Stories from December, 2022
Russia weaponizes cultural awards: It’s not all the same who is awarding a prize
"To accept a prize awarded by an institution that supports the military aggression of Russia on Ukraine means extending personal support to this aggression."
European Parliament’s Report on Pegasus spyware indicates involvement of North Macedonia companies
Pegasus and Predator spyware can allegedly extract all communications records from mobile devices. A European Parliament report and journalist investigations suspect wide illegal use in and outside of the European Union.
Trinidad & Tobago's calypsonian Black Stalin, the quintessential ‘Caribbean Man,’ dies at 81
A fiercely independent thinker and lyricist, throughout his long and vibrant career Stalin always managed to put a highly original, intelligent spin on the issues of the day.
Turkey's Saturday Mothers, 27 years on, are still searching for justice and closure
Throughout their existence, Saturday Mothers have faced police violence. Most recently in August, 2022, when police detained 14 members of the group.
How Morocco’s Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 World Cup
Morocco's national football team, the Atlas Lions, was the first African and Arab country ever to make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Inside my bounty: Raghda's journey
Raghda shares with us her fascinating journey to recovery from depression brought on by social isolation as a result of her childhood fluency disorder.
For school New Year's Eve parties in Moscow, some music is apparently deemed inappropriate
The list includes 29 artists. Some of them, such as Little Big and Manizha, represented Russia at Eurovideo contest. All of them have explicitely condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Self-taught Trinidadian photographer Jason C. Audain pushes boundaries with the use of AI
While some photographers may rue the day AI had such an impact, autodidact Jason C. Audain, known for his images of traditional Trinidad and Tobago Carnival characters, thinks otherwise.
The Dutch state apologises for slavery, and the Caribbean wonders: Will reparations follow?
The Caribbean’s response to the Dutch apology was mixed — positive in some respects, guarded or even dismissive in others.
Climate change, digital authoritarianism and disinformation campaigns ruled in South Asia in 2022
With 2022 nearly over, situations in countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka were extremely difficult. So, what did this year hold in store for South Asia? Read on.
‘The Balkans are Europe's Latin America in many beautiful ways,’ says Albanian writer
Cultural mediators between the Balkans and the Hispanic worlds are scarce. Elvi Sidheri is one of them. As an Albanian author and translator, he has traveled across countries and literary fields.
This online game exposes the dangers of deep-sea mining
"Help the residents of the deep defend their home. Play GAME OVER and discover the enormous risks involved in deep sea mining."
Classical dance pushes the bounds of traditional gender identities in Cambodia
"The act of performing is constantly crossing lines of gender, time, space and even species."
Turkey, a year in review: Battling both at home and abroad
With just six months ahead of general election in June 2023, it remains to be seen whether the country and its people will witness change and better days ahead.
Police in Azerbaijan detain protesters on the day of activist's trial
On December 23, as an appeals court in Baku ruled to keep Hajiyev behind bars, a group of supporters attempted to stage a protest in support of Hajiyev.
Governments are still free to use the Pegasus software without human rights safeguards in place
There is an urgent need to regulate the global trade in surveillance technology with the inclusion of human rights safeguards.
Pundits say unblocking the Lachin Corridor is the only way to avoid humanitarian crisis
Lachin Corridor is the only route connecting Armenia to Karabakh and its blocking has disrupted access to essential goods and services for the population living in Karabakh.
Another attack on LGBTQ+ center in Podgorica highlights the need to protect human rights in Montenegro
Six young thugs armed with metal bars attempted to break into an LGBTQ+ Drop In center in Podgorica. In previous days similar groups of young men issued threats to the staff.
Documentary about the 1920s Volga famine is prohibited in Russia but broadcasted on YouTube
A Russian documentary covering the 1921–1923 famine in the Volga region is banned by the Russian government for unclear reasons, but made available online on YouTube.
Transgender women are despised, like the Virgin Mary in her day
"I am a mother raising her child. There was no conception in my womb, but for me, it's really a miracle."
Undertones in Afghanistan: ‘Taliban 2.0,’ Women, Resistance
Researchers share some of the strongest narratives that have circulated in Afghanistan this year
