Stories about Weblog from November, 2012
Worldwide Protests for Brazil's Indigenous Guarani-Kaiowá
Threatened with expulsion from their land, with their waters poisoned, and ready to resist to the death, the Guarani-Kaiowá indigenous community of Pyelito Kue / Mbarakay, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, finds on social media and on the streets worldwide support from activists.
Television Network Telecinco Sues Blogger in Spain
Pablo Herreros, the blogger who a few months ago successfully got sponsors of a television show to pull their advertising until TV executives committed to more ethical behavior, was sued by the TV channel Telecinco. After an uproar surfaced mainly through social media networks, Telecinco has withdrawn their suit.
Angola's Sophisticated Censorship
The 37 years of independence of Angola don't translate into more press freedom. Rather, the model of Angolan censorship is getting increasingly sophisticated. The most recent attack was against the "Semanário Angolense" (Angolan Weekly), condemned to the fire for reproducing a critical speech by Isaias Samakuva, the President of the opposition party, UNITA.
Is Meles Zenawi's Ghost Haunting Ethiopians?
Although Meles Zenawi, the late Ethiopian Prime Minister, was formally declared dead three months ago after months of speculation about his whereabouts, his ghost shows no sign of loosening its grip over Ethiopians.
Are Zambia's Miners Paying More in Taxes than Mining Companies?
A podcast (Taxcast) by Tax Justice Network titled 'Zambian miners paying more tax than mining company' has been posted online claiming that miners pay more tax than the multi-national mining companies they work for.
Captivated by Japan's ‘Daidougei’ – Street Performance Art
Charmed with “Daidougei”, a type of street performance, an amateur photographer has spent years capturing images of the art form. His blog is titled “ I shoot nothing but Daidougei, I myself don’t know why.” Let’s take a look at his work.
Trinidad & Tobago: No Simple Highway
University lecturer and environmentalist Dr. Wayne Kublalsingh, who began his hunger strike on November 15 outside the Prime Minister's office as a protest against the construction of one part of a billion dollar highway project in southeastern Trinidad, has the blogosphere talking about much more than a road - many netizens see his dissidence as a plea for transparency in the use of public funds and a demonstration against the cavalier manner in which the electorate's concerns are managed by those in public office.
Ukrainian Football Fans Rally in Support of the Pavlichenko Family
Dmytro Pavlichenko and his son Serhiy, fans of FC Dynamo Kyiv, were found guilty of the murder of a Kyiv judge. In the past few months, Ukrainian and European football fans have organized a series of unprecedented actions in their support.
Why Are Government Jobs in China So Popular?
More young people sat the National Public Servant Exam this year in China than ever before. Some believe young people seek job security while others worry the private sector is getting less competitive, threatening the country's economic development and reform.
Homs: A Revolutionary Syrian City in Ruins
Homs is a Syrian city that is 4,300 years old and is the home of three Syrian presidents. Homsi protesters were among the first Syrians to take streets in thousands to protest against the Syrian regime. The colossal damage months of shelling has done can be seen in the destruction of historic buildings and architecture, hundreds of thousands of refugees and thousands of martyrs.
Protests Put an End to Chris Brown's Guyana Gig
Just over a month ago, Guyanese bloggers were voicing their displeasure over talk of a Chris Brown concert that was allegedly being supported by the government. Much of the controversy was linked to the singer's 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna and the message that his notoriety could send in a country with a high incidence of domestic violence. Now, two Guyanese bloggers are reporting that the Chris Brown concert has been cancelled.
Ecuador Commemorates the International Day Against Gender Violence
Ecuador commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women with multiple cultural events. Ecuadorian netizens also reflected on the reality that many women live through in the country.
Mistresses – China's New Corruption Warriors
In the past week, two corruption cases have been exposed, not by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China (CCP), but by the mistresses or second wives of the corrupted officials.
Are Japan's Upcoming Elections Unconstitutional?
Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda dissolved the lower house of the Japanese parliament on November 16, 2012 and set general elections for December 16, 2012. However, according to a group of lawyers, the value of one vote varies in constituencies and because of this vote value disparity, these planned elections are actually unconstitutional.
Deadly Factory Fire in Bangladesh Raises Questions of Worker Exploitation
The recent tragic fire at a clothing factory building in Ashulia, near Bangladesh Capital Dhaka, that killed more than 110 garments workers, has raised many questions. Bangladeshis are expressing their anger on poor working conditions and exploitation of workers.
Chris Moya, SpainRevolt and Cyberactivism
In this interview with Juan Arellano, Chris Moya, software developer, Spanish cyberactivist and Global Voices collaborator, talks about the protests in Spain, his website SpainRevolt, and cyberactivism.
Yemen: Ashoura Celebration in Sanaa Attacked
November 24th is Ashoura Day, and it is a day that is commemorated in the Muslim world by both the Sunni and Shite sects. However in Yemen, it was a tragic day as four people were killed and more than a dozen were wounded in an explosion that targeted a Shiite Ashoura Celebration in the capital Sanaa. This was the first sectarian bombing to occur in Sanaa, an alarming development with the clear aim to fuel sectarianism in Yemen.
Israelis React to Barak's Retirement from Politics
Israel's Minister of Defense, Ehud Barak, who previously served as Israel's Prime Minister (1999-2001) and IDF Chief of Staff (1991-1995), made a surprise announcement in a press conference today, saying he will be retiring from politics as we wants to spend more time with his family. Israeli netizens react to his resignation.
Scenes from Malaysia’s ‘Green Walk’
Malaysia’s ‘Green Walk’ started with 70 participants on November 13. After two weeks, the march ended in the country’s capital which was participated and supported by more than 15,000 people. The ‘long march’ was organized by the Himpunan Hijau group to protest the construction of a rare earth refinery in the country
Mumbai Terrorist Executed in India, But Will it Bring Peace?
On November 21, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militant and the only terrorist to be captured alive following the 2008 attack on Mumbai, was executed. His hanging rekindled the debate about the death penalty in India and whether it was likely to deter future terrorist attacks.
Rise of Bulgaria's Tomato Revolution
On November 24, people gathered in front of the Bulgarian Parliament in the capital city of Sofia, thus officializing what has become known as the 'Tomato Revolution.' Rayna Stamboliyska reports.