Stories from September, 2017
Africans in Solidarity Online With Rohingya People Over Their Persecution in Myanmar (Burma)
"Silence is consent. Our silence is troubling. We need to speak out about this, we need to get angry, we need to help them."
Netizen Report: From Puerto Rico to Bangladesh, Mobile Blackouts Exacerbate Humanitarian Crisis
This week, two populations on opposite sides of the globe are facing communication shutdowns amid rapidly worsening humanitarian crises.
Saudi Women Activists Win Driving Victory in Shadow of Guardianship System and Wave of Arrests
Saudi women may soon be able to drive. However, they continue to face discriminatory barriers under the kingdom's male guardianship system.
Sri Lanka Condemns Mob Attack Against Rohingya Refugees by Buddhist Monks
"I condemn these actions as a Buddhist who is very proud of the fact that Buddhism is a religion of non-violence & compassion."
A 20 Billion Dollar Trade Agreement Between China and Guinea Raises Concerns
"Will this be a mutual agreement? At the moment, we are hanging on the government's every word as they negotiate this without providing many details."
Peru's Clever Social Media Campaign Raises Awareness About Human Trafficking
Peruvian Ministry of Interior Affairs launched the campaign "Que no te encuentren" (Don't let them find you) to counter human trafficking in Peru.
Malaysia Detained Turkish Scholar Mustafa Akyol for ‘Unauthorized Teaching’ of Religion
"By policing religion, authorities are not really protecting it. They are only enfeebling their societies, raising hypocrites and causing many people to lose their faith in or respect for Islam."
Nigeria's Youth Are Rallying for the ‘Not Too Young to Run’ Bill
"The world is WATCHING The 8th National Assembly. Vote 'Yes' to remove age barrier as it would reduce inequality"
The Unsung Heroes of the 2017 Floods in Mumbai, India
"...I want to ask this government, is the cleanliness of the streets the only important thing? What about the people who do this work?”
Brazil’s Belo Monte Hydroelectric Plant License Is Suspended Again
The works are frozen until the hydroelectric plant improves the resettlement housing for the hundreds of displaced families in Altamira, Pará, Brazil.
Clapping Back Against Online Xenophobia, Trinidad & Tobago Citizens Continue to Help Hurricane-Ravaged Dominica
"I apologise for our having here persons who are less charitable and more ungracious in your time of trouble. They do not represent the majority of us."
‘Immigrants, We Get The Job Done’ Music Video Spotlights Injustice in the US and Beyond
The song and video depicts an ignored working class, living in the shadows often victims of war crimes, police brutality, labor exploitation, anti-immigrant violence and senseless death.
Despite Censorship, a Former Chinese Soldier Brags of His War Crimes Online
On WeChat, Zhang boasted of killing a woman and raping her teenage daughter in the Sino-Vietnamese War.
After Years of Cultural Appropriation, Mayan Weavers Want Legal Protection for Their Heritage
“...our work is not being valued [...] Rather, there has been an appropriation and a commodification of the culture and the designs.”
Ayotzinapa: It's Been Three Years Since 43 Students Disappeared in Mexico
Three years and three prosecutors later, calls for justice for the Ayotzinapa case have been drowned out in a sea of scandals surrounding the Mexican government.
Katsura Sunshine Brings the Japanese Art of Comic Storytelling to English-Language Audiences
He's the only officially qualified non-Japanese rakugo professional in the world.
Report Reveals a Company Linked to Paraguayan Minister Drives Deforestation in the Chaco Region
Investigators of the organization Earthsight revealed that the largest exporter of Paraguayan charcoal, a company associated with Paraguay's public works minister, deforests about 10 football fields of land per day.
Puerto Rico, Trapped Between Colonialism and Hurricanes
Irma and Maria's passing and aftermath have once again brought to light Puerto Rico’s primordial conundrum: colonialism.
Purple March Unites a Thousand Malaysian Women Against ‘Toxic Politics’
"It was quite a sight to behold. 1,000 people does not sound like a lot, but in Malaysia...protesting is not looked upon kindly..."
As Italy and Egypt Strengthen Diplomatic Ties, Will Giulio Regeni’s Murder Case See Justice?
Did Italy give up on the quest for Giulio Regeni's killers so Egypt would help Italy block migration to Europe?
Myanmar Government Vows to Address Refugee Crisis in Rakhine State, but Avoids Saying ‘Rohingya’
"Aung San Suu Kyi today demonstrated that she and her government are still burying their heads in the sand over the horrors unfolding in Rakhine State."