Stories from December, 2017
The Story Behind China’s Online Literature Boom
China is experiencing a boom in online e-book sales which is changing the landscape of publishing and literature in the country.
Robbie Williams’ Bottom Ignites Online Firestorm in Uzbekistan
“This is my band...this is my arse. Tonight your arse is mine.”
The Hypocrisy of the Philippines National Police Human Rights Mobile App
"The ‘Know Your Rights’ app is a perfect example of hypocrisy because the only application that is known to the PNP is the application of torture..."
The Campaigning Dead: Deceased Users’ Profiles Post Pro-Putin Messages on a Russian Social Network
Most of Vkontakte accounts belonging to deceased Russians posting pro-Putin messages have been suspended. Vkontakte’s management, approached by reporters for comment, said these accounts had been hacked by unknown perpetrators.
#FreeNganang: Cameroonian Writer Patrice Nganang Detained in a Maximum Security Prison in Yaoundé
Cameroon needs intellectuals resolutely committed to the service of the people, the oppressed. Those who sacrifice their times, their energy, their money, their families, their children, to build change.
Initiatives for Environmental Activism Take Off in Cuba
The Center for Education and Promotion for Sustainable Development is a commitment to participatory environmental management and political ecology in Cuba.
#FindRaza: Social Media Campaign Launched for the Safe Return of Pakistani Human Rights Activist
Human rights activist Raza Mehmood Khan, who was working to build peace between Pakistan and India, went missing after he was last spotted at an event in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
Political Uncertainty as Protests Spread in Ethiopia
"This TPLF machination has certainly run out of steam. TPLF must go! The country needs orderly transition before it's too late."
Honduran Electoral Controversy Resolved, but the Crisis is Far from Over
"The people are in the streets because they can’t take it anymore. Because they denied people their rights."
Art and Music Festival Brings Joy to Islamabad
After a month of tense street protests in Islamabad, an arts festival restores the spirits of its residents.
Found in Translation: Local Publisher Brings Alive the Story of a Somali Olympian and Refugee for Macedonian Readers
Graphic novel "An Olympic Dream" -- a biography of a runner who perished while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea as a refugee -- was published in two local languages.
In Egypt, Both Sexual Harassment and Child Marriages Continue to Plague the Country
"Sexual harassment is a major problem in Egypt. Studies show that large majorities of women have been subjected to it [...] And the problem is deeply rooted."
Twitter Japan is Not a Safe Space for Minority Users
"Of respondents who reported they found it unpleasant when coming across discriminatory articles online (as described above), 19.8% said they would refrain from using the Internet."
A Legislator in Taiwan Risks a Recall for Supporting Same-Sex Marriage
Some in the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan are campaigning to recall a legislator because he supports same-sex marriage, generating a furious debate and calls for reform.
Concerns over United States President Trump's Latest Controversial Foreign Policies Loom Large in Africa
"This is not a very diplomatic strategy. Then again, it is coming from a man whose vision and politics are limited by his lack of awareness about the outside world."
Graphic Journalists and Illustrators Draw Alternative Narratives in Syria
"Contrary to a common prejudice, comics can help address serious, difficult issues. This form allows, if not requires, the reporter to be part of the story he tells."
UNESCO Protects Balkan Grandma March Day Custom As Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage activists in South-eastern Europe celebrate UNESCO's recognition of the Balkan Grandma March Day custom of wearing red and white wool ornaments.
Petition to Free the Eritrean Man Unjustly Arrested in Italy for Mistaken Identity
The Italian authorities appear to have gotten the wrong man; will they acknowledge it? The hunt for the mastermind of Mediterranean human trafficking takes a strange turn.
Refugees in Lebanon Are Still Being Scapegoated in the Media and in Academia
"How can one claim that these people are here to receive aid from international organizations, when many are, in fact, not receiving any?"
‘We Are One': Same Sex Marriage Becomes Legal Down Under
"Australia legalizing same-sex marriage today should remind us that humanity can only survive when it learns to love one and other."
