Stories about Breaking News from December, 2010
Tunisia : “We Are Not Afraid Anymore!”
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?
Tunisia: Journalist Nebrass Hedhili Attacked during Uprising
Nawaat writes that journalist Nebrass Hedhili was physically abused by policemen not in uniform in the La Chebba center (fr). Nawaat also regularly updates a press review of the ongoing Sidi Bouzid uprising(fr).
Tunisia: The Cry of Protestors Echoes Around the World
The cries of Tunisians, protesting against corruption and joblessness for the past two weeks, is gathering momentum on the World Wide Web. Netizens from around the world are rallying behind them and echoing their calls.
Algeria: What is Happening in Tunisia?
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
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.
U.S.A.: Liveblogging in the Middle of New York Storm
A Russian Livejournal blogger Etotam can't reach his home for two days due to snow storm in New York. He is liveblogging and posting pictures [RUS] from his car in the middle of a street (check out more than ten blog posts).
Comoros: Provisional Results of the Presidential Elections and Possible Fraud
Wongo's blog in Anjouan provides some provisional results (VP Ikililou Dhoinine projected with 65% of the votes) of the presidential elections currently taking place in Comoros (fr). Opposition claims that fraud has taken place in Anjouan though (fr).
China: Press conference held following suspicious death of rural activist
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
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
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
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.
Côte d'Ivoire: Online Campaign for Peace and Candlelight Vigil Launched
Responding to the call of Diaby Mohamed for a brainstorming on the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire, Ivorian Internet users decided to take action for peace in their country. The Facebook group “For Peace, nothing but Peace in Côte d'Ivoire” was created to promote “Opération Bougie et symbole blanc pour la paix“(fr)...
Côte d'Ivoire: Ivorian Internet Users Fear a New Era of Terror in Abidjan
The political crisis in Côte d'Ivoire is getting increasingly violent. According to the UN, 50 people were killed and 200 injured for the past three days. Traditional media were shunned from showing scenes of violence during some of the skirmishes but internet users managed to publish some video footage of the violence around the country.
South/North Korea: Tensions Escalate in Midst of Live-Fire Drills
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.
Hal Roberts’ Commentary on Internet Censorship in Belarus
Hal Roberts, Berkman Center censorship expert, comments on recent messages of extensive Internet censorship in Belarus. Besides, DNS-hijacking and filtering, Roberts also reports DDOS attacks on opposition websites.
Belarus: Tweets and Pictures of Another Post-Election Rallies
Despite Twitter has been blocked in Belarus, the Twitter hashtag #electby is updated every second. Lots of photos of the Belarus events available at picfog at the same hashtag.
Belarus: Users Are Redirected to Fake Opposition Websites
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.
Belarus: Presidential Election Day Ends in Protests and Crackdown
December 19, the 2010 presidential election day in Belarus, ended in mass protests, arrests and violent clashes with the riot police in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Below is a small selection of citizen media reports on what happened.
Belarus: Gmail, Twitter, LiveJournal, Facebook and other Sites Blocked
Belarus government blocked all major social media (Gmail, Twitter, LiveJournal, Facebook) as well as opposition media outlets “Charter 97“, “Belarus Partizan“, and “Solidarity“, Lenta.ru reported [RUS]. The government decided to block social media in order to prevent mass mobilization after today's elections and following protests.
Côte d'Ivoire: Shots Fired and at Least 3 Killed during March in Abidjan
The citizen media platform Womzomai and its facebook page posted photos from the violence that broke out today in Abidjan during the march. BBC Africa reports that at least 3 people were shot and killed.
Russia: Studying Online Mobilization of the Manezh Riots
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...
