Stories from 10 January 2012
Tunisia: The Evolution of Tunisian Propaganda
Tunisian blogger kefteji blogs about the “evolution of Tunisian propaganda,” charting the coverage of Tunisian French daily La Presse from December 17, 2010, until the fall of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on January 14, 2011.
Egypt: Diaries of a Cancer Patient
Breaking from the norm, Tarek Amr interviews Heba Mitkees, a blogger who had died last month, after battling cancer. Amr asks the questions and looks for answers in Mitkees blog.
South Korea: Anger and Suspicion Grows Over Election Rigging
A political scandal is brewing in South Korea over alleged election rigging, despite the police's conclusion that the nation's election commission website was disconnected due to a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack.
Venezuela: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's Visit Raises Controversy
Iran's President, Mahmud Ahmadinejad, arrived in Venezuela on Sunday, January 8, in his first stop in a tour to several Latin American countries. His visit has sparked strong reactions on social networks, where users are questioning whether his presence might be of some benefit for the nation.
Libya: Draft Electoral Law Criticized
A few days ago, the Libyan government released a draft of a new election law for public debate. The aim was for citizens to discuss it and find out the opinion of the majority of Libyans about it. This draft, the first in Libya's post-Gaddafi era, is the first of its kind in a country that had no elections in four decades. The elections are slated for June and the new parliament will be charged with writing the country's constitution.
Poland: Prosecutor Suicide Attempt
Michael Dembinski of W-wa Jeziorki tries but fails to understand a suicide attempt by a military prosecutor involved in investigations of the 2010 Smolensk aircrash killing Poland's president Lech Kaczynski, and causing a plethora of conspiracy theories.
Syria: Netizens Angered by Assad's Speech
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad gave a long rambling speech today, which further angered Syrians protesting against his dictatorship. When Arab leaders speak, netizens take to their keyboards and engage in taking a stab at heads of states who put themselves in such a position. Here is a round up of reactions from Twitter as Al Assad addressed his people - the same people being killed for protesting for democratic rights.
Peru: Conflict Over Conga Mining Project Continues
The Christmas and New Year's holidays, as well as other political news in the country have taken a bit of the media spotlight from the Conga Mine Project in Cajamarca, but that doesn't mean the conflict hasn't continued to develop. In this post, we follow up on the latest news from Cajamarca.
Libya: A Letter from a Woman in Benghazi
A Libyan woman from Benghazi is criticizing her countrymen for marrying non-Libyans after the revolution. She states that Libyan women are not getting rights equal to those granted to men in an open letter posted on Facebook. Mohamed ElGohary provides a translation from Arabic.
Yemen: Saleh Gets Away With Murder…He Gets Immunity
The Yemeni Cabinet endorsed [December 8] a draft law which grants legal immunity to outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh based on the GCC agreement, despite nationwide protests demanding Saleh's trial for the killing of protesters. The draft law now has to be rubber stamped by Parliament to become law. Netizens react with anger and disappointment.
Mexico: Human Rights Commission Publishes Preliminary Report on Killing of Guerrero Students
Mexico's National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) has published a preliminary report on the investigation around the killing of two students during a protest in Ayotzinapa, in the state of Guerrero, on December 12, 2011. Aguachile summarizes some of the Commission's findings.
Latin America: Politicians’ #TwitterFail
Erwin, in The Latin Americanist, highlights four recent social media interactions which have hurt the image of politicians in Chile, Colombia, Cuba, and Mexico.
Honduras: Priest Denounces Police Attack
Father Marco Aurelio Lorenzo, a Catholic priest, has denounced a police attack on December 26, 2011, “when he and two brothers […] stopped along the highway to rest. […] Eight police officers set on them and beat them, badly enough that they then took them to the hospital,” Honduras Culture...
Zambia: Former Diplomat Calls on West to Engage Iran Through IAEA
A Zambian veteran politician and erstwhile diplomat who once served as the country’s permanent representative at the United Nations, Vernon Mwaanga, has told a citizen radio that the West should not be dismissive of Iran because it has become a nuclear power.
Trinidad & Tobago: Raymond Questions Media Integrity
Afra Raymond finally confirms this story on his blog: ” My commentary column on the former Minister of Finance, Karen Nunez-Tesheira, was sent to her for comment by the Guardian’s Acting Editor-in-Chief, Anthony Wilson. That is a completely improper action, which is a breach of basic media ethics. When I...
Cuba: The Blogger Behind “Sin Evasion”
At Havana Times, Yusimi Rodriguez posts an interview with blogger Miriam Celaya, “to learn about her life, her ideas and how much of a mercenary, cyber-terrorist and pro-imperialist she really is.”
El Salvador: Destruction of Cathedral Mural Angers Citizens
In 1997, Fernando Llort created the mural 'Harmony of my People' to adorn the front of San Salvador’s Cathedral. During the first week of 2012 the mural was destroyed by Catholic authorities without consultation. Netizens debate the meaning of this for the Salvadoran art world.
Dominican Republic: Farewell to El Goyo & Sención
Repeating Islands acknowledges the deaths of “outstanding Cuban dancer, singer and percussionist Gregorio Hernández” and Dominican writer Viriato Sención, whose “work was marked by its commitment to historical truth and cultural engagement.”
Cuba: Farinas Arrested Again
Uncommon Sense reports that Guillermo Farinas, ” a psychologist…independent journalist [and] of Cuba's best-known human rights activists” has once again been arrested, along with “11 other anti-Castro activists”.
Barbados: Preventing Another CLICO Scandal
“Three years after the collapse of CLICO and there is still doubt that any serious regional regulatory framework has been established to prevent a recurrence”: Barbados Underground is concerned.
South Africa: On #ANC100 Debate
Mohammed Keita shows how #ANC100 debate lays bare divisions over South Africa media: “The lively social media debate illustrated both the discomfort many Africans feel toward criticism of their leaders, and the role as scapegoat that the media is currently playing as the ANC struggles to hold onto a decisively...
