Stories about Weblog from January, 2016
Viewers in Trinidad and Tobago Ready the Toilet Paper for This Year’s Soca Music Competition
The International Soca Monarch competition has become a popular aspect of Trinidad and Tobago's annual Carnival celebrations, but this year's semi-finals left a lot to be desired.
Climate Change Continued to Rear Its Ugly Head in 2015
People around the world were affected by extreme weather events in 2015, the hottest year on record ever.
Can Our Children Be Safe? Pakistanis Ask After University Attack
"This is going to be a test.. a harsh one.. comparisons will be drawn.. you can't have winners when children have been snatched from parents"
Photos of a Misty Morning Sun Rising Over Myanmar's Last Royal Capital
Photographer Zaw Zaw captured the beauty of Mandalay during one morning above Myanmar's last royal capital.
The Ever-Blurring Line Between Entertainment and Politics in China and Taiwan
A teenage K-pop performer's apology for waving a Republic of China flag—interpreted as supporting Taiwanese independence—recently went viral.
‘Hands Off Our Privacy': Polish Citizens Speak Out Against Surveillance Law
Poland's parliament adopted a surveillance law that would give authorities fast access to citizens' Internet and telecommunication usage data, without prior approval from a judge.
Two Separate Acts of Kindness Demonstrate the Best of Humanity in Peru
"Thanks, Brando, because without knowing you weren't just returning a wallet... you were returning hope to the country!!"
Venezuela's Indigenous Pemón Community Waits for the Day Germany Returns Their Grandmother Kueka
Grandmother Kueka is the genesis, the first mother in the Pemon culture, but the huge jasper stone was never returned after it was taken for an art exhibit.
A New Wave of Protests Sweeps São Paulo Against Public Transportation Fare Hikes
One study found that public transport in 21 Brazilian cities are among the most costly in the world in relation to average salary, outranking London, Tokyo and New York.
An AIDS Epidemic is Decimating the Indigenous Warao Community in Venezuela
The figures are clear evidence that what is happening in Venezuela’s Orinoco Delta is an epidemic—an epidemic that is threatening the survival of an entire indigenous people.
Vintage Postcards Show Life in Vietnam in the Early 20th Century
The postcards are part of the digital collection of The New York Public Library, which recently released more than 180,000 digitized items into the public domain.
You Don't Know Noise, If You Don't Know Trinidad and Tobago
From unbearably loud music to illegal fireworks, one civic-minded social media user in Trinidad and Tobago is taking on the "noise polluters who yearly get away with decibel crime".
In Photos: Farmers Harvest Buckets of Glimmering Sea Salt in Myanmar
Many salt farmers in Myanmar are already migrating to other countries in search of better opportunities. This photo montage features salt farming along Myanmar's southeast coast.
Don’t Laugh, But Dubai’s Deputy Police Chief Would Like to Tell You About Obama’s ‘Shia Roots’
Dubai's deputy chief of police reasons the Iran Deal happened because Obama is Shia. Arab and Iranian social media users can‘t contain their laughter.
China Is Blocking Circumvention Tools With Help of Cloud Service Providers
Experts estimate that between 1% and 3% of China's internet users are using circumvention tool to visit overseas websites. But this could change with new restrictions.
Warlords to the Lebanese People: Let’s Forgive and Forget!
25 years after the end of the civil war Lebanon remains a deeply divided country, and attempts by former warlords to paper over the past can only worsen the situation.
ISIS Destroys Dair Mar Elia, Iraq's Oldest Christian Monastery
Iraq's oldest Christian monastery, Dair Mar Elia, has been destroyed by the ISIS. The monastery, built in 595, is located in Ninawa, just south of Mosul.
The Caribbean Prepares Itself for ‘Zik-V’ Virus Threat
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is advising people to protect themselves and even plans to launch a mobile game called Zap-a-‘quito to educate the public.
Caribbean Social Media Dissects the Tangled Outrage Surrounding Cricketer Chris Gayle's Come-On
"The global condemnation of Chris Gayle’s flirting seems over the top [but] the controversy is a welcome reminder that there are lines of propriety that should not be crossed."
A Struggling Economy Means New Taxes and Belt-Tightening for the People of Trinidad and Tobago
Finance Minister Imbert says the shift is necessary to rescue the economy from its precarious state, as oil prices continue to plummet. The previous administration's overspending hasn't helped matters, either.
A Tragic Suicide at a University Puts the Spotlight on Discrimination Against Dalits in India
"What happened with #RohitVemula should not happen with anyone. We can't progress until every citizen of India has equal rights!"