Stories from 12 March 2014
Saudi Arabia Controls Babies Names
You are not allowed to name your newborn daughter Eman, or Sandy, or Yara. And if it is a boy, names like Abdelnasser, Amir or Abdulmoeen are a no go. But that's only in Saudi Arabia. On Twitter, Iyad El Baghdadi shares this list of baby names banned in the...
Russia’s Best News Portal Decimated
In Russia’s jingoist climate today, it is now much easier for corporate owners and state authorities to meddle in the politics of the country’s news websites.
State Stops the Opening of Free Clitoral Repair Hospital for FGM Victims in Burkina Faso
The first hospital to offer free clitoral repair for victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) was open to the public its doors in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso on March 7 but the government refused to allow doctors to treat the 80 patients scheduled for surgery [fr] because of incompletion to fill in the...
Syria: I Am Aleppo, Aleppo Is Me
"Aleppo and I are alike: worn down, full of fire, confused," writes blogger/activist Marcell Shehwaro, in the first article in a series about life in Syria during the ongoing conflict.
For Abortion Rights in Bolivia, A Modest Gain
Bolivia's highest court rejected a constitutional challenge to a restrictive abortion law, while ruling that legal abortions no longer require a judge's consent.
Mexicans are Pushing for the ‘Redemocratization’ of Democracy
The Mexican population is not with Peña Nieto or the political class. Even the polls, which are generally most sympathetic to the president, accept that no one supports Peña Nieto. The political class seems to think it’s just because the economy hasn’t grown, but it goes far beyond that. Mexicans...
Chinese President Xi Jinping Cartoons
Under a special section dedicated to China’s on-going National People’s Congress, iFeng.com, a pro-Beijing TV broadcaster based in Hong Kong, featured series of Chinese president Xi Jinping cartoons. The cartoons are about Xi meeting with ordinary people. Some stories in the cartoon are based on real events. Offbeat China has translated the...
Activists Mobilize for Passage of Brazil's Internet Bill of Rights
Internet rights activists are in Brasilia today to pressure the National Congress to approve the Brazilian bill of rights for Internet users, known as the Marco Civil. One of them is former Global Voices collaborator Diego Casaes, who works with global civic organization Avaaz and wrote on Facebook [pt] before heading to the capital city: Hoje...
Video: China's Social Media Reacts to the Kunming Attacks
The attack at a railway station in China’s Southwestern Kunming city has led to heated discussions on Chinese social media. Many netizens think western media were trying to downplay the incident by calling it “a senseless act of violence.” Watch the video below to find out more comments and discussions...
Academics and Experts to Discuss Digital Discrimination in Barcelona
The ICUD International Conference: Digital Discrimination and Social Networks takes place on March 13 and 14, 2014 in Barcelona, Spain. It will be a discussion space for academics, researchers, Internet and sns experts, NGOs, knowledge providers, and anyone interested in the issues surrounding discrimination on the Internet, especially in regards...
The Land of Fires, Italy's “Gateway to Hell”
For years the land between Naples and Caserta has been used for the illegal dumping of dangerous waste products that are poisoning the environment and causing tumours.