Stories from 23 January 2012
Video: One Year, One World and 52 Different Stories
Video journalist Maggie Padlewska will travel alone for one year, visiting a country each week for a total of 52 countries. During her journey she'll be recording, editing and producing videos of her interactions with communities, organizations and people under-represented by mass media and uploading them to the web.
Iran: Sanctions Bite, and the Iranian Currency Falls
Iranians are facing a financial tsunami as the national currency (Rial) loses value day by day as sanctions against Iranian oil and the banking system get tougher.
Guatemalans Climb to Raise Awareness About Domestic Violence
“On January 21, Under the name of Subida por la vida [“Climb for life”], there were over 8,000 people climbing Volcán de Agua (Water Volcano) to form the largest heart in the world at 12,335 feet as part of campaign to bring awareness and to reduce domestic violence,” Antigua Daily...
Zambia: Netizens Abuzz Over Senegal's Loss at AFCON 2012
When Zambia beat Senegal at one of the two opening games of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on January 21, Zambian netizens went abuzz on Facebook and Twitter to celebrate the victory even asking “Demba who?” referring to the Senegalese player, Demba Ba,the second top goal scorer in the Barclays Premier League.
South Korea : Pizza Appears in Lunar New Year's Ancestral Worship
Sharing food with relatives that had been offered in the ancestral worship is regarded as the essence of the traditional Lunar New Year holiday in Korea and there are strict and complicated rules to follow in offering food. However, some young Koreans have started offering unconventional food, such as pizza,...
North Korea: Kim Jong-Un Looking at Things.
There was once the internet meme named “Kim Jong-il Looking at Things“, a collection of photographs of Kim visiting government facilities the net users have gathered together to mock his authoritative posture. After Kim died last year, net users have launched a new version, “Kim Jong-un Looking at Things” as...
“Russia Without Fools,” a Crowdsourced Feedback Portal Launched
A committee of supporters of president Dmitry Medvedev had launched a crowdsourcing citizens-to-government feedback portal “Russia Without Fools” [ru] that allows to submit cases of officials’ stupidity or abuse. So far, the cases can be submitted freely and censorship hasn't been reported. Dmitry Ternovskiy, popular photoblogger, however, notes [ru] that...
Cuba: More on Wilman Villar Mendoza
Bloggers continue to share their thoughts on the death of Cuban dissident and hunger striker Wilman Villar Mendoza.
Cuba: “Intolerance for Dissent”
Cuban bloggers draw attention to Amnesty International's stand on the recent death of prisoner of conscience Wilman Villar Mendoza.
France, Turkey: Retaliations Expected for Controversial Law on Armenian Genocide
The Huffington post, in the launch issue of its Francophone version, publishes a column [fr] listing “Five retaliations Turkey could take on France” as the French Senate is preparing to vote the final draft of this controversial “memory” law this monday, January 23, 2011. This bill will enforce a fine or even...
Haiti: Leadership Triangle
“There they were, at the official ceremony: the living, breathing banes of Haiti’s existence”: The Haitian Blogger republishes an article which suggests that Martelly, Clinton and Duvalier's “rubbing shoulders” at a recent event “offer[s] an insight into the prospects for Haiti’s reconstruction and, indeed, into the prospects for Haiti’s political...
Cuba: The Loss of a Decent Man
“We are 11 million common criminals, whose misdeeds range from buying milk on the black market to having a satellite dish”: Generation Y says that “now, with the death of Wilman Villar Mendoza, once again the old system of State insult repeats itself…[because] it would be very dangerous if people...
Barbados: Excuses for Crime?
Barbados Underground thinks that “it is time to see crime in a different light. It is not only the victim’s problem, it is society’s and it cannot be solved by giving ready made excuses to thieves and robbers.”
Europe: Radio Documentary to Chronicle Long-Term Effects of Crisis
Chronicles of a European Winter is a radio documentary series project focused on the actual effects of austerity measures amongst the populations of different European countries. It will be shot and edited between December 2011 and May 2012 in Greece, Ireland and Spain, and episodes will be licensed under Creative...
“Teaching through humiliation: tough love or cruelty?”
Rose Kahendi ponders on the role of radio hosts who have public platforms reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners. “Their profession brings with it great responsibility. More so if they take it upon themselves to inform or educate their fans on matters that fall outside their immediate purview. Belittling their...
Mozambique: Mayor Shares Photos of Storm Damage on Facebook
Newly elected mayor Manuel de Araújo of Mozambican city Quelimane shared photos on Facebook of the damage, flooding and suffering caused by tropical storm Funso in his coastal home. Last week another heavy storm, Dando, caused serious flooding in the capital city of Maputo, displacing hundreds.
Fourth Friendship Lao-Thai Bridge
This youtube video gives an overview of the fourth Friendship Bridge which was designed to link Laos and Thailand across the Mekong River
East Timor: Monitoring the 2012 Elections
There are 10 candidates so far in the coming elections in East Timor. Centru Jornalista Investigativu Timor-Leste is one of the media networks monitoring the polls
Madagascar: Exiled Former President Ravalomanana Refused Return
Since January 18 2012, former president Marc Ravalomanana has announced that he would return to Madagascar soon after being in exile in South Africa for three years. On January 21, the capital city anxiously anticipated his return as thousands gathred on the roads leading to the airport waiting for the plane to land. However, a few minutes after the plane entered the Malagasy airspace, the plane was told to divert from its route and land in a different city. Malagasy citizens reacted in real time to the tumultuous event.
Brunei: Support Group for Individuals with Autism
The Society for the Management of Autism Related issues in Training, Education and Resources – Brunei Darussalam or Smarter Brunei is a family support group and association which was established to protect every individual member with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their family members.
Cambodia: Video of Military Assault Against Land Protesters
Licadho, a Cambodian human rights organization, uploads a video of an alleged military assault against rural villagers who were being evicted from their land in Kratie's Snuol district.
