Stories from 15 September 2012
Japan: Imagining Future Japanese-Korean Relations with ‘Free Hugs’
A "free hugs" video filmed in Korea by a young Japanese man attracted another round of attention this summer. The creator's intent was to "prove that there is hope for the future of Japan and South Korea". The deterioration in international relations between the two countries, reported upon daily in the media, has been causing a stir recently.
Iran: Blogger Moved to Isolation Cell
Several sites are reporting that jailed Iranian blogger, Hossein Ronaghi Maleki, has been moved to an isolation cell in Tabriz prison. Nehzatsabz blog says [fa] Hossein's health condition is worsening...
Portugal Protesting: “We Want Our Lives”
Before September 15's anti-austerity protest in Portugal titled 'Screw troika! We want our lives', high participation was expected, at least on social media. The austerity measures recently announced by the Prime Minister Passos Coelho seem to have given plenty of reasons for an increasingly broader section of the population to take to the streets.
Russia: Protest Movement Struggles with Keeping Itself Democratic
Maksim Martsinkevich, who goes by the nickname Tesak (Machete), gained notoriety on the RuNet between 2005 and 2007. A white-supremacist who later spent several years in prison for inciting ethnic and religious hatred, Tesak has returned to public life and is now trying to gain access to the protest movement's internal elections.
Iran: Much Ado About Anti-Islam Movie
The Iranian government and protesters in Tehran joined in calls demanding for the US government to condemn anti-Islam movie, The Innocence of Muslims. The film has led to furious protests in several countries.
Trinidad & Tobago: Down the Rabbit Hole?
Further to the outrage expressed by political bloggers in Trinidad and Tobago earlier this week, the country's Parliament convened to debate the controversial Section 34, which resulted in it being repealed - but citizens, both on and offline, seem to be taking limited comfort in the law's recall.
Trinidad & Tobago: Acts of Integrity?
Afra Raymond shares a series of emails he sent to the Integrity Commission and Minister of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago, questioning “the complaince of CL Financial Directors with the...
Jamaica: The Modern Sonnet
Jamaican diaspora litblogger Geoffrey Philp interviews author Pamela Mordecai about her new work, ” Subversive Sonnets”.
Trinidad & Tobago: The COP Motion
Philip Edward Alexander shares audio of Vernon De Lima's motion at the Congress of the People's National Council calling for the party to “disassociate itself from the People's Partnership” if National...
Pakistan Reacts to Anti-Islam Movie
Pakistan has reacted to the anti-Islamic movie which prompted protests in Libya that left the US Ambassador and others dead. Diplomatic agencies across the country have tightened security, but so far protests have been angry yet peaceful.
Japan: Radio Airs Story of Fukushima Province Evacuee
Multilingual community radio station FMYY in Kobe has aired a radio drama titled “Under Invisible Clouds” [ja], the story of Yasuko Sasaki, one evacuee from the town of Namie in...
Saudi Arabia: Committee Backs Legalizing Infinite Detention
The Committee of Islamic and Judicial Affairs in the appointed Saudi Consultative Assembly supported suggestions to relax the requirements for execution and to give courts the right to approve infinite detention. The current law mandates unanimity in the national Judicial Council for death sentences, but the suggested amendment would allow death sentences to pass by a majority of opinions. Activists make their opposition heard on Twitter.
Russia: Religiosity & the Murdered U.S. Ambassador
Responding to the attack on U.S. embassies across the Muslim world (specifically the murder of Ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya), Russian bloggers have addressed the perceived growth of religiosity in their own country, and used the incident as an opportunity to discuss the wider consequences of political unrest.
China: Making Fun of the Length of Apple iPhone
Chinese netizens create a satirical image to mock the design of iPhone5, which is four inches longer than the iPhone4 but with very few new functional features (via China Hush).
China: Another Waves of Anti-Japan Protest
Anne Henochowicz from China Digital Times reports on the new waves of anti-Japan protest in major cities in China. Some angry protesters attempted to attack Japanese restaurants and cars.
China: RMB 4 Trillion Stimulus Package Questioned
In the past few months, some online public opinion leaders have openly criticized the Chinese government's RMB 4 trillion stimulus package introduced in 2008 during the global financial crisis. But Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has stressed that the government "will not hesitate to use" the surplus in the upcoming budget year.
