marred in an overlooked political crisis and surge of violence that opposes, again, Hutus and Tutsis. Tshitenge Lubabu in Burundi opines that the roots of the crisis [fr] are the current political leaders:...
Court Annuls “Mega-Commission” Findings Against Ex-President Alan García
The megacomisión has been working since 2011; former President Alan García has pointed out that its goal is to get him annulled electorally for the next presidential elections in 2016.
A 80 Year-long Wait: Niger Gets its First Train Station
On April 7, Niger inaugurated in the capital Niamey its first train station ever [fr]. The authorities already projected the construction of the train station 80 years ago but the project never took off. The event will kick start the construction of railroads between Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire....
The Kidnapping Industry Takes Hold in Cameroon
The Matango Club blog reflects upon the kidnapping of two italian priests and a canadian nun [fr] on April 4, 2014 in Northern Cameroon: Pour l’histoire, les kidnappings de ce genre ne datent pas d’aujourd’hui. Rappelons que dernièrement, le rapt du prêtre français Georges Vandenbeusch, 42 ans, a fait beaucoup de bruit....
In Havana, a Book in Exchange for Nothing
"This book belongs to whoever finds it in exchange for giving it away again after reading it so that other people can enjoy it."
