Stories about Politics from September, 2014
Why Militant Maoists Are Attacking Mobile Phone Towers in India
Authorities say Maoists set fire to a trio of telephone towers in rural India. These are the latest of more than 200 towers that Maoists have targeted in recent years.
New Zealand Is Out to Tarnish Japan's Reputation Over Whaling, or so Says Japan's Public Broadcaster
"New Zealand's real aim: to damage Japan's international reputation," according to NHK's News Watch 9 program. Some Japanese Twitter users thought the reaction was a bit much.
In Crimea, No Room for Blogger Liza Bogutskaya And Her Pro-Ukrainian Views
Liza Bogutskaya's outspokenness against what she sees as Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea has made her a favorite of pro-Ukrainians online and an enemy of the Russian state administering Crimea.
As Political Pressure From Beijing Mounts, Hong Kong Students Demand Democracy With Class Boycott
Student activists accuse Beijing of making Hong Kong empty promises of a democratic vote, so in return they are leaving their classrooms empty for at least a week.
Egyptian Leftist Activist Mahinour El-Masry Freed after Spending 125 Days in Jail
Egyptian activist Mahinour El-Masry was ordered to be released today after spending 125 days in prison for breaking the country's controversial no protest law.
Macedonian Media Stonewalls Popular Hip-Hop Artist's Pro-Freedom Song
Popular Macedonian hip-hop artist has seen his career come to a near stop after releasing a song and music video that discusses freedom of speech issues in Macedonia.
Newspapers Predict Spain's Conservative Party Will Shelve Their Restrictive Abortion Bill to Save Face in Elections
Spain's abortion bill has met with pushback not only from parties in the opposition but also from within the current governing party's rank and file.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Apologizes for Suggesting Bikinis Raise the Murder Rate Among Tourists
Thailand's Prime Minister has had to apologize for a sexist gaffe following the murder of two British tourists.
Minority Scholar Ilham Tohti Denies Chinese Authorities’ Accusation That He Led a Double Life at Separatism Trial
Lawyers for Ilham Tohti said the prominent Uyghur scholar was chained with leg irons and denied access to food and warm clothes while detained. The verdict is due next week.
Run! The Muslims Are Coming!
Mainstream perceptions often paint "Muslims" with one broad brushstroke, inevitably peppered with violence. In this irreverent satirical piece, Pakistani stand-up comedian Sami Shah breaks down the different types of "Muslim".
Ice Bucket Challenge, Meet Ukraine's ‘Blood Bucket’ Challenge
A group of European youths are raising awareness of the conflict in Ukraine with a gory twist on the infamous Ice Bucket Challenge. The buckets are filled with metaphorical blood.
Why the Construction of an American Military Base in Henoko Is Being Described as Japan's Ferguson
A US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma is being relocated from the central part of Okinawa Island to pristine Henoko. Authorities have broken up protests using aggressive methods.
To Go or Not to Go? Scotland Votes on Independence from UK
Twitter and Facebook have been flooded with heated discussions, with the #indyref hashtag mentioned over 2.6 million times just in the past 30 days.
Covert Surveillance ‘Project Speargun’ Fires Up New Zealand Election
ANNA MAJAVU of Pacific Media Watch reports for The Daily Blog on an extraordinary event in Auckland on 15 September 2014: NEW ZEALAND Prime Minister John Key has been accused of allowing the secret installation of equipment that would enable spooks to tap into New Zealand’s undersea fibre optic cable...
Criticizing the Government Could Get You Arrested in Malaysia. Is it Time to Repeal the Sedition Act?
The law was passed in 1948 and it has been used ever since to harass the opposition
Was a Popular Saint Lucia Blog Taken Down by Google Hateful or Just Outspoken?
The no-holds-barred, muckraking blog had become both notorious and controversial among people interested in local politics -- and then it was blocked, without warning.
How a Vote for Scottish Independence Could Affect the Caribbean
How could something as seemingly remote as the issue of Scottish independence have an effect on Caribbean states? The long arm of colonial history connects more than you might think.
One Man's Response to Chinese Communist Party-Style Patriotism: Here, Have a Chrysanthemum
In traditional Chinese culture, Chrysanthemums are an for offering to the dead. In popular online usage, it also means "ass kissing."
Trinidadians Concerned Over “Largest Ever Budget”
As the Trinidad and Tobago government, in anticipation of national elections next year, serves up a massive budget, two political bloggers take the country's leaders to task. Afra Raymond, whose blog keeps a close eye on politics, corruption and transparency, provided some disturbing financial context: The Minister of Finance has...
Frustrated by a 2-Hour Delay, Passengers Refuse to Let Pakistani Politician Rehman Malik Board Plane
Flight delays because of politicians or well-connected individuals is not uncommon in Pakistan.
Egyptian Blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah Released on Bail
Prominent Egyptian activist and blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah was released on bail today but the road to justice is a long and bumpy one, says netizens.
