Oct. 7 Russia
While other world leaders prepared puppies for the 65th birthday of Russian President Vladimir Putin, nearly 300 people were arrested as thousands of Russians protested across 26 cities. Marches were organized by supporters of Putin’s primary political rival, Alexei Navalny, who intends to run for president during next March’s election. Putin has served as the prime minister or president of Russia since 1999.
Oct. 8 North Dead Sea, West Bank
Nearly 8,000 people made their way to the occupied West Bank on the final day of a two-week march demanding a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Women Wage Peace, the group behind the demonstrations, organized the march to ensure that leaders work toward non-violent resolutions and that women are equally represented in any peace negotiations.
Oct. 9 Colorado, United States
Two Catholic nuns protested nuclear proliferation by presenting a U.S. military base with a copy of the world’s first international treaty that would criminalize nuclear weapons. Last month when the United Nations treaty opened up for signatures, the U.S. joined 69 other nations in refusing to sign on to the treaty, which would prohibit developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, possessing or stockpiling nuclear weapons.
Oct. 10 Istanbul, Turkey
Turkey expanded persecution of journalists beyond its own borders by sentencing a Wall Street Journal reporter to over two years in prison on charges of terrorism. Reporter Ayla Albayrak, in New York at the time of the sentencing, is caught in the middle of a recent dispute over the arrest of a U.S consulate employee in Istanbul. Turkey is currently the global leader in imprisoned journalists, though the Turkish government disputes the numbers by claiming many prisoners are spies and criminal suspects.
Oct. 11 New Delhi, India
The women’s rights movement in India took a step forward after a supreme court ruling that criminalizes sexual intercourse with child brides. Marital rape is not a crime in India, and while sex with anyone under 16 is illegal, there had been an exception for married women between age 15 and 18 until the court’s ruling.
Having been raised by feral pandas in the remote forests of Chengdu, China has always formed a key part of my identity. After my career as a Hong Kong film producer was derailed by tabloid journalists, I knew I had found the work that would become my life’s purpose. I am passionate about journalism because it allows me to step into worlds I would otherwise never know while channeling my curiosity toward serving and informing the community.
