Stories from 2 April 2012
Jamaica: Counting Crayons
“Yes, the crime rate and garrison communities are atrocious. Yes, the decline in public morality is a cause for concern. But there are bright spots that shine beyond Jamaica's geographical boundaries”: Diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp highlights one of them.
Pakistan: What Are You Smoking?
Shisha smoking has bacome a craze among youngsters in Pakistan in recent years. Hina Safdar reports that a ban on Shisha smoking/selling is in effect in the Sindh province and violating the law can lead to 6 months of imprisonment.
Colombia: Lawmakers Rush Bill on Author Rights and Intellectual Property
On March 20, a bill was hurriedly presented to reform the legislative and regulatory framework of authors' rights and intellectual property as part of the government's implementation of the requirements for a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Activists and citizens on social networks have rejected the lack of debate on what many are calling a new version of the "Lleras law."
Argentina: Covering the 30th Anniversary of the Falklands War
Lillie Langtry from the blog Memory in Latin America looks at the Argentine media coverage of the 30th anniversary of the start of the Falklands War. Lillie also shares some cartoons on the anniversary by Pagina/12 cartoonist Miguel Rep.
Egypt: Your ID, Your Rights Targets Women
As many as 4 million Egyptian woman don't have ID cards, and as such cannot benefit from legal, social and economic services and rights. "Your ID, Your Rights" is a campaign which aims to cover 2 million women, providing them with ID cards, as well as create awareness online about the situation of such women and the importance of gender equality.
Greenpeace Blocked from Entering South Korea for Their Nuclear Stance
South Korean immigration authorities blocked three Greenpeace staffers from entering the country. Kumi Naidoo, international executive director of Greenpeace tweeted about the incident and his several tweets are rapidly translated in Korean.
Bolivia: Health Workers’ Priorities During Protests
Much of the Bolivian public health sector is protesting the government's decision to raise the workday for doctors from six to eight hours a day. Patricia Almanza, a child anesthesiologist, tweets where she was instead, “My colleagues are blockading Arce Avenue [in protest] and here I am in surgery to...
Announcing the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit in Nairobi, Kenya
We're delighted to announce the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2012! Our gathering takes place this year in Nairobi, Kenya on July 2-3, 2012, in partnership with Nairobi's iHub.
France: Lyon Hosts the World Wide Web 2012 Conference
The World Wide Web 2012 conference is hosted this year in Lyon, France, from April 16 to 20, and will feature many prominent figures of the Web, historic and current ones. Global Voices Online author Danica Radovanovic is presenting on the first day a paper about “one of the very popular social and communication...
Myanmar: Construction Resumes in Suspended Dam Project
Weekly Eleven reported that construction of the controversial Myit Sone Dam in Kachin State in Myanmar which was suspended last year by the government has been resumed.
Nigeria: Online Furore Over #DominionAir
Why would the advent of another brand name into the Nigerian aviation space generate so much public discourse? It happens that this is no usual airline: it is alleged to be owned by a Nigerian Evangelical “prosperity” minister, Bishop David Oyedepo.
Myanmar: New Currency Exchange Rate
The Central Bank of Myanmar set the new currency exchange rate of 818 Kyats per 1 US Dollar, as part of the move to implement a new floating currency exchange system. Previously, the official rate was 6.4 Ks. per 1 US Dollar.
China: Doctors Talk about Health Issue
Tom from Seeing Red in China highlighted some points in a papers written by a group of doctors on the challenge of health system in China.
Nigeria: Ify Omalicha's Last Dance
Nigeria's arts community recently lost a theater artist and poet: Ify Agwu Omalicha. She died in an auto crash on her way to Abuja. Ayodele Olofintuade laments that Ify death is a consequence of years of neglect and corruption that leaders of Nigeria “have perpetuated over and again”. As such denying...
China: Talking with a Female Massage Worker
Tricia Wang from Bytes of China chatted with a female massage worker in Changsha, Hunan about her life prospect.
Azerbaijan: Amnesty International Running Scared Eurovision action
Ahead of next month's Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan, Amnesty International has posted a web feature using the spotlight on the international song contest to demand greater human rights protection and freedom of expression in the oil-rich former Soviet republic. In particular, the international human rights group is using the...
Kyrgyzstan: The Internet on Trial?
The ongoing trial of an ethnic Russian journalist accused of inciting racial hatred in a series of online articles may have profound implications for Kyrgyzstan's regulation of the Internet, as well as testing the neutrality of the country's moribund judicial system.
Russia: Online Petition Seeks to Increase Controls on Foreign-Funded NGOs
In late March 2012, less than three weeks after Putin's re-election to the Russian presidency, an online petition emerged, calling for stricter controls on foreign-funded Russian NGOs. Kevin Rothrock reports.
China Social Media Crackdown: 6 Arrested, 16 Websites Closed
News spread through the Chinese Internet on Saturday, March 31: six people had been arrested and 16 websites closed for “fabricating or disseminating online rumors". Violeta Camarasa reports.
Is Facebook Trying to Re-enter China?
Several local journalists and netizens spotted Mark Zuckerberg and his girlfriend, Priscilla Chan, in Shanghai on March 27. Once more, rumors spread like fire through the Internet: Is the king of social media working on Facebook's return to China?
Guinea: Of the “Good Old Days” and Guinea's Future
Ma Guinée Plurielle wrote the following [fr] on the Salte Afrique blog : “I became downright pessimistic about the future of Guinea. When I was a little boy, I heard that yesterday was better than today but tomorrow will be alright eventually. Twenty-five years later, I am still hearing the same...
