Stories from April, 2021
In Azerbaijan, pandemic restrictions pose unique obstacles for people with disabilities
New regulations introduced last year require that people with disabilities prove they've received hospital care in order to collect pensions. But with rehabilitation centers closed because of COVID-19, the community is in limbo.
Experts warn Turkey's ambitious Istanbul Kanal will result in environmental destruction—and open a geopolitical can of worms
A new link between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara will open a geopolitical pandora box—and poses serious environmental threats to its immediate surroundings.
Travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand brings cheers and tears, but some fears
"Just met a seven-year-old who is going to see her Mum for the first time in 15 months. I’m not really handling this well!!"
Journalist becomes first person convicted over 2019 mob attack that injured dozens of Hongkongers
Bao Choy was found guilty of violating the city's Road and Traffic Ordinance by "making false statements" while searching public records of license plates as she investigated the mob attack.
Crumbling infrastructure and oxygen shortage hit India’s Covid-19 response
A lack of hospital beds and oxygen supply combined with mass election rallies and religious gatherings have exposed India’s inadequate pandemic response.
The George Floyd verdict gets netizens thinking about police brutality in the Caribbean
While social media users across the Caribbean were relieved that George Floyd's murderer was found guilty, they understood that justice being served in this one instance does not equal change.
WATCH/LISTEN: Myanmar: Coup & civil disobedience
Missed the live stream of the April 22 Global Voices Insights webinar on Myanmar? Here's a replay.
As Brazil increases exports to China, politicians play the blame game
"The problem is Brazil's current development model that turns it into a large farm," said Evandro Menezes de Carvalho, a specialist in Chinese law and international trade.
Cuban artists fight repression through song, social media and hunger strikes
Internet access is opening up the island to new forms of protest against a government that has long controlled the narrative.
Cameroon's Francis Ngannou: The UFC champion's fight from grass to grace
As he entered the ring, Ngannou carried the expectations of his country, and indeed of the continent of Africa.
European Court backs Ukrainian journalist's right to phone data privacy from the state
Natalia Sedletska has been waging a three-year battle to protect her phone data from being seized by Ukrainian prosecutors investigating a state secrets leak that occurred almost four years ago.
As St. Vincent's La Soufrière erupts again, experts say it's ‘not over yet’
Even though volcanologists explain that this type of activity is to be expected, residents are getting weary.
Hong Kong's pro-Beijing camp wants to ‘get rid of’ pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily
The call for a purge of Hong Kong's critical press comes as Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison.
A Namibian couple's battle to bring home twin daughters born via surrogacy
Lühl and Delgado's case has been widely debated on social media and, for many Namibians, it is a symbol of the country's LGBTQ+ community's struggle for equal rights.
How Azerbaijan's government abused Facebook's loopholes—for years
An investigation by The Guardian showed that Facebook has tolerated abuses of its platform in small nations such as Azerbaijan as it prioritized issues that affected the United States and its adversaries.
Czech-Russian relations hit new low after Prague accuses Moscow of ‘state-sponsored terrorism’
On April 17, the Czech government announced it would expel 18 Russian diplomats, following revelations by its intelligence agency that Russian agents played a role in the 2014 explosions at an arms depot.
An activist's effort to put his native language Dagbani on the digital map
"The representation of multiple languages online is one way to ensure that all the different ways of seeing the world by different people are captured and well-preserved."
Feminist activist in Russia faces prison term for ‘body-positive’ drawings
Human rights groups have labeled Yulia Tsvetkova a prisoner of conscience and have called on Russia to remove all charges and to "stop targeting feminist, LGBTI and other activists."
Inspiring new generations of Balinese language speakers through superheroes and wikis
"Unequal access to digitalization is our biggest problem. Internet users continue to grow, but in reality not all areas in Bali have adequate internet access."
Russian authorities crack down on student journalism outlet over protest explainer video
Supporters of DOXA journal have called the charges against its editors "preposterous" and demanded that "all harassment of students immediately cease."
Japan announces timeline to dilute, dump radioactive water from Fukushima plant
The decision to release the wastewater poses seriously implications for fishing communities along the Fukushima coastline.