Stories about press
Uganda: Press Freedom Diminishing as Elections Near
Observers and media activists see a steady decline in press freedom in Uganda, particularly with the 2011 elections approaching. It seems that the reductions in freedoms may also ripple out beyond the mainstream media outlets. According to AllVoices, Uganda's Assistant Inspector General of Police, Asan Kasingye, has announced that the police will be monitoring social media such as blogs, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter during the elections.
Gabon: On President Omar Bongo's death
Sunday night, French media announced the death of President Omar Bongo of Gabon, who had spent 41 of his 73 years in power. Bloggers write about Gabon after Bongo and what Bongo's death means for Francafrique.
Peru: Clashes Break Out in the Amazon Region
The continuing tense situation in the Amazon Region of Peru has taken a turn for the worst with reports of clashes between indigenous protestors and the police. These protests have continued for quite some time, as residents are concerned that the government wants more control of their land for mining and oil exploration. Unofficial reports have deaths occurring on both sides, and bloggers have been following the developments closely with frequent updates on their sites.
Middle East: Bloggers React to Obama's Address
From being described as the "self-appointed world leader" to questioning his choice of speech venue to choosing to turn a deaf ear to his speech, blogs across the Middle East are reacting to US President Barack Obama's policy speech on the Middle East just delivered in Cairo, Egypt.
Niger: Widespread opposition to president's bid to extend rule
Tensions are on the rise in Niger as President Mamadou Tandja moves forward with a referendum that, if passed, would allow the 71 year-old leader to modify the constitution and extend his 10-year rule.
Egypt: Is Obama not Welcome?
Forty-eight hours before US president Barack Obama delivers his much awaited speech to the Arab and Muslim worlds from Cairo University, the Egyptian blogosphere is almost unified by the same feeling. Bloggers are outraged by the massive and exaggerated preparations and precautions being taken by the Egyptian government to secure the visit, and most of them are doubting if the anticipated speech would usher any real change.
Go Farm, Young Man! – How Farming in Japan is Changing
For a country that identifies strongly as being historically agricultural people, the landscape of Japan's agricultural sector is bleak, and has been for some time. Simply put, the workforce is...
Peru: Freezing Temperatures in Puno Result in Children Deaths
While much of Peru and the media has been discussing the 16 confirmed individuals with AH1N1 virus, very little has been mentioned about the 133 children that have recently died as a result of the freezing temperatures affecting the southern part of the country. Bloggers have been noting this difference in coverage, and have been criticizing the lack of planning by local and national governments for what has been become an annual tragedy.
Influenza A(H1N1) cases in Southeast Asia
Several Southeast Asian countries have confirmed that some of their citizens have tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1) infection. The region is no longer swine flu-free. Bloggers react as the virus continues to spread from one country to another.
Sri Lanka: Abuse, Disbelief And Bitterness Persist
The Sri Lankan government's civil war for over 25 years against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended a few days ago when the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed. The question remains that "has the dream of many Tamils of having a separate state free from discrimination died with him?". The polarized Sri Lankan Blogosphere is buzzing with a lot of analysis and counter analysis on the stories of celebrating the end of war, human rights abuse, distrust and communal hatred.
Madagascar: Protester Freed, Journalists Demonstrate Against Censorship
The Malagasy online community was relieved to hear the news that Razily, a protester who was arrested in late March, was seen in public and he seems well and about. While much is still unknown about the circumstances of Razily's release, many bloggers hope that this event signifies the beginning of a return to normalcy with respect to the conduct of the country's security forces.
Zambia: Live-Blogging a Groundbreaking HIV Discrimination Case
Priti Patel, project lawyer (HIV/Aids) for the Southern Africa Litigation Centre is in Livingstone, Zambia to live-blog a groundbreaking HIV discrimination case in the country.
Kuwait: Election History: Four Women Win Parliament Seats
Election fever has swept Kuwait, culminating in a historic and momentous event for the nation! Kuwait was expecting at best one or two women to make it to Parliament but we got four (Dr. Aseel Al-Awadi, Dr. Rola Dashti, Dr. Salwa Al-Jassar and Dr. Masouma Mubarak)! Amer Al-Hilal here with an extra-large 'Special Edition Election' post from Kuwait with reactions from the Kuwaiti blogosphere.
Guatemala: Rosenberg Video Causes Uncertainty and Speculation
A video was recently released by slain Guatemalan lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg where he accused President Alvaro Colom, the First Lady and 2 close associates of being responsible for his murder. The reactions by the Guatemalan blogosphere and twittosphere has even led to the arrest of one for inciting financial panic. However, there is speculation that even more could be targeted for spreading information and opinions about the case, which has been prominent using the hashtag #escandalogt. As details emerge, it is certain that it will continue to be a highly discussed topic.
Iran: Ahmadinejad's supporters launch online grassroots campaign
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has registered as a candidate for the June presidential election. Like his rivals, he now awaits official approval to run in the election from the Council of Guardians. Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad's supporters have launched a multi-media campaign called Dar Emtedad Mehr (meaning, “Following Kindness”) covering social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and other online media.
Peru: Indigenous Communities Continue Protests
For quite some time, the indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon have been mobilized due to attempts by the current government to infringe upon the rights to their ancestral lands. These lands are thought to be good for mining and oil exploration, and some say that is where the real intentions lie. Recently these protests have restarted throughout different parts of the Amazon region.
Iran: Movement of 1000 bloggers supports Mousavi for presidency
Supporters of two leading reformist presidential candidates, former prime minister Mir Hussein Mousavi and former parliament speaker, Mehdi Karroubi are using the internet, including blogs and Facebook, to beef up their chances of being selected as presidential candidates by the Guardian Council in June's election.
Mexico: Scenes From an Outbreak
Almost two weeks after the outbreak of the H1N1 virus, Mexico City was declared in “state of emergency” suspending activities at closed populated spaces, such as schools, workplaces and restaurants, as well as large public events, such as concerts and football matches. Most residents wore protective face masks and their interactions with one another helped paint a unique and devastating landscape of the streets of Mexico.
Southeast Asia: Reactions to the H1N1 virus
Early this year, I wrote about the virus scare which swept the Southeast Asian region. Rising cases of dengue fever, chikungunya, bird flu and ebola viruses were registered in many countries in the region. There is another threat in the region: H1N1 virus (formerly known as “swine flu”)
China: He saw no conscience, no sympathy.
Professor Xu blogs down his experience with a few petitioners at a hospital. The indifferent doctors refusing to take care of the petitioners and the security guards striving to expel them out finally drives the well-mannered scholar to a furious confrontation- 'You have no conscience at all!'
UAE: Torture video sends shock waves around the world
Last week, a grainy video from 2005 made headlines, shaking up viewers around the globe. The video, first shown on U.S.-based ABC News, showed Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan - brother of UAE's crown prince torturing an Afghan grain farmer, attacking him with a cattle prod then literally pouring salt on his wounds. Jillian C. York brings us reports from the blogosphere.
