Stories about Weblog from February, 2009
Arab Bloggers Rally Against the Judaization of Jerusalem
As Israeli authorities evict Arab residents and demolish their houses in Jerusalem, Arab bloggers are set on not letting this pass unnoticed. Another blogger calls for designating a week to blog for Jerusalem.
Pakistan: Sharif Brothers Declared Ineligible For Election Whilst Governor Rule Imposed
The Supreme Court after prolonged hearing of Sharif brothers’ electoral eligibility case, finally declared today that the two leaders of Pakistan's most prominent political party Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz...
Singapore: Amended law to allow filming of “factual” political rallies
Individuals who use their mobile phones to film illegal rallies can be arrested under an amended law in Singapore. Live film recordings of political events are allowed but the events being filmed must first be held in accordance with the law.
Bangladesh: Citizen Journalists Covering BDR Mutiny
Today morning Dhaka was rattled by a fierce gun battle inside the headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR – paramilitary border security force) situated in the heart of the capital. Rumors...
Ukraine: Politics on Twitter
Ukrainian president Victor Yushchenko has an official Twitter account; his tweets mirror daily schedule announcements and latest news items that are featured on the official website as well. There is also a Yushchenko impersonator on Twitter. Former speaker Yatsenyuk seems to have a Twitter account, too, but his political movement's press service would not confirm it.
Colombia: Another Illegal Wire Tapping Scandal
The news magazine Semana recently revealed that the "secret police" of Colombia had been illegally wire tapping politicians, journalists, magistrates, intellectuals and even government officials close to President Álvaro Uribe. Even worse, some of these agents allegedly had been “selling to the highest bidder” the information obtained to guerrillas, paramilitaries or drug traffickers. Colombian bloggers react to these revelations.
Brunei: Fund drive for flood victims
As part of the efforts to collect donations for flood victims, charity drives have been organized in recent weeks in Brunei. The heavy downpour last month caused heavy floods and landslides in the country, affecting homes of more than 200 families, and destroying milllions of dollars in properties and crops.
Egypt: Philip Rizk's Four Days in Detention
A day after publishing “Egypt: More activists and bloggers arrested” on Global Voices Online, news of Philip Rizk's detention spread like wildfire around the world - and the blogger and activist was finally released. Lasto Adri visits Rizk's blog, where he writes about his ordeal and that of another blogger Diaa Gad, who was arrested on the same day and still remains behind bars today.
Japan: Alpha Blogger Awards 2008 (Part 1)
On the 20th of February, the 2008 Alpha Blogger Awards were held in Tokyo. Sponsored by Pringles Chips, the event this year was attended by close to 80 people (including the team of GV Japan), awarding prizes to the twelve posts from the Japanese blogosphere in 2008 that received the most votes on the ABA site.
Fiji: Samoan PM criticisizes Fiji's government
Bloggers in Fiji and around the Pacific are remarking on recent comments by Samoa’s Prime Minister harshly criticizing Fiji’s military government. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said in an interview that he believes Fiji’s self appointed Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has no intention of relinquishing power. He also called on the people of Fiji to reclaim its government
Egypt: Police Crack Down on Student Demonstration
The 21th of February 1946 marks a shameful memory in the modern Egyptian history. On that day, hundreds of students demonstrating on the movable Abbas Bridge were either shot dead or drowned in the Nile, after British officials ordered to open fire, before finally deciding to open the bridge. Since then, this day has been commemorated at the Egyptian Students National Day. Lasto Adri rounds up blogger reactions to this year's events - and how police crackdown on protests by students demanding for reforms on campus.
Egyptians on the verge of insanity
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Egyptians are struggling to maintain their sanity, faith, and stability. Marwa Rakha presents the following selection from Egyptian blogs which discuss dreams, suicide, unemployment and the gruesome murder of a woman and her children - at the hands of her husband.
Jordan: 7iber.com Discusses Vital Issues For Jordan
For the last 10 days or so, 7iber.com has been discussing very important issues affecting Jordan, with issues ranging from water scarcity, energy, unemployment and economics to the recent changes in the government. Mohammad Azraq has the story.
Iran: Students protesting against martyrs re-burial are jailed
Up to 70 students from the Amir Kabir University in Tehran were arrested today, Tuesday 24th of February, while protesting against the re-burial of five anonymous Iran-Iraq War martyrs in the grounds of the university. See videos of the protest and the first reactions on the blogosphere.
India: Slumdog Millionaire Sweeps The Oscar Awards
Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire, a British social film based on a novel set out in India made a clean sweep at the The 81st Academy Awards Ceremony. Its British and...
Mexico: Urban Artists in Monterrey Take to the Internet
In the streets of Monterrey, a city best known for being the industrial and technological mecca of Mexico, graffiti and other urban artists are utilizing user-friendly electronic media in order to showcase their painted works and murals on the internet, but also in some cases to take advantage of the anonymity needed when painting illegally on public spaces.
Hong Kong: Defending freedom of speech
On 22 Feb 09, more than a hundred Hong Kong people took on the street to voice out their concerns about the alarming shrinking of freedom of speech in Hong...
Sudan: Mourning a Great Novelist and Musings on the ICC
After a long absence, a number of fascinating Sudanese bloggers, return to the blogosphere to rant, share their thoughts on recent events and vent. They're included in this roundup along with the usual suspects. After a frustrated rant about Khartoum International Airport's unhygienic condition, Sudanese Optimist mourned the passing of the respected and well-known Sudanese novelist, Al-Tayeb Saleh.
Armenia: Illegal hunting in nature reserve exposed
Illustrating how online activism could make a difference in Armenia, a YouTube video of a chief forester hunting wild boar at the Khosrov nature reserve has resulted in his dismissal.
D.R. Congo: Chimps are Not Pets
The mainstream media is abuzz with news of a 15-year old 200 pound (90kg) chimpanzee that attacked a woman in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. The Ape, which had starred in TV...
New Zealand: Blog ‘Blackout’ protest stalls anti-pirating law
A large swatch of New Zealand’s political blogosphere shut down its websites for a half-day on Monday, February 23 in protest of a copyright law that could have required internet service providers from disconnecting users who download pirated materials like movies or music
