Stories about English from November, 2012
Is the Saudi Government Monitoring Women?
Is the Saudi government monitoring women? Blogger Ahmed Al Omran tells us how it is done. He adds: The problem is not that there is now an electronic system that...
From Ramallah to Gaza: A Tearful Reunion
From Ramallah to Gaza, Linah Alsaafin had to travel through two countries – and two continents – for a tearful reunion with her grandmother. Read her account here.
Syria: Time for a Frank Dialogue
Syrian blogger Maysaloon calls for a frank dialogue on Syria. He writes: What needs to happen now, and not when Assad falls, is frank dialogue with all – whether they...
40,000 Syrian Lives Lost in 20 Months
According to human rights organizations, more than 40,000 Syrians have been killed during the 20 months conflict in Syria. The violence in Syria has caused rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation, where 4 million people expected to require assistance in Syria by early 2013, writes Rami Alhames
Virtual Game Leads to Real Job as Football Manager in Azerbaijan
A 21-year old university graduate who's favourite past-time is playing the computer game Football Manager was confirmed as the new manager for Azerbaijan side FC Baku's reserve team earlier this month. In an unprecedented move this gamer pipped former footballers including Frenchman Jean Pierre Papin to secure the job.
The Surreality of Russian eDemocracy
The Coordinating Council of the Russian Opposition met for second time on November 24, 2012. In keeping with the its online origins, participants and audience members actively tweeted updates and excerpts from the four-hour-long meeting. RuNet Echo has translated an excerpt of the minutes, featuring eDemocracy in action.
Mauritania: “Don't Touch my Nationality” March Broken by Police
On November 28, 2012, Mauritanian police dispersed [ar] a march organized by “Don't touch my nationality” movement and arrested their coordinator Birane Wane [en]. The opposition group was asking for...
Tajikistan Blocks Popular News Website
The higher the walls they are building, cutting people off from the outside world, the more willing people are to destroy the walls and bury those who build them under the bricks.
Syria Protest Videos Online Despite Internet Cut
With the Internet cut across Syria, videos of protests are still finding their way online. On Twitter, Hivos reports: @Hivos: While #internetcutinsyria @ANA_Feed continues to bring the news: video from...
Chinese Netizens React: People’s Daily Fooled by The Onion
Chinese newspaper People’s Daily made a fool of itself this week when it seriously reported that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was named Sexiest Man Alive by The Onion, a satire newspaper from the United States.
Wiping Out Ethiopia's History for the Sake of Development
Ethiopian netizens react to unconfirmed reports circulating online that iconic statues of Emperor Menelik II and Pope Abule Petros might be destroyed because of the construction of an Addis Ababa rail tunnel.
Palestine Gets “Symbolic” Upgrade at the UN
The upgrade of Palestine from an "entity" to a "non-member state" at the United Nations received a lukewarm reaction from netizens - who asked what a 'symbolic' gesture like recognising Palestine at the United Nations would do to Palestinians, particularly those living under Israeli occupation and refugees.
Will China's New Leadership Bring More Freedom of Press?
China Central Television (CCTV) has always been considered as government propaganda. However, the past week has seen progress in its news coverage, including that of Ren Jiayu, a young man who...
Protest Against Chinese-owned copper mine in Myanmar
China Digital Times has put together news story of the crackdown of a protest against Chinese-owned copper mine in Monywa, Myanmar. Chinese state-controlled media outlet depicts the protest as the...
Movember: Campaign for Men's Health Issues
Delwin Keasberry writes about the ‘Movember Tweet Up’ event in Brunei to support the global campaign to raise awareness about men's health issues like prostate cancer, testicular cancer and depression.
Brunei: ‘Bullying Awareness’ Project
The Nina Project features a ‘Bullying Awareness’ initiative based in Brunei Darussalam to help young people cope up with bullying. Internet users in Brunei are asked to support the campaign...
South China Sea or Austronesian Sea?
Le Minh Khai thinks that “Austronesian Sea” or “Nusantao Sea” are more appropriate names for the South China Sea referring to Austronesian peoples who navigated the territory in the past....
Syria Plunges Into Total Info Darkness
On Thursday, the US-based internet connectivity monitoring firm, Renesys, reported that internet was cut off in Syria. All of Syria's 84 IP address blocks were inaccessible, “effectively removing the country from the Internet.”
‘Industrial Scale’ Hunting of Migratory Amur Falcons in Nagaland, India
Each year thousands of migratory Amur falcons are hunted by locals in the Indian State of Nagaland during their passage through that region. On November 1, 2012, Shashank Dalvi and Ramki Sreenivasan first documented the massacre at ‘Conservation India‘ site and the news went viral on social media which resulted in a ban on capturing or killing of the raptors.
