Stories from 19 April 2012
Spain: Call for worldwide entries for the Barcelona International Audiovisual Festival
In topics centered around children and youth, the Barcelona International Audiovisual Festival is calling for entries with a 31 May, 2012 registration deadline for audiovisuals that not only entertain but also educate and teach. More information on Young People's Media Network.
Mexico: A Toy Collection Could Change the Future of Mexico
A 65 year old man had a personal collection with more than a million old toys, mostly made in Mexico. Mexican Architect Robert Shimizu, along with his son, decided to open their house as a toy museum. Their subtitled video documentary A Mexican Toy Story tells the story of how it came to be and how they believe that through toys, Mexico can recover its path.
Mexico City Netizens Celebrate World Bicycle Day
Netizens in Mexico City are celebrating World Bicycle Day by sharing their cycling experiences through blogs and Twitter. They are also trying to raise awareness about the risks of using bicycles as a means of transportation is such a busy city.
South Africa: What People Forward a Gang Rape Video?
A 10 minute and 33 second cellphone viral video of a 17-year-old mentally handicapped girl being gang raped by seven men in South Africa has sparked anger and outrage online.
Panama: Italian Scandal Rocks Martinelli Government
Links between Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli and Italian citizen Valter Lavitolla have placed the Panamanian government in the eye of the story, following the arrest of the Italian at the Rome airport on accusations of bribery and corruption. Fingers have been pointed at other members of the Panamanian government for allegedly taking bribes during tendering for contracts to build prisons.
Palestine: Launch of “100 Palestinian Blog Posts” Competition
On April 15, youth organization Diwan Ghazza announced a competition that is open to Palestinian bloggers everywhere. The idea is to collect the best 100 Palestinian blog posts, and then to publish them in a book later this year.
Cuba: Absent at the Summit of the Americas
At The Cuban Triangle, Phil Peters blogs about Cuba's absence at the Summit of the Americas, which was held this week in Cartagena, Colombia. Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia's president, addressed the issue of the US trade embargo on Cuba, calling it an “anachronism.” “We cannot be indifferent to a process...
Cuba: New Video Series “Just Another Cuban”
Penultimos Días alerts readers to a series of videos, “Un Cubano Más,” produced and posted on YouTube by Eliécer Avila, the University of Information Sciences student who famously questioned former president of Cuba's National Assembly Ricardo Alarcón about why Internet access is heavily restricted in Cuba.
Spain: The King and the Elephants
King Juan Carlos was operated due to a hip fracture after he suffered a fall when he was in Botswana, Africa, hunting elephants. In a country suffering a severe financial crisis, with over 5 million unemployed, protests have not ceased to take place online.
Cuba: What Did Pope Benedict XVI Leave Behind?
Two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI left the island, Cuba returns to normalcy. Elaine Diaz offers a review of the different conversations and debates after the Pope's visit that have appeared on Cuban digital blogs and social media.
Portugal: Community-occupied school violently evicted
Community members resisted eviction from the Es.Col.A in Fontinha [pt] in Porto this morning. The abandoned, disused school was being used by a self-organized collective for after-school classes, recreational activities – watch their story (with English subtitles). While broadcast media report the violent police eviction, protest continues. #Fontinha and #ocupai...
Egypt: “Blog About Nubia” Day
In an attempt to highlight the situation of the Nubian community in Egypt and to challenge stereotypes about them, a day of blogging and tweeting about their cause took place on April 18.
Senegal: An Innovative Way to Monitor the Presidential Elections
During the second round of the Senegalese presidential elections, journalist Papa Alé Niang of channel 2stv was able to give results trends as early as 9pm thanks to the work of monitoring team Sunu 2012. This project was devised and created by Cheikh Fall in 2008 and has proved an invaluable tool in monitoring practices during this campaign.
Syria: Appeal by Diplomats’ Wives to Asma Al Assad
“Women from around the world, urge you, Asma Al-Assad, to take up your responsibility as wife of the Syrian leader. Hundreds of children in your country have already died, tens of thousands have been injured and displaced, all of them have been traumatized. We expect you to speak out for...
Macedonia: Lead Smelting Company Sues Environmental Activist
Greenbox blog reports [mk] that Toni Dimitrievski, director of Мetrudhem, the corporation that intends to restart the lead smelting factory in the city of Veles, has filed a lawsuit against environmental activist Igor Smilev for “endangering security,” “unauthorized recording,” “slander” and “insult,” requesting EUR 20,000 in damages. So far, only...
Bulgaria: Living With Hepatitis C
Rayna Stamboliyska interviews the author of "Hepatitis-Minded: Thoughts of a Contaminated," a blog that does a fabulous job informing people about Hepatitis C.
