Stories from October, 2015
Armenian President's Fake Twitter Account Parodies Azerbaijani President's Real One
'We hear warmongering every day, every day we hear threats and attempts to scare us... We don't want war and never wanted, but.....continued.'
Brazilian Activists Prosecuted for Giving Small Donations to Left-wing Parties
Hundreds of citizens are being criminally charged by the State Prosecutor's offices in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo for making micro-donations to crowdfunded campaigns of two grassroots political parties.
From Okinawa to the UN, the Protest Against a US Military Base Continues
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga went to the UN to address human rights violations he says the Japanese and American governments have committed.
Fans Step Up After Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Hits Brick Wall With Lego
"No Lego on my Christmas-Burthday shopping list @LEGO_Group. Not supporting Ai Wei Wei @aiww is very disappointing"
Carrot Syrup, Potato Compresses and Nutmeg Necklaces: Grandma's Remedies From Around the World
An international array of nostrums, cures and concoctions, courtesy the grandmothers of Global Voices community members. Try a few and call us in the morning.
Free Alaa Campaign Takes Social Media by Storm on the First Anniversary of His Imprisonment
Alaa Abd El Fattah has spent a year in prison for his activism. He has four more to serve. Netizens are making noise on his first year anniversary calling for his freedom.
Jailed for Anti-Monarchy Graffiti, Thai Musician Gets Support on Social Media
Opas C, a 68-year-old Thai, is serving a three-year jail term for writing an anti-monarchy graffiti in a mall toilet.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Leaves the US Without a Peep About Nukes
"Very unusual for a long joint statement to appear before the mtg is over! Obama-Sharif talks"
The Violent Life and Afterlife of Venezuela’s Slums
Funerals held for marginalized figures and criminals in Venezuela are full of guns, booze, and violence. What is this rite of passage, and what's it mean to society?
#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."
Manhunt for Drug Dealer ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán in Mexico Leaves Citizens Displaced and Property Damaged
Internally displaced persons and damaged property in North Mexico are the result of the army's clashes with the gangs aimed at recapturing the leader of the international Sinaloa drug cartel.
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.
Ukraine Goes to the Polls In Local Elections, But Not Everyone Gets a Vote
The local elections are largely seen as a test of transparency and fairness for the post-Euromaidan Ukrainian political environment, but many Ukrainians aren't getting a chance to vote at all.
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.