Stories from December, 2020
Crackdown against journalist and activists mars Human Rights Day in the Philippines
"We were forced to turn our backs for one hour while evidence was being planted."
New height of Mount Everest announced just as Nepal reopens its tourism sector
The world's highest mountain has grown by 86 centimeters, according to a survey carried out jointly by Nepal and China.
COVID-19 infects Japan's ‘kanji of the year’
密 (mitsu), in some cases, means "close, crowded, or confined."
Uruguay’s new government is prioritising security, but is it at the cost of free speech?
The Urgent Consideration Law marks a turning point in Uruguay's changing political landscape.
Two years after Sudan's revolution, demonstrators march with demands for change
On the second anniversary of the revolution in Sudan, citizens braved the threat of the coronavirus to demonstrate and demand more rapid change from the transitional government.
Fendika cultural hub in Addis Ababa wins major cultural prize
This month, Fendika cultural hub accepted a prestigious Prince Claus Award in recognition of its groundbreaking work in culture and development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In Kyrgyzstan, social media hate goes unchecked
In the wake of a contested election, Kyrgyzstan’s civil society activists, opponent politicians, and independent journalists are being heavily targeted online — with help from the country’s post-crisis leader.
Combating misinformation in under-resourced languages: Lessons from around the world
A recent webinar explored how underresourced language communities may be at a disadvantage to tackle misinformation and access media literacy resources.
In Belarus, a new civic culture is born out of recycled historical symbols in urban yards
As Belarusans continue to fill the streets in protests against Alyaksandr Lukashenka, a hyper-local movement is forming a new civic culture.
‘Stop silencing MENA critical voices,’ say activists in open letter to Twitter and Facebook
A decade after uprisings heavily relied on social media to topple dictators across the region, human rights defenders denounce these platforms' discrimination against voices of dissent still fight for freedoms.
China’s imposition of electricity restrictions this winter gets a chilly reception
Winter has come, yet many regions in southern China including Hunan, Zhejiang and Jiangxi have recently issued notifications on the limited supply of electricity.
Ecuador's transgender communities organize first-ever National Trans March
"We are fed up, we are tired of the social debt, of the State debt, of the commodification of the struggle of trans people."
Extension of Temporary Protection Status provides a moment of relief for Salvadoran immigrants in the US
"I live in constant fear that the TPS program will end before I find a way to become a permanent resident."
After years of protests, the Islamabad Zoo will convert into an animal sanctuary
A happy ending for 2020, a year when Pakistanis debated animal abuse like never before.
Trinidadian comedian uses humour to say gender-based violence isn't funny
By turning men's harassment of women on its head, comedian Simmy De Trini illustrates just how incongruous gender-based violence is with a progressive society.
How global tech companies enable the Belarusian regime — and the Belarusian revolution
Belarus has globalised enough for its rulers to be undermined if western technology becomes less accessible, but also globalised enough to reorient itself to larger markets in the East
WATCH: Belarus 2020: Still uploading?
In this edition of our Global Voices Insights series, media analyst Maryia Sadouvskaya-Komlach, artist Rufina Bezlova and scholar Gregory Asmolov revisit the events in Belarus following the August 2020 presidential elections.
Citing tweets and op-eds, Hong Kong police charges media tycoon Jimmy Lai with foreign collusion
Documents supporting Lai's collusion charge include social media posts, interviews with foreign media outlets, and meetings with foreign politicians and alleged donations to them.
What the international press did not understand about the demonstrations in Peru
The demonstrations in Peru were historic: 13 per cent of the nation actively participated, and 73 per cent supported the demonstrators. Why did the international press give it relatively little importance?
‘It’s not just a joke!’ Nigerian comedians unite against rape culture
"We have to stop turning survivors of sexual and gender-based violence into collateral damage, just for laughs. Because rape is not a joke…This has to stop. Now!"
To revitalise their ‘severely endangered’ language, Gitxsan internet users get creative
The Indigenous Gitxsan language is under siege, but by harnessing the very technology that threatens to erase it, one Facebook Group, Gitxsan Got Talent, is renewing interest in the language.