Stories from 28 January 2011
China: Air force training exercise or Top Gun?
China Central Television reported on an air force training exercise on January 23. The news clip showed a target hit by the air-to-air missile fired by a J-10 fighter aircraft. However, netizens found out that the images look almost identical to a cinema scene from the Hollywood film Top Gun....
South Africa: Honor Madiba with your actions
Mike Stopforth calls on South Africans to honour Nelson Mandela with their actions: “Soon, Nelson Mandela will die. As I write this post traditional and social media channels are rife with rumours of his ill health and deteriorating state.”
China: Current Affairs Commentary, the Internet and the Spirit of the Media
Veteran journalist Chang Ping (长平) has been forced by authorities to leave the Southern Media Group, where he has worked as an editor and columnist for years. It is believed that the decision is related to his current affair commentaries, a political act (see ESWN's translation) that he refuses to...
Uganda: Homosexuality not a European concept
Mark notes that homosexuality in Uganda is not a European import: “The irony is that homosexuality existed here long before Europeans had ever set foot on the African continent and it is, in fact, Christianity, a true European import, that has demonized homosexuals.”
Internet Security Savvy Critical as Egypt Government Blocks Websites, Arrests Activists
As we've seen in Iran and Tunisia, social networking tools have given activists in authoritarian regimes a powerful voice, which can be heard well beyond their own country. But the use of social networking tools has also given their governments ways to identify and retaliate against them. This week we are watching the same dynamic play out in Egypt. This is why it is critical that all activists —in Egypt and elsewhere—take precautions to protect their anonymity and freedom of expression.
South Korea: A Photo Exhibition on Abandoned Animals of Yeonpyeong Island
Pressian posted heartbreaking photos of animals abandoned in the Yeonpyeong island after North Korea's artillery attack. An animal rights group, KARA, held a photo exhibition in Seoul displaying photos of animals left wounded as their owners evacuated the island due to intensified military tension.
Swaziland: My work with social centers
Josh writes about the project he is working on in Swaziland: “Basically, my office operates 4 Social Centers in my town. There are 6 wards but only 4 Social Centers. The basic duties of the Social Centers are first it is a pre-school that operates during regular school days, second...
Kenya: New site ranks serial over-lappers
Bankelele writes about a new site using Ushahidi platform – Overlap.co.ke ( #overlapKE ) – to rank serial over-lappers and point out over-lapping hot-spots for over-lapping in Nairobi, Kenya.
Burundi: Nation-wide forum on media and ICT next month
Burundi plans to hold nationwide talks on the press and the new information and communication technology next month: “Its objective would be to look into the big challenges of material, financial, legal and administrative challenges facing media professionals in the country.”
Cote d'Ivoire: Lessons for international community
Laura's thoughts and links on Cote d'Ivoire: “After a nearly two-month stand off between former President Gbagbo, who refuses to admit defeat, and newly-elected President Ouattara, who is sequestered in a U.N.-fortified hotel, the situation for civilians is grave and looks likely to become even more dire.
Egypt: Countdown for Day of Rage Continues
Netizens from around the world are holding their breath, as widespread demonstrations are scheduled to begin in Egypt in less than an hour. International support is overwhelming, as well as a clear defiance to back Egyptian protesters and make their voices heard despite the total information blackout.
Nigeria: A humorous take on kidnapping
Solomon says that Nigerians have managed to find humor in something as troubling as kidnapping: “Laughter is simply a way of dealing with this most serious issue in Nigerian society. But, this video makes me think of something help.”
Japan: Free Press Association
Carrying on the mission of abolishing the monopoly in information in Japan [en], a group of freelance and online journalists founded the Free Press Association of Japan (日本報道協会, Nihon Hohdoh Kyohkai). The name of the non-profit association is still tentative but the first speaker has already been announced: Ichiro Ozawa,...
South Africa: Debate on secrecy bill resumes
Parliamentary hearings on South Africa's Protection of Information Bill resumed last week with heated debate over provisions threatening to restrict press freedom and access to information.
Liberia: The Liberian Saga
Aaron Leaf blogs about the Liberian saga: angry court, jailed editor, president's speech.
Egypt: Netizens Rise for the Support of Egyptians on their Day of Rage
The countdown for mass protests across Egypt has started, with very little information trickling from the ground after the Egyptian authorities shut down the Internet and virtually all other communication with the outside world. The aim is to clampdown on the protesters and netizens are fearing the worst.
Taiwan: Ma Ying-jeou on Facebook
President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan(Republic of China) opens his official facebook fan page today. At the “About” session it says that the goal of the fan page “…is not to be trendy, but to exchange ideas with all of you, share experiences through wall posts, think together, click ‘like’ for...
Vietnam: Saigon earthquake
Adventure as Miss Saigon blogs about the recent 4.8 earthquake which hit Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Twitterers like MoodyRain, eds_m, and nguyenhimself also tweeted about it.
Vietnamese Calligraphy
HCMC Today describes a sample of the Vietnamese Calligraphy in Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street in Vietnam.
Vietnam: Vanishing landmarks
TW in Vietnam blogs about the vanishing landmarks in Saigon and the need to preserve historical sites in the city.
Vietnam to expel undocumented foreign workers
saigonnezumi discusses the social and economic impact if Vietnam decides to expel about 30,000 undocumented foreign workers.
