Stories from 12 December 2011
El Salvador: Funes Administration Increases Number of Soldiers
“During the first two and a half years of the Funes Administration, the military has grown by 6300 soldiers, a 57% increase, to a total of 17,000,” Voices from El Salvador reports in a post that looks into increased military spending in the Mauricio Funes Administration.
China: A Guangdong Village on the Verge of a Brutal Crackdown
Illegal land acquisition has once again led to large-scale protests in Guangdong province, followed by a suspicious death and police crackdowns. One news commentator writes, "This is the first mass incident that has put forward a political agenda."
China: 200 dogs rescued in Sichuan
Fan Huang from Shanghaiist reports on the dog rescue action in Sichuan, Pengzhou. The 200 dogs were transporting to Guangdong province for consumption when animal activists stop the truck.
China, U.S.A: Housing Prices
Dan from China Law Blog compares the housing prices among cities in China and U.S.A.
Russia: Holy Relic Visits Nation Emerging From State-Sponsored Atheism
People from across Russia traveled great distances and endured hardships in order to view the Virgin Mary's belt - a relic believed to promote fertility. In the decades since the fall of the USSR, religion has been reinventing itself in Russia.
Poland: Netizens Debate Proposal to Re-Introduce Death Penalty
The leader of Poland's largest opposition party has announced his support for re-introduction of the death penalty for "the gravest crimes." Although this announcement may be treated as a way to win over some voters, a huge debate on the subject has started nevertheless. Anna Gotowska reports.
Southeast Asia: Crocodiles in the News
A giant crocodile in the southern Philippines and crocodiles in the flooded waters of Thailand and Cambodia were among the top news topics in Southeast Asia in the last quarter of the year. Here are some crocodile sightings and online reports.
