13 February 2010

Stories from 13 February 2010

Russia: Copy-Paste Online To Become Illegal

RuNet Echo  13 February 2010

The Russian Telecommunications Agency is about to propose a new anti-plagiarism law that will require all Web sites to provide hyperlinks to the original source of the information that they use, newspaper Vedomosti reported [RUS]. Experts argue that the law will be hard to enforce.

Russia: More Prominent Reporters Go Online

RuNet Echo  13 February 2010

Another two popular Russian journalists started to blog recently, a contemporary artist Dmitri Vrubel reports [RUS]. The prominent reporters for the major Russian newspaper “Kommersant” Andrei Kolesnikov [RUS] and Valery Panyushkin [RUS] joined the community of bloggers.

Darfur: Youth Keep Crisis in the Spotlight

  13 February 2010

Though the major conflict has ceased in Darfur, in western Sudan, the continuing instability and ongoing attacks have been particularly harmful for the region's young people. But youth both within and outside of Sudan have been vital in raising awareness and funds and trying to bring change to Darfur.

China: Red snippet campaign

  13 February 2010

The Chinese government encourages people to send positive message through SMS after banning dirty joke. DANWEI translated Southern Weekly's story on “Red snippets”.

Kazakhstan: About children and president's speech

  13 February 2010

The bloggers of Kazakhstan were talking about children and the President Nazarbayev's annual address to the nation. The kids topic, probably, aroused from the news about the death of Casey Johnson, heiress of the multi-national pharmaceuticals empire Johnson&Johnson, whose daughter Ava Monroe was adopted from Kazakhstan in 2007. Thousand-pa says...

Uzbekistan: President Karimov's thoughts about media

  13 February 2010

Recently President Karimov again mentioned about leading role of mass-media in Uzbekistan. Considering sensitivity of this issue and increasing cases of pressure on independent journalists (i.e. thos who don’t work in the official media), Uzbek leader called local media toothless, reports Vesti.uz [RU]. According to Islam Karimov, today’s conditions have...

Thailand: Comprehensive water policy

  13 February 2010

Worried about the looming water shortage in many parts of Thailand, writer Veera Prateepchaikul calls for the drafting and implementation of a comprehensive water policy in the country

Thailand: Love Care Station

  13 February 2010

The Love Care Station blog teaches young Thais about their sexual health. There are about 600,000-700,000 people in Thailand who are infected with HIV/AIDS.

Two Vietnam websites blocked

  13 February 2010

The Vietnam government is accused of blocking two popular websites. The authors of the two websites, bauxitevietnam.info and blogosin.org, are opposed to several government policies.

Pakistan: The Ban On Kyte-flying

  13 February 2010

Hamza Ahmad Qureshi and Momekh at Lahore Metblogs writes on the 2005 kite-flying ban in Pakistan and discusses the silly reasons cited to justify the ban. In many parts of Pakistan, especially in Lahore, traditionally people used to celebrate the Basant (spring) festival by flying kites.

Pakistan: Website Blocked AT IP Level

  13 February 2010

Teeth Maestro reports that Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has blocked the website http://makepakistanbetter.com on an IP level, apparently for posting criticisms against the government.

Bangladesh: Jhum Cultivation In The Hill Tracts

  13 February 2010

Expat blogger Bernie Allen writes about an ingenious style of farming in Bangladesh: “Jhum cultivation is practiced by the Indigenous people on the hills and slopes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts because of the lack of flat land for cultivation.”