Stories from 17 October 2012
Russia: Candidates Drop Out of Opposition Elections
On October 16 two high profile candidates in the opposition's Coordinating Council elections announced they are withdrawing from the campaign. Economist Irina Yasina and writer Liudmila Ulitskaya published a statement [ru] on Yasina's blog, explaining that there are other “younger” and more “active” “young people” involved in the process, and that...
Slovakia: Music Copyright Agency Vs. School Drama Club
The Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights Society imposes a €975 fine on a high school drama club for a fundraiser ball, which included a raffle and featured songs authored and performed by the club members - but had not been properly registered with the music copyright agency. Tibor Blazko reports.
Zimbabwe: Asiagate Scandal Continues to Haunt Football Hopes
While various countries across Africa were playing for qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations 2013 to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) was dealing with the match-fixing scandal that popularly has come to be known as Asiagate.
Turkmenistan: Build Athletes, Not Stadiums
My countrymen appreciate the new [sports] infrastructure..., but they generally feel that what really needs to be built aren’t facilities, but actual athletes.
Global Voices Introduces New Advocacy Director, Hisham Almiraat
We're very excited to announce that Hisham Almiraat, a long-time member of the Global Voices community, is the new Director of Global Voices Advocacy.
Central Asia's Water Stories
How is it possible that in Central Asia, a region with abundant water resources, safe drinking water is still a luxury for many people? On his blog, Bakhrom Mananov features several documentaries about water problems in the region and explains why this important resource has become a contentious issue in...
Pakistan: Malala Yousufzai And The Drone Attacks
Ever since the young school going peace activist Malala Yousufzai was attacked by armed gunmen in Swat, Pakistan, numerous questions over the efficacy of the ongoing drone attacks in the region have surfaced.
Latin American Netizens Join Forces to Overcome Poverty
Regional organization TECHO is using Facebook [es], Twitter [es], Google Plus and YouTube [es] to raise awareness about poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean on October 17, International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Siege of Portuguese Parliament: “This is not our budget”
Amidst growing austerity and cuts to social welfare, citizens mobilized a siege of the Portuguese parliament, on October 15, 2012, the day the government officially submitted the draft proposal of the state budget for 2013 to the Assembly of the Republic.
United States: The Fight for Young Undocumented Immigrants
Hundreds of thousand of young undocumented immigrants rejoiced at the news: President Barack Obama's Government authorized registration for the deferred action plan, which allows them to resolve their immigratory and laboral status for two years.
Yemen: Total's Unfair Gas Prices
Yemen's economy has been struggling for years, resulting in high levels of poverty and alarming rates of malnutrition. Yet, the corruption cases exposing the former regime's mismanagement and embezzlement of Yemen's wealth have been emerging as the main reason for the state the country is in. The latest corruption case...
Malawi: Online Journalist Arrested for Allegedly Insulting the President
Malawian online journalist Justice Mponda was arrested Monday morning 15 October 2012 in Blantyre allegedly for insulting the president, publishing false information and criminal libel. Mponda works with malawivoice.com. His arrest came in the wake of a new E-Bill, which seeks to regulate and control online communications in Malawi.
Turkey: Hundreds of Kurdish Political Prisoners go on Hunger Strike
Hundreds of Kurdish political prisoners have entered an indefinite hunger strike, challenging Turkey's treatment of Kurdish political prisoners. Through their protest, some are demanding re-trials and language rights while others want to raise international attention about Turkey's treatment of Kurdish political prisoners. Despite their hunger strike, which is nearing six weeks, international media outlets have largely remained silent.
China, Hong Kong: Launching of Investigative Journal
China Media Project blogs about the launching of an investigative journal, i-sun affairs, in Hong Kong. Many of its editors and reporters were former journalists and dissidents in mainland China.
Sri Lanka: Nava-ratri – Nine Divine Nights
Navratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of a Hindu deity and is celebrated with nine nights of dancing. More at DD's blog.
Macedonia: Fashion and Style Blogs
Skopje Casual blog, run by “3 girls, showing off their daily inspirations and casual fashion from the streets of Skopje,” followed up on their previous work and posted [mk] a new list of Macedonian fashion/style blogs. Some of them, like Diario creativo and Sanja's Burgundy Blog, post original content in...
