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 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
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
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
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
A year ago few would have believed that Hassan Rouhani would struggle to win re-election in Iran. But when Iran goes to the polls on 19 May, Rouhanis future is far from certain. Hardliners have coalesced around Ebrahim Raisi, a 56-year-old cleric that is sceptical of Irans nuclear deal with the West and is understood to have the favor of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans Supreme Leader.May 17, 2017
#YellowSunday, a Congolese–led initiative, is hoping to raise funds to enable 1,000 women living in conflict and post-conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to train as nurses.May 19, 2017
