4 April 2012

Stories from 4 April 2012

India: The ‘Coup’ That Never Was

  4 April 2012

On 4 April, an article in 'the Indian Express' reported about an attempted coup mentioning that two key Indian Army units had moved towards Delhi without notifying the government on the night of January 16-17. Everybody from the government to the common people have dismissed the Indian Express front-page story.

Bulgaria: Light on a Mysterious Death

The collaborative media outlet svobodnoslovo.com writes [bg] about a new book by Lyubomir Levchev [bg], who mentions Lyudmila Jivkova's death 30 years ago. It has always been reported that Jivkova, the daughter of Bulgaria's last communist dictator, died in a car accident. Levchev explains, however, that she might have been...

Mauritania: Complex Problem of Slavery

  4 April 2012

Erin Pettigrew discusses the complex problem of slavery in Mauritania: “I’ve been working in Mauritania on and off for the past eight years and this issue of ‘slavery’ is still one I am struggling to fully understand. I certainly cringe every time I see a young black child working in...

China's richest city in 2012

  4 April 2012

Xinjiang far west China introduced a Xinjiang city, Karamay, the richest city in China in 2012. The Wealth of the newly established city comes from oil.

Greece: Public Suicide of 77 Year Old Man in Athens Square

  4 April 2012

All Greece was shocked this morning by the news that Dimitris Christoulas, aged 77, shot himself in the head around 9 am, in full view of passersby in Syntagma Square, Athens, across from the Parliament building. Before the shot, he reportedly shouted that he "didn't want to leave any debts to his children".

Jamaica, U.S.A.: Asking for Justice in Martin Killing

  4 April 2012

Of the “Wild Wild West” killing of Trayvon Martin, Abeng News Magazine says: “When stories like these emerge from the streets of cities in the Middle East and other countries in the developing world, Western political leaders and ‘rights’ agencies lambast the nations as lawless and prepare to depose their...

Brazil: Indigenous Rights and the Suspension of the Teles Pires Dam

  4 April 2012

Brazilian blogger Sonia Martuscelli reproduces [pt] an open letter on the suspension of the license for the construction of the controversial Teles Pires Dam, in an area of the Amazon forest inhabited by the indigenous peoples of Kayabi, Apiaka and Mundukuru ethnicities. The natives require measures to ensure their rights...

Swaziland: King Demands Cows From the Poor

  4 April 2012

Multimillionaire King Mswati of Swaziland demands cows from the poor: “King Mswati III of Swaziland’s demand that his impoverished subjects supply him with cattle to slaughter for his birthday party has been met with anger and scorn. The king is estimated to have a personal fortune of US$200 million while...

Georgia: Forbes magazine accused of self-censorship

The Transparency International Georgia blog examines the case of the Georgian edition of the influential Forbes magazine following the resignation of its editor-in-chief who alleges that the magazine's publishers are practicing self-censorship ahead of parliamentary elections to be held later this year.

Haiti: Women & the Spoken Word (Part 2)

  4 April 2012

Haitian-American spoken-word artist Melissa Beauvery talks to Global Voices about the inspiration for her first project, the importance of oral tradition and the close-knit community that is the Haitian diaspora.