Stories about Politics from December, 2020
2020 round-up: COVID-19 in South Asia
The COVID-19 pandemic swamped our coverage in the past 12 months as we highlighted the challenges people faced and the fight against the coronavirus across the region.
In Belarus, Lukashenka's rule endures 2020 — can it survive 2021?
Belarus faces a stalemate: protesters cannot take power by force, the authorities cannot disperse them by force. But in the long term, Alyaksandr Lukashenka's rule looks precarious.
UN Security Council ends reporting on Burundi, but human rights monitors remain concerned
UN Security Council ended specific reporting on Burundi after several months of a new government, but human rights monitors remain concerned.
Saudi court slams internationally criticized jail term for iconic female activist
Hathloul, a symbol of Saudi political prisoners, was sentenced after a three-year pre-trial detention and a rushed trial that overlooked her claim of being tortured, drawing global outcry against Riyadh.
Rwandan governance during the pandemic: A time for introspection
Months after the implementation of the lockdown order, the Rwandan government has been mute over citizens' demand for food relief support. Is it time to reconsider its governance model?
Iconic House of Wonders collapse leaves Zanzibaris wondering about fate of cultural heritage
The House of Wonders collapse left many wondering about the fate of Zanzibar's cultural heritage.
Online backlash follows blurring of Christmas imagery on popular Chinese TV show
A Chinese online TV outlet had to pixelate its variety show's Christmas setting as the political campaign to boycott foreign festivals gained momentum.
2020 round-up: How the tragedy of COVID-19 became a success story for the China model
The year 2020 began with the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Throughout the year, COVID-19 was the most discussed topic on the Chinese social media.
From COVID-19 to Caribbean literature, this is what the region looked like in 2020
COVID-19 was at the top of the news cycle this year. In the Caribbean, the pandemic exacerbated already existing issues, but also allowed regional netizens to reimagine their collective future.
Is the honeymoon over for Beijing and Hong Kong's Carrie Lam?
Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing camp is revolting against Chief Executive Carrie Lam, using the city’s failure to contain the COVID-19 outbreak as the pretext.
European NGO uncovers 15-year Indian disinformation campaign
The explosive report by a Brussels-based Non-Governmental Organisation has unleashed a new war of narratives between India and Pakistan.
Why Macron’s tweet on the Serbian Patriarch's death angered so many people in the Balkans
Why would someone who claimed to defend secular, enlightened values invest France's institutional political capital with a figure who symbolized everything that is backward and racist about Serbian society?
Crackdown against journalist and activists mars Human Rights Day in the Philippines
"We were forced to turn our backs for one hour while evidence was being planted."
New height of Mount Everest announced just as Nepal reopens its tourism sector
The world's highest mountain has grown by 86 centimeters, according to a survey carried out jointly by Nepal and China.
COVID-19 infects Japan's ‘kanji of the year’
密 (mitsu), in some cases, means "close, crowded, or confined."
Uruguay’s new government is prioritising security, but is it at the cost of free speech?
The Urgent Consideration Law marks a turning point in Uruguay's changing political landscape.
Two years after Sudan's revolution, demonstrators march with demands for change
On the second anniversary of the revolution in Sudan, citizens braved the threat of the coronavirus to demonstrate and demand more rapid change from the transitional government.
In Kyrgyzstan, social media hate goes unchecked
In the wake of a contested election, Kyrgyzstan’s civil society activists, opponent politicians, and independent journalists are being heavily targeted online — with help from the country’s post-crisis leader.
In Belarus, a new civic culture is born out of recycled historical symbols in urban yards
As Belarusans continue to fill the streets in protests against Alyaksandr Lukashenka, a hyper-local movement is forming a new civic culture.
China’s imposition of electricity restrictions this winter gets a chilly reception
Winter has come, yet many regions in southern China including Hunan, Zhejiang and Jiangxi have recently issued notifications on the limited supply of electricity.
How global tech companies enable the Belarusian regime — and the Belarusian revolution
Belarus has globalised enough for its rulers to be undermined if western technology becomes less accessible, but also globalised enough to reorient itself to larger markets in the East
