Stories about Citizen Media from February, 2013
Syria: “Lens of a Young Homsi”, Photographs of a City under Siege
A group of young photographers from Homs has become an important source of information about the besieged Syrian city. In addition to letting the world know what's happening in Homs, they also receive daily requests from people who had to flee the city and want to know if their houses have been destroyed or not.
Panama: TV Nostalgia
With a nostalgic touch, the blog El Panameño reviews [es] some 70s and 80s TV series, and challenges readers to see if they can match the titles with the posters included in the post.
Cuban Yoani Sánchez's Arrival in Brazil Makes Noise
Acclaimed Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez left Cuba this past Sunday for the first time since 2004. Sánchez will visit and speak at universities, NGOs and government forums in Europe, Latin America and the United States. While many voices around the world have expressed joy and excitement about Sánchez’s tour, responses have not all been positive.
As Japan's Star Fades, Many Struggle for Hope
As Japan's economic growth continues to shrink each year, the Japanese, who find themselves more and more disconnected from their families and friends thanks to grueling works days and the Internet's erosion of personal relationships, are finding it difficult to put on a happy face.
Macedonian Anti-Fascists Protest Against Harassment
On Feb. 16, World War II veterans and their supporters protested against the forced neglect of the Allied Forces' achievements (which include the founding of the Macedonian state), and the continuous harassment of the veterans' organization by the current government at all levels. Filip Stojanovski reports.
God Exists and He Serves the Kremlin
Though the Pussy Riot trial is over, the culture war it launched in Russia drags on unabated. Pope Benedict's abdication sparked the latest conflagration, when political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky addressed the Catholic leader's decision, calling it a path the Orthodox Patriarch ought to follow. In response, Parliament members have asked federal investigators to consider a criminal case against Belkovsky.
Kazakhstan to ‘Work Closely’ with Bloggers
Marat Tazhin, a senior government official in Kazakhstan ordered [ru] yesterday the creation of a database of the most popular bloggers and moderators of major social media networks in the country. He also ordered state-run media and press services of key ministries to “work closely” with the bloggers and use their...
Trinidad & Tobago's Take on The Harlem Shake
The latest Internet meme craze, the Harlem Shake, in which people dance to the song "Harlem Shake" by Baauer, has now taken Trinidad and Tobago – the other side of the world from where the meme began, in Queensland, Australia – by storm. This post checks out a few of the videos...
MDG Consultations Held in Tajikistan
Blogger Teocrat calls [ru] on Tajikistan's young people to contribute to public consultations on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The aim of the consultations is to review progress towards the MDGs and hear from people what they think should come after 2015, the deadline set for achieving the Goals. Many users...
South Korea: Ex-Police Chief Jailed for Defaming Deceased President
A former South Korean police chief was sentenced to 10 months in jail for falsely accusing the deceased former president of maintaining slush fund bank accounts under assumed names.
Lone Saudi Protester Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison
When a Day of Rage was called for in Saudi Arabia back on March 11, 2011, only a handful of protesters challenged the heavy police presence and protested. Khaled al-Johani was the only one of them on tape. He was arrested on the same day and was held until 25 July, 2012. Many thought that he received a pardon. However, last Monday, the Riyadh Criminal Court held a session to issue the verdict in his case.
The Worst Companies of the Year
Here were the nominees for the Public Eye Awards, a contest listing the worst companies of the year, was published by the website Public Eye. Organized by the Berne Declaration and Pro Natura, since 2000, the awards is a counter-summit critique of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum...
SenseCamp Berlin: a Social Entrepreneurship Gathering
Berlin held its second SenseCamp on February 8 and 9, 2013, a barcamp dedicated to social entrepreneurship. The program included workshops, meetings and conferences, to raise the impact of social entrepreneurial start-ups. Creative types, entrepreneurs and those who were interested, were invited to register in order to participate in this...
Bangladesh Raises Voice to End Violence Against Women
With fists raised to the sky, thousands of Bangladeshis throughout the country stood together in city streets and plazas last week chanting "no more, no more!" to demand an end to violence against women as part of the "One Billion Rising" movement.
Journalists Under Pressure in the Gambia Turn to Blogs
The hostile media landscape in the Gambia, marred by aggressive laws and regulatory measures that have almost crippled mainstream outlets, has some journalists in the country turning to blogs to report the news. Here is a guide to some of the most active and popular blogs.
Evacuate the Children of Fukushima
Parents, residents and lawyers are taking to the streets demanding that their children by evacuated from Japan's Fukushima region, where they claim radiation levels continue to be high.
Ecuador's Political Future After Correa's Reelection
On February 17 Rafael Correa was re-elected as the president of Ecuador. According to the quick count, the ruling party also obtained at least 96 of the 137 seats in the new National Assembly. Bloggers were quick to analyze the political future of Ecuador under a new Correa mandate and a new political force in the role of the opposition.
A First for Africa: Ex-Dictator to be Judged on the Continent
A new court system, the Extraordinary African Chambers has recently been set up to allow the first ever trial of one of its own dictators on the continent. The tribunal to judge Hissène Habré, former president of Chad, opened in Senegal on February 8, 2013. Human Rights Watch has been working since 1999 with victims of the ex-dictator, currently in exile in Senegal, in order to bring him to justice.
Yoani Sánchez Divides Opinions on a Visit to Brazil
Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez was received in Brazil by pro-Cuban government protesters, who accuse her of receiving money from the United States' government and of being a CIA agent. The ones that support the dissident's actions accuse the Brazilian government of collaborating with the Cuban government's repression.
Will High Speed Rail Improve Singapore-Malaysia Ties?
The Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore announced a high speed train project which will provide a mere 90 minute link between the two countries. The rail link is expected to improve economic and social ties between the two neighbors which used to be part of a single federation.
Haiti: The Politics of Identity
Tande blogs about “the relationship between cultural identity and belonging” and recommends a Haitian musician whose work goes beyond the identity politics and “offers a compelling example of how some of these tensions play out.”