Stories about Development from March, 2014
Geo-Mapping Tools and Data Analysis Redefine Reporting in Africa
Oxpeckers Center for Investigative Environmental Journalism and Land Quest investigate environment and development issues.
‘Sleeping Lion’ China Awakened, Says President Xi Jinping
Evoking Napoleon during his visit to France, Chinese President Xi Jinping said his country is an awakened lion that is “peaceful, pleasant and civilized”
The Challenges Facing Data Journalism in West Africa
Data journalism in West Africa often must work against a lack of data, funds and regulation.
Women Still Harassed on Delhi's Metro Despite Measures
Four seats are designated as women's only in every train compartment, and trains now feature special women's compartments. But harassment from men remains a problem for women on the Metro.
The Night the Lights Went Out in Jamaica: Politician Freed of Corruption Charges
The dropping of charges against a former minister of Parliament in a corruption scandal involving the distribution of light bulbs, has Jamaicans discussing whether the judicial system has a bias.
Corruption in Nepal: Is It Becoming Socially Acceptable?
People are angry and tired, and media houses often publish news about the connection between political leaders and goons but no one takes to the streets to protest corruption – an anomaly for a country where people have Nepal Bandhs, country-wide strikes for every distress. Siromani Dhungana posts an analysis...
3 Ways Mobile Money Transfer Has Changed Kenyans’ Lives
Kenyans on Twitter explain how M-Pesa, a mobile-phone based money transfer and micro-finance service, has changed their lives since the service was introduced seven years ago.
Obama Meets the Chinese President in Netherlands as the US First Lady Continues Her Soft Diplomacy in China
US First Lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to China roughly at the same time her husband traveled to the Netherlands for a nuclear summit, also attended by China's president.
The Perils Of The Dams Coming Up for Mumbai Region
South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) blog reports that as many as 12 dams are either being planned or are under construction to satisfy the increasing water demand of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) in India. The Tribals and other affected groups have long been strongly opposing...
5 Small Businesses Run By Rural Uruguayan Women
Rural Uruguayan women have created successful self-managed small businesses with which they support their families and bring novel and high-quality products to the local market.
Malaysia's Water Shortage is a Natural and Man-Made Disaster
Water shortage has been reported in Selangor, Johor, Negri Sembilan, and Kedah in Malaysia. The Sin Chew Daily explains the cause of the problem: …the drought and water shortage in the Peninsula are both natural and human-induced disasters. The government as well as the people have an inescapable responsibility. Over-emphasising...
The Daily Lives of Sub-Saharan Immigrants in Prague
Chadian blogger Réndodjo Em-A Moundona [fr] writes about the daily lives of African immigrants in Prague [fr] : Une petite discussion avec ces Africains suffit pour se rendre à l´évidence que la communauté n´est ni menacée, ni totalement intégrée. Comme fille africaine, il est quasi impossible de trouver un travail conséquent [..] En général, les...
Macedonian Students Demanding Better Living Conditions Called ‘Unpatriotic’
While most have supported Macedonian university students' online campaign to raise awareness about the unlivable conditions of dormitories in Skopje, one columnist called their efforts "unpatriotic".
Riau Forest Fire Triggers Worst Indonesia Haze Pollution
Forest fires have intensified this month in western Indonesia which caused the worst haze pollution in the country. The haze also affected Singapore and Malaysia.
African Technology: The TechAfrique Project Assesses How Far It's Come
Le continent africain apparaît comme la nouvelle frontière mondiale du développement numérique. Ce développement provoque une nouvelle impulsion entrepreneuriale en Afrique, et notamment en Afrique francophone. Mais ce potentiel reste très largement méconnu en Europe ainsi qu'en France. The African continent appears to be the new global frontier of digital development. This development has caused a new...
Malaysia Airlines MH370 Mystery Fuels Conspiracy Theories
After a week of waiting for answers in the disappearance of flight MH370 and its 239 occupants, conspiracy theories have cropped to fill the void about what happened.
Discussing Aid System with a Light Touch
This blog takes a satirical view of aid system in the world: Stuff Expat Aid Workers Like is an ongoing series of sometimes satirical, sometimes ironic, usually humorous (but sometimes dead serious), always honest vignettes of the humanitarian aid industry from the inside. Sometimes we want to complain about one...
Barefoot Lawyers Empowering Rural Bangladeshi Women
In Bangladesh, around 6,000 “barefoot lawyers” have been trained by the country's biggest NGO under its human rights and legal services (HRLS) program, reports Scott Macmillan at BRAC blog. These women act as one-woman mobile legal services clinics for the poor, especially women in rural areas where the traditional justice...
The Land of Fires, Italy's “Gateway to Hell”
For years the land between Naples and Caserta has been used for the illegal dumping of dangerous waste products that are poisoning the environment and causing tumours.
Reducing the Gap Between Africa's Rich and Poor
"Some take a plane to get treated for hay fever, while others are pushing up daisies because they can’t afford basic malaria treatment."
Learning Photography Can Help Human Traficking Victims Tell Their Stories And Build A Career
Sarah Ann Loreth published a report in Flickr Blog on how US photographer, writer and educator Brooke Shaden joined forces with an organization called Blossomy to travel to Kolkata, India, last year to help teach photography to survivors of human trafficking, giving them a chance to learn to create and...
