Stories from 24 March 2014
In Defence of Malawian Languages
Following Malawi's government decision to introduce English as a medium of instruction from grade one, Steve Sharra defends local languages and makes the case for multilingualism: Teachers and lecturers in our secondary schools and universities are observing a trend in which students from private schools speak perfect English, but their...
President Santos Confirms the Dismissal of Bogotá Mayor Gustavo Petro
The Colombian president did not adopt precautionary measures by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for Gustavo Petro to continue as mayor of Bogotá, the country's capital.
‘The Subject': A New Crowdfunding Tool for Brazil's Independent Media
Aimed at providing an alternative to the traditional business model of media production, a new crowdfunding platform for independent journalism has been launched in Brazil. O Sujeito (The Subject) [pt] is hosted by the crowdfunding website Catarse, which wrote about the new venture [pt] coming at a time of transition for media funding: O veículo impresso está...
Jose Dos Santos, the 1.8-Billion-Dollar President of Angola
Meanwhile, 70 percent of Angolans live on less than two dollars a day.
The Perils Of The Dams Coming Up for Mumbai Region
South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) blog reports that as many as 12 dams are either being planned or are under construction to satisfy the increasing water demand of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) in India. The Tribals and other affected groups have long been strongly opposing...
Libya Vs Iraq: Who Wins in the Explosives Finale?
This bumper sticker (more of a windshield sticker) from Libya says it all. Egyptian Bassem Sabry explains: Humour as coping mechanism RT @ILPADRINO0 "Two more explosions & Libya will qualify for semi-final with Iraq" pic.twitter.com/uCzkihMi4u” — Bassem Sabry باسم (@Bassem_Sabry) March 24, 2014
Egypt Sentences 529 Muslim Brotherhood Supporters to Death
Egypt today [March 24] sentenced 529 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to death for their roles in violent riots in Minya, in Upper Egypt, last August.
Sifting Through Conflicting Versions of India and Pakistan's Shared Past
The History Project compiles narratives from Pakistani and Indian history books to expose biases in the treatment of the 1947 Partition of India.
Ebola Virus Outbreak Kills 59 in Guinea, Closes in on Conakry
An Ebola outbreak killed at least 59 people in Guinea and a few suspected cases near the Capital Conakry suggest that it may have spread to the Guinean capital. Barbara Krief provides the latest updates [fr]: Au moins huit agents de santé ont été tués à ce jour. En collaboration...
5 Small Businesses Run By Rural Uruguayan Women
Rural Uruguayan women have created successful self-managed small businesses with which they support their families and bring novel and high-quality products to the local market.
Heartbreaking News: Missing Malaysian Flight MH370 Crashed into Indian Ocean
The Malaysian Prime Minister confirmed Monday evening that missing Malaysian airliner MH370 crashed into the Indian Ocean. The plane with 239 passengers lost contact two weeks ago.
Returning Human Remains is Not an Apology, Says Namibia to Germany
Human remains who were killed during the colonial war (early 20th century) were returned to Namibia by Germany in March. However, Namibians still demand a formal apology from the German government as Tendai Marima, a post-doctoral researcher in African literature, wrote on the Think Africa Press website : The skulls and skeletons that...
Putin's Alleged “Ukraine Annexation Plan” Surfaces Online
Katya Gorchinskaya, deputy editor of the newspaper KyivPost, has published on Facebook photographs of a report that journalists are calling "Putin's plan for annexing Ukraine."
Jamaica: Little Universes
Our minds are as vast and infinite and creative as the uni—scratch that—multiverse. What does that mean for each of us? For our potential and purpose? A science documentary reminds Jamaican blogger Nadine Tomlinson that she, like every other person on the planet, has unlimited potential.
Divisions Persist in Cameroon Despite Reunification's Grandiose Golden Jubilee
Criticism was heaped on President Paul Biya for the celebration, held three years late and on a date that had no historical significance.
Dear #CongressOccupied Protesters, ‘Don't Let Taiwan Become the Next Hong Kong’
Since protests in Taiwan began March 18 against a trade deal with China, many Hongkongers have sent many messages of encouragement and of warning to the Taiwanese.
