I woke up to the following headlines this morning and almost feel out of bed: The Guardian: Journalist Maria Ressa found guilty of ‘cyberlibel’ in Philippines Aljazeera: Maria Ressa found guilty in blow to Philippines’ press freedom BBC: Maria Ressa: Philippine journalist found guilty of cyber libel The New York Times: Maria Ressa, Crusading Journalist,
Category: community service
The older generation of displaced indigenous farmers and former indentured tribal labourers in the Poombarai mountains in Tamil Nadu, India continue to live in ostracised communities, unwelcome in the local villages. Illiterate and impoverished, they worry about community and cultural survival. Considered “untouchables”, they have struggled against the caste system and shedding the ghosts
The announcement for today’s silent protest was spread through social media, and the original meeting place was Potsdamerplatz at 14:00, come dressed in black in support of Black Lives Matter. When Maike and I emerged from the subway and headed towards the meeting place, it struck me that there were very few people joining this
It bothers me that the eyes of the world and the media are currently focused entirely on the American police brutality, when we should be taking a very close look in all other directions as well, such as Hong Kong, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh, South Africa, Germany, Greece, Italy, Russia, or Poland to name
The Berliner Schnauze (Schnauze = snout) is a term used to describe the rough, brusque, brutally frank and for all intents and purposes, rude snappy nature of the Berliners. There is prevailing myth that says before you get to know the true worth and warmth of the Berliner you must first pass through the snappy
During these turbulent times of lockdown and quarantine, the frontliners and the senior citizens are foremost on my mind. As Berlin takes tentative steps in Phase 2 of lifting the restrictions, people are trying to come to terms with the new routines and social norms. The concept that we can never return to the way
If there is one positive thing to take away from this whole lockdown and pandemic is the sheer amount of free webinars that you can attend these days! My inbox has been flooded over the past weeks with invitations to this, that or the other webinar and at first I was a bit hesitant and
Please watch the video first before reading the rest of the entry I received the above video, like so many other COVID-19 – related things, from a friend. The first time I watched it I felt very ambivalent about it. The second time around, however, after watching it with my daughter, it made more sense
In their youth they are left to grow in the remains of their family members, disease-ridden, downtrodden, barely lucky enough to become a full-grown potato. They are subjected to daily violence and terror – torn from their lands, violated, skinned and boiled alive. Please help these Potatoes! (edited, original text sourced from change.org) It was almost
Here are the two most sensible articles I have come across this week: The Secret to Germany’s COVID-19 Success: Angela Merkel Is a Scientist and New Zealand’s Prime Minister May Be the Most Effective Leader on the Planet and I share them in reaction to the most recent press conference of the US President suggesting
