Stories about Weblog from January, 2015
Philippines Evicts Small Vendors Ahead of Pope's ‘Mercy and Compassion’ Visit
The Luneta street vendors have protested the eviction notice: "We love the Pope. We will not harm him. We are not terrorists."
Saudi Arabia to Erect a 600 Mile “Great Wall” to Fend off ISIS
Last week, two Saudi guards and a general were killed when ISIS suicide bombers attacked the Suweif border post, 80km from Al Nukhayb, Iraq.
Is Syria Ready for TEDx Damascus With Its Free Thinkers Dead, in Jail or Exile?
Innovation can hardly flourish while innovators like Bassel Safadi remained imprisoned, and when the majority of Syrian free thinkers have been killed, detained or forced to leave the country.
The French Media’s ‘Charlie Hebdo’ Narrative Isn’t for Everyone in France
One schoolteacher pushes back against the French mainstream media's coverage of minority attitudes about the deadly attack on Charlie Hebdo.
‘So Many Kids Lost in Such a Small Place': St. Vincent Mourns Bus Disaster
A bus plunged off a cliff in northern St. Vincent, leaving at least five young people dead as it crashed onto the rocky coastline.
Nigerians Blast Government's Response (or Lack Thereof) to Boko Haram's Baga Massacre
Those politicians who have responded to the massacre are busy quibbling over the death toll, which ranges from 150 to 2,000 people. Netizens are furious.
Eight Years of Global Voices in Spanish
This January, Global Voices in Spanish turns 8, and some members of the community share what it means to them as a learning tool.
Fact-Checking the Hype Surrounding FireChat in Hong Kong's Protests
Pro-democracy protesters downloaded smartphone chat app FireChat in droves amid rumors of an Internet shutdown. In the rush to cover the phenomenon, media outlets got some things wrong.
The Original Santa Claus is Under Threat from the Turkish Construction Industry. So is Much of Turkey's Unique Heritage
Turkey's construction-crazed government is talking up the country's rich cultural heritage in an effort to reap tourist dollars. But Ankara is better at promoting historical legacies than preserving them.
Stories We Told About Latin America in 2014
2014 was the year in which the US and Cuba announced a historic thaw in relations, Brazil hosted the World Cup, and the Ayotzinapa tragedy shocked Mexico and the world.
Twitter Mocks Anti-Muslim Comments with #FoxNewsFacts after ‘Expert’ Says Birmingham, England is ‘Totally Muslim’
Twitter users quickly got into the game, trending #FoxNewsFacts globally. Social search engine Topsy reports that the tag has been tweeted more than 400,000 times this week.
Comedian Aziz Ansari's Hashtag #RupertsFault Takes Off in Response to Murdoch's Anti-Muslim Tweets
Ansari was particularly irked by the idea that each of the world’s 1.6 million Muslims should be held accountable for the attacks committed by extremists.
This Is No Joke: New Fatwa Prohibits Building Snowmen in Saudi Arabia
Back in 2008, clergyman Mohammed Minijed called for killing all rodents, including Mickey Mouse, during a television interview. Today, he strikes again with a fatwa prohibiting snowmen.
They Are Not Charlie: They Torture, Jail and Kill Journalists in Their Own Countries
The presence of world leaders at the forefront of the Paris rally drew much criticism online, especially since some of those leaders were among the world's worst free speech offenders.
The Man Behind 263Chat, an Award-Winning Platform for Conversation in Zimbabwe
Nigel Mugamu launched #263Chat in September 2012. "We like to amplify people’s voices too – that’s important to us," he says.
Voting For Ourselves
As a result of her no-holds-barred commentary on life and politics, Trinidad and Tobago blogger Rhoda Bharath is often asked who she's voting for in this year's general election.
The Spirit of Henri Young: A Bahraini Prisoner Tries To Take His Own Life
Bahraini Ali Altaweel, 25, has been in solitary confinement for over three years. He attempted suicide twice: once by cutting his veins, and more recently by trying to hang himself.
‘Without Humor, We Are All Dead': Cartoonists Pay Tribute to Fallen Comrades After Charlie Hebdo Massacre
Some of the most striking cartoons and images on the web that have circulated in tribute to those killed.
Is Panama Still a ‘Melting Pot'?
With Facebook groups and discussions on other citizen media outlets, Panamanians search for ways to understand and react to the challenges that come with immigration from its neighboring countries.
Charlie Is Ahmed. And Ahmed Is Charlie: Hashtags Emerging From the Tragedy in France
While we consume news from France, commenting on freedom of satirical expression, Islam and France as a society, the concept of French universalism and republicanism is left in the shadows.
Dance Lessons Over Skype Connect Baghdad and New York City
Dance instructor Sean Scantlebury and his student Aadel Qies live on different continents, but that hasn't stopped them from holding dance classes and feeding Qies' passion for dance.