Stories from 22 May 2011
Macedonia: Raising Awareness of Election Monitoring Techniques from Uganda
An article on bribery and intimidation published in Macedonian and Albanian by the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections in Macedonia mentions the example of Uganda Watch, recommended in two...
Macedonia: Monument Fixed After Blogger's Complaint?
Partikopolis informs [mk] that the vandalized statue he blogged about a few months ago has been re-erected: “Maybe this wasn't influenced directly by me, but I am glad when I...
El Salvador: Food Insecurity Rising in Rural Areas
The blog “Locavore del Mundo” [someone who eats locally grown foods around the world] discusses how rural Salvadorian families are struggling to secure food for themselves, not particularly because they...
Argentina: Buenos Aires Mayor Quits Presidential Race
On May 7 Mauricio Macri, current mayor of Buenos Aires, announced he would seek re-election as mayor on July 10 of this year. After weeks of suspense, his decision confirms that he is giving up the October presidential race, prompting several discussions in social media outlets in Argentina.
Technology for Transparency: Final Report
The Technology for Transparency Network is proud to announce the release of its final report, "Global mapping of technology for transparency and accountability". The report is being published by the Transparency and Accountability Initiative (@TAInitiative) along with a over a dozen other reports on the global transparency movement.
Pakistan: Huge Blasts at a Naval Air Base in Karachi
A heavily guarded facility of Pakistan Navy located in Karachi has been attacked by terrorists a few hours ago and blasts and gun-fires ensued. Pakistani Twitter users were quick to spread the news and voice their reactions.
Peru: Fear in the Election Campaign
Almost 20 days before the date set for the second round of the presidential elections, the electoral campaign has begun to include more than just kissing babies and smiling for photos. In the past weeks, a series of events are showing the polarisation and even radicalisation that has come to surround candidates Keiko Fujimori and Ollanta Humala.
Puerto Rico: Bloggers Conference
Read the reflections, opinions, and posts on the most recent Bloggers Conference [es] in Puerto Rico.
Spain: Website #tomalaplaza
Protesters in Puerta del Sol, Madrid, have posted their manifesto, communiques, and other information on their daily activities at the website Madrid #tomalaplaza [es].
Puerto Rico: Review of Performance “Esquina Periferia”
The artist, professor and blogger Bernat Tort reviews the most recent artistic performance [es] created by the actor, dancer, and musician Eduardo Alegría, titled “Esquina Periferia.”
Puerto Rico: New digital magzine
Students, activists, journalists and bloggers have launched the digital magazine El Punto [es] to foster a transnational conversation between Puerto Ricans living on the Island and those who belong to...
Japan: Aiding the Aid Workers
After more than two months from the earthquake around 110,000 people are still living in evacuation centers. Along with victims of the disaster, some of the volunteers, doctors and aid workers helping them are beginning to suffer from emotional stress and fatigue.
China: Rejected Self Defense Plea A Green Light For Deadly Demolitions
Villager Tong Yihong says a demolition crew drove a bulldozer onto his property, and he acted in self defense. Police say the bricks Tong threw down from his roof left one man with a serious head injury. Tong, now sentenced to four years in prison, still has public opinion on his side.
France: DSK Scandal Fires a Protest Against Sexism
French feminist network Osez le féminisme (Dare to be a feminist) [fr] is organizing a protest [fr] in Paris on Sunday May 22, 2011, in front of the Pompidou museum...
Kenya: The Judiciary Kenyan Are Dying For
Kenyans may soon have the judiciary they deserve: “With the nomination of Dr. Willy Mutunga and Ms. Nancy Baraza to serve as Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice respectively, Kenyans...
Azerbaijan: Eurovision winner Nigar Camal's visa criticism
Dissident blogger and journalist Elnur Majidli, now living in France and facing arrest in Azerbaijan for his Facebook activity, has uploaded a screenshot of a status line apparently written last...
Africa: Mobile Web Content in East Africa
Erik comments on Vodafone's policy paper on “Broadband in Emerging Markets”: “This paper has identified two important barriers to the further diffusion of mobile internet usage across East Africa: lack...
Korea: Is North Korea Behind Every Unsolved Cyber Attack?
A slew of fearsome reports on the North Korea's cyber attack capability recently came out in South Korea, and even on Fox News this week. The South Korean government concluded North Korea was behind the latest attack. But South Korean Tweeters have made sarcastic jokes about the government's poor analysis and its knee-jerk reaction of blaming North Korea for every unsolved case.
Azerbaijan: Bloggers Divided Over Eurovision Win
Last weekend, Azerbaijan was shaking, with thousands of people flooding onto the streets of Baku, the capital, celebrating their country's win in the Eurovision Song Contest held a few hours earlier. However, not everyone was euphoric about the victory in the international music competition.
Kuwait: Parliament Members Go Boxing!
Kuwaiti parliament members had a fight during a session discussing the case of Kuwaiti detainees in Guantanamo. The scuffle drew a flurry of reactions from netizens.
Egypt: Brutal Army Crackdown of Nakba Day Protests in Cairo
The Egyptian army cracked down with brutal force on a Nakba day protest in front of the Israeli embassy in Cairo on May 15, 2011, firing teargas, rubber-coated steel bullets - and, some reported, live bullets - at protesters. Coverage quickly turned dramatic, reminiscent in tone of the 18 days of the revolution, as many protesters and journalists tweeted non-stop reports of the clashes and posted snapshots.
