Stories from 19 September 2011
Videos: Homeless But Not Voiceless
We explore different initiatives that aim to bring to the foreground the plight of those who are forgotten: children, indigenous people, immigrants and the transgender community.
Zambia: Social Media Harnessed to Monitor Polls in Sep 20 Election
Built on the Ushahidi crowdsourcing platform, Bantu Watch encourages registered voters and interested parties in the Zambia September elections to report incidents involving election-related violence, hate speech, corruption and other matters both online via the web site and via text message.
Cuba: Talented Singers
Havana Times interviews Cuban singer Evelyn Garcia Marquez “who comes from a family of recognized musicians” and posts an update on the health of popular singer-songwriter Sara Gonzalez, who is recovering from surgery.
Trinidad & Tobago: Republic Day Fare
As Trinidad and Tobago prepares to celebrate Republic Day this weekend, TriniGourmet.com posts “a menu suggestion for your table!”
Cuba: “Repression Weekend”
Cuban bloggers are referring to this past weekend as “repression weekend”; new dissidents are detained even as others are released.
Bahamas: Chipping In to Fight Crime
“With murders at record levels this year it makes one sit up and take notice”: Weblog Bahamas‘ Rick Lowe says that helping to fight crime is everyone's duty.
Trinidad & Tobago: Chicken Weed
Bloggers have a field day with news that 31 million dollars worth of marijuana was found in a container “that was supposed to contain only chicken parts.”
Afghanistan: Taliban propaganda on the internet
Nick Fielding writes about Taliban's presence on the internet with public relations accounts in popular social networks, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube as well as videos disseminated through cellphones in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: Local police units failing
Nick Fielding reviews a new Human Rights Watch report on the creation of the Afghan Local Police last summer, noting that impunity-driven militias participated in murderous tribal vendettas, targeted killings, smuggling, extortion and rapes.
Kazakhstan: Forbes magazine franchise launched
Tomyris informs that Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s wealthiest country, welcomes the prominent business Forbes magazine to its list of available medias.
Nigeria: Does Terrorism Pay Better Than Farming?
Activista Blogger, David Habba in Nigeria struck up conversation with a student from the University of Agriculture in Makurdi, who no longer feels financially motivated to enter the agricultural sector. “Someone must grow the food and who says it must be me?”
Kyrgyzstan: Intelligence cooperation with China
Marat Sartpaev ponders on the fact that top officers of the Kyrgyz special service paid a visit to China in an attempt to set up cooperation ties and, probably, bargain for the closer international partners’ attention.
Afghanistan: The country's relations with China
Nasim Fekratْ looks into the historic background and current state of Afghan-Chinese political, trade and economic relationships.
Southeast Asia: Press Freedom Heroes
Three Southeast Asian journalists (Cambodia's Hang Chakra, Malaysia's Zulkiflee Anwar Ul Haque, and Thailand's Chiranuch Premchaiporn) were recognized by the Human Rights Watch for their promotion of press freedom in the region
Myanmar: International Websites Accessible Again?
The Irrawaddy reports that international websites, including YouTube, are accessible again in Myanmar. But internet connection in the country is still slow, according to internet cafe operators.
Malaysia to Overhaul Security and Censorship Laws
Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak surprised everybody during the Malaysia Day celebration when he announced an overhaul to several controversial acts related to national security, censorship, speech and freedom of assembly
Cameroon: What if We Did Not Vote on October 9?
In Cameroon, the October 9 presidential election does not seem to be generating much interest amongst the general public. For many Cameroonians, this election has no real stake and voters don't see casting their ballot as worth the trouble, since the outcome is already in favor of incumbent President Paul Biya.
China: Calls to Free Blind Activist Met With Violence
After serving a 51-month sentence for disturbing public order, blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng was released in September 2010, but has been kept under house arrest for more than a year by local police in Linyi, Shandong province. Activists campaigning for his release have been victims of violence.
Brazil: Defending Freedom of Religion
Rosângela Basso, of the blog Maria da Penha Neles, posts a series of pictures of a protest in defence of religious freedom in Rio de Janeiro. The blog Bule Voador posted a video and pictures of a protest for the secular state in Curitiba, in the state of Paraná.
Brazil: A Thousand Days for the World Cup 2014
It is already less than one thousand days for the next World Cup, in 2014 in Brazil, and Rodrigo Cárdia, from the blog Cão Uivador (Howling Dog) asks [pt] himself if there is anything good about it.
Ukraine: Georgiy Gongadze Memorial Rally in Kyiv
Olena Bilozerska (LJ user bilozerska) posts photos and video [uk] from the Sep. 16 Georgiy Gongadze memorial rally in Kyiv. Following a discussion in the comments section of ex-President Leonid Kuchma's role in Gongadze's case, LJ user fidel_80 writes [ru]: “I'm sorry for [Gongadze]. Could someone give me links to...
