Stories about Weblog from June, 2019
29 June 2019
Tanzania reinstates controversial sanitary pad tax
Bringing back the tax on sanitary pads in Tanzania has triggered a major debate on the impact it will have on girls and women.
Will Barbados be the first Caribbean nation to abolish the secondary school entrance exam?
"Every child deserves a good-quality education. Why we have a system that making our children feel they stupid if they don't pass for ‘a good school'?"
‘Stand with Hong Kong': Appeal to G20 leaders on extradition law crisis appears in major international newspapers
Proposed legal amendments would allow Hong Kong residents to be extradited to mainland China's judicial system. Protesters are appealing to G20 leaders for support.
Detergent ad causes uproar among conservative audiences in Pakistan
The advert ends with Pakistan's women's cricket team captain Bisma Maroof saying “these are not statements but stains."
28 June 2019
Netizen Report: Conflict triggers internet shutdowns in Mauritania, Myanmar and Ethiopia (again)
Struggles for political power in Myanmar, Mauritania and Ethiopia led to widespread shutdowns of internet services this week.
Record sales, empty seats: The dark paradox behind this year's Copa America football tournament
Expensive tickets have ensured hefty profits for football federations while excluding most South American fans from enjoying the sport they love.
Playing against patriarchy: Muslim girls in India own the ‘male Space’ by playing football
While many think that gender equality in sport is utopian, there has been a growing movement where people are coming forward to talk and fix the problem of patriarchy.
Myanmar unites against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination after tragic death of a young gay librarian
Kyaw Zin Win wrote in his last note, "[Myanmar] is a country that mocks the identity and existence of a person".
27 June 2019
China's censored histories: The evolving blacklist on Tiananmen Massacre
The blacklist shows an ongoing struggle between those vowing never to forget and authorities attempting to erase this piece of history from collective memory.
26 June 2019
Kim Kardashian's ‘Kimono’ clothing line causes consternation in Japan and around the world
Kardashian's line of lingerie bears no similarity to its Japanese namesake garment.
Trinidad & Tobago's ‘Bike Man’ takes cycling to new heights
Trinidad and Tobago loves its "heights" -- and a skilful cyclist on a homemade bike that reaches 10-12 feet in height does not disappoint.
Climber who captured viral image of Mount Everest traffic is on a quest to conquer the world's 14 highest peaks in record-breaking time
There are only 14 mountains that are higher than 8,000 meters and former British Gurkha soldier Nirmal Purja is on a record-breaking mission to climb all 14 peaks in just...
24 June 2019
Myanmar disables internet access in conflict areas of Rakhine and Chin states
The government and operators did not specify when access to the internet will be restored.
23 June 2019
‘I found myself in life': Armenian barber excels as a counsellor for his elderly compatriots
One customer worries about the weakness in his legs following a stroke, another about "young boys with hair like women."
22 June 2019
Parents, students threaten to sue Bhutanese employment agency after ‘learn and earn’ debacle in Japan
Many students became sick from physical and mental stress. There were also reports of forced labor, and passport theft and illegal wage deductions by employers in Japan.
New documentary explores the roots of Myanmar’s persecution of the Rohingya community
"I wish people in Myanmar see this film, since it is not only about Rohingya, it is about all ethnic minorities, who have faced persecution for years."
Trinidad & Tobago walks the talk for World Conversation Day
For the first time, Trinidad and Tobago took part in World Conversation Day via a series of offline talks about topics from creativity to aging — all streamed online, of...
21 June 2019
‘Is vagina a dirty word?’ Ugandan feminist Stella Nyanzi's court battle continues
Nyanzi battles for her freedom of expression. Besides this case, Nyanzi still faces charges other charges of cyber harassment and offensive communication.
Bangladeshi surfer girls are pushing back against conservative gender norms
Surfing has not only allowed them to retain a piece of their childhood but they now confidently dream of securing a bright future for themselves – dignified jobs, a good...
Is China headed towards another Cultural Revolution?: An interview with Professor Xu Youyu
"Justice has not been served to those who were killed, suppressed and jailed. Those who were exiled still can not return to their homeland."
