Stories about History from June, 2014
National Heroes Get a Postmodern Makeover in Kazakhstan's #Selfie Statue Scandal
This week the eyes of the Kazakh Internet have been fixed on an ill-fated statue of two national heroes caught between historical greatness and the trappings of the 21st century.
Revenge from the “Disgrace of Gijón” as Algeria and Germany Face Up Again at the World Cup
Algeria and Germany national teams are set to face up on June 30 in Porto Alegre in the knock-out round of the FIFA World Cup. The match will revive plenty of strong emotions from both sides because of their previous game in 1982 at the World Cup in Spain. In their...
This Street in Bangladesh Has a Colorful World Cup Celebration to Rival Brazil
Bangladesh didn't qualify to play in the tournament, but the country's football fans have caught World Cup fever nonetheless.
Costa Rica's Pre-Columbian Stone Spheres Declared World Heritage
Four archaeological sites with pre-Columbian stone spheres located in the canton of Osa, Puntarenas, in Costa Rica were included in UNESCO's World Heritage List. The decision was announced on Monday, June 23, 2014, during the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee in Doha, Qatar. Costa Rican former president Laura...
Jonbeel, a Barter Market in the 21st Century
The centuries old Jonbeel Mela, a community fair in the northeast Indian state of Assam, has a unique ritual. Around 10,000 indigenous people from tribes like the Karbi, Khasi, Tiwa, and Jayantia of the northeast come down from the hills to the Jonbeel wetlands with their produce or catch and...
The Inca Road Is a New World Heritage Site
For the first time in the 40 years of World Heritage convention, six countries united to submit a joint application to designate a cultural site as world heritage. Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru requested that the Incan Road be included as a cultural heritage site. The announcement was made in...
Russia's Irresistible Putin Swag
Last week, two fashion designers opened a kiosk in a shopping mall outside Red Square, selling t-shirts celebrating Vladimir Putin. Within a day, they'd sold over five-thousand.
China and Hong Kong Are Supposed to Be ‘One Country, Two Systems.’ Someone Remind China
The Sino-British Joint Declaration gave Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy from China. A recently released white paper from Beijing is seen as a threat to that autonomy.
Urban Pakistani Musicians Jam With a Rural Folk Singer and Create Something Beautiful for the Internet
The video for "Sarak Sarak" was published on Facebook, SoundCloud and Vimeo, but not YouTube - that remains blocked in Pakistan.
Bermuda: Football, The British & Brazil
120 years ago, two Scots brought a football to Brazil and the rest is history, according to an article written by Breezeblog.
What the Thai Junta Should Learn from the Burmese Junta
Aung Zaw of The Irrawaddy compares and contrasts the Thai junta and the military-backed govenrment of Myanmar: The Thai army has carried out more than a dozen coups in past decades, but always relinquished power to a civilian government after a number of years. The Burma Army staged two coups,...
Researchers in Peru Unearth a New Section of the Incan Trail Near Machu Picchu
The path, which is about a kilometer and a half long, went unnoticed for over 500 years.
What About Bermuda's Unsung Heroes?
Bermuda marks National Heroes Day on June 16, but in the absence of an honoree for this year's celebration, bloggers discuss how the observance of the holiday could be improved.
Historic Court Ruling Empowers Brazil to Confront Its Dark Past
Forty-three years after he went missing, five retired military officers will have to answer in court for the torture, disappearance and death of Deputy Rubens Paiva.
Why Do the Taiwanese Need to Remember the Tiananmen Massacre?
Hong Kong may have taken the lead in observing the Anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, but other Chinese speaking communities, such as the people of Taiwan, also organize annual candlelight vigils in memory of the incident. In 1989, thousands of Taiwanese had rallied in support of of the student-led...
Thousands of Spaniards Demand a Republic Following the King's Abdication
Many observers see an intent on behalf of the crown to maintain the monarchical system with this abdication.
China: Chronology of Tiananmen Crackdown Revealed in Wikileaks’ Cables
Students in the data journalism class at Northeast Normal University searched Wikileaks for references to the 1989 demonstrations at Tiananmen Square and organized the diplomatic cables into a chronology of the protests since April 19 1989 till March 26 1990.
Pre Historic Remains Found in Chile
They spent millions of years hidden, until 21st century, when a group of paleontologists discovered the remains of 46 ichthyosaur at Torres del Paine National Park [es], in southern Chile: #Adictos_a_lo_Jordan Descubren en Chile cementerio de ictiosaurios: El proyecto comenzó con la … http://t.co/KDvFkJPADB [ #Luispokel ] — POoiint BeeSa...
Other Abdications in Spanish History
In relation to the abdicaton announced by Juan Carlos, King of Spain, Adrián Yánez recalls history [es] and other abdications in the Spanish kingdom: Carlos I era el nieto de los Reyes Católicos. Fue el hombre más poderoso de su época y en 1556 decidió abdicar. Dejó a su hijo...
Can Trinidad & Tobago Rise Above Race-Based Politics?
As the Prime Minister remains mum about polarizing comments made by a religious and political leader, Trinidad and Tobago netizens wonder if the country will ever get beyond tribal politics.
Farewell Hindustan Ambassador
Hindustan Motors has recently suspended production of India's iconic Hindustan Ambassador car which was first rolled out in 1958. Soumyadip Choudhury at Cutting The Chai posts a tribute to the classic car creating an unofficial (and animated) Google doodle. The car still remains popular with taxi drivers, some politicians and...
