Stories from 23 December 2011
Tanzania: Dar Youth Mobilise Online to Assist Flood Victims
Dar Es Salaam’s young social media users are mobilising volunteers to assist in relief efforts following the floods that inundated vast areas of Dar es Salaam causing deaths and damage to infrastructure. Using the hashtag #Darfloods, Twitter users have been in the forefront informing and mobilising relief efforts.
Japan: Archiving Online Videos of Quake and Tsunami
More than 9 months have passed since the earthquake and tsunami which devastated many areas of Japan on March 11th. Rick Martin has been mapping and tagging videos taken during both events and during the aftermath.
Barbados: old-time Christmas
Barbados Underground indulges in some seasonal nostalgia and describes a traditional Christmas “the Bajan way”: “Our young ones are missing that special warmth that we made as children.”
Cuba: talking to Orlando Luis Pardo
Along the Malecón posts a three-part video interview with Cuban writer, photographer, and blogger Orlando Luis Pardo of the blog Boring Home Utopics.
Bermuda: a blog break?
Is Bermuda’s blogosphere “taking a general break from blogging”? “Many of the newer blogs that set up in the last year or two seem to have generally been abandoned,” writes Catch a Fire, but he suggests that with a general election on the horizon Bermudan bloggers are likely to pick...
Jamaica: support for LGBT rights?
In a televised election debate, Jamaica's opposition leader Portia Simpson-Miller expressed cautious support for LGBT rights and for repealing the country's buggery laws. Ross Sheil gives a summary of the public reaction, “which shows the country softening or becoming more pragmatic on the issue.”
Jamaica: out of context
In the run-up to a general election in Jamaica, is a political advertisement misrepresenting opposition leader Portia Simpson-Miller by taking her comments out of context? Active Voice asks: “is it accurate and ethical to splice disparate bits of video and audio together like this?”
Bolivia: Citizen Journalism Contest Winners Announced
Ahora Bolivia and the Center for Participation and Sustainable Human Development (CEPAD) organized a citizen journalism contest which lasted from October 20 to December 1. You can read the three winning pieces in Ahora Bolivia [es].
Spain: Fighting for the Right to a Home
The housing bubble, the financial crisis, and high unemployment rates have left thousands of families without homes in Spain and the victims of foreclosures have names and stories to tell.
Ethiopia: Swedish Journalists Found Guilty of Terrorism Charges
The verdict against two Swedish journalists, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, detained in Ethiopia has caused strong reactions from defenders of press freedom. The judge in the case has called for a sentence of at least 15 years imprisonment to be handed down on 27 December.
Video Highlights: Protests, Elections, Culture and GV
A selection of Global Voices' recent and interesting stories including video from Middle East and North Africa, Sub Saharan Africa, Eastern and Central Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America, selected by Juliana Rincón Parra.
Macedonia, Poland: Remembering Solidarność
Macedonian blogger Zoriv reminisced about the fall of socialism by publishing original photos [mk] he made during the 1981 protests in Warsaw, Poland, organized by Solidarity Trade Union.
Macedonia, Nepal: First Female Macedonian on Major Himalayan Peak
Macedonian climbers Ilina Arsova and Ilija Ristovski have successfully climbed the Himalayan summit of Ama Dablam, on Nov. 18, 2011. Ilina wrote about this achievement on her blog, in Macedonian and English.
Russia: Opposition Faces Online Communication Problems
The ability to broadcast the events of December 2011 in Russia live online, has made people around the world and in the country the spectators of a truly historical event – the December 22 gathering of some 100-150 opposition activists, who represented thousands of the netizens and millions of not-connected Russians.
Philippines: State of National Calamity After Tropical Storm Sendong
A state of national calamity was declared by the Philippine president after tropical storm Sendong devastated many parts of north Mindanao Island. More than 1,000 people have already died in the flash floods and 1,000 are still missing. Here are some citizen media photos and reports of the flood impact.
Japan: New Video Footage of Tsunami Tidal Surge
Devastating tsunami tidal surges are quiet and quick, as a recently uploaded video shows. The video was recorded from inside a truck which got stuck in the rising waters more than 1 mile from the coast 1 hour after the March 11 earthquake. The driver was able to swim to...
