23 October 2012

Stories from 23 October 2012

Egypt: Advice to Protesting Kuwaitis

As Kuwaitis embarked on their largest ever protest to denounce changes to the electoral law, passed by the country's hereditary ruler while the Parliament was dissolved, Egyptians kept themselves busy on Twitter, dishing advice to them on what to do and not to do.

23 October 2012

Arab World: Obama and Romney are on the Same Page on Syria

Arab netizens had some harsh words to share after waiting to the wee hours of the early morning to tune in to the last US Presidential Debate 2012 between President Obama and Republican hopeful Mitt Romney before the November elections. On Twitter, netizens rammed the US policy on Syria, saying both Obama and Romney were two faces of the same coin.

23 October 2012

Madagascar: Preserving National Heritage with Video Archiving

A Civil Society Initiative has been set up to preserve the 'collective memory' of Madagascar by digitally archiving videos detailing its, often controversial, history. The Fl@H Association was set up to preserve Madagascar’s audiovideo heritage and aims to be a force for the preservation of the country’s history. Members can already point to several achievements.

23 October 2012

Iran: A Blogger in Danger

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced that they are concerned about the health of Mohammad Reza Pourshajari, the jailed writer of the blog “Iran Land’s Report”. RSF says according to blogger's family...

23 October 2012

Bolivia: Vice President Keeping Track of Netizens’ Insults

A debate on the control of social networks was rekindled in Bolivia after vice president Álvaro García Linera stated that he is monitoring and taking note of netizens who are insulting President Evo Morales. Members of the opposition consider the statement a threat to freedom of speech, others support regulation, and some suggest the government should pay attention to other important issues people demand online.

23 October 2012

Chile: #LosQueSobran Campaign to Pull Youth to Polls

A group of Chilean NGOs have come together in a fun campaign to encourage young people to vote in the Municipal elections this Sunday, October 28. For the first time in Chile, voter registration is automatic and the vote is voluntary.

23 October 2012

Ecuador: Cofiec Banking Loan Irregularities Unleash Outrage

Antonio Buñay, former executive chief of Cofiec Bank – a state owned bank- and the alleged responsible person for the Cofiec case, which is causing stir in the Ecuador legal system and among citizens, appeared before the prosecutor's office on October 16, 2012. The #CofiecCase, as Ecuadorian Twitter users have named it, was uncovered after irregularities were found in a Cofiec banking loan for US$800,000 granted to the Argentinian investor Gastón Duzac.

23 October 2012

Kuwait: The Country's Biggest Protest?

Tear gas and stun grenades were used to disperse a protest in Kuwait against changes to the electoral law. The Sunday march attracted about 150,000 out of the country's population of 3 million. Media outlets considered this number to be the biggest in the small Gulf emirate's history.

23 October 2012