Sri Lanka: The New Displaced Peoples

Dilrukshi Handunnetti reports in Groundviews that Sri Lanka’s largest internment facility was officially closed last week and its 346 interns were relocated to other confinement(s) instead of being resettled.

Spain: Should the Church Pay (All) its Taxes?

In May of this year, Zamora became the first city in Spain to enforce that the Catholic Church pay Property Tax (IBI). Social networks have captured information and a variety of comments on the topic.

Dominican Republic: Mobilization Against Teen Pregnancy

Different civil organizations and state institutions facilitated spaces for dialogue about the issue of teen pregnancy and supported various demonstrations in favor of measures to reduce the incidence of the problem.

Iran: Alternatives to Google and Gmail

Deputy Telecommunications Minister, Ali Hakim Javadi said to Mehrnews he hoped to launch the Fakhr search engine and Fajr e-mail as alternatives to Google and Gmail in the near future.

Laos: Low Power Rates but Many People Still in the Dark

Despite the presence of several large hydro power plants in Laos, electricity access remains a problem for many people in the country. Power rates, however, are lower compared to other...

Urban Malaysian Dictionary

Amir Muhammad's Urban Malaysian Dictionary features commonly used words in urban Malaysia. The online project started in 2008.

Cambodia: Human Rights Situation

The Special Rapporteur also noted the use of the criminal justice system against human rights defenders and those peacefully exercising their right to express opinion freely This was part of...

Nepal: New Media Gufa – A New Experiment

Blogdai reports: Dharma Adhikari's Media Foundation held a “New Media Gufa” or “cave” where 5 of Nepal's top tech-savvy journalists chained themselves to their computers for three days in a...

Azerbaijan: Youth Activist Believed Arrested

Emin Milli's Blog comments on the apparent disappearance of a youth activist in Azerbaijan. The blog says it believes Zaur Gurbanly's believed arrest was because of anti-presidential leaflets that were...

Sri Lanka: The Rights Of The Homosexuals

Sri Lanka and India, despite our pre-colonial religious and social accommodation of differing sexuality, have remained Victorian in attitude long after the colonial powers have changed. In terms of gay rights, we really need to catch up, and be more honest to ourselves and each other.

Armenia: Government Pressure on NGO

The Washington Post blog features an entry by David Ignatius detailing pressure on an Armenian NGO particularly active online. Founded by former Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian, government pressure...

Russia: Nation's Top Blogger Headed to Prison?

The criminal investigation targeting Russia's most prominent oppositionist blogger, Alexey Navalny, is heating up. Viacheslav Opalev, the former director of a logging firm in Kirov, has confessed [ru] to participating in...

Russia: Ridiculing the Winter Olympics Slogan

The just-announced slogan of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics (“Hot. Cool. Yours.”) has spurred a brief episode of merrymaking on the RuNet. At first that may seem surprising, while the English version of the slogan may sound slightly confusing and a bit corny, it isn't particularly rich fodder for jokes or double entendres.

Portugal: Unionists Take to the Streets in Protest

Following the biggest popular protest of the last decades in Portugal, on September 15, 2012, every week people have been taking to the streets. More demonstrations were called for September...

Nepal: Another Plane Crash Dips Optimism

Lex Limbu used to share his optimism and hope for the domestic airlines industry of Nepal. But the recent Sita Air crash, and the death of 19 people on board,...

Ukraine: Protesting the Controversial Defamation Bill

A bill that calls for penalties of up to five years in jail for defamation passed a first reading in the Ukrainian Parliament on Sep. 18. Following the online campaign against the adoption of the bill, its author submitted a request to recall it. The bill isn't history yet, however, and the protest continues.

Panama: Controversial 510 Copyright Bill Approved

The 510 Bill that would regulate copyrights in Panamá was approved on September 26, 2012, by the National Assembly. The outrage against this bill is coming to a boiling point on social networks and Panamá's mainstream media since, among other things, it establishes unprecedented liberties to the legislative body charged with enforcing it.

Turkey: Prime Minister Signals Negotiations with Kurdish Rebels

The Prime Minister of Turkey has signaled that he will negotiate with Kurdish rebels after months of deadly violence. In the past Turkey has been unwilling to do so despite calls from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party.

Mexico: Missing Activist Aleph Jiménez Found Alive

Missing Mexican activist Aleph Jiménez was found alive and claims to have gone in hiding due to safety concerns. Netizens have mixed reactions to the news.

Mexicans Mourn the Death of Senator Alonso Lujambio

Mexicans from the political sphere and from the public in general mourn the passing of Senator Alonso Lujambio due to illness. Some of the tributes that have been shared on Twitter are collected here.

Australia: Social Media’s Search for Missing Woman

This week Melbourne has seen what is perhaps its biggest and its saddest social media campaign following the disappearance and alleged rape and murder of Jill Meagher.