· January, 2013

Below are posts about citizen media in English. Don't miss Global Voices, where Global Voices posts are translated into English! Read about our Lingua project to learn more about how Global Voices content is being translated into other languages.

Stories about English from January, 2013

The ‘Vishwaroopam’ Ban: Attack on Freedom of Speech?

The screening of Kamal Haasan's big budget Bollywood movie Vishwaroopam was banned in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu after Islamic organizations protested the depiction of the Muslim community. Actor-Director Haasan is fighting the matter in court and many have condemned the ban as an attack on freedom of speech.

31 January 2013

Pakistan’s Forgotten Hindu Heritage

Shiraz Hassan recently visited dilapidated temples and gurdwaras of Rawalpindi and appeals that these old heritage sites, which depict the secular past of the country, need to be preserved. There...

31 January 2013

Why Death for Distributing Polio Vaccine in Pakistan?

Aid workers administering polio vaccination projects across Pakistan are increasingly coming under attack from Islamist militants. While some Pakistanis accuse humanitarian organizations of spying on behalf of the United States, many employees remain determined to stay in the country.

31 January 2013

Children Crisis in Syria: How You Can Help

An estimated 4,355 Syrian children have been killed so far in the on-going conflict in Syria. Earlier this week, we reported on the steep price Syrian children are paying in this war tearing their country apart. Today, we look at ways in which individuals could help alleviate some of their suffering.

31 January 2013

Zambia: Interview with BongoHive Co-Founder

BongoHive, a Zambian-based innovation hub, has captured the attention of computer and internet technology enthusiasts in the country. Global Voices recently caught up with Simunza Muyangana, one of the four co-founders, who explained what BongoHive is all about.

31 January 2013

Japan Gears Up for the Open Data Revolution

Following the death of Aaron Swartz, an open data activist, the issues around open access and data ownership have been reignited around the world. But for Japan, the seeds of open data just started being planted in the beginning of 2013.

31 January 2013

Slovak PM's Support for 2022 Winter Olympics Bid Draws Criticism

Whereas Norway and Switzerland are planning to hold referenda before submitting their 2022 Winter Olympics bids, the fate of the Slovak-Polish joint bid already seems decided: the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has declared his support for it, without waiting for the government's approval. Tibor Blazko reports.

31 January 2013

Nepal: Wither Democracy?

Siromani Dhungana at United We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal opines that recent political events strongly suggest that Nepal is on its way to being ruled by an autocratic political...

30 January 2013

“Judges in Tajikistan are like Elite Prostitutes”

The judiciary in Tajikistan has recently attracted more than its usual share of criticism from social media users. Following two controversial high-profile cases, Tajik netizens have slammed the country's 'corrupt' judges and compared them to prostitutes.

30 January 2013

Bhutan: Security Taken For Granted

According to tourists Bhutan is a safe place. But ShyGuard at Writers Association Of Bhutan warns not to take it for granted. The blogger opines that Bhutanese should be more...

30 January 2013

Why Did Mali's ‘Soldier of Death’ Go Viral?

This photo of a French soldier wearing a scarf depicting death's face has been shared around the world and has become a concrete symbol for many of the start of French military operations in Mali. But why has this soldier captured imaginations on the Web?

30 January 2013

Navigating Entrepreneurship in Ghana

Ghana, a sub-Saharan country, has many budding young entrepreneurs. Some have even been recognised and awarded by international organisations, including Bright Simons, Regina Agyare and Elikem Kuenyehia.

30 January 2013

‘Student Hair Revolution’ in Thailand

Kaewmala writes about the complaint of many Thai students against the official school hair policy of “crew cut for boys and ear-lobe-length bob for girls.” Some student groups want to...

30 January 2013

Indonesian Hackers Strike Again

Several Indonesian websites were hacked by individuals who are supporting Wildan Yani Ashari, the person who was arrested by the police for hacking the website of the Indonesian president. Enricko...

30 January 2013

First International Urdu Bloggers Conference

Mehwish Khan at ProPakistani reports that the first international Urdu bloggers conference was held on January 26, 2013 in Lahore, Pakistan. Over 70 Urdu bloggers from different parts of the...

30 January 2013

Myanmar: Biggest Barcamp in the World

At over 6,400 participants on January 19 and 20 this year, BarcampYangon not only dwarfs every barcamp in the region but even exceeds last year’s number by over one thousand...

30 January 2013

Two Versions of Mao's China: History Retouched as Propaganda

A collage of historical photos showing two versions of Chinese history during the Mao's era (1949-1976) published by micro-blogger @Pongyoung with a brief comment: "How history has been amended?", has been retweeted 13362 times with 2237 comments within one day.

30 January 2013

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