Stories from 25 January 2012
Brazil: “Massacre of Pinheirinho” Causes an Uproar
The violent eviction of the community of Pinheirinho, in the city of São José dos Campos, in the state of São Paulo, became known as "Massacre of Pinheirinho" after a demonstration of violence and brutality by the police in the expulsion and intimidation of residents dumped in the midst of a huge legal mess.
Iran: ‘The pain of sanctions’
European Union has adopted an oil embargo against Iran. Faren Taghizadeh, a presenter at BBC Persian TV posted [fa] in Facebook: This is one of the adversities of being a journalist that you should talk about the pain of your people in details with a smile on your lips. But...
Puerto Rico: Debating Maripily
In 80 Grados [es], Melissa Fernández Arrigoitia responds to a controversial column written by Nelson Rivera in the same digital publication on the supposed virtues and failings of the model Maripily.
Puerto Rico: Fear or Loathing?
Blogger Ed Morales reacts to the column published in Huffington Post Latino titled “Fear and Loathing in the Island that Doesn't Exist,” by Mónica Gutiérrez, which has stirred controversy on how Puerto Rico is depicted, imagined, and constructed.
North Korean Defectors and Their Shattered American Dream
Marmot's Hole blog wrote regarding a news report on the hardships North Korean defectors face in the United States. As of 2011, more than 400 North Korean defectors were living in the United States and there was a surge of defectors after 2004 when US passed the North Korean Human Rights...
Caribbean: TEDx Shows “Ideas Worth Spreading”
“Ideas worth spreading.” With this simple slogan, TED.com, which began in 1984 as an annual conference devoted to technology, entertainment and design, has infiltrated the Internet and empowered people in various countries to spark discussions in local, self-organised TED-branded events, dubbed TEDx. This sharing of ideas has found its way to the Caribbean - in 2011, five TEDx events were held: two in Jamaica, two in Trinidad and one in Puerto Rico. Here's a look back on the events that helped change the region...
South Korea: Kids Become Outcasts for Not Having Branded Bags
Blogger Hangukdrama wrote on South Korean elementary children's craze over expensive and branded school bags and how this behavior has been encouraged by parents, who concerned that their kids would become outcasts if they are seen with ‘cheaper bags’, kept buying the bags.
Ghana: Attorney General Martin Amidu Fired, Ghana Reacts
These days any major news in Africa quickly torches the web like wild fire, thanks to Twitter and Facebook, as demonstrated by the January 19 announcement of the dismissal of Ghana’s Attorney General, Martin Amidu.
Africa: 2012 Cup of Nations Kicks Off!
The Africa Cup of Nations began in Bata, Equatorial Guinea this Saturday, January 21, kicking off three weeks of fierce competition. The Cup is the most important international football competition in Africa.
Ethiopia: Reflecting on Corruption
Netizens reflect on corruption in Ethiopia following a report by Global Financial Integrity which shows that Ethiopia has lost $11.7 billion to outflows of illicit funds in the last decade.
Paraguay: Learn the Correct Use of Social Networks, a Resolution for 2012
Global Voices contributor Belén Bogado [es] suggests adding “learning how to use social networks correctly” to your list of new year's resolutions. She gives some local and international examples of the bad use of social networks to encourage her readers to be careful with what they share online.
Venezuela: The Essence of African Music in Videos
Venezuela’s African origins can be strongly felt in the music and culture of the country’s coastal regions. Social networking sites play an important role in helping people to become more familiar with the drum festivals. Citizen media sites, particularly YouTube, feature videos of the music and dancing performed during events such as family parties and national celebrations.
Cuba, Barbados: Power of the Hunger Strike
Uncommon Sense notes that Cuban dissident Jorge Cervantes has gone on a hunger strike after being arrested for putting up posters protesting the recent death of hunger striker and prisoner of conscience Wilman Villar Mendoza. Barbados Free Press, meanwhile, republishes a letter from a Cuban prisoner who has served his...
Puerto Rico: Vigilance over SOPA & PIPA
Dondequiera says of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA): “Mark my word, this issue is not dead. More like the living dead, a zombie issue, if you like. Many companies…believe that the only way to kill the intellectual property rights legislation is to...
Trinidad & Tobago: Sympathy for Manning
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog posts a round-up of stories about the former Prime Minister's stroke, while Guanaguanare wishes Mr. Manning “peace and love as [he] recover[s].”
Bermuda: Re-Registering to Vote
Respice Finem contends that the proposal for voter re-registration “seems a not very subtle attempt to take away the vote of working class people.”
Guyana: Kissoon Firing as “Rodney Redux”
“The government and its sycophantic outliers may argue from now until the cows come home that the days of Burnham are over, but this is essentially Walter Rodney redux…”: The Minority Report adds its voice to the outcry over the firing of Freddie Kissoon from the University of Guyana.
Why do I wish to see Hong Kong's independence
Amid a series of social and cultural clashes between Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong netizen Marie Meow has written an open letter (English translation here) on Facebook exploring the reasons, possibilities and limitations for a Hong Kong independent from China. The letter has gone viral on the Hong...
El Salvador: New Attack Against Anti Mining Activists
Voices from El Salvador reports on a new attack against anti mining activists in Cabañas. This time, Father Neftalí Ruiz was attacked by “several young men [who] tied him up in his home and proceeded to search his home, computer files, and cellphones for information and supposed weapons.” Grit and...
Ethiopia: How Netizens Reacted to Suspension of Athletes
Did online reactions from Ethiopian netizens contributed to the move by the Ethiopian Athletics Federation to lift the suspension of Ethiopian athletes banned for not reporting for an early pre-Olympic camp?
Russia: The Fake Political Twitter Account Phenomenon
Online anonymity provides perfect conditions for human creativity and humor. In the Russian context this manifests as Twitter accounts belonging either to dead politicians or those that deliberately avoid publicity.
