Stories from August, 2019
Hurricane Dorian ambles through the Caribbean, but The Bahamas may still feel its wrath
Hurricane Dorian may well not yet have shown what it is capable of.
Rendition of Trinidad & Tobago's national anthem strikes wrong note with the country's president
The performance of the anthem may have been different, but was it inappropriate, or as the president suggested, disrespectful?
Mass tree-planting in Ethiopia broke world records, but its impact will take time
Mass tree-planting projects are exciting, but the solution is never as simple as it seems. Send a Cow encourages smallholder farmers to plant multi-purpose trees in harmony with the environment.
Alphonse Mucha's surprising influence on Japanese manga, anime and “light novels”
In Japan, manga, anime and even 'light novel' creators all claim early an 20th Century Czech Art Nouveau artist and illustrator as an influence.
Winning a literary award won't set you free: An interview with author and asylum-seeker Behrooz Boochani
Australia's detention camps whistleblower describes conditions as hellish
Netizen Report: Critic calls Indonesia’s provincial internet shutdown ‘racist’
Indonesia's regional internet shutdown continues, YouTube blocks 210 channels over suspected links to China and Tonga threatens to block Facebook.
Months after pledge to open internet, Ethiopia disrupts connectivity amidst communal violence, tension
Ethiopian authorities have resorted to shutting down entire networks in response to recent ethnic and political tensions. A lack of transparency makes it impossible to challenge.
Contrary to Serbian government's claims, fact-checking initiative shows that journalists are far from being ‘all safe’
According to Istinomer's research, threats against individual journalists or editorial teams have become rather frequent over the past few months.
Mozambique signs third peace accord amid divisions in opposition and public indifference
While the ceremony that ended Mozambique's third civil war took place, the majority of Maputo's residents were at work, or trapped in the capital’s chaotic traffic.
The case for reforming the Sudanese Access to Information Act
As Sudan launches a three-year transition to civilian rule, the country's freedom of information law should be amended to serve the public's right to know.
Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum: The Congolese scientist behind the cure for Ebola
This African scientist discovered the cure for Ebola. Will his name be as widely shared as news about the disease itself?
‘Kingston Creative’ breathes new life into Jamaica’s downtown district
With the involvement of 100+ volunteers and more than 20 community groups, Kingston Creative is reinvigorating Jamaica's capital with its ongoing #PaintTheCity mural project.
In Nigeria, disability activists say social stigma is greatest obstacle to human rights
“Many people see disability as a charity issue rather than a human rights issue, says Ekaete Umoh, a disability rights activist in Nigeria.
A study of Bulgarian far-right proto-militias dismantles the theory of the lone-wolf extremist
Research shows that the members of far-right extremist groups don’t necessarily believe the narratives promoted by their networks about “migrant invasion” or “islamization,” but consider hate speech as useful weapon.
Interview with Erick Huerta, a researcher helping to bring internet access to indigenous communities in Mexico
A project to build and strengthen the communication and technological autonomy of indigenous peoples and communities.
Inspired by the 1989 ‘Baltic Way,’ Hong Kong protesters form human chain to demand freedom and democracy
"The light of freedom transcends time, place. Truly magnificent. #StandwithHongKong #BalticWay"
Moscow’s revolution will be memed, online and on canvas
An anonymous RuNet user has a found a creative way to criticise recent police violence in Moscow: photoshopping riot police into dozens of famous Russian and foreign artworks.
Indonesia sends in troops and cuts internet as West Papua protesters denounce racist treatment of students
"Blocking and restricting access to the internet in Papua and West Papua will make it harder for people living outside of the two provinces to verify facts."
‘White terror’ at Cathay Pacific: Flight attendant union head fired for supporting Hong Kong protests on social media
"This is not just about me. This is about the whole industry. This is about Hong Kong. When will this white terror end?"
Nigeria's reputation takes a hit as three online fraud cases make international headlines
The cases involve a young star entrepreneur, the continent's largest e-commerce platform, and 80 online scammers.
Videoblogging shaman walks to Moscow to ‘exorcise’ Putin
The 51-year old Yakut shaman calls his quest divinely ordained, insisting that Putin is a manifestation of dark forces which must be banished to save Russia from ruin.
