· September, 2009

Stories about Weblog from September, 2009

Serbia: The Death of a French Football Fan

  30 September 2009

Brice Taton, a 28-year-old French citizen and a fan of the Toulouse football team, was brutally beaten by fans of the Partizan football team in downtown Belgrade on Sept. 17, before the Partizan vs Toulouse game. He died in a Belgrade hospital on Sept. 29.

Nepal: Towards A More Humane Dashain Festival

  30 September 2009

Nepal's biggest religious festival Dashain is celebrated all around the world by the Nepalese diaspora. This year's Dashain in Nepal was a bit controversial, with animal rights activists calling for an end to the tradition of animal sacrifice during the festival.

Japan: Anime Character ‘Masuo-san’ on Twitter

  30 September 2009

Sazae-san, a comedy chronicling the lives of the fictional Isono family, is one of Japan's longest-running and oldest comic strips and animations. The animated series first aired in 1969 and is broadcast every Sunday from 6:30 to 7:00. It's not much of an exaggeration to say that at some point...

China: When will the sunshine come?

  30 September 2009

Chinese officials will soon be required to report all their assets as part of an anti-corruption "Sunshine Act" of the Communist Party. But resistance so far has been significant, leading to much online public debate among Chinese citizens.

India: Durga Puja: A Daughter Comes Visiting

  29 September 2009

The Durga Puja is an annual festival that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. Bengalis believe that Durga is the daughter of Bengal and during the 5 days of festivities she visits her parental home along with her 4 children and 2 close friends.

People with disabilities and the promise of ICTs

  29 September 2009

More than 600 million people in the world live with disabilities. Oftentimes, poverty and disabilities go hand-in-hand. Can the promise of ICTs help disabled people better integrate socially and economically?

Philippines: Helping flood victims through social media

  28 September 2009

A tropical storm hit many parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the Philippines last Saturday. Social networking sites were flooded with personal stories, photos and videos of the typhoon's aftermath. The stream of information soon became a “hub” for coordinating rescue and relief efforts for those who had access to the internet

Japan: Lessons in Communication from the Hatoyama Essay

  28 September 2009

When an online Op-Ed piece by current Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama appeared in the New York Times just days before the Lower House elections last month, national reaction ranged from surprise to consternation to pure mortification. “A New Path for Japan” was an abridged and translated version of “My Political...

Philippines: Worst Flooding in 40 Years

  27 September 2009

Tropical Storm "Ondoy" hit the Philippines last Saturday triggering the worst flooding in 40 years which left 50 people dead and 280,000 residents displaced. Social media sites were maximized to share updates about the storm and to assist flood victims