Stories about International Relations from April, 2014
The Kremlin’s Internet Annexation
For some reason, lawmakers in Russia today continue to add new powers to the state’s censorship utility-belt, as though the current panoply of Internet controls weren’t enough.
Bangladeshis Are Not Happy With India's Bharatya Janata Party
Subramanian Swamy said Bangladesh should compensate India for its undocumented migrants there by giving the country one-third of its land. A Bangladeshi hacker group hacked 300 government websites in retaliation.
Raising the Dead to Fight Ukraine
Sokoloff's conclusion at seeing Lobov in uniform at a Ministry of Defense meeting was that the man had come out retirement, which can only mean one thing.
Ukrainian Artists Cage Russians Like Animals
A group of artists in Kiev has opened a new exhibit that many Russians are calling dangerously xenophobic. Yesterday, April 24, 2014, the “Ukrainian Cultural Front” presented four interactive installations intended to criticize Russia for its opposition to the EuroMaidan movement and its interventions in southeastern Ukraine. The most controversial...
Do Not Blame the West for Africa's Woes
Gershom Ndhlovu argues that Africa leaders are making a mistake by blaming the West for Africa's problem: At the last EU-Africa Summit held in Belgium, Zambia's president Michael Chilufya Sata reiterated what other African leaders had said in the past about the West contributing to wars on the continent through...
USA Makes Kremlin Propaganda Easy, Again
Simply imagine Russia remodeling schools near US Marine Corps fatalities on Okinawa.
Who Benefits from Trafficking Women from Madagascar to the Middle East?
Aaron Ross reports on his investigation in the heart of the ongoing human trafficking of young women from Madagascar to Middle Eastern countries: For some enterprising businessmen, the collapse heralded a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. So-called placement agencies sprang up in Antananarivo and other cities across Madagascar, promising the good life in...
East Timorese Protect Land Rights Against Australian Cement Plant Deal
The announcement of a new cement plant project by an Australian company in Baucau, northeast of East Timor, has led local community groups to set up a non-governmental organization “to protect and preserve the communities’ rights to their culture, development and traditional land rights.” According to the community organization, Kapeliwa, the government...
Syrian Dad Appeals to British Foreign Office to Reunite Him with His Son
Wael Zain, a Syrian in London, turns to Twitter to draw attention to the plight of his five-year-old British son, who has been stranded in Syria for three years.
How Online Discussions on Whaling Get Twisted in Japan
The International Court of Justice ruled against Japan's Southern Ocean whale hunt. Online conversation is often dominated by those fervently defending the custom of whaling.
President Mugabe Thinks Nigeria Is More Corrupt Than Zimbabwe
"#Mugabe has the audacity to infer Nigeria Govt is #corrupt. Nigeria Govt has the temerity to feel insulted."
Extending bridges between Miami and Havana
During this interview, Jorge De Armas speaks about recent event in Miami directed to building bridges between Cuba and the United States after more than 50 years of conflict.
Uncle Sam's Ukraine Failure in Russia
The violence might be only starting, but an information war between Russia and the West has raged for months now.
Top 10 Russian-Language Tweets, Week 15 of 2014
At the end of each week, RuNet Echo collects the top ten Russian-language tweets and curates them for Global Voices readers.
Russia Reconsiders Bitcoin?
A partial exodus from Russia by MasterCard and Visa has inspired some digital currency enthusiasts to propose Bitcoin, the world's leading crypto-currency, as a solution to the country's monetary problems.
Caribbean Loses Valuable Steward with Passing of Professor Norman Girvan
Economist, intellectual, Caribbean man: As news of Professor Norman Girvan's death spreads throughout the region, netizens pay him tribute in glowing terms, calling his legacy "powerful" and his voice "magnificent".
Trinidad & Tobago Mourns Former Prime Minister & President, A.N.R. Robinson
Twitter users are paying their respects to the late A.N.R. Robinson, former Prime Minister and President of Trinidad and Tobago, who is being hailed as a visionary and a patriot.
Are Economic Sanctions Effective Against Rogue Rulers?
Economic sanctions are often proposed to penalize countries guilty of bad government. But do they actually help bring about good government?
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....
Macedonian President's Interview Blunders Leave Macedonians Laughing
A series of gaffes in a televised interview by Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov have provoked widespread discussion among Macedonian social media users as presidential elections approach.
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....
