Stories from July, 2021
Angola's government launches a campaign to end the use of anabolic body modification
The Government of Angola launched a campaign to combat a harmful experimental practice called "jarda," a procedure that aims to alter parts of the body through chemical injections.
Pakistani woman cricketer Nida Dar faces sexism from a former cricketer
Excerpts of a recent interview with Abdul Razzag and Nida Dar show him pointing out that the top woman cricketer is "manly".
Foreign journalists harassed by Chinese citizens over Zhengzhou flooding coverage
Correspondents for several international media outlets were harassed by citizens on the streets of Zhengzhou over the weekend as they covered the aftermath of severe flooding in the Chinese city.
Religious cleric criticizes Turkey's women's volleyball team for their appearance in Tokyo Olympics
Turkey's women's volleyball team, known as the "Sultans of the Net," beat China 3–0 during a Tokyo Olympics match on July 25.
Hong Kong Pro-Beijing camp finds fault with Olympic badminton player's black outfit
In Hong Kong, the hottest topic about the Tokoyo 2020 Olympic Games in recent days has been badminton player Angus Ng Ka-Long’s monochrome black outfit.
Cubans want more than just the lifting of the US blockade
"I dare to say that Cuba is facing the worst crisis in its history, becoming a humanitarian crisis similar to the one that Venezuela has gone through in recent years."
Russian internet censor blocks Team Navalny websites
Navalny's main website, navalny.com, as well as over 40 other webpages for Navalny's national network of campaign offices were added to Roskomnadzor's state registry for blocked websites.
Samoa’s first female prime minister takes helm three months after former leader refused to concede defeat
"My administration is committed to returning this country to the special place dreamt of by our forefathers when they grabbed the mantle of independence almost 60 years ago."
Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui who was killed in Afghanistan remembered and honoured online
Danish's demise has led to a range of emotions being expressed across fraternities, from respectful tributes to critical comments from his naysayers.
Fresh clashes on Nakhchivan border
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces exchanged fire along the border between Armenia and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, just 66 kilometers from Yerevan.
Government announces new media regulations that could further constrain freedom of expression in Turkey
A number of government statements issued this week in Turkey signal a further decline on media freedom.
The French government’s U-turn on regional languages
A new law passed in May 2021 has reignited the debate around France's regional languages
In Azerbaijan's capital, taxi drivers are now engaging in a generational war around technology
Afgan Maharramov, 54, like many other traditional taxi drivers, is struggling to compete against new taxi apps in Baku.
In Colombia, ‘yatules’ are the Misak people's pantry and pharmacy
"The yatul is made up of associated crops such as potato, corn, beans, and onion, among other medicinal plants, whose nutrients complement each other and keep the land healthy."
Global investigation reveals Pegasus Project identified in Azerbaijan and elsewhere
Around 1,000 phone numbers belonging to users in Azerbaijan were identified, among them, prominent journalists, editors, rights defenders, lawyers, political activists, as well as their friends and family members.
Pegasus spyware revelation indicates Indian state snooping on journalists, activists and politicians
The Pegasus Project released a report detailing the potential hacking and surveillance of more than 1,000 activists, journalists and politicians from India using the Israeli-made spyware, Pegasus.
Digital education lags behind as Kyrgyzstan’s schools lack access
As the government attempts to provide education online or on TV, both children and teachers suffer from a lack of access to internet and devices.
‘Maohi Lives Matter': Tahiti protesters condemn French nuclear testing legacy
"According to our calculations, based on a scientific reassessment of the doses received, approximately 110,000 people were infected, almost the entire Polynesian population at the time."
The “ticket to happy life” politics of Indian marriages in the context of dowry-related violence
The recent death of 24-year-old medical student Vismaya Nair in the Indian state of Kerala has sparked widespread outrage and renewed discussions over dowries and domestic violence in India.
Vultures soar back into Pokhara
Despite the decline in vultures across South Asia, the endangered scavengers are recovering in Nepal due to tighter regulations and community initiatives.
CARICOM bristles at international community's slight as Haiti installs a new prime minister
An international Core Group's call for Jovenel Moïse's prime ministerial nominee to form a “consensual and inclusive government” struck a sour note with CARICOM, but he's been installed, anyway.