4 March 2011

Stories from 4 March 2011

Barbados: politician pushes social media

  4 March 2011

Former opposition leader Mia Mottley is encouraging citizens to use social media “to bring about change,” reports Barbados Underground, who reads between the lines to analyse her political reasons.

Suriname: Mickey Mouse art

  4 March 2011

Artist Wouter Klein Velderman, on a residency in the town of Moengo in Suriname, shares images of his current work in progress: a monumental Mickey Mouse sculpture made of wood, “a symbol for a certain kind of transition.”

Trinidad and Tobago: advertising anthropology

  4 March 2011

“The culture of a country is not only found in the country’s song, dance and shark and bake but also in the full-page ads in the newspapers,” writes This Beach Called Life. “These ads sometimes show, in a subtle way, who are the real power brokers.” He shares some recent...

Jordan: Creative Signs for Change at Amman Protest

Another Friday protest calling for reforms in Jordan took place in downtown Amman today (March 4, 2011). After a week of generally disappointed reactions at the newly appointed prime minister's speech, and negative, provocative statements from ex-ministers and members of parliament, some Jordanian citizens responded creatively in an ongoing call for reform and inclusive change.

Uganda: Save The Uganda Museum

  4 March 2011

The Uganda Museum founded in 1908 in Kampala, Uganda, displays and exhibits historical and traditional collections of the country's cultural heritage. With its site recently earmarked by the Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry for the construction of a 60-storey building, a group of Ugandan cyberactivists have decided to run a Facebook campaign to save the building.

South Sudan: Abandoning Abyei

  4 March 2011

Will Sudanese leaders abandon Abyei again?: “I am reminded of a 2008 Human Rights Watch report which detailed the violations by the Sudanese Armed Forces and their allied militias when they razed the town of Abyei in May ’08. The report is titled “Abandoning Abyei.” A fitting title, and an...

Kenya: Meet Kenyans on Twitter

  4 March 2011

Tech Mtaa discusses KenyansOnTwitter: “They are also a very creative bunch. You will see from the many trending topics like #ActualExperts, #MuliroGardens, #KhalwalesNewCareer, #tonyMOGexcuses, #kcpe2010 , #rutosplaylist, to many others we cant remember. Kenyans are one sure funny lot.”

China: Google SSL interfered by GFW

  4 March 2011

Several sources from Twitter confirm that Google SSL has been interfered by the Great Fire Wall in China. Access to Gmail, GTalk and Google Reader becomes extremely slow. Google's server in Korea (74.125.153.113) is blocked 20-29 mins and 50-59 mins in every hour.

Singapore: Netizens Discuss Election Issues

  4 March 2011

As Singapore prepares for the General Elections 2011, netizens are actively commenting on various election issues. Will PAP, the ruling party for more than four decades, remain dominant? What are the demands of voters?

Libya: High Hopes for the Friday of Liberation

It's already Friday in Libya, and emotions are running high, as more protests are planned after Friday prayers in the capital Tripoli to oust dictator Muammar Al Gaddafi. Libyans are calling Friday's protests as the Friday of Liberation, in the hope that it will see the end of Gaddafi's regime. Both Tunisia's Zein El Abideen Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak's reigns ended on Fridays, after popular uprisings.

Panama: Law Modifying Mining Code to be Repealed

  4 March 2011

On March 3, President Ricardo Martinelli promised to repeal a law that modified Panama's mining code. The news were received with joy among Panamanians who saw the reforms as an attack on the environment. Reactions immediately appeared on social networks.

Egypt: A TV Show that Ended a Prime Minister's Career

Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik stepped down today (March 3), following a television show which bared him in front of Egyptian viewers. Protests asking for Shafik's resignation have continued since the day former President Hosni Mubarak stepped down on February 11, yet the show seemed to be the last nail in his political coffin.