Stories from 22 May 2012
South Korea: Movie Review on the President's Barber
Storify user @Jaemin posted a review on the President's Barber, a movie which well depicted how ordinary people's lives suffered under a dictatorial military regime back in the 1970s and...
South Korea: Taking Evolution out of Textbooks
An atheist blogger who works as an English teacher in South Korea, Chris Hallquist wrote about some efforts made to strip evolution out of science textbooks. Based on his experience...
Cuba: Diaspora Bloggers Blame “Aggressive Acts” in Grandmother's Death
Two Cuban diaspora blogs are talking about the death of a senior citizen that took place in the region of Santa Clara this past weekend. Despite the fact that the woman was in her nineties, bloggers are speculating that the elderly woman's fatal stroke may have been brought on by “violent acts of repudiation”.
Puerto Rico: Dancing Images
Photojournalist Heriberto Castro maintains a beautiful blog dedicated to one of his passions: dance. The blog En la Punta del Pie [es] includes his stunning images and information on dance events.
Mali: Protests Call for National Unity in Gao and Timbuktu
Following protests in Timbuktu in April 2012, citizens of the city of Gao have taken to the streets to protest about the demands and orders imposed by the Islamic groups currently occupying northern Mali. Malian bloggers and their readers react to the protests as well as to the current situation in Northern Mali.
Puerto Rico: 80 Grados Launches Campaign
The digital magazine 80 Grados -an important space for in-depth and alternative journalism and scholarly essays- has launched a funding campaign [es] to support its continued commitment and sustain its publication.
Trinidad & Tobago: Film Strategy
Mark Lyndersay blogs about some of the issues facing the local film industry, here.
China: Chinese Man Murdered by Government-employed Demolition Team
Again, a Chinese man was brutally killed on May 15 by dipper when he tried to stop his home from being razed by the government-employed demolition team in Heilongjiang province....
Yemen: Suicide Blast on Eve of Unification Anniversary
Nearly 100 people were killed and at least 200 injured when a suicide blast targeted a military parade rehearsal in Yemen's capital Sana'a on May 21. The bomber detonated his explosives in the middle of soldiers rehearsing for the celebrations of the anniversary of the country's unification.
China: Workers’ Culture on Weibo
Jennifer Cheung from China Labour Bulletin introduces how workers in China make use of micro-blog to tell their stories in different artistic forms.
South Sudan: South Sudan Theatre Company Online
South Sudan Theatre Company online: “Advised and led by three of South Sudan’s most respected cultural leaders, a group of artists and dramatists have come together to form the South...
Mauritania: Al Qaeda Execution Stirs Debate
A YouTube video posted on the Al Akhbar website on May 12 has angered Mauritanians. The video shows a 40-year-old Mauritanian man being interrogated by members of Al Qaeda, who accuse him of espionage. He was later executed after confessing to working with Mauritanian intelligence.
South Africa: The Spear, Freedom of Speech and Morality
A painting by Cape Town-based artist Brett Murray depicting President Jacob Zuma's genitals has ignited online debate about morality and freedom of speech in South Africa. The painting tilted “The Spear” is part of Hail to the Thief II exhibition in Johannesburg.
Azerbaijan: Is Eurovision A Rare Opportunity For Change?
With increased media attention on the country during this week's Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, Azerbaijan, former prisoner of conscience Emin Milli argues that the international music competition offers a...
“The Most Misterious of Brazilian Writers” Receives Camões Award
Blog Semióticas [pt] celebrates this year's Camões Award – “the highest honor” for a Portuguese language writer – given to Dalton Trevisan from Curitiba, Brazil, for his “extraordinary contribute in the...
Brazil: “The Dilemma of the Brazilian Revolutionaries”
The author of Lost Sambista Blog shares a photo of Che Guevara being awarded the Gra-cruz of honor by Janio Quadros, the Brazilian President for only seven months in 1961,...
Bulgaria: The Strongest Earthquake Since 1917
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake, the strongest since 1917, shook Bulgaria's capital Sofia and the perimeter zone of around 100 km last night, followed by a number of strong aftershocks. No...
Africa: Regimes Under Attack From Satire and Cartoons
The use of satirical language and cartoons in the media is relatively new in most African countries. Abdoulaye Bah explores the history behind these comic tools.
Armenia: Nationalists Disrupt Cultural Diversity March
As was the case in 2009 during a rally to mark International Women's Day, nationalists in Armenia infiltrated and disrupted a march in Yerevan on 21 May to commemorate World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
Russia: The RuNet's Top 10 Political Slang Words
Understanding political discussions in the Russian blogosphere requires a certain fluency in RuNet slang. For anyone interested in grasping the nuances of online satire and blogger arguments (or for those who seek to "troll" their own virtual opponents), the following list of ten popular slang terms should be particularly useful.
Myanmar: Protest Against Power Shortage
CJMyanmar uploaded photos of the protest against the electricity shortage in Mandalay, the second largest city of Myanmar. Hundreds who joined the activity lighted candles and peacefully protested in front...
