Stories about Citizen Media from August, 2013
Missing ‘Bar Heaven’ Patrons in Mexico Found Dead
The bodies of the missing youth from #BarHeaven have been uncovered in a secret grave in Mexico State.
Trinidad & Tobago: No Action on Dog Control Act
Trinidadian diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch, upset over the news that another person has been mauled to death by a pit bull, wonders why the President hasn't yet proclaimed The Dog Control Act.
Conference on Water Ends with ‘Empty Statements’ in Tajikistan
Tajikistan recently hosted an international conference on water. The event has failed to impress the country's social media users who believe that large summits are less effective than tangible efforts to resolve water-related problems.
Russia's Political Firebrand: What Makes Navalny Tick?
Russia's best-known political blogger earned his fame fighting corruption in the private sector, but may now face five years' jail time on (possibly trumped-up) embezzlement charges. In the meantime, he's running for mayor of Moscow.
Peruvian Runners Win Mexico City Marathon
Peruvian athletes Raúl Pacheco and Gladys Tejeda won their respective categories in the Mexico City Marathon [es]. Pacheco won the male category, crossing the finish line with a time of 2:16,53 hours. Meanwhile, the 2:37,32 time achieved by Tejeda gave her the first place in the female category. Peruvian sports...
Kyrgyzstan to Become a ‘Beam of Light’ in the ‘Dark’ Region?
Blogger Bektour Iskender suggests [ru] that “free” Kyrgyzstan should allow citizens of the less free nations in Central Asia, particularly Turkmenistan, to stay in the country visa-free: OK, we have [visa-free regime] for citizens of 44 developed nations. This is great. However, I believe that Kyrgyzstan as the most free country...
It Started With a Kiss: Footballer Causes Homophobia Debate in Brazil
A photo showing a footballer kissing a male friend has caused much controversy and debate on social media as machismo and acceptance go face to face.
Kazakhstan: Script Reform Is ‘Hardly Possible at All’
As Kazakhstan prepares for a highly controversial shift from Cyrillic script to Latin alphabet, its netizens are keen to note that a similar reform implemented years ago by Uzbekistan has not been very successful. Reflecting on her recent trip to Uzbekistan, Margarita Bocharova writes [ru]: It was also very interesting...
China Detains Prominent Online Critic on Prostitution Solicitation Charge
Web users are speculating that the charge against Charles Xue is part of a scheme by authorities to control influential liberals online.
Online Reporting of Bribery in Thailand
Bribespot Thailand encourages Thais to report cases of bribery and corruption in the country. Through an interactive map, the website also identifies bribery hotspots in Thailand.
A Brick in the Wall of Tertiary Education in Barbados?
The government plans to cut subsidies for students at the University of the West Indies in Barbados. Some call it "political treason" while others say the move has public support.
Wikipedia in Guarani
This year, Wikipedia in Spanish reached one million articles and released a basic user guide in Guaraní. The idea is to revive the Guaraní-speaking community in this great platform. So far there are only 20 articles in that language. […] If you are interested in collaborating with this project, download...
Kazakhstan Eyes 2022 Winter Olympics
Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city and the former capital, will be bidding for the 2022 Winter Olympics. However, blogger Politolog warns [ru] that the event might prove too costly for the oil-rich nation. Another blogger, Ylya, weighs [ru] the country's chances to win the bid to host the Games in nine years.
Young Kyrgyz and Tajiks Learn to Blog
More than 20 young activists from the Central Asian nations of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan are learning the basics of blogging at a summer school in northern Tajikistan. Rustam Gulov reports [ru] on Blogiston.tj that participants at the summer school learn to use social media to contribute to public debates on...
Mexican Officials Vote to Change Transparency Laws: A Backward Step in the Name of Security?
Mexican officials have passed a reform that allows for the organisational body that guarantees the public’s right to access information to be overruled on national security grounds.
Crowdfunding Project in Brazil Seeks to Finance Independent Reporters
Non-profit journalism agency Publica is launching a crowdfunding projecy to support independent investigative jounalism.
Russian Political Prisoners Ignored by Everyone
Twelve men and women currently on trial for their involvement in the May 6, 2012 riots appear to have been largely forgotten.
Ugandans Blast President's Gifts to Country's Marathon Champion
President Yoweri Museveni gave Stephen Kiprotich, the marathon gold winner at the World Athletics Championships, a brand new Mitsubishi Pajero and a promise build him a three-bedroom house.
Chelsea Manning Case Surfaces Issues of Transparency, Security, Journalism, and Sexuality
What Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning's case means for whistleblowers, journalism, state secrecy, security, and the transgender community.
PHOTOS: Mapping Urban Art in Buenos Aires and Beyond
A group of Argentines invite you to share and map images of graffiti from your city.
Bangladesh: Startling Disaster Stats Of Three Decades
During 1980-2010 Bangladesh faced approximately 234 natural disasters. A shocking number of 191,836 people died in these calamities. PreventionWeb has the detailed statistics.
