Stories about Feature from July, 2021
How a swimming pool became Puerto Rico's symbol of climate change and corruption
Critics of a swimming pool that was destroyed during hurricane Maria in 2017 say that it is being rebuilt against Puerto Rico's own environmental regulations.
Violence against women is on the rise in Mexico. How do Mexicans perceive it?
We conducted a national public opinion web survey to better understand Mexicans' response to the increasing number of femicides.
Iranian state comes down hard on protests over ‘Thirsty Khuzestan’
Three years ago, protests broke out in Iran's richest province of Khuzestan against water shortages. Like today's, these were also met with force, as protesters blame government corruption and mismanagement.
Journalist working remotely in Barbados shares her experience of street harassment
"Local women said to me, ‘But that’s how Caribbean men are.’ One said if I wanted to live in the Caribbean I would have to accept that."
Afghan refugees flood into Turkey as USA announces final troop withdrawal
After the US announced it would withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, Afghans fleeing the Taliban are flooding into Turkey for safety.
Hong Kong hands down first guilty sentence on terrorism and inciting secession charges under national security law
The special High Court's judgement was based on 'all the relevant circumstances' and the undisputed understanding that the slogan was 'capable of' inciting others to commit secession.
Angola's government launches a campaign to end the use of anabolic body modification
The Government of Angola launched a campaign to combat a harmful experimental practice called "jarda," a procedure that aims to alter parts of the body through chemical injections.
Cubans want more than just the lifting of the US blockade
"I dare to say that Cuba is facing the worst crisis in its history, becoming a humanitarian crisis similar to the one that Venezuela has gone through in recent years."
Russian internet censor blocks Team Navalny websites
Navalny's main website, navalny.com, as well as over 40 other webpages for Navalny's national network of campaign offices were added to Roskomnadzor's state registry for blocked websites.
Samoa’s first female prime minister takes helm three months after former leader refused to concede defeat
"My administration is committed to returning this country to the special place dreamt of by our forefathers when they grabbed the mantle of independence almost 60 years ago."
Government announces new media regulations that could further constrain freedom of expression in Turkey
A number of government statements issued this week in Turkey signal a further decline on media freedom.
The French government’s U-turn on regional languages
A new law passed in May 2021 has reignited the debate around France's regional languages
In Colombia, ‘yatules’ are the Misak people's pantry and pharmacy
"The yatul is made up of associated crops such as potato, corn, beans, and onion, among other medicinal plants, whose nutrients complement each other and keep the land healthy."
The “ticket to happy life” politics of Indian marriages in the context of dowry-related violence
The recent death of 24-year-old medical student Vismaya Nair in the Indian state of Kerala has sparked widespread outrage and renewed discussions over dowries and domestic violence in India.
CARICOM bristles at international community's slight as Haiti installs a new prime minister
An international Core Group's call for Jovenel Moïse's prime ministerial nominee to form a “consensual and inclusive government” struck a sour note with CARICOM, but he's been installed, anyway.
Devices of journalists, government officials in Kazakhstan hacked and spied on
Journalist Serikzhan Mauletbai found himself on a list of people targeted by Israeli-made spyware the government of Kazakhstan bought. The current president and prime minister are also on the list.
Instagram question on the intersectionality of Pride and religion in Trinidad & Tobago raises issue of gender ideology
While Trinidad and Tobago's Roman Catholic archbishop agrees that we're all children of God, he has called gender ideology "neo-colonialist," raising the ire of some LGBTQ+ activists.
Team 29, Russia's most prominent legal defense group, shuts down under state pressure
On July 19, after its website was blocked, Team 29 announced it was shutting down its operations in order to protect its staff and clients from possible criminal prosecution.
Street art protest in Kazakhstan becomes routine
Since Nazarbayev’s resignation in 2019, new protest movements in Kazakhstan have chosen street art as their preferred tactic. In this case, the target is a public utility hut in Almaty.
State escalates attacks on media freedom and civil society in Belarus
Since the start of July, dozens of civil society organisations and independent media outlets in Belarus have faced law enforcement raids, searches and staff detentions.
Mozambican journalist receives international prize for press freedom
The award winner, Matias Guente "has faced a series of threats for his harsh reporting, including police interrogations, accusations of rape, state secrecy, and conspiracy and an attempted kidnapping in 2019."
