Stories about Weblog from July, 2022
Digital connectivity projects reduce climate change impacts in Gran Chaco, South America
Connectivity and access to technology allow the Gran Chaco communities to organize, communicate and react in a more timely manner to climatic emergencies.
Undertones: The West’s complicity in Russia's invasion of Ukraine
"The average Russian refugee is certainly much less guilty than the average German politician," Russian opinion leaders say.
Vietnam’s Zalo Connect app: Digital authoritarianism hidden in peer-to-peer aid platforms
The app connects users in need with private donors. It exemplifies a humanitarian trend that centres on extracting data from vulnerable communities as a precondition to receiving aid.
Will Latin America follow in the wake of Roe v. Wade?
The repeal of Roe v. Wade "is a reminder that all over the world, rights can be challenged at any time and may be at risk of being rolled back in a conservative regime."
Mushroom trekking in the Himalayas
A three-week eco-tourism trek to Everest Base Camp by a group of Nepali and American mycologists identified over 150 species of mushroom in the Himalayas.
Nigeria deteriorates into a perilously insecure nation
Armed banditry, Jihadist terrorism, kidnappings, and sports-related violence all impact the safety and livelihoods of citizens across the country.
In Azerbaijan, a war veteran's suicide sparks public outcry
By some accounts, at least 50 war veterans have attempted suicide since the 44-day war that Armenia and Azerbaijan fought in 2020.
In Georgia, leaked recordings suggest the state is surveilling newsrooms
The director of Mtavari Arkhi called on the public defender's office, non-governmental and international organizations as well as ambassadors to hold the perpetrators of surveillance on journalists to account.
Jamaicans ‘swept away’ by their women sprinters at World Athletics Championships
Athletes Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Shericka Jackson, and Elaine Thompson-Herah shot to first, second and third positions respectively in the 100 meters final.
Legislator wants to rename Philippines’s busiest airport after the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
"Most airports (are) named after historical figures, heroic ones...Marcos Jr. maybe back but that doesn’t belie the fact that Marcos Sr. died a disgraced authoritarian."
Iraq, Iran, and local residents continue to oppose Turkey's hydroelectric projects along the Tigris
The Ilisu Dam, completed in 2019, has flooded the 12,000-year-old city of Hasankeyf, destroyed farms in Iraq, and caused dust storms in Iran. Is the destruction worth the benefit?
What happened to Hong Kong protesters three years after the 2019 crackdowns?
More than 10,000 people had been arrested for protest-related offences and 4,010 of them were students. Three years after, 2,866 of the arrestees — 28 percent — had been prosecuted and about 79 per cent convicted.
Buyers experience sticker shock at the price of vegetables in Trinidad & Tobago
Single eggplants being sold for from between TTD 50 and 75 (USD 7-11), leave shoppers puzzled, since the produce is locally grown.
Nigeria’s Lagos gangs terrorize citizens, extort transport workers, and wreak havoc
Area boys (agbèrò) make life hellish for Lagosians. They tax cab drivers, peddle illicit drugs, collide with politicians as thugs and make life insecure with their numerous gang fights.
Eight Trinidad & Tobago Police Service officers detained in connection with fatal shooting incident
Soon after the killings in 2020, lawyers representing the deceased men's families called the police officers' actions “extra-legal,” “arbitrary” and “summary executions.”
Gone to the dogs? Strays on Trinidad's airport runway amuse social media users, but a serious issue still demands attention
Netizens were confused about how the dogs even managed to get access to the tarmac, but for many, the key issue is how animal welfare in the country is managed.
The Gambia's former spy chief sentenced to death for murder of political activist
Ebrima Solo Sandeng, an opposition youth leader, was arrested in 2015 after calling for political reforms. Sandeng was tortured to death while in custody.
Zé Du, Angolan president who was in power for 38 years, dies in Spain
José Eduardo dos Santos was head of state between 1979 and 2017, having served one of the longest presidential terms in the world.
Cambodian human rights groups continue to demand justice for murdered analyst Kem Ley
"We will still remember Kem Ley because he spoke the truth in society and dared to talk about the shortcomings of the authorities."
The ‘Ikorodu Bois’ demonstrate how digital platforms are amplifying Nigerian movies worldwide
With sparse equipment and digital tools, the ‘Ikorodu Bois’ crew created sensational and hilarious mimicry of Hollywood and Nollywood movies that has become a global social media sensation.
Armenia's Prosecutor General wants to monitor internet content
In a letter addressed to the government of Armenia on July 4, Armenia's Prosecutor General, Artur Davtyan said the internet should be under state control and regulated through legislation.