Stories about Disaster from May, 2020
29 May 2020
Quarantine debates in Zanzibar conjure memories of colonial racial segregation
In light of Zanzibar’s complex history of racial segregation in the name of public health, social distancing and quarantine measures have been controversial in the fight against COVID-19.
26 May 2020
Southern African leaders meet to address urgent security threats in Mozambique
SADC states have been urged to support Mozambique’s government to fight against terrorists and armed groups attacking civilians and infrastructure in Cabo Delgado Province.
While Pakistan combats COVID-19, a locust swarm is devastating food supplies
The plague of locusts has already devastated crops in parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula as well as South Asia.
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: ‘You can go outside for two hours’
Someone asked me, "What is the first thing that you want to do after the lockdown is lifted?" I said, "I want to walk by the river and yell."
24 May 2020
Will the ‘Self-reliant India’ scheme bring relief to migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced another economic reform package of 265 Billion USD during the COVID-19 pandemic which drew criticism from netizens.
18 May 2020
Journalists in Russia's regions catalogue the ‘unseen victims’ of COVID-19
The wider social and economic consequences of COVID-19 have destroyed livelihoods and sometimes ended lives. Coronavictims.ru exists to catalogue what its founders call the "unseen" victims of the pandemic.
How a football team from Cameroon’s conflict-stricken regions defied all odds to win a maiden national trophy
PWD Bamenda football team in Cameroon has been crowned champions in a season disrupted by the coronavirus and an ongoing separatist conflict.
Nepali Muslims eye India's growing Islamophobia with fear
The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the status of already vulnerable minority Muslims in Nepal.
17 May 2020
‘We're staying home today’: The unexpected anthem of Russia's COVID-19 lockdown
"We're staying home today," a 2017 song by Moscow band Hadn Dadn, has captivated a country cautiously emerging from lockdown.
16 May 2020
Photo contest asks Rohingya community to document their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic
A photography competition for Rohingya people is being held from April 23 – August 23, 2020, featuring two broad categories – “Rohingya life” and “Response to Coronavirus” and entries can...
12 May 2020
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: ‘People cannot grieve freely for their relatives. How repressive!’
"After the storm, we will need to rebuild our lives like those blown-down buildings."
Amid COVID-19 pandemic in Niger, government violates whistleblowers’ freedom of speech
Today in Niger, freedom of demonstration, assembly and speech are endangered, flouted by the unelected administrative authorities of various municipalities in the country.
11 May 2020
In Bangladesh, criticism of government response to the COVID-19 pandemic is risky
"Would it be wrong if someone says that the authorities in Bangladesh, equipped with Digital Security Act, launched a crackdown on those critical to the government?"
COVID-19 regulations and the issue of overcrowding in Jamaica's markets
The detection of more than 100 positive coronavirus cases at a call centre seriously spiked Jamaica's numbers and prompted stricter safety regulations — but have some backfired?
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: ‘A person can survive the pandemic but not bullying, fear, and hatred’
People are asked to report their status to the grid controller and health code system everyday in exchange of mobility after the lifting of lockdown.
7 May 2020
How can the Caribbean prepare for a post-COVID-19 world?
As the Caribbean begins to think about a post-COVID-19 future, Lesley Ann Noel proposes a design thinking approach to building back the region's economies and social services.
6 May 2020
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: What future after the pandemic?
"It is natural for us to feel lucky that we stayed alive. However, what about our society? Will it have more respect for human life and rights?"
4 May 2020
COVID-19, locusts and floods: East Africa's triple dilemma
East Africa's "triple threat" — the coronavirus, locusts, and floods — are not mutually exclusive. In fact, each is inextricably linked.
2 May 2020
COVID-19 diaries from Wuhan: Surrounded by walls of glass
"Even if you are courageous you are surrounded by walls made of glass. You try smashing through them, but they are always there."
1 May 2020
COVID-19 in Palestine: Living between hope and fear
A deterioration of the political situation in Palestine could adversely impact the COVID-19 crisis and directly impact local civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
