Stories from October, 2015
Bangladesh Book Publishers Suffer Fatal Attacks in Wake of Blogger Killings
Both publishers had ties with Bangladeshi-American blogger and author Avijit Roy, who was attacked and killed in February 2015.
At Japan's Cafe de Monk, Tsunami Survivors Can Get Coffee, Cake and a Sympathetic Ear
Nearly five years after the tsunami and nuclear meltdown in Japan, thousands still suffer the consequences. So a Japanese Buddhist monk developed a pop-up cafe to cater to their needs.
Netizens Think the Controversial Confucius Peace Prize Is Suspiciously Convenient for Chinese Authorities
The Chinese government isn't associated with the prize, which was awarded this year to Zimbabwe's President Mugabe. But that hasn't stopped censorship of critical comments or the communist party's cheerleading.
A Tale of Two Presidents, an Audacious Kidnap Attempt and Misogyny in Turkish Football
"If we will die, we will die like a man, we will not live like a woman. Nobody has the power to make us live like a woman."
Iranian Student Held Without Charge, Pressured to Make False Confession
"Judicial officials...should not arrest youths and pass heavy judgments against them every time they criticize. My son should be sitting in class and studying right now.”
Indian Scholars Return Their National Awards to Protest Rising Intolerance
"We have never seen an atmosphere like this in India before. There never was any fear to freely voice one’s opinions."
Want to Research the Russian Internet But Don't Speak Russian? We Can Help.
Conducting open-source research is especially challenging when you don't speak the language of your research topic. Thanks to the Internet, however, even these obstacles don't make it impossible.
Ukrainian Official Dismissed for Using Russian Email Service for Official Correspondence
Ukrainian authorities believe that using Russian email services could potentially "jeopardize the country's information security" in view of the ongoing information war between Ukraine and Russia.
Mainstream Media Comes Under Fire for ‘Biased’ Coverage of Shia Religious Event
Every year, millions of Shia mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain bin Ali, killed 1,300 years ago. Netizens hit back on how mainstream media get it wrong.
‘Tajikistan's Aylan': A Migrant Child Dies in the Arms of the Russian Authorities
"Umar! Your death is the symbol of feebleness and dishonesty, Be my nation's pure herald before God."
Netizen Report: US Tech Companies Grapple with EU Data Rules in a Post-Snowden World
Ukraine rolls out Russian-style Internet blacklist, Cuba releases artist-blogger "El Sexto" after 10 months in prison, and Bahrain jails Zainab Al-Khawaja for insulting the king.
Kotatsu or Korsy? Is This Heating Method Japanese or Iranian?
Japan and Iran seem to have common techniques for keeping cozy during the winter seasons.
Defending Gaza Using Social Media's Double-Edged Sword
Palestinian social media power user Omar Ghraieb chronicles his journey through the minefield of social media.
Demonstrators in Peru March 180 Miles to Protest Lead Poisoning in Children
The mining wealth of Cerro de Pasco in Peru has poisoned children with lead, and several dozen people decided to stage a 300-kilometer march in protest.
How Poor Service Turned Into Slut Shaming in Trinidad & Tobago
"The victim (and yes, she is a victim) is a grown woman who has every right to use her personal property in any legal way she saw fit."
Russian Lawmakers Reportedly Consider Adding ISIS to List of ‘Undesirable’ NGOs
Senators are reportedly preparing new additions to their NGO “stop-list,” seeking a ban on several new groups, including the already-outlawed extremist group ISIS.
Social Media Help Trinidad and Tobago Police Arrest Child Abuser
Trinidad and Tobago used its social media powers for good this past week, when Internet users circulated video of a child abuse incident that led to two arrests.
On Drawing Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution as a Comic Strip
One year after Hong Kong's Umbrella Revolution, cartoonist Jason Li reflects on his social advocacy comic experiment.
Armenian President's Fake Twitter Account Parodies Azerbaijani President's Real One
'We hear warmongering every day, every day we hear threats and attempts to scare us... We don't want war and never wanted, but.....continued.'
From Okinawa to the UN, the Protest Against a US Military Base Continues
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga went to the UN to address human rights violations he says the Japanese and American governments have committed.
Fans Step Up After Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Hits Brick Wall With Lego
"No Lego on my Christmas-Burthday shopping list @LEGO_Group. Not supporting Ai Wei Wei @aiww is very disappointing"
