Stories from 10 August 2011
Ethiopia: Let's Code for Ethiopia
“Let's code for Ethiopia,” says Ethiopian blogger and programmer: “I came across a project initiative in the United States called code for america. The leaders of technology companies had a video where they ask the programmers to code for a change and it is a kind of social service. I...
Nigeria: Did Halima Abubakar Deserve Award for Best Actress?
Noble does not understand why Halima Abubakar received Nigeria's Best Actress Award 2011: “Relatively new actress to the Nollywood scene, Halima Abubakar, took home the trophy for Best Actress of the Year at City People Awards. From all the movies I've seen her in, I can say for sure that...
Sudan/South Sudan: Can the Issue of Ngok Dinka Citizenship be Resolved?
Hassan Barakya explains why the issue of citizenship for the Ngok Dinka of Abyei is so complex: “Now that South Sudan is independent, the Ngok Dinka are in legal limbo. While their stated loyalty has always been with the south, the geographical region they inhabit along with migratory groups officially...
Sudan: Coup Against Public Liberties
Osman Shinger examines the uncertain future of media freedom in Sudan: “Journalists and rights activists have expressed concern about diminishing press freedom in Sudan. Reporters attribute their pessimism to what they call a “coup” against public liberties. Chief among their concerns is the press freedom that was stipulated in the...
Liberia: Visiting a Country of Many Firsts in Africa
Dr. Sipho Moyo visits Liberia, a country of many firsts in Africa: “Liberia was Africa’s first republic, colonized in 1822 and declared independent in 1847. It is also home to Africa’s first female president: President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. I met with her last week at the Executive Mansion in Monrovia...
Haiti: Jobs Needed for Progress
Love Haiti suggests that “the hardships facing Haiti today may be compared to the Great Depression of the United States”, explaining: “The point of this analogy is simply to state that school/education should not be at the top of Haiti's agenda, a country confronted with a housing crisis, an unprecedented...
Cuba: Nyad's Failed Attempt
As athlete Diana Nyad gives up her attempt to swim from Cuba to Florida, Generation Y says: “Her laudable intention was to highlight the closeness between the Island and its neighbor to the north, to help reconcile both shores. But the Straits of Florida is also part of our national...
Russia: New Decrees Push for More Government Openness Online
On August 10, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed several decrees obliging 19 government agencies (including country's secret services) to put timely information online about their activities, Bloomberg reports.
Trinidad & Tobago: A Patriot Passes On
“Kenny always struck me as an unlikely environmentalist. His contribution to the environmental movement in Trinidad and Tobago is huge, and he inspired many people to work for conservation”: Ian Ramjohn bids farewell to Professor Julian Kenny, who passed away yesterday.
Cuba: Bloggers Comment on Attacks vs. Activists
More on the attacks against activists that took place this past weekend: a statement from The Coalition of Cuban-American Women, a video “of victims who got away with minor injuries”, and reports of two other incidents, here and here.
Trinidad & Tobago: Apple App Access
Ever since Apple announced that 33 additional countries – including Trinidad and Tobago – would have access to their app store, TECHTT was “curious to see what was available if [he] signed up for an apple id with a trinidad address and credit card and accessed the iTunes store.” Check...
Colombia: Head Coach of National Football Team Resigns Over Scandal
Hernán Darío Gómez (‘Bolillo’), resigned as the head coach of the national football team after hitting a woman in a bar (‘El Bembé’) in Bogotá. Media [es], blogs [es], websites [es] and social networks spoke out about his actions and influenced his decision. On Twitter several hashtags (#Bavaria, DT de...
MENA: Can a Hashtag Spread Hatred?
Over the past few days, more than 250,000 Israelis have protested in the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities over the rising costs of housing and food. Tarek Amr examines how a derogatory hashtag used by Arab Twitter users to comment on the protests in Israel has sparked debate on both sides.
Israel: Protests for Social Justice Sweep the Country
What started as a local protest against the skyrocketing housing market in Tel-Aviv has escalated into the largest public uprising that the state of Israel has ever witnessed. The movement for social justice spurred tent cities in major metropolitan hubs across the country, mobilizing over 4 per cent of Israel's total population (one out of every 20 Israelis took to the streets in last week's massive protest).
Lebanon: Royal Air Force Uses Beirut Scene to Recruit
“It's a recruitment video to get young British men and women to join the Royal Air Force.” But the UK Royal Air Force uses exaggerated scenes of Beirut with none of the images taken in Beirut, writes Jad Aoun here.
Egypt: The Unspoken Languages of the Streets
We as humans have a unique ability to communicate via spoken languages. However in a crowded and loud city like Cairo, we sometimes need more than spoken languages to communicate. Tarek Amr takes a closer look at sign languages used in congested areas and the language of car honks.
China: Discount train ticket for the disabled
A weibo user account, wishing-for-half-price-ticket-for-the-disabled, has been set up with a photo of a disable person protesting outside the MInistry of Railways demanding half-price discount train ticket for the disabled.
China: Rural migrant workers self-bury protest
A number of rural migrant workers buried themselves in a construction site to stage a protest against their employer over back pay. (via Weibo Dahebao [zh])
Chile: Demonstrators Thwart Hooded Violent Protestors
Chilean students protesting for educational reforms have been rallying since April and in the process have been forcefully controlled with water cannons and tear gas. A recent video has shown some demonstrators stopping a violent protest; many Chileans have shown support for the students.
South Korea: Severe Rains and Storms, Evidence of Climate Change?
Steven Borowiec from the Asia Sentinel suggested the recent weeks’ torrential rains and storms in South Korea could be evidence that the climate is changing and commented that the country must adjust to a hotter, wetter, more volatile weather.
North Korea's Emerging Wealthy Class
The North Korean Economy Watch wrote about the North Korea's growing entrepreneurial class. The post, quoting Andrei Lankov's anecdotal evidence and a taxonomy, defines the North Korean new rich as a group consists of high-level officials who have gained wealth through illegal means or from their business activities encouraged by...
