Stories about Feature from 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.
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.
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?
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.
Google Debuts Crowd Sourced Map on North Korea
Google revealed on Jan 29, 2013 its newly revised, crowd-sourced map of North Korea. There are drastic changes of Google's North Korea map and instant web reactions have followed.
Iran's Newspapers Silent on Mass Arrest of Journalists
The world's leading jailer of journalists has struck again. At least 12 Iranian journalists were arrested by agents of the regime's over the weekend.
North Korea: A Sign of Change or the Same-Old Rhetoric?
Kim Jong-un’s New Year message emphasized, among other issues, the importance of inter-Korean relations. While many observers read this as a signal that North Korea plans to open-up in 2013, others say it contained the same old rhetoric of the past half century.
Thai Activist Editor Gets 11-Year Jail Term for ‘Insulting’ King
Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a veteran activist and former editor of Voice of Taksin magazine (banned in 2010), received an 11 year jail sentence from a Thai court for publishing articles deemed insulting to the monarchy of Thailand. Human rights groups condemned the 'harsh' sentence which they consider as a blow to free speech in the country
Syrian Children Pay the Steep Price of War
Syrian children are the forgotten victims for the last 22 months of conflict. An estimated 4,000 Syrian children have lost their lives while hundreds of thousands are refugees without homes. International humanitarian communities and Syrian activists have no choice but to report the bad news to the world.
After 15-year Trial in Turkey, Pınar Selek Sentenced for Life
After three acquittals, Pınar Selek, a sociologist and a writer, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by Turkish courts for the 1998 Istanbul Spice Bazaar bombing.
Kurds Caught Between Islamists and the PKK in Syria
The Turkey-based Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), and its Syrian political wing, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), have stumbled into a precarious situation. They are now administering a string of towns and cities along the Turkish border after the Syrian army handed the U.S. and the PKK control of the territory last summer. What should have been a dream come true for Kurds—who have long been discriminated against in Baathist Syria and aspired to have an independent state—quickly devolved into an even more oppressive replica of their lives in Assad’s Syria.
Turkmenistan: Human Rights? What Human Rights?
In Turkmenistan, which ranks among the world's "worst of the worst" human rights abusers, the very existence of such rights is seen as 'fiction'. Some netizens blame Ashgabat's repressive regime on geopolitics. Yet some others say the country has a right to restrict the rights of its citizens.
Philippines: US Navy Ship Damages ‘Protected’ Tubbataha Reefs
Filipino netizens, environmentalists, and nationalists are angry after a United States Navy minesweeper, the USS Guardian, caused damage to the corals of the Tubbataha Reefs in the Sulu Sea. The Tubbataha Reefs was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It is a protected marine area that is off-limits to ships.
Decades-old Banned Song Inspires Many in Japan
The Annual New Year's Eve music show by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) intrigued many because of a performance by Akihiro Miwa. He sang Yoitomake no Uta (Song for the Yoitomake) which had been banned from broadcasting in Japan for decades.
Iran: A Crime on YouTube, an Execution in Public
Two young men, Alireza Mafiha and Mohammad Ali Sarvari, were executed by hanging in Tehran, Iran in the early hours of January 20, before the eyes of public spectators who had gathered to watch.
An “OMG Law” for Lebanon During Election Year?
This year a parliamentary election year in Lebanon and this means that once again, electoral law debates make headlines in a country marked by institutionalized sectarianism.
Inside the Audacious Assassination Attempt in Bulgaria
The January 19 gunman attack on the Bulgarian politician Ahmed Dogan has provoked many reactions by politicians and netizens - with some convinced that the assassination attempt was staged.
Diplomatic Passports for Religious Representatives in Brazil?
The Ministry of External Relations issued diplomatic passports to the heads of the evangelical World Church of the Power of God, sparking a discussion on the notion of secularism enshrined in Brazil's constitution.
Philippines: Anti-Cybercrime Law Denounced as ‘Cyber Martial Law’
More voices in the Philippines are questioning the Cybercrime Prevention Law as the oral arguments on the petitions against the law are being heard in the Supreme Court. The law was denounced by activists as a 'Cyber Martial Law' because of provisions that would limit free speech and expression in the internet sphere
Tajikistan Remains ‘Hell for Gays’
A recent discussion in the blogosphere offers a rare glimpse into what it means to be gay in Tajikistan and how the country's people view members of the LGBT community.
Earthquake Debris Disposal Divides Japan
One year and ten months have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake hit. The affected areas are now making steps towards recovery thanks to the support from all over Japan and around the globe. However one remaining issue, disaster debris incineration, is dividing the country.
