Stories from 12 April 2015
Unseasonal Gaza Hailstorm Draws Attention to Palestinian Refugees’ Plight
Netizens are reporting unseasonal snowfall in Gaza today. Others say it's just hail. But for many the suffering of Gaza's 108,000 homeless and internally displaced refugees comes to mind.
Are ISIS Fighters in Rakka Infested with Skin Disease Leishmaniasis?
News is spreading that ISIS fighters in the Syrian town of Rakka have been hit by a skin condition caused by a parasite known as Leishmaniasis. According to the World Health Organisation, the disease is “caused by the protozoan Leishmania parasites which are transmitted by the bite of infected sandflies.The...
Egypt's Nationality Laws Are Sexist: Men Can Pass on Nationality to Their Wives, While Women Can't
While Egyptian men could pass on their nationality to their wives, Egyptian women don't have the same right. One Twitter user, Salma El-Daly, vows to fight this law.
Snow-Capped Mountains and Rushing Rivers, but No Water to Drink in Nepal's Capital
As the 7th World Water Forum kicks off in South Korea this week, Nepal provides an unusual case study of shortage in the midst of abundance.
Another Shark Attack Claims a Teenage Surfer on Reunion Island, Post-Attack Policy in Effect
A 13-year-old boy was killed by a shark on April 12 near Les Aigrettes on Reunion island. Elio Canestri was a promising surfer and a member of the local surfing club. The local community is shocked by the tragic news. A Facebook page was set up to commemorate his life, with...
Iran's Minister of ICT Suggests Instagram Will Not Be (Completely) Blocked Until an Alternative Is Found
Iran's leading reformist newspaper, Shargh, ran an article this past Sunday entitled: “The promises of the Minister of ICT to clear the problems of mobile social media.” The focus of Iran's Minister of Information and Communication Technology Mahmoud Vaezi was the filtering status of popular mobile applications, with a particular...
Voting Underway in Kenya Blog Awards 2015
The voting phase of the Kenyan Blog Awards is ongoing and will continue until April 30, 2015: The Kenyan Blog Awards seeks to reward bloggers that post on a regular basis, have great and useful content, are creative and innovative. These awards represent BAKE’s efforts in the promotion of quality...
Japan’s ‘Compassionate Pugilist’ Gives Training and Hope to Poor Filipino Boxers
There are thousands of amateur Filipino boxers who wanted to be like world champion Manny Pacquiao but many of them remain poor and lack proper training.
For Ebola Patients in Liberia, a Way to See the Faces of Those Helping
Imagine being in a hospital with a deadly illness and you can't see the faces of the people caring for you. That's what Mary Beth Heffernan has tried to change.
For the First Time Ever, Judges in Peru Pass Sentences in Quechua and Aymara
Aymara and Quechua have been official languages in Peru for decades, but only in 2015 did judges for the first time employ the languages in their official sentences.
How a Celebrity's Facebook Check-In Brought Down a Brigade in Taiwan
After the photos of the unauthorized tour to Apache helicopters AH-64E were posted on Facebook, 18 militant officials were disciplined.
An Aggressive Turn in Chinese Censorship Practices: ‘The Great Cannon’
"It is likely that this attack, with its potential for political backlash, would require the approval of high-level authorities within the Chinese government."
