Stories from 19 December 2013
Bangladesh-Pakistan Relations Sour Over Islamist Leader's War Crimes Execution
Pakistan's lower house adopted a resolution expressing concern over the hanging of Abdul Quader Mollah, and some claimed that the real reason for his execution was his “loyalty to Pakistan”.
“Good Tsar” Putin Pardons Khodorkovsky
The news that Khodorkovsky had potentially admitted guilt and would be imminently released sent the RuNet into a fit of speculation.
“Tajikistan is not the Center of the World”: Rewriting of Country's History Spurs Ridicule
As historians in Tajikistan seek to move the origins of the nation as far back in time as possible, netizens are increasingly distrustful of the updated history.
Glimpses Into São Tomé and Príncipe's Art and Culture Biennial
[All links lead to Portuguese language pages] Giving a voice to the seventh edition of the Art & Culture Biennial of São Tomé and Principe, which started on November 28, artists, journalists...
Ukrainian Netizens Draft A Digital #Euromaidan Manifesto
As Euromaidan protests in Ukraine enter their second month, Ukrainian social media users have started circulating a Digital Euromaidan Manifesto [uk] drafted by their fellow netizens. Below is the English...
#Kality Tweet Chat on Ethiopian Imprisoned Journalists
Join Tweet chat on Ethiopian imprisoned journalist using the hashtag #Kality: Ethiopian journalists Reeyot Alemu and Eskinder Nega have been locked up in Ethiopia’s Kality prison since 2011 – simply...
Pashto Singer Ghazala Javed's Ex-Husband Sentenced to Death for Her Murder
During her lifetime, Ghazala Javed bravely defied Taliban pressure to stop singing and spoke up against creeping Talibanization in her hometown Swat.
Coffee Blight in El Salvador Leads to Dramatic Drop in Exports
Coffee export revenues fell 40% in October and November of 2013 in El Salvador. Tim's El Salvador Blog reports on the blight affecting coffee farms throughout the country: Last week...
China: Online Annihilation of Dissent
China Media Project translated veteran journalist and former Southern Weekly commentator Xiao Shu's comment on the Chinese authorities’ online annihilation tactics against Chinese liberal opinion leaders: In early August this...
China: Hot Mom Contest
China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo is holding a “hot mom” contest. While most of the photos are not real mom, the images do tell you a lot about gender relation in...
China: Soft Landing Foreign Policy
South Sea Conversation summarized China foreign policy scholar Professor Wang Yizhou's podcast comment on China’s emerging foreign policy, regional strategy, territorial disputes, global role, and bilateral relations with the US.
Mapping the ‘Urban Commons’ of Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul and Athens
Pablo de Soto's research project discusses the control governments have over societies' shared goods, and establishes a connection between the commons and production as collectively owned resources.
Ousmane Sow Becomes First Black African Member of France Academy of Fine Arts
Senegalese sculptor Ousmane Sow was admitted on December 11 into L'Académie des Beaux-Arts de Paris [Academy of Fine Arts of Paris]. Africa-top-talents.com reports: Une belle consécration pour ce sculpteur sénégalais connu pour ses...
3 Initiatives Working to Make Niger a Better Place
Positive stories from Niger are a few and far between these days, thanks to economic hardship combined with threats of terrorism. Three projects are trying to change that.
