17 March 2012

Stories from 17 March 2012

Cuba: Bloggers Respond to Archbishop's Action

  17 March 2012

Bloggers are reaching boiling point over the political/religious acts of repression that have been taking place in Cuba - and the Pope hasn't even arrived yet. The latest controversy involves the request to remove protesters from a church, which reportedly came from the Archbishop of Havana.

Iran: I repent that I voted for Ahmadinejad

  17 March 2012

Omid Hosseini, An Iranian blogger who has been actively supporting Mahmoud Ahmadienajd in 2009 presidential election and rejecting the post-election protests, writes [fa] in his blog: ‘I'm sorry that I voted for Ahmadinejad in last election. I repent for that. I'm sorry that I voted for him to justify his...

Trinidad & Tobago: Protests & Parliament

  17 March 2012

The Eternal Pantomime suggests that the number of protests taking place is the country is indicative of “the population giving…their response to that Pappy Show of a Parliamentary sitting that happened on March 2nd”, adding: “You don’t insult the intelligence of tax payers and feel that because you have a...

Cuba: Aggression Against Women

  17 March 2012

Pedazos de la Isla blogs about the wives of two dissidents who maintain that they suffered miscarriages as a result of “violent operations carried out against them by the Cuban political police.”

Barbados: Could Bus Accident have been Prevented?

  17 March 2012

“Why are we so cynical and critical when it comes to mass-casualty bus accidents? We’ve learned to be because there are never any satisfactory answers as to cause or remedial actions taken afterwards”: Barbados Free Press blogs about the country's latest road accident.

Jamaica: “Dudus” Sentencing

  17 March 2012

Jamaica Salt blogs about the sentencing of accused drug don Christopher “Dudus” Coke, saying: “There seems to be little change when it comes to seeking out political corruption in Jamaica and the alleged links between drugs, crime, police and politicians…it seems a shame…that there has been little good to come...

Iran: Authorities ‘worried’ about social networks

  17 March 2012

Hamid Shahriari, a member of newly-formed Iranian National Council of Cyberspace says [fa]: “Social networks have presented so many threats to the country and we are worried about some parts of these networks”. In recent weeks Iranian authorities have asked some users to ‘stop or reduce’ their online activities. In...

Iran: ‘The button’ in Ahmadinejad remarks

  17 March 2012

Iran's parliament questioned President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over a list of accusations, including that he mismanaged the nation's economy and disobeyed the parliament's legislation. Ahmadienejad humiliated those members of the parliament who have signed this questions, saying that they ‘may have received their post-graduate degree just by pressing a button’. Iranian...

Ecuador: ‘March for Life’ Says ‘No’ to Large-Scale Mining

  17 March 2012

The Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has decided to promote large-scale mining in his country, but in spite of the economic benefits, indigenous communities and other civil organizations do not support these projects. Hence, The 'March for Life' is a protest against large-scale mining in Ecuador.

Ethiopia/Lebanon: Online Outrage Over Death of Domestic Worker Turns into Activism

Alem Dechasa, the woman seen in a mobile phone video footage circulating online being beaten and dragged by force into a car outside the Ethiopian consulate in Beirut, has committed suicide. The video sparked anger amongst Ethiopians netizens. Following her death, netizens are organizing online to call for justice and draw attention to abuse of Ethiopian domestic workers in the Middle East.