Stories from May, 2015
Robot Commenters Accidentally Expose Themselves on China's Weibo Platform
Patrick Wong contributed to this post. Chinese netizens are having a good laugh over the mechanized missteps of government-controlled robot commenters, who have been criticizing messages sent by their own masters. A few weeks ago, a group of robots seized upon a congratulatory message posted on Weibo over a year...
Ukrainian and Russian Users Petition Facebook to ‘Stop Political Blocking’
Ukrainians and Russians are petitioning Facebook on the Change.org website to protest what they insist is an ongoing issue: unwarranted and biased blocking of Ukrainian and Russian Facebook profiles.
Dying in Secret: The Ethics of Investigating Russia's Ukraine Casualties
A new type of investigative journalism by bloggers is blurring the lines between armchair Internet sleuthing and hard-hitting investigative reporting to uncover information about Russia's role in the Ukraine conflict.
Bangladesh Wants ‘Third Gender’ Hijras to Serve as Traffic Police
Hijras often face widespread discrimination and are shut out of employment opportunities. Bangladesh wants to recruit them as traffic police to help change that.
Philippines’ Deadliest Ever Factory Fire Linked to Lax Labor Standards
An initial probe reveals that the factory violated several occupational health and safety standards, despite the government's assurances to the contrary.
After Earthquakes, Nepal Faces Looming Danger of Landslides
After the earthquake, 547 landslides have occurred in 19 districts and there will be more due to heavy rain during the monsoon season.
Washington Post Reporter Jason Rezaian Starts Closed Door Trial in Iran
"If Iran had a case against Jason Rezaian, it would try him in public. It doesn't and won't."
Singapore Bans Music Video for Its Pro-LGBT Content
"How ironic is it that on the same day Singapore bans a song with gay marriage content, Ireland votes in favor of it?"
What Africa Day Means to Africans and Friends of Africa
Africa Day is the annual commemoration of the 1963 founding of the Organisation of African Unity, when the leaders of 30 independent African states signed a founding charter in Ethiopia.
Leaked Emails Reveal Details of China's Online ‘Youth Civilization Volunteers’
'Speak out in a timely way and positively guide mistaken opinions and thoughts in order to grow mainstream thought and sentiment on the Internet.'
It's a Small (Social Media) World, After All
Instagram snapshot of kimono-clad Kyoto resident connects two strangers on social media.
Region-wide Presidential Term Limits for West Africa? Not So Fast.
West African leaders have dropped the idea of instituting a two-presidential-term limit across the region, thanks to the opposition of Gambia and Togo, the only member states without term limits.
Peru Sets Up First Bilingual Spanish-Awajun Civil Registrar
May 21 marks the National Day of Cultural and Linguistic Diverisity, and to commemorate the occasion, the Peruvian National Registrar of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) launched the Awajun-Spanish bilingual civil registrar: Las actas generadas de esta manera tendrán el mismo valor oficial que las actas tradicionales en castellano, y...
Data Set Demonstrates Attacks on Turkish Opposition Party's Campaign Offices Are Systematic
Is it a coincidence that the party which could derail the ruling party's majority in parliament keeps getting attacked?
Southeast Asia Migration Routes and Statistics
The International Organization for Migration has released a map showing the routes taken by boat refugees from Bangladesh and Myanmar when they sought shelter in several Southeast Asian countries. As of May 19, 2015, the IOM estimated that 4,000 refugees are still stranded in the sea while 3,200 have already...
On Dubai's Roads, Women Hop on Harleys and Shatter Stereotypes
You might not expect to see women riding motorcycles if you took to the UAE's roads, but a group of women from all over the world are doing just that.
In Argentina, a March on the ‘Global Day of Action Against Monsanto’
"In #Argentina 300 million liters of glyphosate are sprayed annually across 28 million hectares of plantation, affecting more than 10 million people."
Iranian Reformists Commemorate the Anniversary of Ex-President Khatami's Election on Twitter
The hashtag #second_ofKhordad_Iam is trending to commemorate the 1997 election of the reformist former President Mohammad Khatami.
Dear Ukrainian Officials: Russian Security Services Thank You for Your Cooperation!
A group of journalists pulled a prank on Ukrainian officials who use Russian email services, alerting them to the dangers of careless information security policies.
Scandal in Argentina as Judges Say a Six-Year Old's Alleged Homosexuality Invited Sexual Abuse
'This moronic "judge" Piombo who calls a six-year-old a transvestite deserves to be thrown in jail!'
Thailand Police Detains Student Protesters During Coup Anniversary
"We cannot build a democratic society if we lack freedom, liberty, rights, justice, and reconciliation."