29 March 2011

Stories from 29 March 2011

Bolivia’s Conflicting Stance With the USA on Coca Chewing

The 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs ordered the elimination of chewing coca leaves within 25 years of the treaty going into effect. Bolivia has again resurfaced as a proponent to eliminate this UN ban. The US moved to block Bolivia’s request, further citing that an amendment to the article shows Bolivia’s lack of cooperation in the fight against the drug trade.

29 March 2011

Greece: Thessaloniki Documentary Festival Succeeds in Hard Times

The week-long 13th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival presented a line up of approximately 220 films from around the world from 11-30 March, 2011, in Thessaloniki, Greece. Themes included regional retrospectives (this year focusing on the Middle East and Africa) and tributes to Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa and Czech Helena Trestikova.

29 March 2011

Africa: Coders4Africa

Coders 4 Africa is an initiative by several gentlemen of African origin. The initiative aims at developing African software development talent by providing access to free, high quality training in...

29 March 2011

Nigeria: Remember Saro-Wiwa

Remember Saro-Wiwa is a coalition of organisations and individuals which aims to create a Living Memorial to activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa in London, using art and activism to raise...

29 March 2011

Haiti: Not Like Japan

Toussaint on Haiti has been avoiding news of the Japan earthquake for fear of “triggering sad memories”, noting that stories of recovery there “really b[ring] home…the dysfunction that exists in...

29 March 2011

Mexico: New (Dis)Agreement on Reporting Violence

On March 24, most of the biggest Mexican media outlets signed the "Agreement to Cover Violence in Mexico," an agreement that unifies the editorial criteria to cover and report news related to "the drug war." Many support and defend the document, but the text has also sparked strong disagreement and criticism.

29 March 2011

Guatemala: Should Inmates be Allowed to Vote?

Blogger Luis Figueroa [es] wonders if inmates should be allowed to vote in the upcoming elections. Guatemala's Tribunal Supremo Electoral (Supreme Electoral Tribunal) is considering installing polling stations in prisons...

29 March 2011

Honduras: Teacher Protests Continue

Hemispheric Brief reports: “Teacher protests continued in Honduras Monday, despite a threat from President Pepe Lobo that his government would begin suspending, without pay, those who did not return to...

29 March 2011

Côte d'Ivoire: Where is Gbagbo's General, Philippe Magou?

Monday March 14, 2011, was a busy day in Côte d'Ivoire. After violence this past weekend in the Abobo district of southerly economic capital Abidjan, Ivorians in the city were woken up by Kalashnikovs and heavy artillery. For a few days now, the rumors in Abidjan have been growing as to Ivorian army General Philippe Mangou's responsibility in this crisis.

29 March 2011

Lebanon: Ontornet instead of Internet

Frustrated with the very slow internet connection in Lebanon, a group of Lebanese bloggers started a campaign calling it “Ontornet” (“Ontor” in the Lebanese dialect means “wait”) to do something...

29 March 2011