Stories about Video from August, 2012
Mali: Can Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Be Stopped?
The solution to the Mali crisis seems to be vanishing as time goes by. It has been five months now that the country has been divided into two parts. Julie Owono explores the current situation in the Sahel region.
Angola: Before Polls, Serious Questions Arise
On the eve of Angola’s elections, leader of the country’s largest opposition party was loud and clear to the media, stating the electoral process was the worst ever. Citizens report on lack of transparency around the electoral rolls, problems with polling staff assignments and lack of accredited observers.
Venezuela: Preserving the Oral Traditions of the Plains
The oral traditions of the plains are brilliant protagonists of the culture that has spread to other regions of Venezuela. Many natives of the Venezuelan plains use social networks and other Web 2.0 tools to spread, highlight, and preserve these traditions.
Tracking Counterfeit Medicines in the Developing World
Some 700,000 people die annually from fake malaria and tuberculosis drugs alone. The WHO reports that the annual earnings from substandard or counterfeit drugs stand at about USD 200 billion. More important than its economic impact, counterfeit medicines pose a significant global public health problem.
South Korea: K-Pop Video ‘Gangnam Style’ Goes Viral Internationally
South Korean singer Psy's tune 'Gangnam Style' has gone viral internationally, with its YouTube video surpassing 70 million hits as of today. This has got many Koreans talking and the scope of such discussions vary from simple praise of Psy's success, reviews of his marketing and social media strategies, to a more detailed analysis of Koreans' deep-seated insecurity about their country.
Chile: Students March in the Thousands for Education Reform
Thousands of students and teachers marched peacefully on Tuesday, August 28, to demand education reform. This massive march is part of the student movement's ongoing efforts to overhaul the education system in Chile.
Save Syria's Threatened Heritage Sites
Alongside the mounting death toll, a massacre is being perpetrated against Syria's heritage. Little is being said about this issue in both mainstream and social media, writes Thalia Rahme.
Assessing Quality of Life in African Cities
One study on the quality of life in cities across the world reports that, of the ten least liveable cities, six are situated in Africa. However, another finds that the populations of certain African cities are happier than those of several European counterparts. So what exactly is the reality of quality of life in Africa's cities?
Chinese Style Romance
Jing Gao from Ministry of Tofu has translated a Chinese video that explains the material conditions of love relation in China.
Senegal: 18 Dead as Floods Paralyse the Country
Heavy rains led to catastrophic flooding in many regions of Senegal on August 26, 2012 with 18 dead and 42 injured so far. The Senegal government has launched a rescue plan with the help of French organisation Orsec to assist victims. Many locals on the ground feel rescue efforts have not been started quickly enough, leading to angry demonstrations on the streets of Dakar.
China: Collapsed Highway In Harbin
On August 24, 2012, a highway suddenly collapsed and killed three people in Harbin, Heilongjiang province. Acitizen journalist video backed up and translated by Beijing Cream at Youtube shows what the disaster scene looked like.
Guinea-Bissau: Women, Citizenship and “Mandjuandades”
Informal voluntary associations predominantly made up of women and sustained through solidarity and the sharing of individual and collective interests, may play an important role in strengthening participative democracy in Guinea Bissau: meet "mandjuandades".
Venezuela: Chaos in Amuay After Oil Refinery Explosion
'The action radius for the propane spheres explosion is devastating. The entrance to Judibana and everything surrounding it is destroyed.' A gas tank explosion in Judibana, Falcón state, has left at least 24 dead and 86 injured. The reasons behind this accident are still unclear.
Belgium: Police Violence
Here is a video showing police in Brussels arresting a drunk man who was beating a woman, before they then start to beat him. A person in the neighborhood filmed the incident.
Caribbean: Escape from Tropical Storm Isaac
Caribbean netizens have their eye on Tropical Storm Isaac, the ninth such weather system for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season. Isaac has been steadily moving up the Leeward Islands, and storm warnings and watches have been issued for Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Bloggers share their experiences, post videos and voice their concerns.
Ecuador on Alert Over Spewing Tungurahua Volcano
The Tungurahua volcano has been spewing pyroclastic material and ash throughout this month, affecting thousands of families, crops, and animals. Scientists and citizens use Twitter and Facebook to inform about the Tungurahua's activity.
Peru's Feminist Activist-Artist: María María Acha-Kutscher
Peruvian feminist, activist and visual artist María María Acha-Kutscher is using the Internet to share her work. From Mexico's Frida Kahlo to Spain's "indignadas" (outraged) and Russia's Pussy Riot, Acha-Kutscher's drawings reflect the life and struggles of female artists and activists from all over the world.
Jordan: Say No to Internet Censorship
Jordan is slipping into a black hole, with new restrictions on Internet freedom approved by the government today [August 22, 2012]. First, the government gave the go ahead to block websites. Now, a new Publications Law, which allows for more control and censorship over the Internet, has has been approved as a draft.
Arab World: Scenes of Eid from Syria, Palestine and Bahrain
Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim month of fasting - Ramadan, was commemorated with three days of celebrations across the Arab world, or so goes the tradition. Instead, celebrations were muted as Syria buried its dead and Bahrain laid to rest a 16-year-old teenager killed by police.
Argentina: “I'm an Organ Donor and I Tell the World”
By donating a kidney to her goddaughter, singer Sandra Mihanovich has created awareness in Argentina about the importance of organ donation. Her example joins the campaign #SoyDonante ("I'm a donor") on Twitter and the video "I'm a donor and I tell the world" on YouTube.
Kazakhstan: Trial of Opposition Leaders Draws Pussy Riot Comparisons
“A Pussy Riot of our own” is how Kazakhstani netizens are referring to the judicial drama involving three opposition leaders accused of active participation in the Zhanaozen oil-strike that turned violent in December 2011. The trials of Vladimir Kozlov, Aizhanat Aminov and Serik Sapargaly started on August 16, and are expected to end within the next two weeks. Kazakh netizens do not believe that the three defendants will get a fair trial.
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