Featured stories from March 2016
Stories from March, 2016
Suspected of Buying Votes, Peru’s Presidential Frontrunner Gets to Stay in the Race
The Special Electorate Jury of Lima has dismissed a request to exclude from Peru's presidential race the most controversial candidate, Keiko Fujimori, leading to a national legitimacy crisis.
Thailand Stops Journalist From Attending World Press Freedom Day in Finland
"If junta thinks forbidding me to travel abroad would silence me then they're mistaken. I will continue to scrutinize and criticize them."
What's Happening in South African Politics? Just Follow the Hashtag
Learn about eight hashtags that help facilitate political debate and even organize protests in South Africa.
Netizen Report: Ethiopia’s Zone9 Bloggers Go Back to Court
Chinese dissidents’ families torn apart over party controversy, courts in Morocco and Ethiopia drag out trials against advocates, and Russian tech moguls launch a new center for monitoring "information attacks".
Russia Gets Its Very First Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster
Last week, one of Nizhny Novgorod's biggest Orthodox churches got a new neighbor, located just around the corner: Russia’s very first Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
Moscow Police Banned From Discussing Work Matters on Social Media
VKontakte, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram and WhatsApp are now officially off limits to Moscow police officers who want to discuss work-related matters or exchange official law enforcement data.
Can Low-Income Housing in the US Be Energy Efficient and Affordable?
Residents of low-income housing need energy efficiency more than others, but are less likely to be able to afford it. How to escape the Catch-22?
Chinese Police Tear Families Apart Over Letter That Demanded President's Resignation
An open letter urging China President Xi Jinping to resign has triggered a rash of political persecution against the family members of Chinese dissidents living abroad. Germany-based writer and Deutsche Welle reporter Chang Ping reported on March 27 that police in China burst into his father's birthday celebration and detained...
EgyptAir Hijacking Drama Ends; All Passengers Released
"We can finally celebrate the first Arab Muslim hijacker who is not declared a terrorist but a psychologically unstable person. :) #EgyptAir," tweets Patrick Baz.
‘There is No Shame in Fear': Confronting Surveillance in Post-Revolution Egypt
"...as so many unjust things become normalized in our daily lives, the act of spreading information and informing others – however difficult – becomes an ever-more vital part of activism."
Meet the Jamaican Entrepreneur Who Found a Way to Make ‘Going Green’ Fulfilling, Socially Responsible, and Even Profitable
How did one Jamaican entrepreneur help water-challenged families in Flint, Michigan? Jovan Evans proves that developing eco-friendly ideas can benefit both people and the planet, while being profitable.
Despite Claims of Tortured Baha'i Inmates, Iran Takes No Action
The Baha’i community is one of the most persecuted religious minorities in Iran. Their faith is not recognized by the Islamic Republic’s constitution, and the community's members face severe discrimination.
EgyptAir Plane on Route to Cairo Hijacked and Diverted to Cyprus
A lone hijacker has reportedly hijacked Egypt Air flight MS181, forcing the flight to be diverted to Larnaca Airport in Cyprus after claiming he was wearing an explosive belt.
How a Nazi Ghost Came to Haunt the Philippine Presidential Debate
After being accused of corruption in a televised debate, the Philippine vice president conjured the ghost of Nazi propaganda minister Goebbels.
In Spring Welcome, Giant Penises Parade Streets of Japan
The wooden phallus has grown over time, as it is replaced each year, so that it is now about 2.5 meters (13 feet) long and weighs 280 kilograms (620 pounds).
The Week That Was at Global Voices Podcast: The Elephant in the Room
In this edition we take you to Somalia, Japan, China, Pakistan and Cuba.
March 2016 Marks a Time of Change and Rage for Japanese Television Broadcasting
Japanese broadcasters heading for the exit are using their remaining airtime to highlight the government's increasingly autocratic approach to press freedoms.
Blood Donors Crowd Lahore Hospitals Following Devastating Park Bombing on Easter Sunday
Following the attack, scores of citizens began coordinating efforts to donate blood and provide support to the families of the victims.
Online Campaign Tells Australia “Hands Off Timor's Oil” as Thousands March in Dili
Using the hashtags #medianlinenow and #HandsOffTimorsOil, the online campaign urges Australia to respect the maritime boundaries of Timor Leste.
Center for Monitoring Propaganda and Disinformation Online Set to Open in Russia
Russia already has agencies that oppose and respond to cyberattacks, but the center's creators say it would be the first of its kind, monitoring and preventing information attacks online.
#JusticeForTonu Goes Viral After Bangladeshi College Student's Rape and Murder
"This issue runs deeper than one isolated incident. It's time we address it #JusticeForTonu."
