Stories about LANGUAGES from March, 2012
India: Media And The State
Aagan reports that a recent circular from the West Bengal Ministry of Mass Education Extension and Library Services caused much buzz on mainstream and social media. The West Bengal government...
India, Bangladesh: Caught In The Cyber War
A cyber war between Bangladesh and India broke out last month as Bangladeshi hackers defaced Indian border security Force's website in protest of the recent border killings by BSF. Indian hacker groups retaliated by defacing Bangladesh government ministry websites and a cyber war followed.
Bahrain: Tweeting Against Formula 1
As Bahrain gears up to host the Grand Prix, from April 20 to 22, netizens are rallying for the cancellation of the car race claiming that human rights violations are still continuing against protesters seeking more democratic rights in the Arab country. Mona Kareem sheds light on one Twitter campaign to draw attention to this.
Bulgaria: Construction of the Nuclear Power Plant “Belene” Cancelled
The Bulgarian government announced the cancellation of the construction of the nuclear power plant "Belene" on March 28. This controversial project and the consequences of its halt drew quite some attention. Rayna Stamboliyska reports.
Kuwait: Call to Kill the “Infidel” Twitter User
A Kuwaiti Twitter user has been detained, pending investigation, over a tweet in which he allegedly insulted Prophet Mohammed. The issue is taking a sectarian twist in Kuwait as the Twitter user Hamad Al-Naqi denies the charges, claiming that his account was hacked, while others charge that it is a Shiite attack on Sunni Islam. Meanwhile, a protest was held calling for the Twitter user to be killed for his alleged blasphemy.
Bulgaria: “You will win, Captain!”
After the announcement that the famous Bulgarian football player Stiliyan Petrov (Aston Villa F.C., England, and current captain of the Bulgarian national team) was diagnosed with acute leukaemia, netizens created...
Brazil: Irregularities Denounced in the Council of Representatives of Emigrants
Founded at the end of 2012, the Conselho de Representantes de Brasileiros no Exterior [Council of Representatives of Brazilians Abroad], or the CRBE, linked to the Ministry of External Affairs, has provoked the indignation of expatriate Brazilians owing to allegations of irregularities in the election process for its representatives.
Guinea-Bissau: Constitutional Limits on the Presidential Elections
Claims of widespread fraud during the presidential elections in Guinea Bissau, on 18 March, allows for the possibility that the April ballot will take place with a single candidate – Carlos Gomes Jr. His concurrent Kumba Ialá, refuses to participate in the second round, and the Constitution doesn't allow the replacement of candidates.
Ghana: Social Media Use in 2012 General Eelections
As Ghanaians are getting ready for presidential and parliamentary elections that will be held on 7 December 2012, BloggingGhana community has lauched a social media initiative that seeks to train activists, political groups and students to use social media tools for election monitoring and reporting.
Nepal: Call for Submissions for Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival
The 2012 Nepal Indigenous Film Festival is calling out for submissions of any type of film related to Indigenous youth produced after 1 January, 2008. Submitted films should be made...
Nicaragua: Blogs Tell What the Press Ignore About Sexual Diversity
In Nicaragua, the mainstream media sensationalize news about homosexuality among men and women. That is just one of the findings of a recent study. However, blogs help to tackle the issues from a another perspective.
Azerbaijan: Novruz comes to an end
Novruz, the Persian New Year which is also celebrated in Azerbaijan, has come to an end and, using the example of the oil-rich country, Eastbook says that during the holiday...
South Korea: Politician Ridiculed for Twitter Account “Explosion” Accusation
In South Korea,a politician's ridiculous comment that his Twitter account was "exploded" by the opposition has come under fire. The politician's remark and the governing conservative party's rhetoric have drawn numerous jokes and sneers online.
Madagascar: Details of the 1947 Massacre Still Unknown
TanaNews reports that prime minister Beriziky requested that France returns to Madagascar the archives [fr] regarding the massacre of about 100 000 people in 1947 to repress the movement for the...
Peru: Focusing on Technology for Social and Economic Development
What if Peru were more committed to supporting and developing technology? This is what Oscar Montezuma asks in the blog Blawyer [es]. He looks at the current cabinet of ministries...
Video: Cropshare System Unites Landowners and Land-less Farmers in Spain
Shared Vegetable Gardens (Huertos Compartidos) is a project in Spain that brings together people who wish to grow their own food but don't have the land, with landowners who may have the...
Moldova: 917-Day Marathon to Elect the President is Over
After two and a half years of repeated failures to elect the head of state, the Moldovan politicians finally managed on March 16 to give the country its new president, Nicolae Timofti. But will this former judge become a true leader of the nation?
Macedonia: Video Streaming for the Civil Society
Vo živo.mk (“Going Live” in Macedonian) is a new service dedicated to providing video streaming and recordings of civil society events in Macedonia. The first event to be covered is...
This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere
Again this week, the regional blogosphere was dominated by talk of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Cuba. With reports of repression at an all-time high, Cuban bloggers were dismayed by the outcome of the trip.
Ethiopia: Child Abuse Caught on Mobile Phone Camera
Ethiopian Facebook users have launched an online campaign for justice after watching a mobile phone recorded YouTube video which shows a little girl being abused by her mother.
Spain: General Strike After Only 100 Days of Government
Spain's main trade unions have called a general strike for today, March 29, with the aim of paralyzing the country, and forcing the government to back down on implementing measures that will weaken workers' rights and cut social services.
