Stories from 6 February 2012
Thailand: Scholars Press for Lese Majeste Law Reform
An open letter signed by 224 international scholars, writers, and activists was sent to Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra expressing grave concern over the use of Lese Majeste Law to stifle dissent in the country.
Video: 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards
Submissions are being accepted up to February 29th for the 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards in four different categories: small, medium and large organizations and best storytelling.
Syria: “Revolution + Blood – Oil = Veto”
Netizens are still enraged over Saturday's double veto by Beijing and Moscow of the United Nations Security Council draft resolution on ending 11 months of violence in Syria.
Colombia: The daily El Colombiano Celebrates 100 Years
YouTube, mass media, internet, social networks and blogs are echoing the celebration of 100 years of daily circulation of main newspaper of city of Medellin, El Colombiano, the date on which it unveiled its new design for both print and online versions.
Palestine: A Blogging Initiative for Jerusalem, the Praying City
Palestinian bloggers have joined hands to blog for their country, in a blogging initiative led by Abir Kopty under the theme: “For you, oh praying city, we blog.” In the following post, Kopty writes in Arabic about social media utilization in the Palestinian cause, and coordinating it with offline events on the ground.
Russia: Practice of Compulsory Military Service Comes Under Attack
Russia's compulsory military service practices are under attack due to a variety of reasons, including economic inefficiency, governmental corruption, and brutal hazing rituals that incite young conscripts to take their own lives. Donna Welles reports.
Jamaica, St. Vincent: Happy Earth Day, Mr. Marley
Geoffrey Philp and Abeni both pay tribute to the late reggae icon Bob Marley on his birthday.
Video: Sociology Cinema Gathers Videoclips for Lecture Topics
Online video is being used by sociology instructors at the University of Maryland to teach basic concepts and accompany lectures. In The Sociological Cinema video clips are tagged and referenced so that other sociology instructors can use videos to make their classes more engaging.
Cuba: Politics & Internet Access
Dariela Aquique, writing at Havana Times, has a theory that “the Cuban blogosphere is fragmented, consisting of fiefdoms and courts like in the Middle Ages. While some share commonalities, others are definitely at opposing ends of the political spectrum.”
Jamaica: Women's Political Role
“The troubling disrespect for the ‘girls’ appointed to the Cabinet seems to confirm that the JLP is committed to the backward notion that ‘man must run tings’”: Jamaica Woman Tongue argues that “turning the size of Mrs Simpson Miller’s Cabinet into a gender issue betrays a deep-seated prejudice against women...
Jamaica: Playing with the Law
“With what passes for law and justice in this country is it any wonder that this is such a violent society?”: Active Voice explains that “a lot of the crime plaguing us is the result of people taking the law into their own hands because the extant justice system just...
Guyana: Send in the Clowns
“Every morning then, without fail, the clown put on she joie de vivre and tumble out”: Guyana-Gyal tries to keep a smile on her face despite her mother's diagnosis.
Uganda: What Lies Beneath the Cloak of Exclusivity?
The formation of a Facebook group called ‘Mzungus in Uganda' has stirred up controversy and a heated debate on Facebook. Mzungu is a term commonly used in southern, central and eastern Africa to mean a white person. The group's description reads, "This is a group for all the Mzungus living in Kampala…to share your likes, dislikes, advice or interesting (or boring) stuff…."
Iran: Beautiful nature
Here is a blog publishing the photos about Iran's northern province, Gilan. It lies along the Caspian Sea.
Iran: No War, No Dictatorship
Gahneveshteaye Ali writes [fa] that Green Movement demonstrated in New York both against war and dictatorship. The Iran based media preferred to ignore them.Watch the photos here.
Africa: Highs and Lows of the 2012 African Cup of Nations
People unite around their national football teams in Africa more than anywhere else in the world. In the fervour surrounding the 2012 African Cup of Nations, there are two points that attract the attention of bloggers. The first is the absence of the usual great nations of African football and the second is that of the complicated issue surrounding bonuses.
Zambia: Netizens Weigh in on Labour Minister, Chinese Quarrel
This is a roundup of reactions from Zambian netizens following a public quarrel involving the Labour Minister Chishimba Kambwili, the Chief Medical Officer of the Chinese-run Sino-Zam Friendly Hospital in the mining region of the Copperbelt and the Chinese ambassador to Zambia.
Africa: 2012 Cup of Nations Delivers Many Surprises
The first round of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations has been full of surprises as tournament favourites, such as Senegal and Morocco, have already been eliminated. Tweets from around Africa show how the whole continent has been captivated by the tournament.
Yemen: Yemeni Protesters Greet Saleh With a Shoe in New York
Yemenis in New York threw a shoe in the direction of outgoing Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, whom they say should be standing before the International Criminal Court and not staying at Manhattan's Luxury Ritz Carlton Hotel. Noon Arabia sums up Yemeni netizen reactions to Saleh's stay in New York.
Tunisia: Politicians and Deputies Opt for Open Governance Through Social Media
The toppling of the Ben Ali regime last January paved the way for a growth in the use of social media across Tunisia. Today, politicians are using the same tools repressed by the state to get their messages across to the people. Ahmed Medien takes us behind the scenes.
Cuba: Bloggers on SOPA, Culture and the Democratization of Knowledge
Unlike many SOPA/PIPA critics in the United States and around the globe, Cuban bloggers did not focus on the technical implications of the proposed laws. Both independent and state-affiliated Cuban bloggers saw SOPA/PIPA as a powerful statement about how legislators (and the music and film industries) value culture and creativity as part of U.S. society.
