Stories from 24 March 2011
Palestine: Biggest Escalation of Violence in Gaza since Cast Lead
The Gaza Strip is lately experiencing the largest escalation of violence since Cast Lead operation in 2008-2009 that claimed lives of more than 1,400 Palestinians, among them over 350 children. On the night of March 22, 2010, Israel started military operations that led to the bloodiest day in Gaza in two years. Palestinian bloggers and tweeps react to the clashes.
Colombia: Columnist Threatens to Sue Twitter User for Slander
Political website La Silla Vacía summarizes [es] the online fight between columnist Ernesto Yamhure (@eyamhure), a staunch supporter of former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez, and Twitter user Nicolás González (@nicoagonzalez). González criticized Yamhure's latest op-ed [es] where he mentions a character played by late comedian Jaime Garzón, claiming [es] the...
Mexico: Femicide Law Passed in State of Mexico
Erwin in The Latinamericanist reports that “legislators in Mexico State unanimously passed a law last week that legally recognizes femicides [es] as an independent crime category.” However, Erwin adds that “deputy Mónica Fragoso Maldonado told El Universal that the measure does little [es] to solve the problem of violence against...
Japan: The Importance of Getting Back to Normal
As more time passes since the devastating Earthquake that shook Japan on March 11th, people in Japan are feeling the need to return to normal and put the disaster behind them. Although for many Japanese who lost their homes or loved ones this will be quite difficult, those who weren't as unlucky feel the need to do their part and help the economy get back on its feet.
El Salvador: 31 Years Since the Death of Archbishop Oscar Romero
“On March 24, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot and killed while saying Mass at the chapel of the Divina Providencia. Romero had spent the last two-plus years of his life as Archbishop working tirelessly to prevent the country from falling into open civil war,” Mike explains at Central American...
Portugal: Is there still Government?
In order to aggregate the latest tweets on the political crisis in Portugal, Rui Ramos created the website aindahagoverno.com (Is there still Government?) [pt]. The Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned on March 24, after the Parliament rejected the government's latest proposal for an austerity package aimed at avoiding an economical...
Brazil: Cartoons of Obama in Brazil
Altamiro Borges posts a series of cartoons made by the Brazilian cartoonist Carlos Latuff on Obama's visit to Brazil.
Taiwan: Call for Energy Policy Review
The ongoing Fukushima nuclear power plant incident in Japan has alerted people in Taiwan about the safety of nuclear power plants in their own country. In order to transform current concern into long term government policy, many netizens are demanding the Taiwanese government conduct a comprehensive review on the country's energy and industrial policy.
Africa: African movies to watch
African movies that MightyAfrican would like to watch: “Africa United (Rwanda), Figurine (South Africa), From a Whisper (Kenya), Seasons of a Life (Malawi), Teza (Ethiopia)”
Burkina Faso: Burkinabé Drums
Learn about different types of drums from Burkina Faso: “Percussion forms the basis of music making in Burkina. Drums are used in daily life, to signal a journey or a return from the fields, to accompany mask dances and to codify secret languages solely understood by initiates.”
Egypt: Taxi Driver Finds Lost Camera Owner via Facebook
What would you do if you found a camera, and wanted to return it to its owner? One Egyptian taxi driver decided to do it the Egyptian way and utilise the internet - with rapid results.
Ecuador: Investigation Around Newborn Deaths Continues
According to Ecuador's latest census, more than 14 million people live in the country, but there is still no consensus on the national infant mortality rate. Recent incidents have called attention to health care practices in neonatal units in Ecuadorian hospitals, triggering an investigation around newborn deaths in the country.
Cameroon: Remembering Cameronian artist Goddy Leye
No Art On $2 A Day is a video in memory of Cameroonian artist Goddy Leye (1965-2011). Goddy's work focused on videos, installations and conceptual art.
South Sudan: A wrong start for Africa’s newest country
Maggie Fick believes that Africa’s newest country, South Sudan is starting off on the wrong foot: “There has been heavy fighting between the Southern army and an intractable local rebel movement, clashes between fractious units of the northern Sudanese army deployed in the south, an ugly police abuse scandal, and...
Gambia: I set limits on press freedom
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh says he sets press freedom limits in the country: But press freedom has limits, Jammeh said, and it is he who sets those limits. “One freedom I will never give you is the freedom, the liberty to write whatever you want that you know is not...
Should Indonesia Abandon its Nuclear Plans?
Indonesia’s plan to build its first nuclear plant in the next decade has been shelved indefinitely because of the nuclear disaster in Japan. Bloggers are joining the debate on whether Indonesia should pursue its nuclear dreams.
Cuba: Whither the Internet?
“A ghost runs around Cuba: the Internet ghost”: Rosa María Rodríguez Torrado explains.
Haiti: Awaiting Results
As election results continue to be tabulated in Haiti, The Latin Americanist suggests that “the real victors are the Haitian electorate who supposedly turned out in large numbers to some voting centers.” Toussaint on Haiti also weighs in.
Brazil: Satirical Video pokes fun at famous singer's blog
The Javipior blog has made video spoof on the upcoming poetry blog [pt] by Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia, estimated at R$ 1.3 million tax free (Brazilian reais – approximately US$ 777,000). The poem recited at the video criticizes using tax incentives to cover the blog expenses, “I know I'm taking...
Cuba: Courage of Journalists
“There are currently no Cuban independent journalists in the Castro gulag…” but that doesn't fool Uncommon Sense into thinking that there is a free press.
Jamaica: Loving Japan
Jamaipanese explains why “the disaster in Japan has helped…show why [he] love[s] Japan.”
