Stories about Photos from May, 2012
Yemen: Millions Go Hungry in Ongoing Food Crisis
In Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, millions of people are facing a severe humanitarian crisis, widespread hunger and chronic malnutrition. New figures from the World Food Programme indicate that 45 percent of the population do not have enough to eat.
Turkey: Poetic Commemoration of Uludere Airstrike Victims
In December 2011 in southeastern Turkey several Turkish Airforce F-16s bombed a convoy of Turkish Kurds on mules who were engaged in border trade, apparently mistaking them for Kurdish rebels. Thirty-four were killed. Poet Bejan Matur has paid tribute to the victims in words and photos.
Israel: Increase in Racism Against African Asylum Seekers
In the past few weeks two cases of rape of Jewish women by Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers have been reported in the Israeli media, prompting a new wave of racism against asylum seekers in Israel.
Thailand: Red Shirts Back in the Streets
Tens of thousands of Red Shirt protesters commemorated the second anniversary of the army and police crackdown on anti-government protesters in central Bangkok.
Spain: 12M, a Ray of Sun in the Midst of the Crisis
On the 12th of May (12M), the Indignado movement demonstrated not only that it is alive and well, but that it continues to have strong social support. The square "Puerta del Sol" (Gate of the Sun) in Madrid is one of the symbolic centers of the movement.
Palestine: PalFest Literature Festival in Gaza for First Time
This year for the first time the Palestinian Festival of Literature was held in Gaza. A group of about forty Egyptian, Tunisian, Sudanese and Palestinian authors, artists and activists were granted permission to visit Gaza and participate in PalFest 2012 from May 5 to 10.
Armenia: Homophobic Firebombing Controversy Continues as Officials, MPs Promote Hate Crime
Controversy continues to surround the firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, as officials and politicians praise the arsonists. Online, however, many are instead speaking out against those nationalists doing so.
Georgia: No Sex and the City
No Sex and the City — Georgian Liberal (an oxymoron) blog comments on the physical confrontation between priests accompanying religious parents and LGBT activists marching in Tbilisi, Georgia. The blog details events as they happened, including the alleged inaction of the Georgian police when they were asked to intervene to...
Georgia: LGBT Activists Attacked by Orthodox Religious Group
Marching to mark the 17 May International Day Against Homophobia, LGBT activists were blocked and assaulted by a group of Orthodox Christians in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. Mirian Jugheli reports.
Greece: TEDxThessaloniki 2012, the Courage to Create
Twelve hours long, with more than 20 speakers and performers, over 700 attendees and 5.000 livestream viewers from 57 countries; on Saturday May 12, TEDx Thessaloniki 2012 provided an inspiring intermission from the agonizing climax of the financial crisis embroiling Greece.
India: Crackdown on Tamil Nadu Anti-Nuclear Plant Protests
Activists are protesting the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project in Tamil Nadu, India. The government has cracked down on demonstrators, detained many and had given prohibition orders for further protests.
Bangladesh: Bloggers March for Murdered Journalist Couple
Three months have passed since the brutal murder of the journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and his wife Meherun Runi in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Till date, the police have been unsuccessful in finding any clues or leads in the case.The couple had been found murdered in their apartment, in the early hours of 11 February, 2012.
Spain: The “Indignados” of the 15M
We share the stories of Karlos, Mari Ángeles, Miguel Ángel and Josep Maria, whom for various reasons, have joined the social movement 15M in Barcelona, Spain.
Armenia: Fears After Nationalist Firebombers Released on Bail
Following the firebombing of of an 'alternative' and gay-friendly bar in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, LGBT and other civil society activists are concerned by the rise of nationalism and hate-speech in the country.
Taiwan: Could the Future Be Nuclear-Free?
Inspired by the shutting down of all nuclear power plants in Japan since May 5, 2012, for thorough security checks, the people of Taiwan have started discussing the possibility of moving towards a nuclear-free Taiwan.
Norway: Discussing Latin America at the Oslo Freedom Forum
Last week the fourth gathering of the Oslo Freedom Forum was carried out, organized by the Human Rights Foundation in the Norwegian capital. The event covered a series of topics that involved other world regions, including Latin America.
Brazil: ‘Hands That Cure, Words That Heal’
With their herbs, gestures, prayers and comforting words, folk healing is an important element of Brazilian culture. Although some people believe that traditional healing art is disappearing, folk healers from two Brazilian cities have just had their activities recognised by pioneering laws.
Latin America: Art from the Colonial Period in 2.0
We present a sample of the numerous blogs, videos and internet sites dedicated to promoting knowledge about colonial period art, a common artistic denominator for the majority of the American continent, the individual indigenous cultures of which first adopted and then adapted as their own.
India: Entertainment Industry Seeks Court Ban on Torrents and Vimeo
For more than a week now, some ISPs across parts of India have been quietly blocking access to the popular video sharing site Vimeo as well as various torrent sites such as The Pirate Bay, KickAssTorrents, BitSnoop etc. Netizens react.
Pakistan: Partition Era Writer Saadat Hasan Manto Lives On
Saadat Hasan Manto (1912-1955) was a short-story writer, a dramatist and also a translator from Punjab. Today his centenary birth anniversary is being celebrated across Pakistan and also in India.
Spain: Arts Also Blossom in the Global Spring
The arts have also flourished with the 15M movement. To commemorate the 15M's first anniversary, the 12M--15M events, and to invite everyone to take to the streets again, the blog # Acampadasol has published a series of amazing posters that reveal many of the reasons behind the protests.