Stories about Weblog from July, 2017
Crisis in Maldives Parliament: Rejection of the ‘No-Confidence Motion’ Sparks Lockdown
The country is tilting toward authoritarianism as growing accusations mount against President Yameen for silencing dissent and imprisoning political opponents including former President Nasheed, under allegedly made up charges.
Greenpeace's Taiwan Map Error: Oversight or Consequence of China's NGO Management Law?
"In Taiwan, it is very easy...to chant the slogan of independence...but in China, the price is that the dozen people in the office would disappear the next day.”
Young Kyrgyz Music Star Rejects Appointment to Head Museum After Online Backlash
"We are tired of officials’ spouses and kids who get into managing positions.”
El Salvador’s ‘Rainbow Crosswalk’ Promotes Pedestrian Safety and LGBTQ Rights
The first "rainbow crosswalk" in Central America hopes to guide steps towards a fairer world for LGBTQ communities.
Apple Removes Apps Offering Virtual Private Networks from Its China Store
"It represents the most drastic measure the Chinese government has taken to block the use of VPNs to date, and we are troubled to see Apple aiding China’s censorship efforts."
A Request to ‘Imagine the World Differently’ One Year After Mass Murder at Japanese Care Home
The video features how residents in a care home for people with intellectual disabilities responded to the largest mass murder in Japan after World War II.
The African Community Reacts to Emmanuel Macron's Comments on Birth Rates in Africa
"Here is the question that we must ask: is it up to a non-African president to tell our women how many children they should have?"
Brunei Government Employee Complaining About Halal Certification Charged with Sedition Over Facebook Post
"Anyways that guy that's being charged with speaking out against the govt is a reminder that we don't have freedom of speech," wrote a Twitter user.
The Rise and Fall of a ‘Patriotic Investment Charity’ in China
Despite the government crackdown, many Shanxinhui’s members insist that Shanxinhui is a legitimate patriotic business.
Videos Document Torture of Ruby Miners in Mozambique
In the images shared on social media, flagged by Facebook as sensitive, the seriousness of the torture the miners were subjected to in Namanhumbir’s ruby mines is obvious.
Philippines: On Facebook's Free Version, Fake News is Even Harder to Spot
Free Basics' limitations leave poorer users at a loss, giving them less access to useful information -- and little capacity to determine whether news is reliable or not.
What Do Election Results Signal About Women's Political Participation in Iran?
Iranian election results, although mixed, signal hope for an Iran where women’s voices matter on both national and local levels.
In Paraguay, Poverty Creates a Cycle of Women Caring for Other Women's Children
Thousands of Paraguayan women are forced to move to Argentina and Spain as caregivers while leaving their own families behind to be cared for by other women.
Vietnamese Activist Trần Thị Nga Sentenced to 9 Years for ‘Propaganda’
The 40-year-old Trần Thị Nga, also known by her pen name “Thúy Nga,” is a prominent advocate for migrants and land rights.
Facebook’s Free Basics Doesn't Connect You to the Global Internet – But it Does Collect Your Data
Regardless of whether they log into Facebook, users of Free Basics are constantly sharing their data with Facebook.
In Uganda's Parliament, the Arc of the Moral Universe Bends Toward Sexism
"The parliament that once roared with socially progressive legislators...is now a circus where one can refer to imaginary studies to deny the experiences of victims of violence, with little opposition."
Can Facebook Connect the Next Billion?
New research by Global Voices tech and digital rights experts in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan and the Philippines exposes the ups and downs of Facebook's "Free Basics" app.
Is Free Basics Really Bringing More Africans Online? A Case Study From Ghana
A group of Global Voices contributors tested the Free Basics app in six countries across the globe this spring. Here's what we found in Ghana.
Syrians Fleeing the War Seek Refuge in Brazil Where the Assad Regime Has Some Powerful Supporters
Syrians fleeing the country's civil war are trying to find a place in Brazil they can call home.
Venezuela: The Horror Beyond the Door
"The stench of the tear gas is everywhere. You can still hear the muffled echo of explosions, sometimes far away, sometimes close by. A constant, incomprehensible chain of events. ""Seguí sin comprender el motivo del ataque. ¿Existe alguna justificación a su potencia desproporcionada? El mero pensamiento me llena de amargura. No la hay, por supuesto."
Who Are the #Istanbul10? Learn About the Work of Jailed Human Rights Defenders in Turkey
A group of human rights defenders and information technology trainers continue to face jail time in Turkey and accusations that they were "aiding a terrorist organization without being a member."
