Stories from September, 2015
A Series of Outrageous Events Fuels Catalans’ Distrust Before Historic Election on Independence
The Catalan people's distrust towards the Spanish government has been exacerbated by several unfortunate public faux-pas in the weeks prior to Catalonia's regional "independence" election on September 27.
Welcome to India’s War on Malnutrition
Several Indian states have been battling malnutrition for decades now. While new official data show improvement and testify that multiple programs seem to be working, there remains much to do.
This Is What Happened When A Pregnant Dog Was Buried Alive in Voronezh
When local authorities failed to respond to requests for help, several tenants decided to take matters into their own hands, pulling up the bricks and digging out the trapped animal.
Social Media Cries Copywrong After American Rapper Lifts Trinidadian Photographer's Work
"All people are saying is that this is someone's intellectual property. When it was pointed out to you, all you had to do was apologise..."
The Story of Raiza Ruiz, Declared Dead While Very Much Alive
Raiza Ruiz was declared dead after being in a plane crash in the Amazon. Upon being discovered alive after several days, she found herself in an unusual legal position.
New Mobile App Noema Wants to Capture the ‘Underutilized’ Power of Human Voice
"Listening to someone from another part of the world talk about her experiences and most valued thoughts is incredibly awe-inducing," says 19-year-old co-founder Asad Jamal Malik from Pakistan.
Netizen Report: China Joins Russia in Crusade to Keep User Data at Government’s Fingertips
This week, a public outcry over encryption proposal sent Indian legislators back to the drawing board. Meanwhile, Iranian leaders are re-centralizing power under the country's Supreme Cyberspace Council.
Jailed Activist and Artist Atena Farghdani Protests Mistreatment With Hunger Strike
“They have tarnished my daughter’s reputation in prison. They are playing with her integrity with their [ugly] words."
‘With the Support of the Lord': On the Campaign Trail in Ex-Soviet Central Asia's Only Democracy
Campaigning ahead of Kyrgyzstan's October 4 parliamentary vote proves that democracy is a messy business.
How School Lunch Plays a Central Role in Education in Japan
Cafeteria Culture (CafCu) has produced an engaging informative video that provides great insight into how school lunches are a fundamental part of learning in Japan's schools.
Myanmar Peace Activists Call for an End to the Country's 60-Year-Old Civil War
The activists, who marched in the former capital city of Yangon on International Day of Peace on September 21, also called for the release of political prisoners.
‘Halal’ Internet Advertisements Pop Up in Toronto, Canada
'Halal' Internet refers to Iran's national intranet project, but ads for censorship software associated with groups of parents protesting Ontario's sexual education curriculum are using the term.
Breaking Down Cultural and Racial Stereotypes About Latin Americans, One Joke at a Time
Flama uses humor to foster cultural understanding. Its collection of short videos seeks to address the complexity of Latin American identities and their sometimes-simplistic representation in North American society.
Refugees and Police Aren’t the Only Ones At Odds in the Balkans
When it comes to the refugee question, recent friction between EU leaders has done more to rekindle old animosities than resolve the current crisis.
#PinjraTod Gives Voice to Indian Women Fed Up With Draconian University Hostel Rules
"What is clear from all these stories is the need for an all-out rejection of these restrictive rules and the patriarchal protectionism they are built on."
Drowned Syrian Boy Awakens Peruvians to Their Own Dying Children
A photo of a drowned Syrian boy has generated international sympathy, while images of children freezing in the Peruvian Andes have provoked a different response.
‘We Are Here To Support You': A Dutch Welcome for Refugees
Volunteers at Amsterdam's Central Station have banded together to welcome and support arriving refugees. "What I didn’t anticipate," writes Faten Busheri, "are the stories they would tell me."
The Arrest of Arash Zad, Iran's Start-Up Kid
A popular technology blogger and pioneer of Iran's start-up scene is quietly arrested at Tehran's international airport. A strange turn of events for someone not involved in an dissident activity.
Zone9 Bloggers Are Not Alone: More Ethiopian Netizens Face Terrorism Charges
Alongside the now-famous case of the Zone9 bloggers, there are so many detained Ethiopian bloggers, online activists and politicians, whose names are not yet on the map. Last year on July 8, 2014, Ethiopia detained a number of local opposition leaders, bloggers, online activists and concerned citizens. Some were released after four...
Haitian President's Sexist Comments Remind Caribbean Feminists They Still Have a Long Way to Go
From schoolboy raps to ministerial threats, women across the Caribbean continue to pay the price for speaking out, says the Code Red feminist blog.
3 Keys to Understanding the Burkina Faso Coup
Learn who is behind the coup, what this has to do with upcoming elections and why all eyes are on citizen movements' reactions to the crisis.