Stories from October, 2015
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."
Did a Russian Journalist Just Out Vladimir Putin's Secret Daughter By Accident?
Today, following Interfax’s interview with Tikhonova, there seemed to be additional confirmation that she is the President’s child, when Yuri Pogorely, Interfax’s online projects director, intimated her ties to Putin.
#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."
Ukraine's New Banned Websites Registry: Security Measure or Censorship Tool?
Ukraine's new cyberpolice say they want to protect Ukrainians online, but a banned websites registry is causing Internet users to worry about adverse effects on free expression.
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...”
Netizen Report: Uganda Vows to Step Up Online Censorship
Free speech is under fire in East Africa: Two Facebook users have been charged under Tanzania's new cybercrime law, while new social media regs are on the horizon in Uganda.
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.
What You Need to Know About Russian Social Networks to Conduct Open-Source Research
Outside of the familiar English-language social networks of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others, there is a handful of social media platforms used either exclusively or primarily in the post-Soviet world.
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."
Trinidad and Tobago's Oddly Overlooked—and Totally Legal—Fix for Marijuana
With marijuana cases clogging up the courts, cannabis legalisation advocates in Trinidad and Tobago are looking to an overlooked section of the law to help their push for decriminalisation.
On the Eve of Elections, Côte d’Ivoire Tries to Move on From Its Violent Past
On October 25, Côte d'Ivoire is going to hold presidential elections. As the last elections in 2010 ended in a civil war, the current atmosphere in the country is tense.
At 81, a Japanese Woman Tweets to Remember the Terror of War
"On June 5, 1945, when I was in fifth grade, our family went to an air raid shelter after the sirens sounded. Oh no! Our house would be burned down!"
The US is No ‘Safe Harbor’ for Citizens’ Data
The European Court of Justice struck down the data transfer agreement between the EU and the US. Privacy advocates are smiling while US tech companies are unsure of what's next.
Bahrain Government Renews Crackdown on Religious Rituals
Security forces and youth clashed in Bahrain today as police attacked villages, forcefully removing banners placed on roadsides to commemorate Ashura. Several people were injured from buckshot fired at protesters.
Typhoon Koppu Brings Floods and Agricultural Disaster to Philippines’ ‘Food Basket’
Koppu is the second strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year. Aside from causing floods and landslides, Koppu also destroyed agricultural crops in the country's "food basket."
