Stories about Politics from May, 2021
Destruction of coastal forest for a major tourism project raises questions about Jamaica’s climate change posture
"A development of this nature is inappropriate for an area which has been afforded several levels of environmental protections, and is well recognised for its diverse and healthy coastal ecosystems."
A proposal by a Brazilian senator resurrects ideas of restrictive abortion law
A poll conducted at the Senate's page shows about 87 percent of Brazilians oppose Girão's bill, with more than 291,000 votes against the proposal versus 42,560 in favor
Public distress as Turkey institutes yet another COVID-19 lockdown
The new measures were met with much criticism, especially among working-class people who received very little or no financial support during the last year and a half of the pandemic.
Human rights groups propose #7FirstSteps to mend Egypt's ‘dismal’ record
#7FirstSteps is the minimum needed "to gauge meaningful improvement in the dismal human rights situation, and include immediate measures that can be implemented tomorrow morning if a political decision is made."
Azerbaijan’s former ‘graffiti prisoner’ Bayram Mammadov found dead in Turkey
"I find things extremely difficult to believe in; that it's been exactly five years and that exactly five years from now, and the following years, will be spent without Bayram."
Facebook removes Ukrainian pro-government and opposition networks for ‘coordinated inauthentic behaviour’
Two different networks combined fake and authentic Facebook accounts and pages to push a mix of legitimate and manipulative content, COVID-19 satire, and political memes to Ukrainian audiences.
Inside Myanmar: Testimonies of survival and resistance
"The military junta could only terrorize our country but they can't rule. They could shoot, kill and arrest our young heroes called 'Spring flowers' but they can't avoid Burma's Spring."
Street art shows the clamor of the Colombian people tired of violence, corruption and poverty
Throughout Colombia, facades of buildings, businesses, institutions have been painted with messages of anger, hope, and sadness
Hong Kong activists sentenced to jail for commemorating Tiananmen Square Massacre in 2020
Hongkongers have been gathering to commemorate the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre since 1990. The court's ruling signals that anyone participating in commemorations this year risks being charged with unlawful assembly.
Georgia toughens penalties for administrative offences
Georgian MPs have passed legislative amendments that introduce harsher fines and longer periods of pre-trial arrest for offenses that are routinely used by police to detain street protesters.
Two Malaysian artists face police probe for online commentary and artwork
"The persecution of artists such as Zunar and Fahmi stifles creative expression, chills public discourse, and undermines trust in Malaysian authorities."
El Salvador's parliament removes checks and balances on President Bukele's powers
But why aren't more Salvadorans protesting what is happening?
Women leaders discuss campaign for digital rights in Thailand
'...the government must learn to use technology as a tool to create more positive connections with the people on the ground, not using technology to oppress people.'
Community pantries inspire hope amid pandemic and economic crisis in the Philippines
In a span of less than three weeks, around 800 community pantries have been set up nationwide to help those in need amidst worsening COVID-hit economy, sparking government backlash.
‘Industrial Heaven': A Ukrainian Instagram account digs deeper into the Donbas region
The visual archive portrays “a split region” through a curated collection of current photos, found imagery, and ephemera such as propaganda posters and postcards, and archival images from bygone eras.
Taiwan, ‘the most dangerous place on Earth'? Not according to Taiwanese.
This week's cover story by the British magazine The Economist labeled Taiwan "the most dangerous place on Earth," eliciting a lot of reaction on Taiwanese Twitter.
Egyptian TV show reignites political schism over 2013's bloody summer
The show depicts the official narrative of the 2013 coup, and of the security forces' dismantling of a sit-in at Cairo's Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square in which nearly 1,000 protesters were killed.
