Chronicler of Saint Lucian History Remembered

Historian and conservationist Robert Devaux was laid to rest this week, having passed away on the morning of April 16th 2013, after a battle with cancer. St. Lucian netizens have been paying tribute to a man many consider to be an environmental hero and national visionary.

Chernobyl: “The Most Horrifying Phone Talk of the Century”

April 26, 2013, marks the 27th anniversary of the 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster. Andriy Pryimachenko of peredova.com has created a video transcript [ru] of the audio recordings of the conversations that took place shortly after the blast between the dispatchers of the plant's firefighting unit and other firefighting...

Introducing Contemporary Indonesian Art

Adrian Vickers introduces the latest issue of the online journal ‘Inside Indonesia’ which features articles about contemporary Indonesian art. While politics has dominated the foreground of Indonesian art, the country’s contemporary art world faces a struggle between art’s engagement with society and the forces of commercialisation.

‘Poor’ Coverage of Boston Marathon Bombing in Media

...[M]uch information has been misunderstood due to lack of knowledge about the Caucasus or Russia and a desire to present the suspects in a framework easily understandable to the American public.

Diaper Ad Hit for ‘Twisting’ Philippine History

A popular diaper manufacturer has been ordered to stop airing a TV advertisement that parodies an episode in Philippine history. An online petition was also initiated which criticized the ad for “insulting the Filipino people.”

The Kingdoms of Southeast Asia

There are four monarchies in Southeast Asia: Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The March 2013 issue of the Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia discussed the history and prospects of these monarchies. In Brunei, the absolute monarchy is able to consolidate its rule by implementing generous welfare programs.

Bosnia & Herzegovina: “Dark Times, Black Humor”

A Sarajevo-based Boston native writes on Notes from Sarajevo Tumblr blog that “the last few days [since the Boston Marathon bombings] have served as a reminder of Bosnia’s particularly dark brand of humor”: […] To be sure, friends and colleagues here have been kind and considerate, asking if everyone I...

No More Apologies – Japan's Facebook Users Share ‘Fake’ Propaganda

A thousand Japanese Facebook users unknowingly endorsed and shared a fictitious image that claimed to be an official publication and highlighted the negative impact Japan's apologetic stance in history has on the country's children.

Egypt's Jewish Community Leader Laid to Rest

Carmen Weinstein, Egypt's Jewish community leader, has died at the age of 82. Zeinobia, at Egyptian Chronicles, collects reactions from the funeral service, which gathered a lot of media attention: There is a huge surprising media presence as well security presence where those invited to the funeral have to show...

Madagascar's Economy Falling Behind Africa's

While sub-Saharan Africa's economic growth is projected to “outpace the global average“, a study by M. Razafindrakoto et al. from IRD (The Institute of Research on Development) published earlier this month unpacks the causes of Madagascar's economy lagging behind its African counterparts [fr] (Via Madagoravox).

Chinese Social Web Foils Censors to Honor Reformer Hu Yaobang

Chinese Web users skirted the country's tough Internet censors to pay homage to former communist party leader and popular reformer Hu Yaobang, whose death 24 years ago sparked the violent Tiananmen Square protests.

Thailand: Victims of 2010 Protest Crackdown

Thai independent web portal Prachatai publishes the names of 21 civilians and five soldiers who died during a military crackdown of an anti-government protest three years ago. Officials of the previous administration continue to face trial for their role in the violent crackdown.

Helping Laos Recover from Cluster Bombs

Bryan Thao Worra, a Laotian American writer, reflects on his last trip in Laos where he witnessed the impact of cluster bombs in rural villages. Laos was one of the most heavily bombed countries during the Vietnam War and thousands of unexploded bombs continue to be a threat today.

China's Anti-Japanese TV War Dramas Knocked for Vulgarity

The Chinese entertainment industry's incessant production of anti-Japanese TV dramas, under the scrutiny of netizens for a while now, has hit a nerve with China's state-controlled media after two photographs from a war drama showing a nude girl saluting a group of Chinese soldiers leaked online.

China Puts Ancient Buddhist Temple on Chopping Block

Local Chinese authorities, in a bid to preserve parts of the historic Silk Road trade route, have ordered the destruction of the ancient Xingjiao Temple, which holds the remains of 7th-century Buddhist monk Xuan Zang.

Bahamas: Limericks for Thatcher

She has to be admired for her ability to transform her country…as a middle-class woman in the conservative party. But I remember apartheid, and…how she almost destroyed the British university system, and…made Britain unwelcoming. Blogworld writes limericks in commemoration of the Iron Lady.

Margaret Thatcher's Top Five China Moments

Pete DeMola from Beijing Cream reviews Margaret Thatcher's China policy by looking into her five most significant moments and positions in China, including 1. fell down the stairs at the Great Hall of the People; 2. advocated against the Great Firewall; 3. lobbied against serving sea slugs and shark fins...

Bermuda: Is Thatcherism the Living Dead?

The politics and economics of neoliberalism have been shown to…have failed. And yet neoliberalism continues, zombie-like. A living-dead socio-economic system. In one of the few Caribbean blog posts acknowledging the death of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, Catch-a-fire sympathizes with her loved ones, but maintains that Thatcher's politics were...

65 Years After the Deir Yassin Massacre

Israel blogger Elizabeth Tsurkov tweets: @Elizrael: Today is the 65th anniversary of the Deir Yassin Massacre, one of the worst crimes ever committed by armed Israelis

Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba Getaway Offends Diaspora Bloggers

You might not think that political bloggers would be particularly interested in the whereabouts of celebrities, but the minute Beyoncé and Jay-Z, touched down in Cuba, an anniversary getaway became the business of the Cuban diaspora in the United States.

The Role of Monarchy in Modern Thailand

Cod Satrusayang explains the significance of the monarchy in establishing and strengthening the modern state of Thailand: We have created a state in which it is necessary to have a King for without him we are doomed to the mass of military arrogance, political corruption and moral decay. Even today,...