Stories from 19 June 2012
Afghanistan: Women Leaders on Twitter
Ahmad Shuja, an Afghan blogger and political commentator based in US, has put together a list of 15 must-follow Twitter feeds by Afghan women leaders. Shuja explains: “I thought I’d try and share with the world the wonderful work Afghan women do everyday, often in extremely difficult and dangerous circumstances”.
Ukraine: Marko Dević's “Ghost Goal”
On Facebook, in the past two hours, over 4,800 users have ‘shared’ and over 2,900 have ‘liked’ the screenshot of the “ghost goal” by Ukraine's Marko Dević in today's Euro 2012 game against England. The screenshot was posted by Korrespondent, a Ukrainian news site and magazine, and over 400 comments...
Panama: A Country For Sale
Panama is for sale: or at least that is how a large group of Panamanians see the situation after watching with indignation how President Ricardo Martinelli's government is aiming to liquidate a large portion of state assets. The outrage of the Panamanian people can be seen both in the streets and on social networks.
Ethiopia: Disconnecting Citizens From the Future
"Well we Ethiopians have never had dragons in our mythology and folklore like Chinese but so far there has been attempt by Ethiopians to bring on dragons to our culture in the most nauseating manner – internet censorship," writes Endalk in his analysis of the controversial bill which criminalizes the use of internet services such as Skype and Google Talk.
Afghanistan: Another Diplomatic Conference, But What About Results?
Following an international ministerial conference in Kabul on the future of Afghanistan after 2014, a popular TV show asked Afghan Facebook users to express their opinions and share expectations of the event for the country. The netizens' reactions have been tepid at best, demonstrating their fatigue of frequent events that focus on Afghanistan but fail to improve the situation in the country.
Free Children's Books Online in 61 Languages
If you have Arab roots but are living in Brazil, you may want to read Abu Ali Counts his Donkeys to your children, a popular story from the Middle East available in Portuguese on the International Children’s Digital Library. Over four thousand children's books are available in 61 different languages for...
Trinidad & Tobago: Speaking Out Against Sexual Abuse
The case of a 12-year old girl, who recently gave birth to her stepfather's child in Guyana, gets Outlish talking about feminism, education and the everyday reality of women in the Caribbean, while journalist and blogger Lisa Allen-Agostini says it is time to speak out about child sexual abuse.
Paraguay: Land Dispute Leaves Several Dead and Injured
Bloggings by boz highlights several key issues related to a land dispute which increased in violence on Friday, June 15, when “a shootout between police and campesinos occupying land near the border with Brazil led to about 17 deaths and several dozen wounded.”
Myanmar: Netizens Celebrate Aung San Suu Kyi's Birthday
Myanmar netizens sent online birthday greetings to opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is in Europe for her first foreign trip after two decades. Netizens are wondering why state media networks didn't report the Nobel Peace Prize lecture which Suu Kyi recently delivered
Cuba: Two Protests, Many Arrests
The Ladies in White (Las Damas de Blanco) are again top of mind with Cuban diaspora bloggers. As one of the oldest and most respected opposition entities on the island, their peaceful protests - and regular arrests by state security forces - continue to attract attention. The most recent confrontation happened this past weekend as members of the group attempted to carry out two protests in Havana.
South Korea: Former Dictator's Cadet Review Sparks Public Anger
In South Korea, a former president notorious for directing a massacre and oppressing democratic activists during his term (1980-88), has been criticized for participating in a cadet review at the Korea Military Academy and enjoying perks as a former head of the state, despite his criminal records.
Trinidad & Tobago: Problems for People's Partnership
Much of the political discourse in the Trinidad and Tobago blogosphere of late has been about the shortcomings of the People's Partnership Government. It was no secret that there was dissension within the party ranks, but yesterday's news that the Movement for Social Justice has officially pulled out of the Partnership Government has got a few bloggers talking about possible repercussions.
Jamaica: Windscreen Murder
Jamaica Woman Tongue blogs about the murder of a man who cleaned windscreens for a living, saying: “This murder seems to be about rank class prejudice. We have to find a sustainable solution to the chronic problem of unemployed young men. Shooting them in the head is not an option...
Guyana: Stories in Photos
“These young photo enthusiasts now are capturing not only life and landscape but vibes, passions and feelings…in years to come, they will be reminded, as will generations to follow, of how life used to be when Guyana was yet to define her place in the world”: Imran Khan blogs about...
China, Hong Kong: ‘Happy Ad’ for Student Abortions Ignites Debate
A hospital in mainland China has advertised a special installment payment package for university students, for getting abortions conveniently in the event of accidental or unwanted pregnancies. The hospital's marketing poster has caught the attention of Hong Kong's netizens.
Algeria: Twitter Protest Against the State of Education
Algerians on Twitter staged a protest against the state of education in their country, with Aboubakr Benbouzid, the Minister of Education, serving as a focal point. Borrowing from the slogan "Ben Ali dégage" (Ben Ali get out) made famous by the Tunisian revolution last year, they adopted the hashtag #BenbouzidDégage.
Malawi: New Government, Costly Livelihood
The rising cost of living in Malawi has forced some Malawians to come up with innovative ways of making ends meet. Dalitso Chimwaza and several other friends earn a living from collections they make on a wooden brige they constructed across Lilongwe River in the capital city.
Iran: Is LGBT an Online Reality?
Homosexuality, which is banned in Iran, is punishable by prison or death. Fred Petrossian speaks to a researcher who led a team which studied how Iranian LGBT communities use internet in their daily lives.
Togo: Violent Police Clash With ‘Save Togo’ Protesters
A peaceful march by the 'Save Togo' collective on June 12 degenerated into a stand off with security forces and around 120 injuries were recorded. Amongst other things, the protesters are calling for the implementation of recommendations relating to torture and wide ranging constitutional change. Other demonstrations are scheduled for the coming week.
Hong Kong, China: Military Vehicles Entered the City
Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese posted photos and video taken by netizens on the night of June 15th, showing military vehicles of the People Liberation Army running on the busy city streets. Many believe that this is a move to scare people away from July 1st demonstration.
China: Must Private Charity have Government Blessing?
China Media Project has translated a commentary on the recent discussion about the development of charity in China. The commentary is triggered off by a criticism made by a TV anchor, Cui Yongyuan on the Hunan Education Bureau's uncooperative manner towards charity work.
