Stories from 3 August 2011
Russia: Reshufflings in the Police
In Moscow's Shadows writes about “quite a dramatic restructuring of the [Russian Interior Ministry's] most senior echelons”: “The general line within the commentariat is that Nurgaliev is being encircled by...
Philippines: #Zubiri and #Pimentel hashtags
The twitter hashtags #zubiri and #kokopimentel which became global trending topics for several hours refer to Philippine Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri who resigned from the Senate after the cheating allegation...
Myanmar Alphabet, Names and Culture
Ba Kaung writes about the Myanmar alphabet and explains the meaning of some of the popular names used in the country
Lithuania: Slovenian Blogger Comments on Vilnius Mayor's Tank Stunt
Piran Café‘s updates the blog's somewhat neglected “self-absorbed bike lane-parking morons” section with a vivid example from Lithuania, where the mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas drove an armored personnel carrier...
Myanmar: Prison term for Facebook defamation
Francis Wade of the Democratic Voice of Burma learned that Facebook users in Myanmar found guilty of defamation could end up in prison under the Electronic Transactions Act
Myanmar: Number One Source of Global Internet attacks?
Aye Lae of Mizzima writes about the report naming Myanmar as the world's number one source of internet attacks. The writer quotes some IT experts who believe that Myanmar internet...
Papuan students rally in Jakarta
EngageMedia uploads a video of Papuan students holding a protest rally in Jakarta, Indonesia to highlight the struggle of West Papua for freedom and democracy.
South Asia: The South Asian American Digital Archive
V.V. at Sepia Mutiny features the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA), which is systematically documenting and preserving the history of the South Asian American community since 2008.
India: A Job Finder For The Illiterates
Nandan Rajan at Think Change India highlights Mathukathe, a free phone and associated services for the illiterate poor in India, which is equipped with job finding capabilities.
Lithuania: Crushing Illegal Parking
Journalist & Optimist tells [ger] how the mayor of Lithuania's capital Vilnius crushes a car with a tank, in an attempt to show non-tolerance of illegal parking, a long-time problem...
Sri Lanka: 17 Year Old Boy Feeds Ten Membered Family
NAFSO (National Fisheries Solidarity Movement) blog reports that 17 year old construction labor Muththaiya Dharshan has taken the burden of feeding a war ravaged ten membered family in a village...
Russia: Putin Critical of US Economy
Robert Zeliger of Foreign Policy Passport draws attention to a statement on US economy by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, where he reportedly says that the US is “like a...
Russia: Remembering The Song of Igor’s Campaign
I am Donna Welles discusses the 13th century Russian story “The Song of Igor’s Campaign” and its message of the importance of national unity.
Russia: Keeping Track of Elections
Vladimir Kara-Murza of Spotlight on Russia writes about the peculiar process to get St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko eligible for nomination to the post of speaker of the Federation Council...
India: Workers Protest Against A Multinational Company
Bhagirath Verma at CGNet Swara reports that 169 workers are protesting for months against a multinational company to implement a court order to regularize them but nobody is listening to...
Colombia: Women on Sex Strike Demand Better Roads
In Colombia Reports, Matt Snyder writes: “For 38 days, 300 women in the town of Barbacoas have participated in a “strike of crossed legs” denying their husbands sexual favors until a...
Guatemala: E-Forum With Presidential Candidates
On August 2, the citizen movement #EstoEsGuate [es] (This is Guatemala) held an e-forum with presidential candidates. Sakis Gonzales from Una Hoja de Papel [es] and Billy Quijada from Blog...
The Venezuelan Paramo in Images
Venezuela Analysis posts a photo essay of the Venezuelan Paramo with photographs by Mason London: “The paramos, a unique ecosystem found in the Andes of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru...
Guatemala: Soldiers Involved in 1982 Dos Erres Massacre Sentenced to 6,060 Years in Prison
“A Guatemalan elite army unit entered Dos Erres in the northern Petén region on 5 December 1982 and tortured and killed some 250 men, women and children over the course...
Morocco: Activist Website Sustains DDoS Attack
The Moroccan militant website Mamfakinch! came under a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack last Sunday which blocked access to its main platform for several hours. The website is now back online. What is Mamfakinch! and why has it been attacked?
Bahamas: The Reality of Squatter Communities
“The deeper we delve into the so-called ‘Haitian problem’, the more we come face to face with ourselves”: Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith examines the squatter situation on the island, saying:...
