Stories from 29 July 2014
With Doctors on Strike and Boko Haram on the Loose, Nigerians Fear an Ebola Outbreak
A Liberian man infected with Ebola has died in Lagos, a city of 21 million. Nigeria is the fourth country in the current outbreak to diagnose the disease.
Spanish Soldier Who Penned a Best-Selling Novel About Military Corruption Gets Jail Time
Luis Segura, a lieutenant in the Spanish army, is in prison for criticizing the military during interviews for his novel "Un paso al frente" (A step forward).
China Monitors the Internet and the Public Pays the Bill
Experts say the billion-yuan “stability maintenance industry” is designed to help the government tighten its grip over public opinion online -- and to turn a profit.
These ‘Poets With a Cause’ Are Defending Social Justice in Crisis-Hit Puerto Rico
"Poetas en Marcha is Felipe the janitor, Sofia the overworked and underpaid secretary, the young adults laughing while having a beer after their final exams, the noble lady selling fruit."
Russian Government IP Address Caught Editing German Wikipedia MH17 Article
IP addresses inside the Russian government continue to be active on Wikipedia, where a computer at the Russian Secret Service, the FSO, revised the German entry for Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, changing the word “separatists” into “rebels.” The Twitter bot @RuGovEdits, which automatically logs all Wikipedia edits made from Russian government IP...
Highway Africa 2014 Extends Deadline for Registration
The deadline for registration for the 18th annual Highway Africa Conference has been extended to Friday, 08 August 2014: Due to the influx of interest in the 18th annual Highway Africa Conference, the deadline for registration has been extended to Friday, 08 August 2014. The world’s largest annual gathering of...
Spinning the MH17 Tragedy, Moscow's Victory Isn't What You Think
Kyiv and Moscow trade evidence and conspiracy theories about whose BUK surface-to-air missiles downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. What game is the Kremlin playing online?
Reasons to Take a Trip Once in a While
On her blog Historias de una mujer lobo (Stories of a female werewolf), Natalia Cartolini reflects on the reasons why a trip can be beneficial as, in her opinion, “the fact of visiting new places or meeting new people from another perspective is important at any moment. It doesn't matter...
Seoul Says No to Uber, But Don't Put Down Your Mobile Just Yet
Seoul is banning Uber and planning to release its own mobile app for taxi services. Who wins from such a move?