· December, 2010

Stories about Breaking News from December, 2010

Tunisia : “We Are Not Afraid Anymore!”

  31 December 2010

The year 2010 is coming to an end but Tunisia is shaken up by a social uprising that many bloggers hope will bring a decisive change in their country. Because of the Tunisian censorship of internet and the media, social media are heavily used to inform and organize the protests for 13 days now by using the hashtag #SidiBouzid. One main question stands out: Why are the protests in Tunisia not having the same echo as the protests in Iran? Additionally, why is censorship by China always discussed but the blackout by the police state of Tunisia never addressed?

Algeria: What is Happening in Tunisia?

  30 December 2010

Algerian-American The Moor Next Door comments on the protests taking place in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. “Police have attempted to block media coverage of the riots (and that the rioting is isolated and being exaggerated by the opposition), but bloggers and activists have posted pictures and video of the disturbances on the Internet,”...

South Korea: Court Rules In Favor of Free Internet Speech

  28 December 2010

South Korea’s Constitutional Court has ruled that a law that bans the spreading of false information online is unconstitutional in a petition filed by a famous online blogger ‘Minerva’, who was indicted for causing disruptions in markets with his false reports. Twitterers, such as @jasmin4243[ko], bloggers, and civic groups have welcomed the ruling.

China: Press conference held following suspicious death of rural activist

  27 December 2010

It has not been a peaceful week in the news, with a crossbow-shooting bomber-petitioner in Beijing, a city administration official killed with a screwdriver today in Fujian province, and the grisly death of village leader Qian Yunhui in Zhejiang province on Christmas day. [UPDATE: Roland Soong at EastSouthWestNorth has been...

South Korea Defined North Korea as ‘Enemy’ in Defense White Paper

  27 December 2010

South Korea Defense ministry has decided to label North Korea as its “enemy” from its newest defense white paper, reflecting the intensified military tension between two Koreas. Some of South Korean twitterers, such as @sohjiroll[ko] considered the decision as appropriate, but worried it may not be a smart move.

China: Christmas Day death of a Zhejiang village leader

  26 December 2010

After more than 5 years of leading and serving prison time for protests against fixed elections and illegal land expropriation, the former leader of Zhaiqiao village in Zhejiang province, Qian Yunhui, was killed Saturday morning in an accident which left his head severed from his body. Graphic photos and thousands...

South Korea: Anti-War Protests in Seoul

  21 December 2010

As tensions in Korean peninsula intensified by yesterday's military drills, protesters in Seoul went out to the streets to demonstrate various anti-war performances, with slogans like ‘Peace to Korean peninsula’ and ‘Halt the vicious cycle of violence’, Catholic magazine ‘Here now’ posted photos of protests.

South/North Korea: Tensions Escalate in Midst of Live-Fire Drills

  20 December 2010

South Korean military exercises were underway today near the disputed waters with North Korea, who threatened Seoul to strike back, raising more tensions in the Korean peninsula. The Korean people, who have had one of the toughest days in recent weeks after the Yeonpyeong incident that killed four South Koreans, sighed with relief as the day came to a close without any conflict breaking out.

Belarus: Users Are Redirected to Fake Opposition Websites

RuNet Echo  19 December 2010

Habrahabr-user webdew reports that Belarus users are being redirected to fake opposition websites: gazetaby.in, nnby.in, charter97.in, bchdd.in, belaruspartisan.in, euroradio.in, ucpb.in, svaboda.in. The design of all these websites is the same but the content is completely different from the original. All domains belong to “Belpak”, Belarus state-owned Internet provider.

Russia: Studying Online Mobilization of the Manezh Riots

RuNet Echo  15 December 2010

Recent riots on Manezhnaya Square next to the Kremlin showed that Russian soccer fans have become a powerful community who can mobilize thousands very quickly around an event. Last week, that  event was the commemoration of Yegor Sviridov, a fan of the Moscow soccer club “Spartak” who was murdered in...