Stories about Breaking News from December, 2013
Indian Diplomat Devyani Khobragade's Arrest, Strip Search Earn Apology from US
US Secretary of State John Kerry reportedly expressed regret in a phone call to India's National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon over how the arrest of Devyani Khobragade was handled.
Jamaican Songstress Tessanne Chin Wins “The Voice”
Caribbean netizens are celebrating the victory of Jamaica's Tessanne Chin on the popular music reality show, The Voice - as well they should be - their votes helped her win!
The Economics of Ukraine's #Euromaidan [INFOGRAPHIC]
A Ukrainian news portal specializing in data visualization, Newsplot.org [ru], has published an infographic [ru] outlining the costs and necessities of the Euromaidan protests in Kyiv:
Saudi Arabia Passes Criticized “Anti-Terrorism Law”
Calling for political reform in Saudi Arabia is now considered terrorism, according to a new law which came into effect today.
Fire Destroys Basin Market in Bamako, Mali
An accidental fire destroyed the basin market [fr] located near the Wahhabites Mosque of Bamako yesterday (12/15). It is the third tragedy of such kind in market area of Bamako in 4 years. Nama explains why such incident seems to repeat itself in his city [fr] : Plusieurs plans d'aménagement de...
A French Version of NSA Electronic Surveillance Program?
Etienne Papin, a Paris-based lawyer expert in internet rights, explains the details of a bill that was approved by the French Senate on December 10: La loi de programmation militaire (Military Planning Act). He describes the bill as the French version of NSA mass electronic surveillance data mining program [fr]...
Bulgaria Marks Six Months of Continued Protests
December 14, 2013, marked six months of anti-government protests in Bulgaria, where protesters still gather daily in Sofia and other cities, demanding the resignation of the current government, led by the Socialist Party. After the previous government stepped down after similar protests in February 2013, the new government, elected in...
Ukraine: Live Streamed Monitoring of District Election Commissions
Amidst ongoing Euromaidan rallies throughout Ukraine, repeat elections have been held in five troubled single-mandate constituencies in the country, where results could not be confirmed during the 2012 Parliamentary election. In order to increase the transaprency of the electoral process, a non-government organization, Civil Network OPORA [uk, en] is preparing...
Russia's Government Might Block Websites for Calls to Unsanctioned Rallies
The Russian parliament will soon vote on a law that would empower the Prosecutor General’s office to close any website that hosts content encouraging people to attend unsanctioned rallies.
Bangladesh Executes Islamist Leader Abdul Quader Mollah for War Crimes
Abdul Quader Mollah was the first to die for war crimes committed during Bangladesh's struggle for independence. His execution sparked a wave of deadly violence from supporters, leaving several dead.
Barack Obama and Raúl Castro's Handshake at Mandela's Memorial Goes Viral
Reactions to the handshake spread like fire on social media.
Gay Sex is Once Again Illegal, India's Supreme Court Rules
"I was not a criminal yesterday, today I'm one. I intend to remain one. Wont ask for lordships permission before loving."
Non-Violent Activist Razan Zaitouneh and her Team Kidnapped in Syria
Four activists, among them internationally acclaimed non-violent activist Razan Zaitouneh, from Syria's Violations Documentation Center (VDC) were kidnapped by unidentified masked gunmen, sparking a call for their immediate release.
Appeal to Free Spanish Journalist and Photographer Kidnapped in Syria
Appeals continue for the release of journalist Javier Espinosa and freelance photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova, both Spanish, kidnapped in Syria by the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq.
Uruguay Becomes First Country to Legalize Marijuana Market
Uruguay's Senate voted 16 to 13 to legalize the production and sale of marijuana. President Mujica is expected to sign the law, which would become effective starting next year. Estoy a favor de legalizar la Marihuana pero estaria bueno ser noticia en el mundo por nuestra Seguridad y Educacion —...
Cuba Temporarily Reestablishes Consular Services in the United States
The Cuban Interest Section, the country's diplomatic mission in Washington, has temporarily reestablished its consular services until 17 February 2014. The decision comes after M&T Bank Corporation indicated they would postpone closing the Cuban diplomatic mission's accounts in the United States. The official announcement by the Cuban Interest Section is...
Ukraine: Translators Organize on Facebook to Provide Live #Euromaidan Updates
Volunteer translators following the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine have organized on Facebook, setting up pages like Maidan Needs Translators and Euromaidan Translators where urgent news from the protests that require translation to reach a wider international audience are shared and Euro-Maidan As It Is, where translated content is published. The...
How Internet Tools Turned Ukraine's #Euromaidan Protests Into a Movement
Euromaidan protests that began in Ukraine on November 21 have turned into a nationwide movement through new media and mass solidarity on the Internet. Tetyana Bohdanova explains how.
Ukrainian Civil Society Calls for International Investigation of Yanukovych’ Financial Activities
As anti-government Euromaidan protests enter their forth week in Ukraine, representatives of Ukrainian civil society are calling on leaders of the European Union, the US and their law enforcement agencies and financial institutions to investigate alleged incidences of corruption and money laundering by Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his son,...
3,000 Students Protest against Educational Reform in Gabon
Reforms to the educational system were suspended [fr] in Gabon after teachers and students marched together in protests. In the proposed reform, the final exam to obtain the high school diploma will be done in one round instead of two and the entry into high school will be subjected to...
Ecuadorian Government Shuts Down Environmental NGO Pachamama
The Ecuadorian government ordered the closure of the NGO Fundación Pachamama, dedicated to the defense of Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, alleging that the it was "affecting the public peace".
