Stories from 2 February 2012
Russia: Prices of Popular Bloggers’ Posts Leaked
Anonymous hackers had allegedly hacked an inbox of pro-Kremlin activist Kristina Potupchik and publicised [ru] a ‘price-list’ of posts of the most popular Russian bloggers. Government-sponsored Nashi were caught several times on organizing paid campaigns aimed to influence blogosphere's opinion. The prices vary from 130 to 1000 US dollars per post.
Pakistan: How To Save The Shias
Laibaah discusses why Shias are being killed in Pakistan and suggests how can they save themselves from the threats.
Curacao: Diaspora & Development
More Than A Ruby visits Curacao and writes an interesting post about the dynamics of the African diaspora, calling the country “a global village that's kind of held together by a shared language, the Catholic religion, and Carnival, but otherwise people stay in their own huts.”
Cuba: Monitoring the Resistance
Pedazos de La Isla links to a report which states that “428 arbitrary arrests of activists were documented” for the month of January alone, as well as a blog post which details “yet another method of repression” being used against government critics.
Cuba: Sad Songs
Two bits of sad news from Havana Times: the first about the death of a Nueva Trova pioneer, and the second about a domestic dispute that ended in murder.
Trinidad & Tobago: Where's the Love?
“In a digital age, where we can now connect over the internet, it’s appears that love has somehow lost it’s importance in our lives”: The TnT River suggests that “we have forgotten that we were brought into this world mainly through the connection of one personality to another.”
Cuba: Another Building Collapses
“Another occupied building has collapsed in Havana, this time only partially and with no fatalities, but in the same district”: Havana Times reports.
Barbados: Voting Strategy
Politics is on the Barbadian blogging agenda, here and here, as bloggers consider “the viability of a third political party” and the need to “send many independents to Parliament…to disrupt the circle of corruption.”
Peru: Preparing for the Great Water March
As part of the protests against the Conga mining project in Cajamarca, a "Great Water March" left Cajamarca on February 1. On social networks netizens share itineraries, videos, photos, posters, and reactions.
Venezuela: Photos of Armed Children Spark Controversy Online
Venezuelan social networks exploded with reactions after photos of a group of children posing with rifles in one of Caracas' most representative neighborhoods, Barrio 23 de Enero, went viral. The photos spread rapidly and generated a multitude of opinions.
Uganda: The Plight of Urban Poor
Rosebell discusses the plight of urban poor in Kampala, Uganda: “Right in the middle of down town Kampala is a slum called Kisenyi. It’s a place with a mix of many language spoken in Uganda, Eastern Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. The roughest Kampala neighbourhood I have ever...
Kenya: War, Guns and Votes
What will be the impact of Kenya's war with Al Shabaab on the 2012/13 elections?: “A number of questions: will the heightened security requirements associated with the threat of terrorism from Al Shabaab also help secure the country against election violence? Or will security forces be used to intervene in...
Ethiopia: a Body of Legislative Acts Opposing Freedom of Speech
Reporters without Borders released a report on freedom of expression [fr] a report regarding the freedom of expression and the working conditions of Ethiopian journalists stating : “During the last three years the country has adopted a series of laws – on civil society, anti-terrorism etc. – against alleged breaches...
Kazakhstan: Stability of the nation vital for the whole region
Nathan Hamm reviews testimonies at the U.S. Congressional hearing, staged by the US Helsinki Commission about Kazakhstan’s stability, questioning whether or not Kazakhstan is as stable as its government claims.
Kyrgyzstan: Tengrism on Trial
Nathan Hamm reports on a bizzare story of prosecution of Mr. Tezekbaev, an advocate of Tengrism (pagan belief of Central Asian nomads), who is on trial for inciting religious and ethnic hatred for obnoxious sayings about mullahs in Kyrgyzstan. Tezekbaev, who could be sentenced to five years in prison if...
Uzbekistan: U.S. military support not to include weapons
Joshua Foust tells his readers about the details of the “military aid” the U.S. will provide Uzbekistan, which is part of a vital supply line to Afghanistan. The supplies wouldn’t include weapons and ammunition, and would be limited to items meant to bolster the country’s border and transportation security.
Kazakhstan: Astana, urbanist haven of state corporatism
Molapse provides his analysis of the Kazakhstan's capital city, a newly built Left Bank of Astana, with a mix of artistic culturology and anthropology.
Turkmenistan: Sham NGOs’ role in fake presidential elections
Turkmenistan’s upcoming presidential poll is truly a strange creature. neweurasia’s Annasoltan reviews how it has evolved in the last few months, including the role of government-organized NGOs (GONGOs).
Venezuela: Hugo Chávez's Daughter Stirs up Social Networks
With the hashtag #Rosinesing [es] you can follow the reactions to a controversial photograph that President Hugo Chavez's daughter published on Twitter where she is using a wad of US dollars as a fan. Many comments reflect the outrage of those who must go through lengthy and cumbersome procedures to...
Nicaragua: Sandinista Revolution Icon Starts Blogging
Mildred Largaespada reports [es] that Sandinista Revolution icon Dora María Téllez has started blogging [es]: “This is big news for the national and international blogosphere, because she is also one of the female ‘comrades’ who participated in the guerrilla war that defeated the Somoza dictatorship and who continue their anti-dictatorial...
Venezuela: Banners for Thought
After the displaying of annonymous banners in Caracas, which raised questions about the upcoming elections and other issues, the hashtag #pregúntate [es] (“ask yourself”) was created to continue the discussion on Twitter. You can see photos and more in the blog Twitter Venezuela [es] by Roger Zet.
