Stories about Politics from January, 2013
Blogging for UAE Detainees
“UAE Detainees” [ar] sheds light on the plight of more 68 Emirati political detainees who demanded reforms in their country. By doing so, the blog tries to attract solidarity with the arrested activists, to lobby and advocate for their release, in addition to gathering and recollecting everything that has been...
“Stop Erasing Hong Kong's History”
To prevent Hong Kong's government from destroying public records, citizens call for legislation to protect public archives and the citizens' right to access government information. As one of the supporter puts it, "a place without history is always a colony," and Hong Kong should be decolonized by efficiently documenting the city's own history.
Spain: An Airport Without Planes?
Spain has an airport that has made both print and online headlines since its opening: Castellón airport. Netizens share their opinions on this airport that has an endless number of absurd problems.
Opposition Party Attacks Russian eDemocracy
Just Russia has always been a conflicted political entity. Nominally, it's a social-justice-oriented opposition party with members in the Russian parliament. During the past year, Just Russia has gained a reputation for rebelliousness, after several of its high profile members began moonlighting as leaders of the unofficial opposition. The party's leadership is now demanding an end to the rebellion.
Hungarian Journalist Kidnapped, Then Released in Aleppo
Bálint Szlankó, a Hungarian foreign correspondent, was kidnapped – and later released – in Aleppo, Syria. He wrote this [en] on his Facebook page on Jan. 23: Just been through a 12-hour kidnapping ordeal in Aleppo. Yesterday morning me, a Mexican and a Basque journalist were abducted by unknown gunmen...
Trinidad & Tobago: Proper Procurement Practice
In part one of a two-part series on governance and integrity in Tobago, Afra Raymond examines the Tobago House of Assembly project.
Parallels Between Religious and Copyright Wars
Rick Falkvinge, the founder of Pirate Party, reinterprets the wars of religion that devastated Western Europe in the XVI and XVII centuries in terms of the current struggle to control information through overbearing legislation related to copyright and freedom of expression: The religious wars were never about religion as such....
Commuted Sentence for Driver Who Killed Young Man Causes Outcry
The Spanish government just commuted the 13-year sentence of a driver who left one person dead and another in critical condition. The pardon has produced an outcry across Spain.
Egypt: Why Open Source Software?
After introducing to Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) in the previous article, one might still wonder why corporates and governments need to adoption it or encourage its adoption. Tarek Amr elaborates in this second post of a two-part series in the argument for F/OSS
Hungarian Student Protesters Face Punishment, Keep Fighting
In December 2012, Hungarian university and high school students united to protest against the large cutbacks in higher education admission quotas. Their fight for tution-free slots continues.
Tobago's Election Results Send Message: Hit the Road, Jack!
Tobago's election results have come in and bloggers don't seem surprised. The incumbent, Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London, won by a landslide, while the main challenger, Ashworth Jack, representing the Tobago Organisation of the People, which has links to the country's current administration, failed to win even one seat.
Philippines: US Navy Ship Damages ‘Protected’ Tubbataha Reefs
Filipino netizens, environmentalists, and nationalists are angry after a United States Navy minesweeper, the USS Guardian, caused damage to the corals of the Tubbataha Reefs in the Sulu Sea. The Tubbataha Reefs was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It is a protected marine area that is off-limits to ships.
Haiti: Like a Phoenix from the Ashes?
Haiti Grassroots Watch examines the pros and cons of the Phoenix Project – a “massive public-private business deal [involving] a factory that would transform garbage from the capitol into electricity, a resource so rare in Haiti, only 30 percent of the population has access.”
Côte d'Ivoire: Charles Blé Goudé Charged with War Crimes
After his arrest in Ghana, Charles Blé Goudé, nicknamed ‘Street General’ and close associate of former president Laurent Gbagbo, was charged with war crimes on January 21, 2013. His arrest caused great debate in the Ivorian blogosphere as it happened against a backdrop of national reconciliation in Côte d'Ivoire.
Police Use Pepper Spray on Bangladesh's Teacher Protesters
For the very first time in Bangladesh, the police used pepper spray to scatter hundreds of teachers and employees of private schools who were demonstrating in Dhaka. One teacher ended up with fatal reactions to the spray and died, sparking intense debate in Bangladesh.
An “OMG Law” for Lebanon During Election Year?
This year a parliamentary election year in Lebanon and this means that once again, electoral law debates make headlines in a country marked by institutionalized sectarianism.
Colombia: Was There a Ceasefire During Peace Conversations?
On his personal blog, Colombian journalist Javier Contreras wonders [es] if there really was a ceasefire during the Christmas and New Year truce between the Guerrilla group FARC [es] and Colombian government, in the context of peace negotiations ongoing since late 2012:
Inside the Audacious Assassination Attempt in Bulgaria
The January 19 gunman attack on the Bulgarian politician Ahmed Dogan has provoked many reactions by politicians and netizens - with some convinced that the assassination attempt was staged.
Flashmobs and Citizen Classrooms – Spain's Creative Protests Channel Discontent
Spain's anti-crisis movement- characterized by its creative protests- has been in full sway since 2011. Here we take a look at some of the movement's tactics and strategies.
