Society News

Meet Sam, The First Educational Transgender Toy

Gender Creative Kids Canada have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to produce the first transgender educational toy, Sam. Sam is an essential tool designed to help children understand what it means to grow up as a transgender child. They hope the toy will help families talk about the struggles of being transgender and help those going through the process to be true to themselves.

Jun 30, 2017

Enough of sugar-coated words; can we know your Mann Ki Baat on cow vigilantism, Prime Minister Modi?

Unlike the NDA government of Atal Behari Vajpayee, the government of PM Narendra Modi has not shown enough intent to address the mindless attacks and killings of Muslims for reasons related to cows. Is it beyond Modi's control?

Jun 29, 2017

Supreme Court approves most parts of Trumps travel ban

The U.S. Supreme Court approved most of President Trumps travel ban. The executive order temporarily blocks travel to the U.S. from six Middle Eastern and North African countries for 90 days, and suspends all refugee resettlement in the U.S. for 120 days. The banned countries include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The Supreme Court will hear arguments over the orders constitutionality in October.

Jun 27, 2017

Kerala: Here's why transgender employees are quitting Kochi Metro

Kochi Metro may be losing the praise it had earned for taking the challenge to employ transgenders among its ranks. Read to know why transgenders are quitting Kochi Metro.

Jun 25, 2017

American student Otto Warmbier held prisoner by North Korea dies days after release

The American university student, who was held prisoner in North Korea for 17 months, was released last week from captivity in a state of coma with extensive brain damage.

Jun 20, 2017

Refugee Week: Meet the man who fled the Taliban and is now helping Afghan women in London

IBTimes UK interviews Nooralhaq Nasimi, director and founder of Londons Afghanistan and Central Asian Association.

Jun 19, 2017

Seeing stars over beef: MLA invokes Mammootty's Joseph Alex IAS to lampoon cattle sale ban

During the special session on Thursday, VS Achuthanandan, B Ganesh Kumar and Mullakara Ratnakaran too expressed their views on the ban of cattle slaughter in the country.

Jun 9, 2017

Candlelight vigil in Hong Kong commemorates 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown

Thousands attended a candlelight vigil to commemorate the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing. On June 4, 1989, the Chinese government deployed troops to crackdown on pro-democracy, student-led protests. It is estimated that hundreds, if not thousands, were killed that day, although Chinese authorities have yet to release an official death toll. Organizers estimated that 110,000 gathered for the vigil, while police estimated only 18,000 took part. Hong Kong is one of the few places under Chinese control that such commemorations are allowed. Nearly three decades later, any public commemoration of the protests is still banned on the Chinese mainland.

Jun 7, 2017

Former Maldives President on fighting corruption and climate change

Former President of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, shared his experience with defending democracy at the 2017 Oslo Freedom Forum. On 7 February 2012, Nasheed resigned as president under disputed circumstances, following weeks of protests by the opposition, which had then been joined by a majority of military and police forces.

Jun 5, 2017

Distraught Yazidi campaigner and former Isis sex slave makes tearful return to her village

Nadia Murad is now a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and works advocating for Yazidi women in Iraq.

Jun 2, 2017

#ThisFlag leader Evan Mawarire on Zimbabwes future

Zimbabwean pastor and activist, Evan Mawarire created the #ThisFlag movement in April 2016 with a simple video that spread across social media and created a movement that inspired thousands of Zimbabweans. At the 2017 Oslo Freedom Forum, he told his story and shared his views with Newsweek on the future of his home nation, Zimbabwe. 

Jun 1, 2017

Lesbian dating app Rela shuts down in China where homosexuality was 'a mental disorder' until 2001

Some users link Rela's suspension to its support for the parents of LGBT children, who attempted to participate in a "marriage market" in Shanghai on May 20.

May 31, 2017

Palestinian prisoners end mass hunger strike after securing concessions

Around 1,100 hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners ended their 40-day fast. They reached a compromise with Israel on additional family visits. Israel agreed to allow the inmates a second family visit each per month. 18 prisoners are being treated in hospital because of the hunger strike.Palestinians rallied behind the hunger strikers as national heroes. More than 6,000 Palestinians are currently in prison for offences linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

May 27, 2017

Two men publicly caned in Aceh for having gay sex

The punishment, condemned by rights groups, marked the first application of anti-homosexuality laws introduced in the province in 2014.

May 23, 2017

Meet Jedhinda, taxi driver who helped reduced maternal mortality rates by 27% in Tanzania

A first-of-its-kind ambulance taxi service created by the Vodafone Foundation to save the lives of high-risk pregnant women in two Tanzanian districts the size of Belgium, reduced maternal mortality rates by 27% in its first year.

May 22, 2017