12 April 2010

Stories from 12 April 2010

Russia: Facebook to Open Office

RuNet Echo  12 April 2010

Russian daily Vedomosti reports [RUS] that Facebook is going to open its office in Moscow and develop cooperation with local cellular companies. So far, most Russians have been using local social networking platforms (e.g., Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, Moy Mir). The article's translation is published [ENG] in The Moscow Times.

Sri Lanka: A Blogger Elected As An MP

  12 April 2010

Ajith P. Perrera, a leader of the UNP party from Bandaragama, Sri Lanka and a prolific blogger has been elected as a member of parliament in the recently concluded general elections in Sri Lanka. Mr. Perrera thanks his readers for their support and is pleased to be the first blogger...

Sudan Votes After 24 Years

  12 April 2010

Presidential and parliamentary elections are currently taking place to elect the President of Sudan and members of the National Assembly. The last time elections were held in Sudan was 24 years ago.

Global Voices Summit 2010: Countdown to Santiago

  12 April 2010

In 25 days' time, on May 6, 2010, over 200 people from 60-plus countries will gather at the Bibiloteca de Santiago in Santiago, Chile, for the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2010. Join us for this exciting two-day event and for the announcement of the inaugural Google/Global Voices Breaking Borders award!

Lebanon: A Bold Move

Lebanese blogger Mireille shares her friend Rita‘s plan of shaving her head to “break the chemo-therapy taboo and the conventional beauty standards” and to “raise awareness and funds for cancer” in her latest post.

Jamaica: Wet Fete?

  12 April 2010

The Water Party is a staple of Jamaica's Carnival season, but Stunner cannot, in all good conscience, support the event this year, “not with this drought, not with these constant water lock-offs that I have to face.”

Barbados: Accountability

  12 April 2010

“The ongoing CLICO saga presents a headache for Barbados”: Barbados Underground thinks that “it all comes back to the degree Barbadians are willing to hold our politicians and civil servants accountable.”

China: Appeal for Hu Jia's release amid fears of liver cancer

  12 April 2010

Wife of imprisoned blogger and activist Hu Jia, Zeng Jinyan, has issued an appeal calling for Hu's release on medical grounds following reports that he might have developed a form of liver cancer. Artist Wu Wenjian speculates that with standard practice being to provide sick inmates with treatment (in addition...

Central Asia: Writing “About Each Other, For Each Other”

  12 April 2010

Sarah Kendzior of Registan.net writes about the significance of Kyrgyzstan's and Central Asian social media and points out some external observers’ distorted view of them: “There is another internet, a secret internet, in which meaningful political conversations take place in Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Turkmen, and Tajik, yet the majority of...

China: Chinese version of ChinaGeek

  12 April 2010

China Geek announced the launching of its Chinese version. The blog will translate China commentary from the English-language blogosphere, giving Chinese readers a view into the Western discourse on China and a way to get involved in that discourse.

Thailand: Citizen videos of violent clash

  12 April 2010

Citizen videos are now online which allow us to view the violent scenes during the Saturday crackdown on the Red Shirt protesters in Thailand by the military. The clash between soldiers and protesters killed 21 people and injured more than 800.

India, Pakistan: Sania-Shoaib Mania Rolls On

  12 April 2010

The Shoaib Malik and Sania mirza wedding controversy rolls on as the media is feeding on the mania and millions of people in India and Pakistan remain engrossed with the story. As the couple prepares for their marriage overcoming obstacles, the diatribes continue elsewhere.