Ukrainian journalists face threats as separatists make demands of media

Pro-Russian activists trying to impose censorship and control or scare away independent news outlets

Roman Lazorenko was sitting in his office writing an article on the shadowy rebellion that is engulfing eastern Ukraine when, as if on cue, eight men wearing balaclavas and military fatigues burst in. Two of them carried baseball bats.

The youths – from the separatist "Donetsk People's Republic" – said they wanted a chat. They told Lazorenko they didn't like the editorial line of his website, 62.ua, and they had a series of demands.

They said the word "separatism" was now forbidden. Journalists had to describe armed gunmen who had taken over a string of government buildings in the east of the country as "supporters of federalisation". Anything written about this "young state" had to be cleared in advance. The news website had to publish details of a bank account for donations to the cause.

"We recommend you agree to our demands," said the group's leader, who identified himself as Dmitry Silakov.

Lazorenko politely inquired: what would happen if he didn't? "We strongly recommend you do," Silakov said, in unfriendly tones.

Their appearance had a terrifying effect on Lazorenko's small team of four journalists and 10 sales executives, most women, one of whom was pregnant. "We have always tried to do objective journalism," Lazorenko said. "We wrote about what was happening in Crimea. When armed men started taking over town halls in the east, demanding union with Russia, we reported that too. We called them separatists because that's what they are."

Ukrainian journalists are used to working under tough conditions. Following Viktor Yanukovych's election victory in 2010, the president squeezed independent media and snuffed out dissenting voices from public television.

Despite this clampdown, however, Ukrainian reporters enjoyed more freedom than did their colleagues in next-door Russia, where TV and most newspapers are under the Kremlin's thumb. But in the last two months, media freedom in Ukraine has rapidly nosedived.

In Kiev, a deputy from the rightwing Svoboda party beat up the Yanukovych-era chief of the national broadcasting company, accusing him of siding with a murderous regime. (Instead of apologising, the deputy posted the clip online.) The pro-western government in Kiev, infuriated by what it regards as relentless Moscow propaganda, has chucked out several Russian correspondents. One was from the favoured Kremlin outlet Lifenews.ru.

But the worst abuses have taken place in regions seized by Russian troops and local proxies on the ground. In Crimea, anonymous gunmen harassed dozens of journalists, Ukrainian and foreign. According to Human Rights Watch, some have seized laptops and cameras. Ukraine's Russian-language newspaper Vesti has been forced to shut its bureaus in Simferopol, Crimea's administrative capital, and Sevastopol.

In the rebel eastern stronghold of Slavyansk, meanwhile, pro-Russian militia have kidnapped around 40 people. Their hostages include a large number of Ukrainian journalists who had come to the town in an attempt to report the news. Also held are seven European military observers. (An eighth was released on Sunday. The US correspondent Simon Ostrovsky, also taken, was freed last Thursday.) The prospects for the Ukrainians are grim. A masked gunman paraded one of them, Irma Krat, blindfolded, in front of the city hall. She and the others are still in prison.

Venturing into Slavyansk these days is a perilous business. There are rumours that the rebels have drawn up a list of "hostile" correspondents. Russian media representatives, by contrast, are free to report.

Dmytro Tkachenko, a Donetsk-based human rights activist, said he was working as a fixer for two Swedish journalists 10 days ago when gunmen grabbed him. "They took me to the police station. They searched my stuff. They examined my finger and said maybe I was a sniper." Tkachenko was lucky: after an hour he was released. When the BBC's Natalia Antelava attempted to report from Slavyansk, armed men held a gun to her head and told her to leave town.

Late on Sunday afternoon, pro-Russian activists seized the regional TV station in Donetsk, in what appears to be part of an unfolding plan to shut out news sources critical of Moscow. The activists ran up their People's Republic flag and began switching off Ukrainian TV channels. They replaced them with Rossiya 24, a Russian state propaganda outlet. "Ukrainian TV tells lies. So we're turning it off," said one activist, Vyaschelav, wearing a bulletproof vest and clutching a baseball bat. Asked whether he believed in free speech, Vyacheslav looked bemused.

Lazorenko said the situation for reporters in Ukraine was now worse than during the Yanukovych period. "Back then you could go the police if someone threatened you. Now the police don't do anything," he said. He estimated that only a minority in the region – perhaps 18-20% – supported the Donetsk People's Republic. "The irony is that people who say they are fighting fascism are behaving like fascists," he said.

The activists control some of the Donbass region – a patchwork of town halls in depressed small towns – but not all of it. They have demanded a referendum on the region's future status on 11 May. In the meantime they have transmitted their demands to around 20 Donetsk media organisations.

Even before this ultimatum, many local journalists were on the receiving end of menacing threats. One is now in hiding in Kiev with his family. Another, Olexiy Matsuka, said he was staying put, even though two weeks ago someone set fire to his car. His news portal, novosti.dn.ua, is an obvious target because of its pro-Ukraine approach. Matsuka said unknown people had tried to storm his office, and his team had installed security cameras, a panic button and burglar alarm. "We live with constant threats," he said.

Sergey Garmash, editor of the online news site ostrov.org, was amusingly scathing about the separatists' demands, which arrived at his office typed up and stamped with a seal. "I can write a hundred such edicts myself," he said. "The best thing to do with them is to use them as toilet paper."

Lazorenko, a historian by training and the son of a Soviet journalist, launched his news portal five years ago. At first its readership was modest – 1,000 people a day. Now it gets 40,000 hits, and sometimes more. But its future is in doubt. On Monday Lavorenko decided not to open up his central office, which overlooks Donetsk's Donbass Arena football stadium. A tipoff said activists were visiting news organisations to check that their demands had been fulfilled. Lazorenko said he and his three fellow journalists could work from home, but the ad staff could not, and revenues were suffering.

"We know their demands. They want us to remove the inverted commas from 'Donetsk People's Republic'," he said. "There's a clear attempt to impose censorship and to destroy or scare away independent journalists."

What would happen if the pro-Russian militia took power? "It will be murder," he predicted. Lazorenko said he used to get calls from journalists across the border in Russia who said they envied Ukraine's record on freedom of speech. "They don't say that any more," he said.

source : The Guardian

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Yes, A Woman Is "Giving Birth" To A Painting

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Farmer to serve prison time for naming donkey after Sisi

Omar Abul Maged, a 31-year-old farmer, never imagined he would one day be in prison for naming his donkey after the defense minister.

 

However, the Qena Misdemeanor Court has now sentenced him to a year over charges of “humiliating the military” for naming his donkey “Sisi,” after the recently resigned military chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi who is due to run for presidential elections after overthrowing Egypt's first democratically elected president Morsy on 3 July.

 

Abdul Maged's satirical way of protesting against the military-led government began in 20 September 2013 when the pro-Morsy Abul Maged was riding his donkey through his village, called Ashraf in Qena province, covering the donkey’s body with a poster of al-Sisi and putting a military-style cap over the donkey’s head. 

 

The police, when notified of this act from anti-Morsy villagers, arrested Abul Maged along with his donkey and after six months in custody, the court issued its verdict on Sunday.

 

The court decision serves as a reminder of the intensified crackdown on government dissenters. 

 

Abul Maged's arrest in September coincided with the detention of eight activists for spraying anti-military graffiti as well as the cancelation of Bassem Yossef’s satirical show after it indirectly ridiculed the military in the first episode following military takeover in July. 

 

The judiciary's tough penalties against government dissenters culminated on Monday of last week as a criminal court sentenced 529 Muslim Brotherhood defendants to death in the largest capital punishment on record in Egypt’s modern history which raised both local and international outcry.

 

Though lawyers highly expect the verdict to be dropped before the Court of Appeals, human rights groups lashed back at the severity of the verdict as “it raises doubts about the fairness of the judiciary system in Egypt,” said a statement by Andalus Center for Tolerance and Anti-Violence Studies.

 

“The heavy-handed crackdown on any opponent voices will not end the game for one side but will rather ignite the political situation further and keep the economy down,” said Ahmad El-Sayed, a political activist.  

 

Recently, the anti-Sisi comments on social media have rapidly resurged as the only outlet to slam the new presidential runner, safe from the military’s heavy-handed tactics against street protests. 

 

The strongman’s opponents voiced their protest via Twitter using the sarcastic hashtag in Arabic “Intekhbo al-Ars,” which translates to “Vote for the pimp,” in response al-Sisi's televised speech four days ago, expressing his intention to run for presidency, which contradted his spokesperson’s statement last September when he said al-Sisi had no intention to run for president. 

 

Though Adul-Maged's physical arrest was an easy attempt to reign in government dissent, authorities have merely given more fodder for criticism to users of Twitter and Facebook.

 

“From now on ridiculing Sisi is not an insult to the military institution, as he resigned, insulting him is a national duty,” Salama Abdul Hamid tweeted.

http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/farmer-serve-prison-time-naming-donkey-after-sisi

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Perfection Is In Your Grasp, If Only You Redefine It

I believe we are meant to be perfect. I also happen to believe that perfection is an attainable goal. In fact, I think most of us hit the mark every single day without ever really noticing.

I realize that this idea is troubling for many of us, and this is because the generally accepted definition of the word is overwhelming. We just can’t see how it could ever be within our reach. After all, is there anyone who is without flaw or blemish? The very thought makes it difficult for us to comprehend how anything, let alone anyone could be perfect. 

To be perfect, we must learn to see perfection in a new light. While many see it as an end state, I choose to see it as a process. Perfection has no finish line, therefore it can never be measured. It is a constant journey made up of daily steps. Therefore, at the end of each day, if I have done my best, I can say that I am perfect. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t more growth waiting for me. It simply means that right now, I am good enough and I that I am very grateful for everything that I am learning, including the experiences that are helping me learn it.

Perfection happens right in front of our eyes over the course of a lifetime. Each experience, whether positive or negative, contributes to perfecting us in individual and unique ways. Because it happens slowly and not suddenly, we often miss seeing it. Just like any form of growth; the closer you are to it, the harder it is to detect. 

The other challenge is that even when we see it, others around us may not, making us doubt that we are actually seeing it ourselves. Perfection cannot be quantified, compared or contrasted. It will always be different for me than it is for you. After all, perfection is in the eye of the beholder. As long as I hold on to some preconceived definition of perfection, I will always see myself, you, and everything else as being less than perfect. It simply cannot be measured, and as long as I try, I will always fall short. It can only be experienced in the flow of life.

Some time ago, I discovered something interesting. One day, it occurred to me that if I quit worrying about what others think of my efforts, and started focusing on what I think, then I was not only able to see myself as perfect, but also everybody else around me in the same light. I learned that because I was so worried about how others might see me that I judged them more critically. End result — no one measured up, and we all lived with the phrase: “No one’s perfect”. What a sad way to live.

Perfection happens in two simple steps. If we are paying attention, each one triggers the other. Together, they form a cycle that drives all of the improvement ever accomplished. 

The first step is to examine our circumstances. This is how we gain an understanding of what it will take to live into the next level. This is how we identify what it will take to become powerful creators instead of miserable creatures of circumstance.

The second step is to act on the discoveries we make during the self-examination process. This may mean that we need to start doing some things while we stop doing other things. Either way, we must act. As long as we are in motion we are in the process of perfection.

Why do we think it is impossible to be perfect?

Simply put, we live in a world that inflates the value of success, and minimizes the value of failure. Perfection is only possible when we understand that success and failure are equal contributors. They are both vital to our growth and development. Together, they provide the opportunity for us to live to our potential: which is to be perfect. 

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Ways To Recover From The End Of A Toxic Relationship

Heartache requires recovery time. Unfortunately, the truly unhealthy relationships we engage in are sometimes the hardest ones to shake.

Whether the person was emotionally abusive, never sober around you or if constantly made empty promises, it can sometimes take a great deal of time to recover.

The good news is, you’re not alone. Lots of people have genuine feelings for others who treat them terribly in return. You’re not weird, messed up or wrong for loving this person, but you should know that the sooner you can get out of that dark place he or she is keeping you in, the better off you’ll be.

It wasn’t until after my last relationship was over that I realized it was a toxic one. I was involved with a man who saw my worth and wanted to have me, but just wasn’t ready for me.

He always stood me up and even failed to answer phone calls and texts on the day he himself had agreed and planned on meeting my parents. He would drink or do drugs excessively, to the point where he once told me he loved me as I helped him stumble back home to his apartment at 2 am.

Even when he knew he was treating me unfairly and ended things, he tried to keep me on the hook and said we could continue getting to know each other — non-exclusively, of course.

I was not happy dating him, but obviously some part of me really wanted to make it work. And even though he did a pretty awful job of it, I truly believe he wanted to make it work, too.

In the end, though, I felt like I kept offering love to him and he was happily taking it, all while rarely reciprocating the sentiment.

Your breakup is different from my breakup is different from any other breakup. You’ll know what you need more than anyone during this time of healing and rediscovering your worth. But as someone who’s been there and witnessed close friends work their way out of unhealthy relationships, here are some things that will hopefully help you along the way:

Don’t contact him or her.

It’s so tempting, but no matter what, no texts, no calls and no emails. Nothing! Unfriend this person on Facebook, block his or her Twitter feed and resist the urge to hop on his or her Instagram account.

I’m a personal fan of the cold turkey approach because, even though it’s painful at first, it doesn’t prolong the pain. This might not be your usual post-breakup protocol, but this is a person who was no good to you and you need him or her out of your life.

Yes, even if it hurts, even if you dated for years and even if he or she claims to love you still.

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Make a list.

It’s good to see it on paper, so make a list of all the things that were hurtful, wrong or bad about your relationship.

You might still be totally in love with this person who treated your heart like a steaming pile of crud, but at least recognize the fact that things were far from perfect.

After my ex and I broke up, I made a list entitled “Things I Don’t Like About the Guy I Like,” and it helped me realize a lot of the negative aspects of the relationship that I had been overlooking.

You might notice forgivable things that make you miss the person a little — how he cracked his knuckles all the time or how she loved trashy reality tv.

However, other things, like the fact that she was doing lots of blow or he stood you up multiple times, will make you thankful to be out of that relationship.

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Stay busy with positive people you can trust.

This is a given with any breakup, really, but it’s especially important to fill the void you’re feeling with people who will have a bright, positive presence in your life.

Instead of wallowing, fill up your schedule with friends who understand you’re going through a hard breakup and want to help you out of that dark place.

The night after my breakup, I went to a concert with one of my best friends and it was such a great thing to do. I was sad and still a little shocked, but it was far better than sitting in my bedroom crying alone.

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Date — yes, seriously! — and preferably outside of your “type.”

Of course you should have alone time, but when you feel ready to see other people — whether this means casual sex, dating, or both — keep an open mind.

I got to know a really great guy after my toxic relationship ended and I was incredibly clear with him that I was emotionally unavailable.

He was different from my ex in that he called, followed through with plans and he was honest about his situation (since he was also dealing with a breakup).

Things were never meant to work out between us because of the circumstances, but we’ve managed to remain friends because he’s someone I trust. Find people who can help you regain trust in others, as well as in yourself.

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Write awful poetry.

Go out, buy a journal or sketchbook, and just write. If you don’t consider yourself much of a writer, you might feel a little silly doing this. I felt hopelessly pathetic sitting on my bed writing sad poems and thinking about my ex.

The truth is, you don’t have to share it with anyone, you don’t have to go back years later and read it, and you don’t even have to save it. Hell, burn it when you’re done if you’d like.

You’re experiencing a lot of frustration, sadness, confusion and anger, and this is a safe outlet for all of it.

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Be happy.

One of my favorite quotes is, “If you want to be happy, be.” Thanks for that one, Tolstoy. Ridding your life of toxic people is a challenge, but in between all the difficult times, try to remember the wonderful, positive and great things in your life.

That relationship is something you went through, but it does not have to define you.

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Reasons Why You Like Someone’s Post On Facebook

So you’re on Facebook. Welcome to Earth. The social media giant has become the central hub for posting pictures, stalking acquaintances, ignoring event invites and boosting the self-esteem of members of our social circle by “liking” their posts.

“Likes” are Facebook’s social currency, and there’s plenty of them circulating. The only problem is that most of the time, we don’t actually like the things we “like” on Facebook. Instead, we click the thumbs up button for a variety of reasons that have little to do with legitimate interest, mostly because our society is kind of pathetic, and also because Facebook is that place where appearance has little to do with reality.

So in no particular order, here are the five types of likes you’re bound to come across on the Book of Face:

The Pity Like

There it is, a status update that no one has liked. You scroll down your timeline and you don’t want to see it, but you do, and now that you see that it doesn’t have any likes, you can’t look away.

You might not even read the actual status. And if you do, you’ll understand why no one’s liked it. Maybe it’s because the post doesn’t make sense, or it’s about pot roast, or it’s three pages long, or it’s about vomit. But there it is. All alone, for 7 hours with no likes. So you “like” the status. You don’t actually like the status. You probably didn’t even read it. But you pity your Facebook friend and want them to think that at least one person pretends to care what they have to say.

The Guilt Trip Like

Your friend has posted about the tragedy she recently endured for the 137th time. As much as you feel bad for her, you’re tired of hearing about this tragedy in every single status update. You don’t like these statuses. In fact, you hate them. Because they make you sad, and they make you think about what a bad friend you are for not checking on her more often, and they make you think about the people you’ve recently lost, and they make you not want to check Facebook for the next month to avoid seeing similar updates.

But 37 other people, most of them in your circle of friends, have already liked this status, and you kind of look like a douche if you don’t, too. So despite the fact that you hope to never read another status like it, and you actually hate this status, you just liked it.

The Payback Like

Your Facebook friend has been liking your statuses like it’s her job. You, on the other hand, haven’t liked any of hers in months. You feel guilty, so you visit her page, see a photo that’s not hideous and a couple of status updates that don’t make you want to cringe, and you “like” them. You don’t actually like them, of course. But you’re selfish, and you want to appear to be well-liked, so in an effort to make sure this friend continues to like your status updates and photos, you throw a few likes her way.

The “Notice Me” Like

This type of “like” is a strategic move to get someone to pay attention to you. It’s like a poke, if that even exists anymore, except not so weird and ridiculous. Maybe you haven’t talked to this person in awhile, but you’re lazy and don’t feel like starting a chat or sending a message. So you “like” a status you don’t actually care about in hopes that they’ll contact you.

Or maybe this is a guy you have a crush on. Most likely, this is a guy you have a crush on. So even though you have no interest in fishing, and you have no idea why people would voluntarily do it, you “like” the status they just posted about their fishing expedition, so they’ll get a notification that you liked it, so maybe they’ll check your profile, and maybe they’ll text or call you, and maybe you guys will start dating, and maybe you’ll get married and live happily ever after, all because you liked a status that you didn’t really like.

The Genuine Like

In this day and age of Facebook fronting, this is the rarest of all scenarios: You liked a status because you actually liked the status. Not because you feel bad for their un-liked update, or you feel guilty for not liking their umpteenth status about depression, or because you’re trying to get their attention, or because you’re trying to pay them back for all their likes and thereby keep those likes coming. This is for real.

Maybe their post made you laugh, or cry, or think. Maybe it taught you something you didn’t know, or reminded you to sign that petition about Monsanto, or maybe it was a picture of cats, because who doesn’t like pictures of cats? Maybe your friend just got some good news, or someone made a witty quip, or someone shared an article that actually contained some useful information. In any case, the post was like-able, and you liked it.

Hold onto that feeling. Let it carry you through the endless streams of self-indulgent nonsense and advertisements that Facebook has become, and remember that at some time in the not-too-distant future, there may be another post that you’ll genuinely like again.

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Wearable Intelligence in Healthcare

Whatever your predictions, perceptions or opinions of Google Glass, quiet them long enough to read this story.

Dr. Steven Horng, who practices at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, believes a past patient owes his life to the wearable technology.

Horng admitted that while treating a patent suffering from bleeding in the brain, he knew the patient had certain drug allergies, but couldn’t recall which ones.

Without having to step away to consult his patient’s medical records, Horng called up the information instantly on Google Glass.

“Rather than having to excuse myself, it means I can quickly access that information without having to interrupt the patient, lose eye contact, or even leave the room,” Dr. Horng told The Boston Globe.

This story launches in conduction with increased efforts by Google to showcase what Glass is capable of. Certainly, the future (read: success) of wearable technology like Glass remains to be seen.

However, there has been notable resistance from the public thus far, with mounting concerns that point to far-reaching privacy infractions.

The potential for wearable technology is seemingly endless, and may very well break new ground in many different fields. Yet, the line between public and private is much more uncertain.

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7 Signs That You Are Boring

There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting routine in your life and having control over your plans and goals. However, there is a thin line between being in control and taking everything so seriously that you become boring. People tend to associate with lively individuals who bring out the best in them – not with those they find boring, or with whom they barely have anything to talk about. If you are concerned about this issue, read these seven signs that you may be a boring person, and what can you do to change that:

1. You Are Happy When Your Friends Cancel Plans

Have you noticed that lately you started to feel happy when your friends cancel plans for dinner or for going out on Saturday night – when you used to enjoy spending quality time with those close to you? We all have our moments when we want to spend some time alone, watching TV and eating junk food – and that is perfectly normal. However, if you have started to spend more time alone than in the company of your friends, this may be a sign that you are becoming a boring person, and you should do something about it while you still can.

2. Routine Has Become a Major Part of Your Daily Life

Do you like to order the same food, visit the same places or go to the same bars and restaurants? Are you afraid of trying something new, and you would rather stick to the things you are already used to? Trying out new things (be it a trip to a foreign country or simply a nice new restaurant where you can take your significant other or your friends) is exciting, and can prevent monotony from taking over your life. If you would rather stay at home and order takeout on a regular basis, this is a sign that you are becoming boring.

3. You Never Travel

Many people agree that traveling is the essence of life, and that we should all try to visit as many countries and know as many different people and cultures as possible. Fun people are always up for something new, something that would make them shine in every possible way. A boring person, on the other hand, seldom does anything that falls outside of their standard routine, which typically involves mainly working and sleeping. Once you have built a life around this work-sleep schedule, it is difficult to change things. Difficult, but not impossible – the solution is simple, since all you need to do is make an effort to go out and enjoy life and all the beautiful things it has in store for you. Plan a last-minute trip to a place you have never been before!

4. When Friends Ask You What’s New in Your Life, You Tend to Say “Not Much”

If your friends ask you what you have been up to lately or what’s new, and you always reply with “not much” or the classic “same old, same old,” then you should know this is by far the most obvious sign that you are slowly becoming a boring person. To break out of this cycle, you don’t need to get into extreme sports or do something radically different – all you need to do is keep an open mind and do something you have never tried before, be it reading a new book, learning a foreign language or taking up a new hobby. Simply try something new that is worth sharing and discussing with your friends. In the end, even the smallest change in your life is better than no change at all.

5. You Suddenly Change Topics During a Conversation

This is another obvious sign that you are boring. Has it ever occurred to you during a perfectly normal conversation to suddenly switch from one topic to another, afraid that you might eventually reach a dead-end that is mutually embarrassing? If so, then that should certainly get you thinking. Relaxed, interesting and fun people simply let things flow; they never try to force anything, even in just a simple conversation.

6. You Are Too Serious

It is obviously important to know when to act serious and professional, since this can certainly help you get very far in life. But there are times when being overly serious is boring, and even annoying for some people. There is an old saying that says, “You should never trust people who do not laugh.” Always look for an opportunity to tell jokes and relax yourself – just let loose, especially when you are surrounded by close friends. It is very important to know when to have fun, and this is particularly important for those who tend to combine their personal life with their professional life, since they often forget that their job ends at the office, and they should never take their office-related problems home with them (let alone discussing work at the dinner table!).

7. You Tend to Complain About Everything

The ultimate sign that you have become a boring (and even annoying) person is complaining about everything – even the small things that you used to make fun of in the past. This is extremely tiresome for your friends and relatives, and it is important to remember that nobody needs to listen to your problems and complaints. Everybody has their own baggage to deal with; nobody has it easy. No one likes people who constantly complain and who always see the glass as ‘half empty,’ since this is often contagious, and people don’t want to ‘catch the complaining virus’ that will make them see life more negatively. The ‘constant complainer’ is a venomous type of personality that’s not only boring, but that will also chase your friends away if you don’t do something about it.

If you can identify with one or more of the signs described here, then you are likely to be a boring person in the eyes of your friends or colleagues. Once you acknowledge this, you have already taken the first step toward becoming more entertaining and nicer to have around!

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