Stories about Weblog from October, 2016
Caribbean Bloggers Week 2016 Seeks to Amplify the Region's Online Voices
Caribbean bloggers are out there, and they do have voices that deserve recognition.
Revellers in Costume Descend on Tokyo by the Thousands for Halloween
Halloween has been growing in popularity in Japan over previous years. In 2016, there was more money spent in Japan on Halloween than on Valentine's Day.
Timbuktu, Where There's ‘Justice for Monuments, but Not for Victims of Rape’
"In Mali, rape is a taboo subject. The victims’ lips are sealed by society’s gaze."
A Syrian Refugee in the US Wants Americans to Understand Their Country's Vetting Process
The city of Boise, Idaho, is taking in a lot of Syrian refugees: 122 so far this year. Asmaa Albukaie, who arrived in November 2014, was the first.
Ethiopia's Regime Faces Precarious Times as Diaspora Plans for the Future
As protests gradually eat away at Ethiopia’s basic political and economic structures, the regime appears to be unsteady like never before.
Tension Mounts After Demonstrators Promise to “Take Back Venezuela” in Countrywide Protests
"We're tired. Stop screwing us."
Report Shows How Ghana's Politicians Are Using Social Media Ahead of Elections
The second edition of the Governance Social Media Index assesses and ranks the presence of political parties, political party leaders and key election management bodies in Ghana on social media.
Rural Women in Northern India Are Challenging Patriarchy by Removing Their Veils
"If women want to wear veil let them. If they do not want to wear veil let them. It is [as] simple as that."
Fonseca Says High Voter Abstention Doesn't Diminish His Presidential Win in Cape Verde
Jorge Carlos Fonseca won a recent presidential election in Cape Verde with 74 percent of the votes, renewing his term for another five years.
After a Well-Known Artist's Tragic Death, Taiwan's LGBT Community Demands Marriage Equality
"Don't just pay lip service to "equal rights for the LGBT community". Words are empty! As long as same-sex marriage is not legalized, it means nothing!"
Locals Want a Disruptive Dam Project in Northern Myanmar Terminated Once and for All
Ethnic Kachin oppose the dam not only because it puts lives at risk, but also because it endangers the historically valuable Irrawaddy River
From China to Indonesia to Timor Leste, Discover the Beats of Asian Hip Hop
Time to update your playlist.
Carnival Designer Apologises for Insensitivity to Trinidad's Colonial Trauma, But Was It Enough?
"Our history is complicated and troubling and painful and horrendous.... Asking that those complications be acknowledged is not censorship. It is a cry against continued erasure."
Morocco Unblocks VoIP Applications Ahead of UN Climate Conference
"To avoid being seen as a police state during the #COP22, Morocco temporarily unblocks VoIP services," tweeted one user.
Leaked Xinjiang Police Report Describes Circumvention Tools as ‘Terrorist Software’
The report describes using VPNs as an indicator of criminality, or a “pre-criminal” behavior, perhaps a harbinger of tighter restrictions to come.
Yet Another Socio-Environmentalist Is Murdered in Amazonia
Earlier this month, on October 13, two assassins on a motorcycle murdered Luís Alberto Araújo, the environmental secretary of the Brazilian town of Altamira, Pará State.
Venezuela's Government Blocks the Recall Referendum Process, and the Opposition Cries ‘Dictatorship!’
"A democratic government consults the people. A dictatorship flees the electoral vote."
A Trinidad & Tobago Carnival Band Is Accused of Trivialising the Trauma of Slavery
"He's glamorizing a part of our colonial history where racism and socioeconomic disparity were rampant. And carnival now, with its overpriced parties and parades, continues that tradition."
In Trinidad & Tobago, Video of Shooting Aftermath Doesn’t Boost Public Trust in the Police
"This has nothing to do with what happened before [...] or what led to his shooting. This has to do with what passes for police procedure in this place."
Sri Lankan Tourism: Booming Again, But Mostly for the Military
The Sri Lankan military is investing heavily in the tourism business. The armed forces have several hotels and resorts, many restaurants and cafes, and other tourist facilities.
In the Eyes of Hong Kong's Housing Market, We Are All Just Sardines
Living spaces in Hong Kong are shrinking in size while prices skyrocket. Here's one response to the absurdity of the situation.
