Stories about Politics from February, 2018
São Paulo City Hall's Official Facebook Page Is Blocking Users Who Criticise the Mayor
The revelations cast light on the uncharted legal territory of how official digital accounts of public institutions are administrated when they are hosted by private platforms, such as Facebook.
Censored, But Not Backing Down: Cuban News Site Staff Say They Won't Change Their Editorial Line
Online news magazine "El Estornudo" has been blocked inside Cuba and its editor writes an open letter that can be read in other media outlets inside the island.
Who Is Responsible for the Avalanche of Garbage That Killed 16 in Mozambique?
"Maybe now that the worst has happened, the authorities will alert themselves to the urgent need of closing the Hulene waste disposal site."
Lynching of Indigenous Man in India's Kerala Exposes Intolerance Towards Minorities
"People who are trying to find romanticised reasons for the murder, it is only because he was an Adivasi, he was killed."
‘Monarchy Restored'? China Set to Remove Two-Term Presidential Limit from Constitution
"Actually, the constitutional amendment is not that surprising. The amendment is just turning 'party dictatorship' into 'party dictatorship led by an individual for his lifetime'."
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce Quits As Private Affair Becomes Public Scandal
The Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has resigned after his affair with a staff member turned the spotlight on his political integrity.
Mexico's Electoral Authority Announces Collaboration with Facebook, Casting Doubt on its Credibility
Social media are accusing the INE of creating "fake news" for having made false claims about an agreement with Facebook.
India's Investigation Agency ‘Defines’ Duties of a Journalist After Arresting Kashmiri Photojournalist Kamran Yousuf
"Indian authorities must stop trying to crush the independent press in the Jammu and Kashmir region. Authorities should immediately release Kamran Yousuf."
Australian MP George Christensen's Joke Gun Photo Denounced as Threat Against ‘Greenie Punks’
Just days after the Parkland Florida student massacre, an Australian politician posted a photo of himself firing a pistol asking, “You gotta ask yourself, do you feel lucky, greenie punks?”
Laughing in the Face of an Internet Shutdown In Bangladesh
"To stop the leaks, better to cancel the exam rather than shutting the internet down. Then you won't have to worry about leaks anymore."
Censorship in Serbia Hits a New Low After Newspaper ‘Edits’ an Obituary
A Serbian newspaper censored part of an obituary of a graphic artist, which noted that one of his last works was a book about censorship.
As Leaders Step Down, a Cautious Hope Rises on the African Continent
After the resignation of Zuma and Desalegn, "the mood on the continent is one of hope, on the one hand, and of palpable restraint and scepticism on the other."
Serbian Journalists Face Harassment for Investigating Spending by Defense Minister (and His ‘Aunt From Canada’)
In spite of threats, investigative journalists keep demanding accountability from Serbian Minister of Defense Aleksandar Vulin.
“Do Others Know We Exist?”: A Nurse's Testimony from Syria's Besieged Eastern Ghouta
"We were crying for Umm Muhammad, and because we were afraid. We wondered whether we were going to face the same fate, and whether our children would be rendered motherless."
#MehfoozBachpan: Pakistani Activists Demand Policy to Safeguard Children from Sexual Abuse in 2018 Elections
"Protected childhood is a collective dream, each of us is responsible for our children...We will vote for protected childhood in next election."
Malaysian Government Ad Used Barking Rooster to Celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dog
"This department needs to be more cultured or exposed to the understanding of other cultures. This is really embarrassing and reflects the ignorance of your department."
As Some March to Honor a Pro-Nazi General in Sofia, Others Rally to Decry Fascism
"Lukov...was one of the fiercest advocates of Bulgaria’s Nazi-inspired 'Law for the Protection of the Nation' that, among other things, forced the country’s 50,000 Jews to wear yellow stars."
Chinese State TV Lambasted for ‘Racist’ Lunar New Year Sketch Featuring Blackface
"My first Chinese New Year watching the annual CCTV spring gala and they trot out a Chinese lady in blackface...with a pet "monkey" (played by a man from Cote D'Ivoire)..."
‘They Fear Pens, Not Guns': Turkish Journalists Sentenced to Life in Prison
With 155 journalists serving jail time because of their work, such sentences are becoming routine for Turkey's embattled independent media community.
Remembering Pakistan's Empowering Human Rights Activist Asma Jahangir
"Even in her death, she did not conform to the established code. Resistance, thy name is Asma."
The Pollution in Iran's Ahwaz Region Turns Deadly
The Ahwaz region of Iran produces 95 percent of the country's oil and gas wealth—at huge cost to the area's predominantly Arab population.