The FIFA World Cup is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world, watched by millions from all corners of the globe. The chance to host is highly sought after by nations for the potential to boost their local economies and promote their global image. It is an institution where sports are inextricably … Continue reading
Pakistan has emerged as a focal point of global polio eradication efforts following this year’s World Polio Day on Oct. 24. The day came at the heel of a deadly bomb attack by the Taliban on an immunization team on Oct. 7 in the city of Peshawar. This was the latest of a series of … Continue reading
Shortly after the United States government shutdown began at midnight on October 1, Republicans and Democrats immediately began placing the blame on one another. Senate Majority Leader and Democrat Harry Reid put the blame on Republicans when, on October 1, he told the Senate “Government is closed, because of the irrationality of what is going … Continue reading
Ten years after the end of its civil war, Liberia is still working to rebuild itself. The 14-year war did much to destroy existing Liberian institutions, including their education system. In August of this year, all of Liberia’s 25,000 high school students took the state university entrance exam – not a single student passed. Nelson … Continue reading
Profit and human safety are often two mutually exclusive entities in the context of gold mining operations. This unfortunate phenomenon is particularly well illustrated in the coastal town of Paracale in the gold-rich Philippines. In this town, illegal and unregulated mining operations provide a primary source of livelihood for many residents. Paracale residents prefer to … Continue reading
Malala Yousafzai, a 14-year-old child-activist from the war-torn Swat Valley, Pakistan, was shot in the head and neck and nearly killed by Taliban soldiers on her way home from school in October of 2011. Although Malala had led an active campaign championing women’s rights to education worldwide since 2008 and had her experiences featured in … Continue reading
In the midst of one of the greatest refugee crises in history, the stories of the Rohingya people are easily silenced. While media outlets and UN resolutions focus on Syria’s displaced millions, the atrocities being committed against the Burmese minority quickly fade in the rear view mirror. After a 2010 general election in which military … Continue reading
For its third consecutive year, McGill’s lower field was crowded with students, staff, and community members, coming together to witness an inclusive, colourful pow-wow that would launch Indigenous Awareness Week. From September 23rd to 27th, McGill was host to various events such as numerous informational talks by professionals in their fields, interactive workshops in making dream-catchers, … Continue reading
Late September, tragedy struck the sprawling metropolis of Nairobi, Kenya when a group of al-Shabaab militants initiated a violent terrorist attack at Westgate, an upscale mall popular with tourists, as well as middle to high class Kenyans. Lasting more than four days from Sept. 21 to 24, the 80-hour incident led to the deaths of … Continue reading
TAMKINAT MIRZA The word “activist” carries connotations ranging from wardrobe choices to number of jail sentences, wherein the nuances of activism are often lost. Arguably, the major distinction between types of activists can be made between those on the front-line and the spotlight, and auxiliaries handling crucial logistics and organization issues behind scenes. This distinction … Continue reading
JESSICA NEWFIELD “The threats [of terrorism] are real and call for a firm response from states. The response should, however, be proportional to the danger involved…the danger includes not only the harm done by terrorism, but also the harm done to the fabric of our societies by disproportionate responses that undermine democracy itself.” – Arthur … Continue reading
JUAN CAMILO VELASQUEZ Earlier this year, The Sunday Times reporter Marie Colvin and photographer Remi Ochlik died while covering the conflict in Syria. The Colvin and Ochlik case is not an isolated event. Human rights violations against media organizations and reporters are widespread. Several accounts from human rights watchdog organizations like Reporters without Borders (RWB), … Continue reading
ALEX BADDUKE In October 2011, African Barrick Gold (ABG) began construction on a 14-kilometre long concrete wall that will stretch around its North Mara Gold Mine in Tanzania. The mine has been the source of tension within the community. The wall is an attempt at keeping local Tanzanians from entering the mine lands and searching … Continue reading
As the final horn signaled the defeat of the Vancouver Canucks by the Boston Bruins at the Stanley Cup final on June 15, 2011, riots broke out in downtown Vancouver. About a hundred thousand people took to the streets. In the aftermath, 140 were injured, and close to 100 were arrested. These riots were not … Continue reading
“Freedom is partial to no race. Freedom has no religion. Freedom favors no ethnicity. Freedom discriminates not between rich and poor countries. Inevitably freedom will overwhelm Ethiopia.” These are the words of Ethiopian journalist and dissident blogger Eskinder Nega, published in dissident blogs five days before he was arrested by Ethiopian authorities on charges of … Continue reading
On Jan. 26, 2012, Twitter announced its new content policy in an online blog post. Due to its increasing global audience with varying ideas about freedom of expression, Twitter plans to censor tweets deemed controversial by a host country. However, instead of removing the offending post entirely, Twitter will only make its content unavailable for … Continue reading
The historical significance of the Arab Spring is undeniable. It marks the thawing of the icy authoritarianism that has gripped the Middle East since the end of World War II. Many questions have been raised regarding the unique social media strategies used by citizens to bring down more than half a century of dictatorial rule. … Continue reading
Since its launch eight years ago, Facebook has navigated an uneasy tension between profitability and privacy. This fun and free service has somehow compelled users to willingly reveal the most intimate details about themselves. Macleans blogger Jesse Brown wrote that Facebook “now owns the most comprehensive and accurate marketing database that the world has ever … Continue reading
Cyber Harmony or Total Control? On May 19, 2009, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the People’s Republic of China issued an edict which shocked Chinese netizens. The edict dictated that starting from July 1, all computers produced and sold in China must be pre-installed with “Green Dam Youth Escort” software. This … Continue reading
“All of us who professionally use the mass media are the shapers of society. We can vulgarize that society. We can brutalize it. Or we can help lift it onto a higher level.” – William Bernbach, co-founder of international advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach. “Miss Representation,” a film by Jennifer Siebel Newsom that premiered at … Continue reading
Speak! 