Stories about Politics from October, 2017
Mozambicans Want to Know If Militant Group al-Shabaab Was Behind Police Post Attacks
"*MOZAMBICAN BROTHERS*…Do not fall in the trap, do not fall for the bait of the exploiter… What happened in the north of the country aims to create war..."
One Activist's Vision of a Feminist Democracy for Catalonia
"I would like to continue thinking that I tried to create a revolution in the best way I knew how."
Tightened Security in Beijing Means Windows Ordered Shut and Bans on Knife Sales
The security measures are in place ahead of the 19th National Chinese Communist Party Congress, where the country's leadership is chosen.
What's at Stake in Japan's Snap Election? The Country's ‘Peace Constitution’, for One
Japan votes on October 22. The campaign has seen the disintegration of one political party, and the birth of two new ones, plus plans to change the 'peace constitution.'
Was the Anti-Kleptocracy Rally That Gathered Thousands in Malaysia a Success or Failure?
"...the speakers were too heavy on condemnations of corruption, kleptocracy...instead of saying more about how a Pakatan government, if elected, will deal with issues..."
On Language: The Many Flavours of Persian in Eurasia
"The language categories we are more or less stuck with are organized vertically by nation-state."
14 Tweets from Kyrgyzstan's Colourful, Competitive and Concerning Presidential Vote
A real election in a region where that doesn't usually happen.
One Mother's Tireless Pursuit of Justice for Kashmir's Disappeared
"We don’t want their money. We want our children back."
The Viral Video that Sent Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan Relations into a Tailspin
Seasoned autocrat Nursultan Nazarbayev is finally participating in a competitive presidential election. (Just not in his own country).
‘Are We Still in the Stone Age?’ Cambodians Express Disappointment as Government Bans ‘Kingsman’ Movie Sequel
"This is ludicrous, I can't believe these so-called experts could not distinguish between fiction and reality."
Comical Unintended Consequences of Turkish President Erdogan's State Visit to Serbia
The warm welcome of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić during a state visit this week incited many satirical comments on nationalism and media freedoms.
ICAN, Australia's Homegrown Anti-Nuclear Nobel Peace Prize Winner, is a Big Surprise
The 2017 Nobel Peace Prize award to ICAN, the anti-nuclear weapons coalition, took many Australians by surprise despite its Melbourne origins in 2007.
Hong Kong Anti-Communist Magazines Cease Publication After Four Decades
"I wanted to write something but found myself speechless. In an era like this, what can I say?"
Beyond the ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ of Catalonia’s Independence Referendum
Opinions on the October 1 referendum are much more diverse than might first appear.
Burundian Refugees Face a Difficult Choice: Stay in Overburdened Camps or Return to Uncertainty
Some refugees are beginning to return, but the core problems of political and economic insecurity that led so many to flee remain unresolved. Life in camps, meanwhile, is challenging.
Authorities Are ‘Whitewashing’ the Devastation and Death Toll in Puerto Rico
Local media outlets in Puerto Rico are finding that key information about hurricane damage has been, as one US Congressman put it, "whitewashed."
In a Polarized Spain, What Does It Mean to Be Spanish?
"To be Spanish is not to carry the flag, nor is it to furiously shout phrases of hate that I hope you don't feel."
Clashes Over Church Raise Spectre of Georgian-Armenian Strife
"This is certainly an issue to be solved by the church and clergymen, but there are certain people willing to politicize the issue."
Farmers in India's Rajasthan Sit Neck-Deep in Mud to Protest Forceful Land Acquisition
"These #farmers are not begging for favors or asking for alms, they are demanding what is their genuine right."
Malaysia Bans Books and Cartoons Deemed ‘Prejudicial to Public Order’
"By banning books that provoke the mind to think critically, this government of ours showed its true color of being an authority of bigotry and anti-intellectualism."
Is Free Speech an ‘Empty Promise’ in Singapore? Activists Bristle After Police Detain Performance Artist
Under Singapore’s strict Public Order Act, a single person can be held liable for participating in an illegal assembly.