Stories from October, 2019
The only two black coaches in Brazil's top-tier football league take a stand against racism
A statement by coach Roger Machado went viral on Brazilian social media.
Rwanda deports American evangelical pastor accused of hate speech and visa violations
Many Rwandans lauded the US evangelical preacher's deportation, decrying hate speech in Rwanda. But supporters see it as an attack on faith-based organizations by the Kagame administration.
Is Rihanna Barbadian or Jamaican? Jamaican Twitter claims the superstar as their own
Barbadian Twitter users poked fun at the Jamaican Dollar exchange rate, so Jamaicans did the next best thing — they claimed Rihanna.
Internet censorship in Sudan: Rethinking laws and tactics that served an authoritarian regime
Sudan's transitional authorities have taken small steps toward improving the climate for internet freedom in the country— but these remain inadequate.
Was the Nobel Peace Prize for Ethiopia’s prime minister premature?
Abiy Ahmed Ali has undertaken unprecedented reforms since he took office last year. But will he end up like other African leaders who started well, but went rogue over time?
A Crimean Tatar journalist's defiant last words in court
"I am a citizen of Ukraine, a Crimean Tatar, a Muslim. I am a journalist, a father, a husband, and a son. With the grace of God, these will not be my last words."
Meet the civic activists documenting abuses in Crimea
Crimean Solidarity members livestream arrests, detentions, and court hearings on the occupied peninsula, and fundraise for detainees' legal fees. That's why Moscow has had enough of them.
Zimbabwe government continues to weaponize information online to control citizen engagement
As a former state security minister, president Mnangagwa appreciated the importance and value of disinformation in Zimbabwe’s political terrain.
Thai judge shoots himself in court after alleging political interference in courtroom decisions
"Return rulings to judges. Return justice to people....My statements might hold weight as light as a feather, but a judge’s heart must be as firm as a mountain."
This Tanzanian youth advocate has a vision for inclusive education
A recent study conducted by HakiElimu found that even in schools deemed “inclusive,” the learning environment was still not very friendly for students with visual impairment.
Youth join Climate Strike in Japan as government invests in fossil fuels
Japan is not void of warriors shouting out for climate sustainability. But these young activists are concerned that the adults aren’t ready to hear them.
Arts festival caught in the crosshairs of Azerbaijan's ‘national mentality’
One mural depicting the body of a transgender person drew so much attention that it was painted over once the festival ended — in a not so artistically-friendly way.
Young Jamaican senator makes ‘inappropriate’ comments in parliament about breast cancer
"How is [discussing] part of a woman's body either appropriate or relevant in a Parliamentary (or any other public/formal discourse)?"
Algerian government cracks down as demonstrators protest presidential elections
The Algerian government has tried to stop peaceful marches, but failed. Protesters stop at nothing to reach their stated goal of ending the post-independence political system.
Police raid on rehab centre in Trinidad reveals inhumane conditions
Scores of people were found caged and mistreated in a rehabilitation centre that at one time received millions of dollars in government assistance.
India's apex court halts tree felling in Mumbai amid protests
The Court stay on tree-cutting in Aarey may be a temporary victory to activists fighting for preserving Mumbai forest, but India is losing the larger battle on protecting the environment.
Netizen Report: Iraq and Ecuador face network shutdowns amid public protests
Networks are down in Turkey, Iraq and Ecuador; US tech companies are cutting off Venezuelans; and gatekeepers continue holding back content related to Hong Kong protests.
Google removes Hong Kong protester role-playing game from its Play Store
The mobile game, entitled "The Revolution of Our Times", provides details on the political context leading up to the protests with a map on key protest sites in Hong Kong.
Nigerian journalist Omoyele Sowore remains in jail on trumped-up charges of treason and insulting the president
Rights groups see Omoyele Sowore's continued detention and the charges filed against him as merely a criminalisation of political dissent in Nigeria.
Trinidad's First Peoples say the indigenous name of airport should not be changed
The Trinidad prime minister's announcement about a possible airport name change from Piarco International Airport to the Eric Williams Airport has left the public divided.
Despite last year's ‘alternative’ win, Guadeloupe's Maryse Condé passed over for 2019 Nobel Prize in Literature
The odds appeared to be in Condé's favour, but the Swedish Academy instead named Austrian author Peter Handke winner of the 2019 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.