These stories are part of Global Voices’ special coverage of COVID-19 and offer a view on the pandemic from the perspective of our global community of contributors.
Stories about COVID-19 from August, 2020
Calls for unity as Trinidad & Tobago celebrates Independence Day
"The General Election 2020 flipped Trinidad and Tobago over and exposed what can be described as its ugly underbelly […] laid bare seething tensions that have simmered between ethnicities."
Anonymous group hack reveals hidden government data about COVID-19 cases in Nicaragua
The hack revealed a surplus of 6,245 positive COVID-19 cases in Nicaragua that were previously unknown to the public.
Livestream of Australia’s penguin parade brings smiles around the world
"Happiness is the daily #PenguinParade @PhillipIslandNP! How can these little penguins not make you smile?"
From death in Syria to quarantine in Madrid
In Madrid, freedom is forbidden for your protection, and in Syria, the deprivation of freedom is designed to make you die a thousand deaths.
The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for the environment
"If suddenly, skies are more blue, and citizens breathe more freely, they realize a more healthy and sustainable life is within reach."
Ecuador's indigenous Amazonian peoples launch online COVID-19 tracker
The aim of the COVID-19 online tracker is to understand which communities are in need of aid during the pandemic.
From dubplates to debates: Election campaigning in Jamaica during a pandemic
With rising numbers of COVID-19 cases limiting the ways in which political candidates can campaign, many are producing dubplates — short music videos promoting themselves — to reach the electorate.
Will China's color-coded COVID-19 tracking system come to Hong Kong?
While implementing such a system in Hong Kong is still in debate, the city is on track to carry out universal testing of its 7.5 million population -- with the help of Beijing.
It's time to tackle post-COVID-19 mental health
Realistically, how many survivors will receive treatment for their mental health?
A masked Spiderman and friends bring joy to Melbourne’s locked-down suburb
"Thank you to the fella jogging St Kilda neighbourhoods in full SpiderMan suit. You have brightened my young bloke’s day beyond measure on three occasions now."
An earthquake shook Tanzania. A new law prohibits citizens from speaking about it online.
Revised online content regulations in Tanzania prohibit talking about pandemics, natural disasters or politics without government approval. Is it possible to control essential online conversations? If so, at what cost?
Women's cooperative in Srebrenica produces ‘protective masks for everyone’
"There are not a lot of us in Srebrenica and we need to stick together through communion and mutual care."
COVID-19 and China's information control policy
China’s strategy to control information and its consequences has become a global concern.
Calls, SMS, and radio: How pre-internet tech helps low-income children's schooling in India's lockdown
An award-winning non-profit start-up from the city of Cuttack, in the state of Odisha, is providing low-cost remote education to over 5,000 children from 400 villages.
Angolan police kills 23-year-old for breaking confinement rules, local media reports
A National Police communiqué said that officers were on patrol when they came across a crowd of young people at an unauthorized time and place.
In Chile, the school year is only halfway through — and teachers are struggling
“Winter is coming strong and it is going to be tough, and I don’t think I’m going to see my students any time soon”.
Anti-pandemic measures in their home countries deter EU tourists from visiting North Macedonia
Tourism in North Macedonia is suffering because of the lack of foreign visitors, and people in the industry are appealing for additional government aid.