Stories from 20 November 2013
“Catalan Independence” Explained in 16 Languages
The debut video of The Catalan Project (@Catalan_Project) features Fernando de Castro, “a Catalan from Galicia and Spanish”, presenting the project and explaining why some Catalans want independence from Spain using the 16 languages he is able to speak. Subtitles are available in English, French, German, Spanish and Catalan. The Catalan Project, an...
COP19: Fasting For The Climate
Bloggers and Twitter users attending the summit are reacting to Yeb Saño's hunger strike to pressure for meaningful progress at the UN climate talks.
‘Japanese Banksy’ Bashes Nuclear Industry With Street Art
Anonymous Japanese street artist 281_Anti Nuke takes inspiration from his British counterpart Banksy to take on Tokyo Electric Power Company, the operator of the crippled nuclear plant in Fukushima prefecture. You can see more of 281_Anti Nuke's works on his website.
No One Found Guilty of ‘Prestige’ Oil Disaster in Spain
After 10 years of investigation and a nine-month trial, Galicia's High Court of Justice has acquitted the three defendants of all crimes against the environment.
Unemployment, Poverty and Brain Drain: Italy's Crisis Deepens
More than 4.1 million poverty-stricken Italians have received food through non-profit food parcels or free meals.
LGBT-Friendly Coloring Books for Russians
Activists from the LGBT equality T-shirt company FCKH8.com are planning to send 10,000 copies of a pro-gay coloring book titled “Misha and His Two Mothers” to families with children in Moscow and Sochi, prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics. The book's core message, captured by the catchphrase “Gay Is Okay!”...
Iran:Eight Netizens got Arrested
Iranian authorities announced that eight netizens including one woman were arrested in Rafsanjan,in Kerman Province, on charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities and values”.
Russian Social Conservatives & Economic Liberals Want to Cut Abortion Funding
Russians have consistently opposed measures aimed at restricting access to abortion. Despite this, there are indications the Russian government is moving to introduce restrictions on the practice.
Haiti: Reforestation Nation
Haiti Grassroots Watch blogs about some of the challenges of reforestation on the island.
Persistent Stereotypes, Latent Prejudices: Black Characters in Brazilian Comics
"The representation is not yet ideal," researcher Luis Henrique said about black characters in Brazilian comic books. Global Voices interviewed him about his work.
Chinese Netizens Say Farewell to American Embassador Gary Locke
What is the reason behind the resignation of Gary Locke, the American ambassador to China? Chinese netizens are wondering.
Chinese Netizens Confused by China's Reform Plans
TeaLeafNation translated some Chinese netizens’ reactions to the document released after the Third Plenum, a high-level meeting to discuss China’s future development. Many Chinese find the document, called Plenum Communiqué confusing and vague. For example, one comment says: I can’t understand why after a meeting lasting three days, the only thing they...
Jamaica's Drug Testing Programme Under the Microscope
Jamaica's drug testing program is under fire thanks to a recent investigation by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Conversation about the controversy has been rife on Twitter.
