Stories from 24 August 2011
Russia: Kim Jong Il's Visit
Suzanne Merkelson writes on FP's Passport blog about North Korean leader Kim Jong Il's visit to Russia.
Russia: “Russia Today and YouTube”
Democratist is wondering about the validity of Russia Today's YouTube viewer stats.
Chile: #Paronacional (National Strike) vs. #Yonoparo (I Don't Strike)
The Workers' United Center of Chile has called for a national strike for the 24 and 25 of August 2011, as a form of protest against social and economic inequality in Chile. On Twitter, reactions for and against this protest have been echoed on the hashtags #paronacional (national strike) and #yonoparo (I don't strike).
Croatia: Top 5 Holiday Islands (+5 More)
Croatia Travel Blog links to an article about “Croatia's top five holiday islands,” which appeared in The Guardian earlier this week, and adds five more islands to this list.
Ukraine: “Proper” vs “Improper” Journalism
At OpenDemocracy.net, Aleksey Matsuka, a Donetsk-based journalist, explains what “proper” journalism means in this Eastern Ukrainian region – and what awaits those who are deemed “improper” journalists.
Croatia, Serbia: A Flag of Friendship
Two young adults from Croatia and Serbia have created a mixed Serbo-Croatian flag, as a gesture of reconciliation between the two countries. Some netizens have condemned the initiative, others seem to approve of it.
Trinidad & Tobago: More Questions on State of Emergency
As the State of Emergency continues in Trinidad and Tobago, the government's communication efforts about it continue to be muddled at best: Is it limited or national? Is there a solid strategy in place or not? Local bloggers are voicing their opinions, confusion and frustration online.
Peru: 7.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Jungle Region
Juan Arellano –Global Voices author and Spanish Translation Manager– is updating a Storify post [es] with Twitter reactions to a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the Peruvian jungle near the border with Brazil. The earthquake was felt in most of Peru and in parts of Ecuador and Brazil.
Bahamas: Sticking Together Through Irene
Havana Times notes that “Hurricane Irene intensified overnight as it churns to the northeast of Cuba, threatening the Bahamas with its 110 mph maximum sustained winds”; over in the Bahamas, Womanish Words says: “Alright, we can do this thing. Lets secure our properties, take our animals inside, stay sober and...
Trinidad & Tobago: Positive Facebook Changes
TECHTT says of Facebook's recent changes: “I really love the tag approval feature and think it will be a big hit as I have seen many people complain about unscrupulous tagging. I hope we see a lot more useful changes…”
Cuba: Female Activists Detained
Four women who took to Havana's Capitol building to protest recent actions against The Ladies in White have reportedly been detained; Uncommon Sense has the details.
Jamaica, U.S.A.: East Coast Earthquake
Diaspora blogger Grasshopper Eyes The Potomac describes yesterday's earthquake, which affected the east coast of the United States.
North Korea Got Talent? Video of North Korean Singing Contest on Chinese Site
A short, edited video of the North Korean singing contest was posted on Youku, a video hosting service based in China.
Chile: Citizen Reports about National Strike on Google Maps
Mi Voz has set up a map on Google Maps [es] with citizen reports about the national strike taking place on August 24 and 25 throughout Chile.
Kenya: Meet Kenyan Female Social Innovator
Mworia blogs about Crystal Kigon, the founder of Voices of Africa: “Crystal’s organization in conjunction with Intersat Africa have been working on a project that aims to take the internet to rural areas in a way that is fitting culturally and sustainable economically, environmentally and socially.This has to be one...
Africa: The Potential of Local Brain-Drain
What is the potential of local brain-drain in Africa? Read Idd Salim's post: “We all know African Tech Solutions. Ushahidi, Mpesa come to mind. Apps made by Africans for Africa. Because African solutions are made on an empty stomach, they address a REAL need. A real problem. Not AngryBirds. HungryCoders....
Mauritania: 13 Activists against Child Trafficking Arrested
Four advocacy organizations against human trafficking note that a peaceful sit-in outside the Bureau of juvenile affairs was organized [fr] by l’Initiative pour la Résurgence du mouvement Abolitionniste (Ira) to denounce the insufficient measures taken against child trafficking in Mauritania. 13 members of the association were arrested following the protest....
Chile: Explaining the ‘Chilean Revolution’
Setty, a journalist living in Chile, explains ‘the Chilean revolution': “Chile is supposed to be the stodgy, conservative, institutionality-respecting corner of South America, where nothing ever happens. But this is changing as the public runs out of patience after centuries of being told that if they wait and work hard,...
Peru: Congress Passes Law Requiring Prior Consultation With Indigenous Peoples
The Peruvian Congress unanimously approved the ‘Prior Consultation Law‘ for indigenous or native peoples (“Ley de Consulta Previa a los Pueblos Indígenas u Originarios“[es] in Spanish), which establishes the mandatory or biding character of the consultations with indigenous peoples [es]. It is expected that President Ollanta Humala will soon sign...
Togo: 3rd BarCamp Selects the Translation for “Blog” in Ewé Language
In its presentation of the third edition of BlogCamp Togo, togocouleurs explains that [fr] the Togolese blogosphere coined a new word for “blog” in the Ewé language (spoken in Togo, Ghana and Benin) : “with the vote taking place directly on the ETTIC [fr] (‘Togolese Space for Information and Communication Technologies’)...
