Stories from January, 2019
Old age, hate speech, press freedom: Critical issues in Nigeria's 2019 presidential elections
Amid the cacophony of Nigeria's electoral campaigns — both online and offline — here are the key issues that may get lost in the noise in this year's elections.
‘Nobody knows what will come next': Venezuelans rally in strongest challenge to Maduro yet
"In 2014, having the security services pull the plug on the Maduro regime was a fantasy. In 2017, it was a hope. In 2019, it’s the plan"
Kazakh leader's grandson complains he is passportless after stint in ‘private Russian jail’
Aisultan Nazarbayev has a history of surprising compatriots with sensational social media posts.
Local radio station in Russia cancels interview with LGBT activists after threats to editor
Homophobic abuse online didn't put the editor off, but anonymous calls threatening violence against her guests did.
Biryani Stories: Is Biryani the national dish of Pakistan?
Biriyani might be considered the king of South Asian cuisine, but is it the national dish of Pakistan?
Azerbaijani prosecutors drop controversial charges against political prisoner
Activists cheered the concession as a victory of people power.
Taiwan’s referendum results may have been swayed by an ill-informed public
Many feel that an ill-informed public swayed the results of Taiwan's recent referendums.
Is Fiji's Online Safety Act a ‘trojan horse’ for online censorship?
"The Act on the surface professes online ‘Safety’, while its vagueness on responsible free speech leaves the act open to being a Trojan horse for online ‘Regulation’ and censorship."
Tobago's tourism industry faces setback as Sandals hotel chain walks away from a deal
Talks broke down on a major deal for a Sandals resort in Tobago. Environmentalists see it as a win, but tourism has to swallow its disappointment and press on.
Jordan stalls on official poverty statistics amid tax law controversy
Reports on poverty in Jordan have been absent since 2010, putting the government under fire for answers.
Mayor of Odessa could face criminal charges after his security attacked a local reporter
This is only the most recent episode in which Trukhanov or his subordinates have attacked journalists.
Correspondence between Arundhati Roy and Shahidul Alam shares resilience and hope
"...the tide will turn, and the nameless, faceless people will rise. They will rise against the entire state machinery."
India's Sabarimala row: How women fought against religious patriarchy for the right to pray
Right-wing groups are in an uproar after the Indian Supreme Court allows women of menstruating age to enter the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
What's wrong with mainstream media's interpretation of Taiwan's referendum results?
Taiwan just finished its location election and ten referendums on Nov 24, but there are still some misunderstandings about the results in mainstream media.
Has Kyrgyzstan's new fine for spitting violated the country's ‘social contract'?
"If you don't touch us, we won't touch you."
Under Peña Nieto, Mexican journalists endured threats, killings — and digital surveillance, say researchers
"If they killed Javier Valdez [the] most protected member in the field, what can the rest of us expect? It is as if we all have a target on our backs.""Si matan a Javier Valdez, [...] el más protegido del gremio: ¿qué puede esperar el resto? Es como si a todos nos hubieran puesto un blanco en el pecho."
Facing targeted attacks, Yemen's Christian minority struggles to survive
"Galileo" is a Yemeni who converted to Christianity three years ago. He's been arrested and tortured, and is now living in fear for his life.
Nigerien man stranded at Ethiopian airport for months
"I slept on the chairs, sometimes I slept in the mosque, I didn’t take shower for two months because [the] airport [has] no place for a shower."
Meet Nigeria's presidential candidates of 2019
The race is on for Aso Rock — the seat of Nigeria's presidency. Meet the 2019 presidential candidates.
Introducing DigiGlot, a newsletter about languages and tech
This is the first publication of DigiGlot,a biweekly collaborative newsletter examining how indigenous, minority, and endangered language communities are adopting and adapting technology for their own needs.
Netizen Report: Zimbabwe’s internet goes dark amid protests, nationwide strike
The update from Zimbabwe, plus: China fines VPN users, Cuba is censoring SMS messages and Iranian officials plan to block Instagram.