Stories about Feature from October, 2012
Venezuela: Post-Election Reflections
Emotions ran high on Sunday night after the official results of Venezuela's presidential elections were released. Part of the country celebrated the continuation of the 'Bolivarian Revolution' under President Hugo Chávez, while the other side lamented another electoral loss.
Kyrgyzstan: Lake Son-Kul in Photos and Prose
The lonely beauty of Lake Son-Kul has long caught the imagination of foreign visitors to Kyrgyzstan. At the beginning of October when the grazing season ends, when yurts are packed up and the herders head for their homes, Son-Kul fades into myth, its existence recalled only by the surreal photography and prose it has inspired.
Kenya: Money Can Buy Us Declare ‘Campus Divas for Rich Men’
‘Campus Divas For Rich Men’ is a Facebook page dedicated to hooking up female Kenyan university students under the age of 26 with rich men of any age. This bold move in a predominantly conservative society has prompted significant online public debate.
South Korea: Belated Response to Toxic Gas Leak Affecting Thousands
In the small South Korean city of Gumi, the authorities' slow response to a toxic gas leakage disaster has prompted angry reactions from citizens. Click through to see photos of the damage done to the local environment.
China: Student Throws Shoe to Defend Free Speech
A student from Hainan University threw his shoe recently at Maoist commentator, Sima Nan, to protest against the absence of free speech in China. Watch the video of the incident and read the reactions.
Venezuela: Chávez Era to Extend for Six More Years
After the most contested and intense elections of the last decade, Venezuela will see six more years under the administration of Hugo Chávez Frías. Traffic on social networks, particularly on Twitter, was extremely intense, especially moments before the official announcement of the results.
Russia: Crowdmapping Corruption with Bribr Mobile App
Bribr is a newly-launched iPhone/iPad app that allows anonymous users in Russia to submit the locations and the amounts of the bribes they pay. Later, it will be possible to report on the bribes taken as well.
Turkey: Thousands Protest in Istanbul Against War on Syria
Turkey's military has attacked Syrian targets in response to the killing of five Turkish civilians by Syrian government forces. In Turkey, the slogan Savasa hayir, which means “no to war,” became top trending topic among Twitter users on Thursday morning. And since the cross-border military action mandate has been approved, social networks have been divided on the issue, creating a firestorm of opinions from activists, pundits and the like.
Venezuela: ‘Faces and Voices’ of an Election
Through a series of photographs and quotes, Portuguese photographer Eduardo Leal captures the thoughts and feelings of the Venezuelan people as they explain who they will vote for in the presidential election on Sunday, October 7.
Guatemala: 7 Indigenous Protesters Killed in Totonicapán
At least 7 civilians were killed on October 4 when combined armed forces violently removed indigenous demonstrators from Cuatro Caminos, a well-known road intersection in Guatemala. Demonstrators were protesting the rising price of electricity, and the education and constitutional reforms proposed by the government.
Russia: The Opposition Coordinating Council's Great Debates, Day 1.0
"What should the next Duma adopt as its first new law?" "Does Russia have any friends?" Just some of the questions thrown at the candidates for the upcoming elections of the first Coordinating Council of the Russian Opposition. Read the debate transcripts here.
Iran: “Leave Syria Alone, Think About Us”
No shops were open in Tehran's Grand Bazaar on Thursday, October 4, 2012, one day after shopkeepers and merchants went on strike to protest against the free fall of the national currency. Iranian netizens published several videos of protest gatherings, the presence of security forces in the Bazaar areas, and closed shops.
Kuwait: Shotgun Used Against Stateless Protesters
On the International Day of Non-Violence, the stateless community of Kuwait decided to demand their right to citizenship. More than 3,000 protesters took part in the protest, which was repressed with rubber bullets, smoke bombs, tear gas, sound bombs, and for the first time shotguns.
Bangladesh: ‘One Billion Rising’ Campaign Starts
Bangladesh has joined the global initiative to end the violence against women and children by launching the 'One Billion Rising' campaign. The word “billion” in the campaign refers to the one billion women on the planet who are survivors of abuse.
Will Iran's Regime Collapse Along with its Currency?
The Iranian rial hit a record low on Tuesday October 2, 2012, yet Iranian authorities appear confused and powerless face to this financial tsunami. Sanctions are being blamed for the national currency's drop to 34,500 rials against the United States dollar.
China, Japan: Japanese Writers Urge End to Nationalistic Hysteria
A number of famous Japanese novelists and intellectuals have called for an end to the vicious cycle of nationalistic hysteria in Japan and China over the territorial dispute regarding the Diaoyu Islands (also known as the Senkaku Islands).
Brazil: Sany Kalapalo – Young, Indigenous and a Xingu Activist
Sany Kalapalo, a young indigenous from the Xingu region, is only 22 years old and is one of the more active voices against the construction of Belo Monte hydroelectric powerplant, in the Xingu river, in the Brazilian state of Pará. Meet her in the first part of this interview she gave to Global Voices Online.
Hong Kong: National Education Scrapped but Tensions Continue
The Hong Kong government's controversial plan to introduce a moral and national education curriculum (hereafter national education) in elementary schools has finally been scrapped after rigorous citizen protests - including hunger strikes.
South Korean Voters Call for Longer Poll Hours
With less than three months left until the presidential election, young South Korean voters are calling for longer poll hours, clashing with the ruling conservative party. The South Korean poll generally ends at 6pm and lots of young workers, working from 9 to 6 and working under strict corporate culture, have trouble going to the poll. It is worse for six million contract workers whose employment status is always unstable.
Peru: Monoculture Puts Iquitos Water at Risk
In this third and final post about the water problem in the city of Iquitos we focus on monocultures in the Nanay River and the controversy this issue causes between those who support this type of crop and those who advise avoiding it.
