Stories from Quick Reads from July, 2013
PHOTO: South Koreans Protest Against the Secret Agency Scandal
Another round of protests against the state secret agency's electioneering have erupted in South Korea over the past weekend. @wsjfree posted a nice roundup of protest photos on Storify.
Fukushima: No Place Like Home
‘No Time for Anger [de]’, a visualization journal by a team of Swiss media reporter and designers, illustrates Fukushima two years after the triple catastrophe of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami followed by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011. Fearing radiation, some residents sought evacuation to other areas...
PHOTO: Fishing in the Polluted Waters of Manila Bay
A fisherman at work on the polluted waters of Manila Bay against the backdrop of the Manila skyline. According to government statistics, fisherfolk comprise the poorest sector in the Philippines
How Vietnam Controls the Press
Asia Sentinel publishes an article written by Pham Doan Trang about the situation of journalists in Vietnam: The press card system is a sophisticated method of controlling reporters. No card, no access. Without a press card, reporters can't hope to meet high-ranking officials, visit contacts at public offices or cover...
Iranian Mountain Climbers Missing in Pakistan
According to the head of a Pakistani mountaineering club, the search for three missing Iranian climbers has been called off, as of Sunday July 21, 2013. The mountain climbers sent a call for help on Thursday July 18, on their way down from Broad Peak after successfully reaching the 8,051-meter (26,414-foot) summit....
Poland Bans Ritual Slaughter of Animals
Online magazine Commentary and many others have been discussing the decision of the Polish government to ban ritual slaughter of animals, in accordance to humane slaughter practices, which many EU countries have recently been leaning towards. For Poland however, this decision is a controversial one, in light of its history...
Empowering Mumbai's Women Entrepreneurs Through Digital Media
Everybody has an opinion on how to be a successful woman in today's world, but only few actually become successful. Roshan Radhakrishnan gives details about an open house discussion to empower women entrepreneurs through social and digital media which will take place in Mumbai, India on 27 July, 2013.
Egyptian Journalist Menna Alaa Attacked by Pro-Morsi Protesters
Blogger and video journalist Menna Alaa was attacked by angry pro-Morsi supporters today. She shares her testimony, in English, in this post on Egyptian Chronicles. She writes: A smack on my face, a bruise, and a stolen camera won't stop me from reporting. I report what I see and I...
Egyptian Protesters United in Anti-US Chants
On Twitter, Egyptian Hani Shukrallah observes: Interesting, the one common chant in Tahrir & #MB's Rabaa is anti-US – a triumph of American policy! — Hani Shukrallah (@HaniShukrallah) July 19, 2013 Tahrir Square, in downtown Cairo, is the epi-centre of the Egyptian revolution. On June 30, Egyptians gathered there again...
Iran: Campaign Against a Mobile Phone Network Operator
Several bloggers and news sites say Irancell, second largest mobile network operator in Iran, in a sms competition insulted Caliph Umar (Omar).Netizens launched a campaign against this mobile network operator and urged Irancell to apologize to Sunnis for this insult.
Privileges Granted to Ex-Presidents in Madagascar
Reporter Rianasoa posts the image of a document that stipulates what ex presidents will be entitled to in Madagascar. These privileges include but (not are not limited to) the services of five household helpers and two drivers, and a stipend of 6,000,000 Ariary (about $2700 USD/month): Loi N°2013-001 relative aux privilèges...
Sixty Killed During Fighting in Nzérékoré, Guinea
Guinee News reports the latest death toll – 60 – from the killings in Nzérékoré, Guinea [fr] : Les cinquante deux corps qui étaient non identifiables ont été enterrés dans une fosse commune hier. Les autres corps reconnaissables ont été remis à leurs familles. 52 non-identified bodies were buried in a mass...
Chinese Court's Bizarre Anti-Sexual Abuse Poster
A poster, warning people to obey the law otherwise turn from “a fresh daisy” to “a shriveled sunflower”, was recently put out by People’s Court in Manzhouli, a small city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. See Ministry of Tofu for the poster's sexual implication.
China Law Professor: Raping Bargirl Does Less Harm
While commenting on a recent rape case, Tsinghua University law professor Yi Yanyou argued on microblogging site Sina Weibo that, “It does more harm to rape a good woman than to rape a bargirl, a dancing girl, an escort or a prostitute.” Such arguments were echoed when the lawyer of...
Experience of Being Black in China
Marketus Presswood, who previously lived in Beijing for more than eight years, wrote in Tea Leaf Nation about his experience of being black in China in late 1990s. I overheard students speaking in Chinese about how they were paying so much money and wanted a white instructor. One student went...
China: Crackdown on Citizen Movement Activists
Chinese Human Rights Defenders has an update on the arrest of citizens and activists in China. The latest detainee is prominent activist Xu Zhiyong, who is considered a moderate reformer. 25 individuals have been confirmed criminally detained since February for publicly appealing for an end to official corruption and for...
Young and Old United in Nicaragua's #OcupaINSS Movement
Nicaragua's youth began using the hashtag #OcupaINSS [es] to show their solidarity with the senior citizens that were protesting to demand partial pensions from the government. Blogger Mildred Largaespada of 1001 Trópicos [es] explains what happened: And now the action movie begins: The senior citizens occupy the [Nicaraguan Social Security...
Thailand ‘Hitler’ Chicken Story Exposed as Inaccurate
What does the Daily Mail, The Sun, Bangkok Post, Time, Gawker, MSN Money, Huffington Post have in common? They all published a story about the existence of ‘Hitler’ Fried Chicken Store in Bangkok which was recently exposed by Thailand-based blogger Matt of The Lost Boy as inaccurate. Some of these...
PHOTO: “Go Bald for a Cause” in Brunei
“Go Bald for a Cause”, a charity event to benefit the Brunei Breast Cancer Support Group. “The act of shaving their heads will also aid in creating public awareness on breast cancer, demonstrating that hair loss is just a temporary setback on the road to recovery for patients.”
South Korea Suspects North Korea Was Behind June Hacking Attack
South Korean investigators suspect North Korea has carried out a series of cyber attacks on June 25 that temporarily hobbled the presidential office websites and major media sites, pointing out the fact that an IP address used in the attack matched one used by North Korea in previous cases. North...
#Justice4Trayvon Rallies Across America
Thousands joined peaceful protests held in many U.S. cities after the acquittal in Florida on July 15, 2013 of George Zimmerman in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin. Protesters condemned the “Stand Your Ground” laws, legislation in effect in more than 20 states that allow the use of force as self-defense when a...
