Stories about Weblog from April, 2021
As India grapples with COVID-19, Pakistan extends support, prayers
India's dire COVID-19 situation drew solidarity and support from Pakistan, its neighbour and longtime arch foe, as nations come closer together by the pandemic.
The Canary Islands face tensions over migrants’ arrival
Since January 2020, more than 23,000 migrants have arrived on the Canary Islands.
As legislative elections draw to a close, will the Congress Party reclaim Assam state from the BJP?
The Indian National Congress (INC) ruled Assam's legislative assembly from 1951 to 2016 when control switched to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Tweeting to remember: Twitter account commemorates Japan's 1945 Battle of Okinawa
"On This Date During the Battle of Okinawa, 76 Years Ago" shares daily links to blog posts that describe the battle, typically from the point of view of citizens of Okinawa.
Attack on a woman in a parking lot has Jamaicans furious and a parliamentarian in limbo
Anger and cynicism have characterised online discussion about the incident, which fed into the bigger issue of gender-based violence.
Can smartphone users really protect themselves from privacy violations?
For technology companies, user data is a massive source of income, but this business model includes a security risk for users. Is there a credible solution for strengthening their privacy?
Could the sargassum plaguing Tobago's beaches be an opportunity?
As sargassum continues to be a seasonal crisis for many tourism-dependent Caribbean islands, people have been wondering about the possibilities of putting the seaweed to good use.
‘The Mermaid Project’ highlights Mexico’s gender violence problem
"It is vital that men take an active and critical role in the fight against the systematization that perpetuates violence against women."
Merkel, Macron or Biden? No, Latin America is relying on China for vaccines
"Only China helped Latin America and the countries in the region all began dancing to China's tune, not due to shared ideologies but due to the desire to resolve an unprecedented problem."
A sex worker from North Macedonia speaks: ‘Those who pay us do not own us’
"Those who think if they pay, they own us are wrong. When we go to a café we pay for the coffee, that's it, we don't own the entire café."
Meet Beatriz Gomes Dias, the teacher who could become the first black woman to govern Lisbon
Beatriz Gomes Dias, currently a member of parliament, was chosen to head the list of the Left Bloc in the local elections in Lisbon, scheduled for late this year.
Singapore bloggers crowdfund defamation damages due to PM Lee Hsien Loong
"The contribution to the crowdfunding movement is an example of targeted resistance against the government's financially based persecution method against individuals."
Chinese state media instrumental in smear campaign against wife of former US diplomat, research firm DoubleThink Lab says
According to the Taiwanese firm's research report, Chinese media amplified the mass trolling targetting popular food blogger Chuang Tzu-i amid a diplomatic row with the US.
Ukraine, Belarus commemorate 35th anniversary of Chernobyl disaster
For the world, Chornobyl symbolises the fragility of our environment and the threat posed by human activity. But for many in Ukraine and Belarus, it remains a personal tragedy.
Harnessing the power of social media, Indian netizens support one another during the second wave of COVID-19
As India's healthcare system reels under mounting cases of COVID-19, citizens rally the power of social media to help one another and keep hope alive.
In Azerbaijan, pandemic restrictions pose unique obstacles for people with disabilities
New regulations introduced last year require that people with disabilities prove they've received hospital care in order to collect pensions. But with rehabilitation centers closed because of COVID-19, the community is in limbo.
Travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand brings cheers and tears, but some fears
"Just met a seven-year-old who is going to see her Mum for the first time in 15 months. I’m not really handling this well!!"
Journalist becomes first person convicted over 2019 mob attack that injured dozens of Hongkongers
Bao Choy was found guilty of violating the city's Road and Traffic Ordinance by "making false statements" while searching public records of license plates as she investigated the mob attack.
Crumbling infrastructure and oxygen shortage hit India’s Covid-19 response
A lack of hospital beds and oxygen supply combined with mass election rallies and religious gatherings have exposed India’s inadequate pandemic response.
The George Floyd verdict gets netizens thinking about police brutality in the Caribbean
While social media users across the Caribbean were relieved that George Floyd's murderer was found guilty, they understood that justice being served in this one instance does not equal change.
As Brazil increases exports to China, politicians play the blame game
"The problem is Brazil's current development model that turns it into a large farm," said Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, a specialist in Chinese law and international trade.