Stories from March, 2019
Back-to-back fires in Dhaka trigger concerns over regulation and safety in Bangladesh
Fire remains a persistent safety concern for Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka, the most densely populated city on earth. Agencies trying to change the status quo face an uphill battle.
In the Caucasus, queer people are forced to flee their homes
"There is a point after which you just can’t take it anymore."
A new #MeToo wave is flooding Mexican social media
"As students, colleagues and partners in academia, we join the condemnation movement started by @MeTooWriters, followed by @MeTooFilmMx, and sustained by brave and fed-up women."
Is the Haitian parliament's revocation of Prime Minister Céant another feat of zero-sum game politics?
The no-confidence vote and resulting reshuffle are impacting the government's capacity to provide a timely and effective response to Haiti's socio-economic crisis.
A Brazilian funk DJ was sentenced to prison, but many believe his musical genre made him a target
"I think the racial issue, and the issue of inequality and historical prejudice, are all implicit in those charges."
What changed for the Macedonian people after the country changed its name to Republic of North Macedonia
However, that didn't just transform the Balkan country's international relations: it also introduced many changes that affect the everyday lives of its people.
India's elections are right around the corner — and the fake news problem is not going away
Experts have found that many of India's most insidious disinformation campaigns arise from political parties themselves.
In India, a video brings awareness to children suffering from mumps
A video reporting the outbreak of mumps at a primary school in Uttar Pradesh led to setting up of health camps and ensured that children were treated.
Netizen Report: Activists in Pakistan and Malaysia confront online backlash after International Women’s Day events
This week, the EU parliament approved its Copyright Directive, Pakistan blocked mobile services (during a military parade) and Bangladesh blocked Al Jazeera English.
Facebook comment about throwing an egg at Singapore minister triggers police probe
"To be honest, I don't feel much regret. I feel it's a matter of freedom of speech, and that we have a right to voice such opinions."
Tanzania's opposition ‘heavyweights’ are bouncing back to the ruling party
In recent years, defectors from the leading opposition party, CHADEMA, include four members of parliament, 75 councilors and several village chairmen, who have all joined CCM, the ruling party.
The Slovakian memes that tore apart the first round of presidential elections
Pro-EU candidate Zuzana Čaputová won the first round following an eventful race that was wittily captured by the Slovakian internet on memes.
Growing controversy in Myanmar: A Kachin banana plantation in photos
"Most of the plantations have Chinese backing and are accused of stealing land, damaging the environment and violating their workers’ labor rights."
With elections just days away, Ukraine faces disinformation, cyber attacks and further Russian interference
Ukraine may be home to “the most globally advanced case of computational propaganda.” How will this affect the presidential election?
These Colombian journalists want you to know that Pablo Escobar was no hero
"This 'hero' forced us to stay indoors, to suspect from everyone, and to react with fire and violence."
Colombian social networks rally behind a local street poet fined for ‘trafficking poems’
Jesús Espicasa's story made waves on Colombian social networks, sparking a nationwide debate about the role of poetry in public life.
‘Representation is not feeling different when I read or see something,’ says scriptwriter of comic with black lead character
"It is my existence not being tied only to slavery, as schools seem to say and TV shows repeat. It is feeling part of the world on an equal footing."
China’s press freedom crackdown poses a threat to democracies, says media watchdog
“If democracies do not resist, ‘Chinese-style’ propaganda will gradually invade the world’s media, competing with journalism as we know it.”
Censored on WeChat: #MeToo in China
The term “rice bunny”, which sounds similar to “me too” when spoken in Chinese, was used as a replacement hashtag to get around the censors.
Two years after completing his sentence, Emirati activist Osama al-Najjar remains in detention
Al-Najjar was arrested over tweets calling for the release of prisoners of conscience in the Emirates.
Outgoing baseball superstar Ichiro Suzuki's oddball t-shirts make him fan favorite
Ichiro, who has set more records than any other baseball player, recently announced his retirement.
