Stories from 13 March 2012
Colombia: FARC Announces End to Kidnappings, Release of Hostages
On February 26, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) announced they would release ten military hostages they currently hold. Despite hope the announcement generated, there are doubts and other uncertainties over what will happen now.
Angola: Police Confiscates Computers From the Independent Weekly Folha 8
On March 12, a police raid at the Angolan independent weekly Folha 8 resulted in about 20 computers being confiscated [pt]. Editor William Tonet points a connection with the investigation on the publication of an Internet photo montage of the president and politicians from 2011. The Committee to Protect Journalists...
Egypt: Flip Flop Economics to Debate the Presidential Elections
Egyptians go to the polls in May to election their new president, after 32 years of Hosni Mubarak's rule. Preparations for the big event are in full swing on the ground, generating debate which is spilling online. Tarek Amr takes a closer look at a debate between netizens discussing the merits and shortcomings of one presidential candidate.
Arab World: Arabisk Best Blog Competition Begins
Algerian blogger Maamar Ameur, an organiser of the annual Arabisk competition to select the best Arabic blogs, announced the launch of the competition. This is the third year the event is held. To submit your blog, click here. You can also follow the competition on Twitter and read a full announcement here...
Mozambique: The People's Wall of Maputo
At the same time that we increasingly see the advance of new technologies which facilitate communication and information, in Maputo the People's Wall has emerged; a large wall in a public place where the population can write letters and direct reflections to the governing leaders.
Tunisia: Paying Tribute to Cyber Dissident Zouhair Yahyaoui
Today marks the 7th death anniversary of Zouhair Yahyaoui, an award winning Tunisian cyber activist who was detained during the regime of Zeine El Abidin Ben Ali. He passed away after facing serious health issues due to torture, and police abuse while he was in prison. In tribute to his sacrifice, March 13 is being celebrated as the National Day for Internet Freedom in Tunisia, starting this year.
Armenia: International Women's Day
Marking International Women's Day, Ianyan features guest posts on gender in Armenia. In the first, three writers take a glimpse into the lives of women in the post-Soviet country, while a second examines the issues of patriarchy and discrimination. The third post takes the form of an interview with a...
Armenia: Homophobic Online Media
Unzipped: Gay Armenia adds another Armenian media outlet to its Homophobia Hall of Fame. This time it's the turn of Internet TV Slaq.am. The blog that reports on LGBT and related issues in the South Caucasus explains why.
Video: 10 tips to make your videos better
Adam Westbrook shares 10 tips to make your online videos look better. Paired up with good storytelling, things like tripod use, closeups, controlling thumbnails, sound, bitrates, color correction, compression and meta data can help your video make its mark.
Video: Share Your Challenges and Win an iPad2 in Contest
The Bertelsmann Foundation's FutureChallenges initiative wants to hear about the challenges faced by people all around the world. By making a video and uploading it to their Facebook page, you could win a new iPad2.
The Balkans: Debating Angelina Jolie's Film and the Legacy of War
Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut, In the Land of Blood and Honey, has received much publicity, both positive and negative, in the Balkans, adding fuel to the ongoing debate on the legacy of the wars fought in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
