Stories from 7 February 2013
Dignity, Courage and Hypocrisy: Egyptian Man Stripped Naked by Police
A video showing an Egyptian man Hamada Saber being beaten and stripped by the police has gone viral, creating a wave of shock and disbelief in the country.
Côte d'Ivoire's ‘Elephants’ Doomed?
What if the football history of Côte d'Ivoire was doomed in a particularly strange way? A story written in such a way that superstars cannot ever put their hands on...
Mali: Threats All Around
The Malian army has committed serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) during the ongoing conflict against armed groups, including extrajudicial executions of civilians, according to testimonies...
Mexico's Social Media Love Revolution
By knowing the negative image Mexico has in international media, some people from the international community living in Mexico got tired of seeing how the positive side of the country gets lost and created the hashtag #ForTheLoveOfMexico.
Bangladesh: Protests Must Rise Above Politics
Let’s join together, Bangladeshis in Dhaka and all over the word, to make sure that after waiting for four decades, justice is finally delivered, and the memory of our martyrs...
Creating Art to Kuti’s Legendary Beats
Mr. Jaeger has worked on several of Knitting Factory’s Fela efforts including Fela: Live In Detroit 1986, and the Ginger Baker compiled Fela: Vinyl Box Set 2. Wes Flexner speaks with...
Egypt: Prime Minister's ‘Bad Boobs’ Speech Transcribed
YouTube user Masr Madaneya publishes a short video of Prime Minister Hisham Qandil's speech subtitled in English. The declaration sparked outcry and mockery in the last days after the Prime...
Dreams Come Alive, Baseball Player José Contreras Returns to Cuba
The arrival of José Ariel Contreras to Cuba, a Cuban baseball pitcher based in the US since 2002, has moved the habitants of his native province, Pinar del Río, and also fans of the island's national sport, baseball. Elaine Díaz tells us about this emotional event and its historical and political meaning for Cuba at the moment.
Solidarity Rises from Southern Brazil's Sunday Flames
One day after the tragic fire in the Kiss nightclub, in Santa Maria, which wiped away the lives of more than 230 young people, a siren went off at Vila Liberdade, in the north of Porto Alegre. 90 of the 150 houses were consumed by flames and around 800 people became homeless. The main social networking sites were used as a tool for the gathering of information about the incident, as well as a way of asking for help for the victims.
Her Zimbabwe: A Platform for Women to Share Views
Her Zimbabwe is an online platform for women to share their views, discuss issues and carry out open debate about the things that affect them.
Impact of Factory Jobs on Workers’ Wealth
Work for Chris Blattman in Ethiopia to assess the impact of low-skill, low-wage factory jobs on the worker’s wealth, health and politics (among other things).
Panic and Terror Walk Hand-in-Hand in Guinea-Bissau
As the world's attention is focused on another part of West Africa, the citizens of Guinea-Bissau struggle to bring a worsening human rights situation to regional and international attention. Guinean Human Rights League released a major report on the human rights situation today, a serious wake-up call for those who think everything is okay in the country.
Italy: Gay Couples Are Allowed to Raise Children, according to Supreme Court
A recent decision by Italy's Supreme Court has heated up the debate both online and offline. Judges seem inclined to reduce discrimination against LGBT couples, thus embracing the recommendations by the European Court of Human Rights.
Bangladesh: Protesters Demand Capital Punishment for 1971 War Criminals
Abdul Quader Mollah, the secretary general of Bangladesh's Islamist party Jamaat-e Islami has been sentenced to life in prison for murder, rape, torture and other crimes committed during the 1971 liberation war. But tens of thousands feel that justice has not been served. They want him hanged. Protests are spreading like wild fire across the country.
For Chinese Cinema, the Japanese Invasion That Never Ends
With China and Japan currently sparring over islands in the East China Sea, the Chinese entertainment industry has upped its production of films about Japan's World War II-era invasion of China. TV extra Shi Zhongpeng made headlines in China last week for reportedly having acted as a Japanese soldier more than 200 times last year.
Secular Politician Shot Dead, Protests Erupt Across Tunisia
Protests have erupted in Tunisia following the murder of opposition leader Chokri Belaid. Belaid was shot dead outside his house in the early hours of February 6, 2013.
Trinidad & Tobago: Cyber Security
ICT Pulse wonders how serious the Caribbean really is about cybercrime and online security.
Hong Kong's Parents Turn to Obama Over Baby Formula Shortage
Hong Kong residents, frustrated by a shortage of powdered baby formula caused by mainland Chinese smugglers making a run on the city's stocks, have launched a petition seeking help from the White House. So far, more than 22,000 have signed.
Europe's Frozen Conflicts
Black Sea News publishes Natalya Belitser's paper [en] – “Transnistrian Conflict: State of Affairs and Prospects of Settlement” – written for the international conference on “frozen conflicts” in Europe, which...
