Snapshot: The Great Wall of China
See HANSON LU’s image…
UK police scrap searches of rape victims’ private data after outcry
London, UKThomson Reuters Foundation British police said on Thursday they are scrapping forms that allowed prosecutors to search rape complainants’ private data, after sustained pressure to end the “intrusive” practice. The move comes after a year-long legal campaign by Britain’s Centre for Women’s Justice, on behalf of two women identified only as Olivia and Courtney […]
Indonesia’s push to cut red tape sparks forest fire concerns
Jakarta, IndonesiaThomson Reuters Foundation Indonesia’s plans to cut red tape to attract investment could lead to an increase in forest clearing and fires, environmentalists warned on Wednesday, as lawmakers continued to debate the measures ahead of a scheduled recess this week. Indonesian President Joko Widodo submitted a draft of the so-called “omnibus laws” to parliament […]
10 global cities charting a green recovery from coronavirus
Bogota, ColumbiaThomson Reuters Foundation More than 40 mayors of major cities from Montreal to Medellin pledged on Wednesday to push for a “green and just” economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The mayors, part of a global network of cities fighting climate change, said they are committed to investing in green jobs and low-carbon transport […]
With record 69 COVID-19 deaths, US city of Charleston asks for prayer
Columbia, South Carolina, USAP On the same day South Carolina reported a record 69 COVID-19 deaths, the mayor of Charleston asked for spiritual help for people who died in the pandemic, people fighting the virus and their families. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg declared Thursday a day of prayer and remembrance in what for centuries has been nicknamed […]
Seoul mayor’s death renews #MeToo debate in South Korea
Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaThomson Reuters Foundation As South Koreans mourn the death of a popular mayor, his complex legacy has cast a fresh spotlight on hurdles faced by sexual harassment victims seeking justice, even as the country’s feminist movement gains momentum. Park Won-soon, the longtime mayor of the capital Seoul who had championed women’s rights, was […]
Religious freedom: Minorities under attack as PM pushes “tolerant” Pakistan
KATHY GANNON, of Associated Press, reports on the ongoing challenges facing religious minorities – including Christians – in Pakistan…
Pompeo says US should limit which human rights it defends
Washington DC, USAP Secretary of State Mike Pompeo argued Thursday for a more limited US view of global human rights advocacy based on the principals laid out by America’s Founding Fathers, a suggestion critics assumed meant stepping away from more modern concepts such as support for women and the LGBQT communities around the world. Pompeo, […]
Essay: How a coronavirus lockdown exposed food insecurity in a small Bangladeshi city
In an article first published on The Conversation, Durham University researchers MOHAMMAD FEISAL RAHMANand HANNA A RUSCZYK look at how a coronavirus lockdown impacted food security in one Bangladeshi community…
Postcards: Afghan women spin new careers by reviving ancient Silk Road crafts
STEFANIE GLINSKI, of Thomson Reuters Foundation, reports on how Afghan women in Herat are returning to the work of silk-making…