Stories about Weblog from March, 2012
The Cuba the Pope Leaves Behind
Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Cuba has come to an end, a visit bookended by the Castro brothers: President Raul Castro greeting the pontiff at the airport and Fidel Castro meeting with him before his departure. But bloggers are suggesting that despite the Pope's message of change and hope for the future, it looks like business as usual on the island.
Guatemala: Indigenous and Rural Communities March to Defend Their Land
Thousands of Guatemalan indigenous people and countrymen participated in a nine-day march to defend their lands, protest forced relocations, and call attention to other issues affecting rural communities. We share some images of the march posted online by blogger and photographer James Rodríguez.
Caribbean: Talking to Giselle Rampaul of ‘The Spaces Between Words’
An interview with Trinidadian literary scholar Giselle Rampaul, producer of the literary podcast series The Spaces Between Words.
Chile: Daniel Zamudio, Victim of a Brutal Hate Crime, Passes Away
Daniel Zamudio, a young gay man, became the victim of a brutal attack on March 3. In this post we show some of the reactions from blogs, online news sites and Twitter since the news broke and until March 27, when his death was announced.
China: Netizens Reactions to North Korea Satellite Launch
On March 27, North Korea announced that it would not abandon its satellite launch in mid April despite U.S. President Barack Obama's high profile visit to South Korea this week. China's President Hu Jintao has been rather prudent in expressing his position, while in the social media, netizens' viewpoints are divided.
Senegal and Neighboring Nations Celebrate Peaceful Elections
An historical ending to a tense electoral period took place in Senegal on March 25. Senegalese celebrate peaceful elections which have permitted the political alternative to express itself. Citizens from Senegal and neighboring countries have voiced their approval, and in some cases, envy.
Hong Kong: Citizens Say No to Undemocratic City Mayor Election
Among the 1,200 Hong Kong Chief Executive Election Committee members, 689 elected Leung Chun-ying to be Hong Kong's next city mayor on March 25. When the result was released, thousands of demonstrators protested against Beijing's manipulation of the election process.
Pakistan: Demand for Independence of Sindh
A freedom march organized by one of the biggest Sindhi nationalist parties, has drawn a huge crowd in Karachi city. The news was either blocked or under-reported in most of the Pakistani mainstream Urdu media channels.
Argentinians Ask to #Freethebooks
The coming into force of a resolution that restricts the importation of books has caused a new controversy. Here we bring together reactions that Argentinians have been sharing in recent days on their blogs and on Twitter with the hashtag #liberenloslibros (#freethebooks).
Cuba: Who will the Pope Support?
Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Santiago de Cuba on Monday, the second visit by a Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church to the island in 14 years. The web, especially Twitter, has become a battleground for dissidents and government supporters.
‘Mujeres Construyendo': Empowering Women, One Blog at a Time
Mujeres Construyendo, the first platform for female bloggers in Spanish, wants to convert Hispanic women into creators of internet content. We talk to its founder, Claudia Calvin, about this growing community of bloggers.
Nicaragua: Film on Consequences of Leaked Sex Videos Seeks Crowdfunding
An award-winning team of producers and actors is coming together in rural Nicaragua to make a movie on the consequences of teenagers making an intimate video which then becomes public by mistake. They are looking for extra funding to cover costs on location in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, and all the money raised will be spent locally.
Macedonia, Kazakhstan: Triumphal Arches to Celebrate 20 Years of Independence
The leaders of Kazakhstan and Macedonia have chosen the same architectural devices - triumphal arches - to mark the two decades of their states' divorce from the larger unions. Filip Stojanovski reports on how the Skopje arch, known as Porta Makedonija, is viewed by the local netizens.
Russia: Kenyans at Pro-Putin Rally Identified As Moscow Circus Acrobats
A month ago, the video of a group of anonymous Kenyan men, who allegedly participated in a pro-Putin rally, received much attention on the RuNet. One blogger recognized the Kenyans as the acrobats who had been brought to Moscow by the Russian circus authorities, to hone their skills and have them later perform here.
Trinidad & Tobago: Bloggers Question Relevance of “Congress of the People”
The Congress of the People began as a break-away party from the United National Congress, but the two entities came together to contest the 2010 parliamentary elections - and won. But with the recent defection of San Fernando Mayor Marlene Coudray to the UNC camp, two political bloggers in Trinidad and Tobago are questioning the continued viability of the Congress of the People as a separate entity.
Mexico: Protests and Celebrations Mark Pope Benedict's Visit
On the streets and via social networks, Mexicans celebrated as well as protested (even with nudity) the pastoral visit of the Pope of the Catholic Church, Benedict XVI, to Guanajuato from March 23 to 26, 2012.
India: Young Women Learning About Participatory Video
A group of young women in the slums of Hyderabad in India are learning how to make videos to change their communities, and in this next film the group of young girls explain what they've learned and how they are helping their communities and themselves through their work.
Philippines: Government Fails to Stop ‘Noynoying’
What started as a substitute to the now banned planking protests is now the latest hit sensation in the Philippines. Filipino netizens discuss how and why the 'Noynoying' protest has gained its present popularity despite efforts by the government to stop it.
Malawi: Meet Malawi's Most Followed Lawyer on Facebook
Facebook has become one of the main platforms for updates and socio-political discussions in Malawi. For example, Malawian lawyer Wapona Kita broke the news of the arrest of Malawi's prominent lawyer and activist Ralph Kasambara in February on his Facebook page. The mainstream media had to follow his Facebook updates to keep their readers, listeners and viewers informed.
Cuba: Pope Benedict XVI Takes a Glance at Cuba's Future
Pope Benedict XVI's arrival at the western province Santiago de Cuba placed the Caribbean nation at the Twitter Trending Topics. Blogs and social media are raging with netizen's opinions on the Pope's visit to the island.
Chile: Twitter Debates Therapeutic Abortion While the Senate Waits
While the senate continues to postpone the debate over the legalization of therapeutic abortion, the exchanging of opinions has continued unabated in Chilean cyberspace, most noticeably following two televised debates on the subject.