Stories from 19 February 2014
Hong Kong Protesters Target Shopping Mainland Chinese Tourists
Though the huge number of tourists has contributed to economic growth, it has generated a number of social problems.
PHOTOS: Venezuelans Abroad Show Support for Protests
Venezuelans living abroad have organised demonstrations to support ongoing protests in their home country. Images are published on social networks with the tags #iamyourvoicevenezuela #SOSVenezuela and #PrayForVenezuela, among others.
Soviet-era Monuments and Slogans in Tajik Capital “Should Stay”
Over the last two decades, the authorities in Dushanbe have dismantled most of the Soviet-era monuments and huge political slogans on rooftops which had all been an important feature of the cityscape before 1991. However, as Radio Ozodi reports [tj], Tajikistan's capital has preserved a handful of Soviet statues, slogans, and signs...
Indie Music from Puerto Rico is Rocking the World
The world is already listening to us. Time to spread the word in Puerto Rico.
New Rainy Season Wreaks Havoc in Peru
Landslides and floods have caused material and human losses in Peru, especially in the southern Andes and the eastern Amazon.
Toilets Should Not Be Emptied by Humans Say Indian Sanitation Laws
Despite the Indian government's stringent anti-manual scavenging law, the practice continues to flourish in pockets of India. A group of bloggers go on a field visit to find out more.
“Now is the Time for Men of Goodwill to Stand Up” in the Central African Republic
Andrew Harding on Africa Review reports on the courageous acts of a congregation in the shabby town of Boali, Central African Republic and notably one Father Xavier Fagba. The St Peter's Parish church has sheltered Muslims seeking sanctuary from ethnic cleansing perpetrated by anti balaka gangs: “Now is the time for men of...
Assessing Myanmar's Democratic Transition
Tomás Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, concluded his mission by assessing the country's democratic transition: For the time being, the military retains a prevailing role in the life and institutions of Myanmar. State institutions in general remain unaccountable and the judiciary is not...
Social Media Week Lagos 2014
The Social Media Week Lagos 2014 (February 17-21) is currently going on in Lagos, Nigeria: SMW Lagos is only in it’s 2nd year and has already claimed its place as the largest, tech, new media and business conference on the continent of Africa. It attracts some of the continents most...
10 New Documentaries at the Luxor African Film Festival
Tom Devriendt lists 10 documentaries to look out for at the Luxor African Film Festival: The third edition of the Egyptian Luxor African Film Festival again has a wide-ranging programme scheduled for next month. Selected films will be showing in different competitions: Long Narrative, Short Narratives, Short Documentaries and Long...
Rumours and ‘Fake’ Photos Prompt Calls for Responsible Social Media in Venezuela
The current crisis in Venezuela has put netizens at the forefront of information dissemination, but not everyone is transparent or responsible in their reporting of events.
The Journalistic Purgatory of Eastern Europe
Central and Eastern European media is less free now than at any point in the past 20 years and the internet is no safe haven either.
Amendments to Brazil's Bill of Rights for Internet Users Jeopardizes Privacy
Recent amendments to Brazil's pioneer bill of rights for Internet users, the “Marco Civil da Internet” (Internet Civil Rights Framework), put net neutrality and users’ privacy at stake. The bill is expected to be voted on by Congress during the last week of February 2014. Activists have launched an online campaign asking for the...
Follow the Escalation of Ukraine's #Euromaidan Protests Live
Protests took a deadly turn on February 18, and Ukraine is now the scene of a tense stand-off between hundreds of thousands of citizens and government forces.
Empty Office Buildings in Trinidad's Capital
The huge potential supply of State-built, unfinished office buildings in our capital is the ‘Elephant in the Room‘. Afra Raymond confronts it in an effort to address “the viability of the long-term and large-scale investments which have been made in Port-of-Spain by private and public capital.”
VIDEO: Toward a Fair and Inclusive Education System in Chile
In the video above by Open Society Foundations, Giorgio Jackson, former student leader and newly elected parliamentarian in Chile, discusses the education system in his country and what it means to have an “open society.” Trine Petersen writes: A fair and inclusive system that makes education available to all is...
China: A Survey of City Pollution
Greenpeace has released its 2013 survey on air pollution in China. Dan Harris suggested foreign corporates should consider the index before picking their offices’ locations. The summary of the Greenpeace report in English can be found in China Hush.
China: Protest to Call for Respect for Sex Workers
Female students from Wuhan University in Hubei province demonstrated on Valentine's Day, calling for respect for sex workers in China. Beijing Cream has the story.
The President That Could Not Stand His “Stan”
As far as countries go, "stan" is something of a bad brand. PR-sensitive Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev is suggesting it could be time for a change to his country's name.
Photographers Snap Over Online Accreditation for Trinidad Carnival
Social media has taken the enjoyment of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival to a new level - but photographers are being told that their 2014 accreditation fees won't cover online use.
