Stories about Weblog from May, 2021
Hong Kong authorities warn of 5-year prison term for attending Tiananmen Massacre vigil
The security bureau warned that under the Public Order Ordinance, offenders will face up to five years in prison for attending, or one year for promoting, the vigil.
South Asian examples show the centrality of nature in indigenous art
Modern societies can learn much from indigenous art about the importance of nurturing our relationship with nature.
Colombian students set up humanitarian camp to resist police crackdown
"We have an overwhelming task and we should assume a leading role during the mobilization"
7 ways Beijing reduced democratic representation in Hong Kong’s elections
A new powerhouse, headed by a "state leader," will elect the city's chief executive, nominate all candidates running for the legislature, and appoint 40 of its members to the legislature.
Could the breakdown in public trust explain Hong Kong's sluggish vaccine roll-out?
Trust and solidarity are known remedies in dealing with vaccine hesitancy. In Hong Kong, however, the political divide might have reached a point of no return.
Trinidad and Tobago loses two cultural icons on the same day
Though lost under very different circumstances, condolences pour out to the families of steelpan arranger Bobby Mohammed and dance icon Torrance Mohammed, both giants in their respective fields.
Will the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon ever roar again on the football field?
Cameroon's women's national football team has experienced setbacks. But deputy head coach of the squad is convinced there is a glimmer of hope in sight.
Jamaican bees are beautiful—and their survival is crucial
Beekeeping has been steadily catching on in Jamaica for some years now, enriching livelihoods, helping the environment, and providing lots of photographic opportunities.
Approval of benefits for employees of the Assembly of the Republic causes protests in Mozambique
Other Mozambican civil servants do not enjoy the same benefits.
In honour of World Turtle Day, meet the five species that frequent Trinidad and Tobago
Despite protection efforts, the species continues to face numerous threats, including continued attempts at harvesting, bycatch, habitat loss, climate change and plastic pollution.
Belarus grounds Ryanair flight, detains independent journalist amid regime's crackdown on media
Pratasevich was formerly an administrator of NEXTA-Live, the Telegram channel covering the anti-government protests in Belarus. He is currently editor-in-chief of Belarus Golovnogo Mozga, another independent media outlet.
‘Kakoli Furniture’ viral video spawns funny memes in Bangladesh and West Bengal
A low budget video advertisement containing a repetitive six-word sentence “Low price, good quality, Kakoli Furniture” has become an online sensation in Bangladesh and West Bengal, India.
People of Gaza take to social media to share days of horror and loss under Israeli fire
Of horror, pain, anger and resistance, Gazans wrote on social media about how they suffered from Israeli bombing, attempted to escape death or coexisted with it.
Istanbul mayor surprises users on live streaming platform Twitch
The first appearance on the platform of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul mayor and member of the main opposition Republican People's Party, coincided with a national holiday celebrating youth and sports.
Resistance, rebellion, and rage: Japan's opposition to the Tokyo Olympics
As Japan continues to struggle with a new wave of COVID-19 infections, opposition to the upcoming Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games continues to build.
Ukraine commemorates 77th anniversary of Crimean Tatar deportation
The trauma and memory of the deportation remain central to the history and identity of the Crimean Tatars and have gained renewed attention since Russia's occupation of Crimea in 2014.
Netflix’s new series on Yasuke, the African samurai, is a new dawn for Black characters in animation
Rather than a biography of the African Samurai, the a six-part series takes the void of knowledge post-1582 as a starting point to a re-imagined alternate reality and fantastical story.
Tunisians left to themselves to fight COVID-19
Once the pride of Tunisia, the public health system has deteriorated since the 1990s because of corruption and deregulation in favour of the private sector.
France, Turkey, Poland: The reality of the new COVID-19 spike crisis
“The figures serve to discount the Western implication that Indian democracy and civil society have failed in the last analysis to match the achievements of the richer nations.”
Instances of online gender-based violence pile up in Kenya
In Kenya's male-dominated online space, women are often targets of verbal abuse.
Australian government ‘mute’ on more ambitious plan to address climate crisis
"Australia stands on its own as being particularly out of step. Alone among more than a hundred nations, Australia has no target for reaching net zero emissions"