VIDEO: Ukrainian Power Plant Ablaze, Town's Future Uncertain

At least one person was killed and five injured on March 29 in a major fire at the Vuhlehirska Thermal Power Plant in the Ukrainian town of Svitlodarsk, whose survival is now at stake.

Beware: North Korea Rockets on Standby

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered rockets on standby to attack US military bases in South Korea in response to recent U.S.-South Korea joint military drills. North Korea Leadership Watch blog post a full script of North Korean state media report on this. 

Macedonia: Independent Daily Publisher Found Dead

Arrest Warrant Issued for Egyptian Blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah for a Twitter Mention

Egyptian blogger Alaa Abd El Fattah surrendered himself to the public prosecution today (March 26) after an arrest warrant was issued for him last night. The investigation, tweets Abd El Fattah, revolved around his relationship with Princess Joumana and her mention of him on Twitter.

Google's Bangladeshi Independence Doodle

Aminul Islam Sajib reports that Google featured Bangladeshi National Flag as a Doodle on the occasion of the Independence Day of Bangladesh (26th March, 1971) which was a long time demand from Bangladeshi netizens.

Central African Republic's Self-Declared President

Following the taking of the presidential palace in Bangui by the Sékéla rebellion, their leader Michel Djotodia has declared that he is now the new president [fr] of the Central African Republic: I do not wish for a witch hunt [..] For now, a curfew is declared in Bangui.

Remembering the Tenth Anniversary of the War Against Iraq

Last week marked a decade since the then George W. Bush administration declared the war against Iraq, as part as his fight against terrorism. In the United States, netizens react.

Protests and “Frozen Zones” in Brooklyn after murder of Kimani Gray

On Saturday, March 16, Kimani Gray, a 16-year-old African American boy, died at the hands of two New York City police officers. There have been riots in Brooklyn for four consecutive days and police have declared frozen zones in a neighborhood in this borough of New York. News of this event has spread through social networks due to lack of information in the mainstream media.

Bolivia: Book Bill Excludes Copyleft

Bolivian activists are on alert [es] and writing a collaborative proposal [es] on the new Book and Reading Act [es] in the Plurinational Legislative Asemply (Parliament). The bill seeks to encourage the production and reading of texts of various kinds in the country; however, the bill passed by the Lower...

Puerto Rico Second in the Caribbean Final of the World Baseball Classic

Although Puerto Rico did not win the World Baseball Classic, the country played memorably, managing to position itself as the number two team. Twitter users congratulated the Dominican Republic, which became the first undefeated team to win a World Baseball Classic, while expressing the deep pride they felt for the Puerto Rican national team.

Zambia Readies Corruption Case Against Former President Rupiah Banda

The political and legal stage has been set for the prosecution of Zambia’s former president Rupiah Banda on corruption charges after his presidential immunity was lifted by parliament in a raucous sitting in which the Speaker was heckled and opposition members walked out.

Video: Crisis Engenders Greek Documentary Boom

The 15th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival includes five crisis-themed Greek films in its lineup. As the Festival, and Greece at large, continues to labor under the mounting debt and austerity crisis, fiction and documentary filmmakers alike are increasingly focusing their work on its effects on society.

Argentinians, the Government and Pope Francis

The announcement "Habemus Papam" caused a lot of happiness among Argentinians when they found out that the new pope is a fellow countryman. Argentinians analyzed his relationship with the current government and celebrated the conclave's decision.

New Pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is Argentinian

Netizens have quickly reacted to the announcement that for the first time an Argentinian, and a Latin American, will be leading the Catholic Church.

Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio Elected Pope

Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been elected as the new Pope of the Catholic Church. #Bergoglio and #OrgulloArgentino (Argentinian pride) are current trends on Twitter in Argentina.

Arab World: Pope Alert, White Smoke

Arab netizens joined the rest of the world today in awaiting news of a new pope, who will replace Benedict XVI. And their reactions followed as soon as the white smoke bellowed from the Sistine Chapel, signalling the election of the pope.

Cigarette Vendor Sets Himself on Fire, Self-immolations Continue in Tunisia

Twenty-five months after fruit street vendor, Mohamed Bouaziz had set himself on fire, the phenomenon continues in Tunisia. Out of socioeconomic despair, Adel Khadri, a cigarette street vendor set himself alight on March 12 in the capital Tunis. He died today [March 13].

The Curious Case of Hugo Chávez and Peru

As we all know, Hugo Chávez, president of Venezuela, died on March 5. But what we are perhaps less familiar with is the symbiotic relationship between Chávez and Peru.

Should Alcohol be Legalised in Libya?

Libyan netizens are debating whether alcohol should be allowed in the country – after more than 50 people have died from drinking methane-tainted home-made alcohol in Tripoli. Another 470-plus people have been taken to hospitals for treatment, prompting a heated discussion on why lifting the alcohol ban would introduce legislation, which will in turn prevent such wide-scale tragedies from happening again.

Rebels Attack in Central African Republic

RJDH -RCA reports that [fr]: According to multiple NGOs in the region, the cities of Mobaye and Bangassou are under attack by dissident rebels of the Sekela coalition in the Central African Republic. No confirmation has been given yet by the government. Bangassou's phone network is currently cut off.

Saudi Court Sentences Reformists to 10 and 11 Years in Prison

Earlier today, March 9th, the Riyadh Criminal Court issued its verdict against the two prominent reformists and human rights activists Mohammad al-Qahtani and Abdullah al-Hamid, after being prosecuted for “breaking allegiance to the ruler and his successor” and “trying to impede the country’s developments”. al-Qahtani was sentenced to 10 years in prison and al-Hamid was sentenced to 5 years in prison in addition to completing his previous sentence (7 years, released after a year with a royal pardon).