Stories about Weblog from October, 2015
#FeesMustFall Hashtag in South Africa Turns Into #FeesHaveFallen. But Have They?
"The reality is that #FeesHaveFallen has been hushed into FeesHaveNotFallen. Nothing's changed; something has been prevented."
‘Our Detention Tells a Broader Story About Our Country': Reflections From Ethiopia's Zone9 Bloggers
"To our incarcerators who gave us those ordeals, even if you are not asking us for forgiveness, here we are."
Drowning in Refuse, Lebanon's Capital Is Now Zigzagged by ‘Rivers of Garbage’
It rained in Lebanon and Beirut's rubbish, which has been pilling up alongside roads for months, turned the capital's roads into "rivers of garbage." Fears of a cholera epidemic don't seem unrealistic.
Deadly 7.5-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts South Asia
More than 260 people have been reported dead in the region.
Red Dresses Keep the Memory of Canada’s Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women Alive
Installation art project the REDress Project seeks to draw attention to the injustice faced by Canada's Aboriginal women: about 1,200 Aboriginal women have been murdered or gone missing since 1980.
New Nicaraguan International Cooperation Policy Raises Questions of Transparent Finances
The dismissal of the representative for the UN system in Nicaragua is seen by some as a way to avoid a "Central American Spring."
Transgender Activist's Death Shows That Argentina’s Fight Against Gender Violence Is Far From Over
Hate crimes and gender violence are once again in the spotlight after the death of a prominent fighter for transgender rights in Argentina.
The Story of an Ethiopian Girl Who Fought Abduction, and the Lawyers Who Saved Her Life
"Difret" means "courage" in the Amharic language. A new film by that name tells the story of an Ethiopian girl who was kidnapped by men to enforce a "traditional" marriage.
Drug Trade and War Against Organized Crime Create Ghost Towns in Mexico
Organized crime in Mexico and the violence that comes with it have created a mass of displaced people forced to leave their homes, creating "ghost towns" in their wake.
Bomb Attack On Shia Gathering in Dhaka Raises Questions in Bangladesh
The Islamic State group has reportedly claimed responsibility for the Hussaini Dalan bomb attack, which killed one and injured over sixty others.
A Canadian First: A Somali Immigrant Wins a Seat in Parliament
From refugee to Parliament Hill: Ahmed Hussen is Canada's first member of parliament of Somali descent.
The Dark Historical Context Surrounding Chinese President Xi's Arts Speech
"Wang Shiwei told the truth and got himself killed. Then telling lies becomes a trend. Today, lie have replaced everything else."
#FeesMustFall Brings South African Universities to a Standstill
Students argue that increases will keep poor, mostly black South Africans from higher education. Protests against the proposed university fee hikes, which started last Wednesday, and have spread nationwide.
How Yarn Is Making a Difference in the Lives of Women in Nepal and India
"I think that Darn Good Yarn’s major value is the fact it managed to change the living for hundreds of women in Nepal and India."
Precarity and Resilience in Calais
"We are from countries that have been colonised or had wars fought against them—by the same countries that now treat us like criminals and make us risk our lives...”
Homophobia and Name-Calling Derail Trinidad & Tobago's Budget Debate
"I want to believe that both Government and Opposition will step their game up and fulfil their real roles as MPs. Otherwise we can simply hire 41 circus clowns..."
Two Sides of the Reality: A Summer Lesson in Chios Island
For residents of the Greek island of Chios, the past summer brought a lesson that "will continue. . . as long as the misery inside and outside our country persists."
3 Mexicans Who Refuse to Stay Silent on Injustice
Father Solalinde, poet Javier Sicilia, and the families of 43 missing students in Ayotzinapa are all raising their voices against the problem of violence and impunity in the country.
Overturning Lower Court, Maldives Supreme Court Saves Convicted Adulteress From Being Stoned to Death
The Maldives' Supreme Court has acted swiftly to overturn an island court's decision to execute a woman for adultery. The woman had been sentenced to be stoned to death.
How Social Media Fuels China's Growing Love of Cosmetic Surgery
China's cosmetic surgery industry is using powerful social media marketing strategies to convince more and more young women that they need to go under the knife to be beautiful.
‘The World Needs Tunisia’
Journalist Guy Sitbon reacts to the Quartet of Tunisian National Dialogue's Nobel Peace Prize win. "Here is what Oslo has revealed to me: the world needs Tunisia too."
