13 June 2013

Stories from 13 June 2013

Peru: Four Years Since the Indigenous Protests in Bagua

  13 June 2013

June 5, 2013, marked the passage of four years since the events in Bagua, the protests of indigenous communities in the Amazon against legislative rulings detrimental to their interests. In this post we summarize the current situation and some opinions about it, along with the ways in which these four years were commemorated.

Could Fawzia Koofi be Afghanistan's First Female President?

  13 June 2013

The search for the next president of Afghanistan is underway. Last fall, Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) slated presidential elections for April 5, 2014. Voter registration started at the end of last month and will continue until two weeks before the day of the vote. Although a list of candidates is still yet to be finalized, some of the names expected on the ballot are already the source of intense discussion.

Dengue Outbreak in Singapore

  13 June 2013

Singapore recorded 4,632 dengue cases in 2012. This year it went up to 9,847 already. This is a record high for Singapore which last experienced a dengue outbreak in 2005. The National Environment Agency has launched the ‘Do the Mozzie Wipeout’ campaign to promote awareness about dengue prevention

Iran: Viva Reforms

Hassan Rouhani's supporters in presidential election chanted “viva reforms” and Rouhani in Mashhad. Rouhani is supported by reformists for Iran's 14th of June presidential election.

Syria: Old Homs Under Siege for a Year

This month marks the first anniversary of the siege of the old city of Homs, often described as the capital of the Syrian Revolution. Homs, one of the first revolutionary Syrian cities to revolt against the tyranny of Bashar Al Assad, has been subjected to bombardment by the Syrian regime, shelling and raids for more than two years, making the daily survival even harder as food and medical supplies dwindle. Netizens describe what it is like to live under siege.

The Daily Sexism that Women Face

  13 June 2013

A woman leaves an airport and feels naked in the face of the looks that every man throws at her on the way out. All women have experienced this to the extent that it seems normal. An article entitled What a Woman Feels [pt] by Cláudia Regina sheds light on...

China Quotes Foreign Press on Snowden

  13 June 2013

China tightened its media's use of information from foreign press in April, 2013, in a move to exert stronger control over domestic newspapers and TV broadcasts. Ironically, Chinese media in recent days have increased their quotations from foreign press as the Snowden story unfolds. China Media Project has the details.

Dog Thefts in Vietnam

  13 June 2013

Mike Tatarski clarifies that most Vietnamese do not eat dog. However, there is demand for dog meat which gives rise to dog thefts: The main reason this trade continues is money. Dog meat is expensive, costing $5-$10 per kilogram. This provides incentive for something that has been big news recently:...

Environment Impact of Mining in Indonesia

  13 June 2013

An article published at mongabay.com exposes the destructive environment impact of mining in remote Indonesian towns.Some scholars fear that “parts of Indonesia now have the highest levels of mercury contamination on earth.”

New York Times Profiles Global Voices Cuba Contributor

  13 June 2013

According to the New York Times’ The Lede blog, Global Voices Cuba contributor Elaine Díaz “may be the most important Cuban dissident you’ve never heard of.” Elaine, currently on a visit to the US, is profiled in a June 11 post titled “Cuban Blogger Who Reveres Castro Pushes for Reform”.