Stories about Feature from December, 2020
Argentina closes 2020 with historic Senate vote legalizing abortion
"I’ve woken up to see Argentina more free and feminist. No one will ever be forced to give birth again. Argentina is safer for all women."
2020 round-up: COVID-19 in South Asia
The COVID-19 pandemic swamped our coverage in the past 12 months as we highlighted the challenges people faced and the fight against the coronavirus across the region.
Calls for freedom of expression in Cuba after members of artist collective evicted during peaceful protest
More than 200 people gathered in Havana to demand the right to freedom of expression, but the result of dialogue with Cuban authorities remains uncertain.
Christmas in the Philippines in the time of Duterte and COVID-19
The government has discouraged family reunions, church gatherings and even prohibited the holding of Christmas parties.
In Belarus, Lukashenka's rule endures 2020 — can it survive 2021?
Belarus faces a stalemate: protesters cannot take power by force, the authorities cannot disperse them by force. But in the long term, Alyaksandr Lukashenka's rule looks precarious.
COVID Christmas: Was it truly like no other?
For our world and the faiths we have, hasn't this Christmas been like all others—painful, often sordid, sometimes deadly?
Rwandan governance during the pandemic: A time for introspection
Months after the implementation of the lockdown order, the Rwandan government has been mute over citizens' demand for food relief support. Is it time to reconsider its governance model?
Shooting of mother and son highlights institutionalized police violence in the Philippines
"This is what happens when we have leaders who consent and encourage such behavior from policemen."
2020 round-up: How the tragedy of COVID-19 became a success story for the China model
The year 2020 began with the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Throughout the year, COVID-19 was the most discussed topic on the Chinese social media.
From COVID-19 to Caribbean literature, this is what the region looked like in 2020
COVID-19 was at the top of the news cycle this year. In the Caribbean, the pandemic exacerbated already existing issues, but also allowed regional netizens to reimagine their collective future.
European NGO uncovers 15-year Indian disinformation campaign
The explosive report by a Brussels-based Non-Governmental Organisation has unleashed a new war of narratives between India and Pakistan.
COVID-19 infects Japan's ‘kanji of the year’
密 (mitsu), in some cases, means "close, crowded, or confined."
Uruguay’s new government is prioritising security, but is it at the cost of free speech?
The Urgent Consideration Law marks a turning point in Uruguay's changing political landscape.
‘Stop silencing MENA critical voices,’ say activists in open letter to Twitter and Facebook
A decade after uprisings heavily relied on social media to topple dictators across the region, human rights defenders denounce these platforms' discrimination against voices of dissent still fight for freedoms.
China’s imposition of electricity restrictions this winter gets a chilly reception
Winter has come, yet many regions in southern China including Hunan, Zhejiang and Jiangxi have recently issued notifications on the limited supply of electricity.
Ecuador's transgender communities organize first-ever National Trans March
"We are fed up, we are tired of the social debt, of the State debt, of the commodification of the struggle of trans people."
Extension of Temporary Protection Status provides a moment of relief for Salvadoran immigrants in the US
"I live in constant fear that the TPS program will end before I find a way to become a permanent resident."
How global tech companies enable the Belarusian regime — and the Belarusian revolution
Belarus has globalised enough for its rulers to be undermined if western technology becomes less accessible, but also globalised enough to reorient itself to larger markets in the East
Citing tweets and op-eds, Hong Kong police charges media tycoon Jimmy Lai with foreign collusion
Documents supporting Lai's collusion charge include social media posts, interviews with foreign media outlets, and meetings with foreign politicians and alleged donations to them.
What the international press did not understand about the demonstrations in Peru
The demonstrations in Peru were historic: 13 per cent of the nation actively participated, and 73 per cent supported the demonstrators. Why did the international press give it relatively little importance?
‘It’s not just a joke!’ Nigerian comedians unite against rape culture
"We have to stop turning survivors of sexual and gender-based violence into collateral damage, just for laughs. Because rape is not a joke…This has to stop. Now!"
