In 1922, a Ukrainian choir sang the song “Shchedryk” at New York’s Carnegie Hall. The tune became a Christmas sensation known as “Carol of the Bells.” This Sunday, a Ukrainian choir will once again perform the famous song at Carnegie Hall.
The country’s tourism council paints an image of a real-life Shangri-La. But Bhutanese identity has been undergoing a seismic shift as it is thrust into a modern age, prompting a mental health crisis in a country that is struggling to keep up.
The US is quietly ramping up its military presence in Somalia, sending in more special operations forces to complete more missions. But is it enough to fight al-Shabab?
South Sudan's refugee crisis seems to be getting worse. But there's reason for optimism, and it all comes down to Uganda’s unusual and progressive refugee policy.
Increasingly, the Kenyan government has been taking steps to root out terrorists on its own soil, but the crackdown has been marked by disappearances and extrajudicial killings, which has only inflamed the simmering resentments of young men in the coastal city of Mombasa.
Tibetans are embracing WeChat to communicate with friends and family who have left the remote part of China. But WeChat isn't just like any other social network, it's heavily monitored by the Chinese government.
There is vast potential for drone use in the developing world. In recent years, an explosion of initiatives has popped up across the continent of Africa, from unmanned peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Facebook’s high-hovering drones that bring the Internet to remote places. But the technology has proliferated faster than regulations can keep up. A couple countries have banned them altogether, including Kenya. Recent terrorist attacks have much to do with the restrictions there, but innovators think the country has more to gain from drones than it has to lose.
A practice that often goes along with child marriage is female genital mutilation — the tradition of cutting a girl's clitoris before she marries. It's estimated that 125 million women and girls have had that done to them. And advocates say you can’t address child marriage without addressing this practice.
Though there is an increasing need for mental health services in Kenya, the country has only 79 working psychiatrists, according to the African Mental Health Foundation; that’s one for every 500,000 people. One woman is using technology to work around the shortage and bring scant mental health resources to Kenyans.
Last month, the Islamic government of Banda Aceh staged a mass arrest at a punk concert over perceived threat to Islamic values.