Stories from 1 November 2012
Saint Lucia: 25 Proposals to Help Move Forward
Amatus Edwards has a comprehensive list of 25 proposals to help move Saint Lucia forward.
Jamaica: Creole and Jamaican Identity
Our educators don’t seem to understand that as long as we tell children that they ‘chat bad’ when they use their mother tongue, we are planting the seeds of low...
Talking About Hurricane Sandy on Social Networks
After slamming the Caribbean, Hurricane Sandy came to the east coast of the United States on October 29, bringing with it rainfall and even snowfall in its path. As expected, Sandy became a trending topic on Twitter.
D. R. of Congo: Human Rights Activist Assaulted, Guard Killed
Leading Human Rights Activist and gynecologist Denis Mukwege, was attacked outside his home, and his guard killed on October 25, 2012. Doctor Mukwege has campaigned tirelessly for the wellbeing of women and girls affected by the use of mass rape as a weapon of war. He recently gave a speech to the United Nations where he spoke of his outrage and shock at the violence that females have suffered in his homeland.
Founder of Banned Militant Group in Pakistan Offers Aid to U.S.
Amidst the furor and damage the super storm sandy caused in the US East Coast, Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the founder of banned militant organization Lashkar e Taiba (LeT) and head of Jaamat ud Dawa (JuD) offers a considerable amount of humanitarian aid to the US to bear losses.
Grenada: Government In Crisis
With more MPs opposed to the regime, than supporting it; with the ruling party divided down the middle; with the economy in free fall; with salaries late again – Prime...
Will Hurricane Sandy Stop the New York Marathon?
Hurricane Sandy has caused widespread destruction in New York City, and sports events have not been spared. One of the world's most famous marathons is destined to be affected by the aftermath of the storm.
Bolivian Radio Journalist Set on Fire in Yacuiba
Bolivian radio journalists Fernando Vidal and Karen Arce from Radio Popular in Yacuiba, a city on the Bolivian border with Argentina, were victims of an arson attack on October 29, 2012. Early theories indicate that the attack may have been related to Vidal's outspoken criticism of corruption and contraband.
BlogFest Asia 2012 Opens in Cambodia
Cambodia is hosting BlogFest Asia 2012 which is expected to gather around 200 individuals from several Asian countries. The event on November 1-5, 2012 will take place in the historic town of Siem Reap. This is the third BlogFest which was earlier held in Hong Kong in 2009 and then in Penang, Malaysia in 2010.
Trinidad & Tobago: Taking Steps To Combat White Collar Crime
This crisis is an important opportunity to decide if we want to do differently. Do we? If not, crapaud smoke we pipe. If we really want to do differently, we...
Germany: Satire Magazine Calls for Complimentary Ph.D.s
After a series of scandals surrounding the academic achievements of German politicians who cheated on their dissertations, the online satire magazine“Der Postillon” is now calling for a complimentary Ph.D. [de]...
If Catalonia Declares Independence From Spain, Invasion?
Various people, among them four members of the European Parliament, have spoken of a possible military intervention in Catalonia, Spain, if the region attempts to secede, provoking an avalanche of commentary from netizens.
Africa's Top Political Tweeters? Let's Fix The Guardian's List
On October 30, 2012, The Guardian published ‘Africa's top tweeters: political pioneers in the digital debate'. Did The Guardian’s David Smith get away with this piece too easily? The Sub-Saharan Africa bloggers of Global Voices think so.
Thailand Offers Online Birth Registration System
In partnership with Unicef, the Thailand government has launched an online birth registration program that is currently implemented in 44 hospitals across the country. The government is also offering a...
Six Month Jail for Insulting Bahrain King on Twitter
One of four Twitter users, detained in Bahrain and reportedly charged with insulting the country's king, was sentenced to six months in prison today. Bahraini lawyer Mohammed Abdulameer tweets [ar]:...
Madagascar: Tear Bomb Thrown into a University Classroom
Madonline reports [fr] that a tear bomb was thrown by military forces into a classroom of Ankatso University where students are protesting [fr] the delay in the disbursement of their scholarships. The same protests...
Honduras Truth Commission Releases Coup Report
In early October 2012, the Commission of Truth [es] -created in June 2010 to “clarify the facts of the June 28, 2009 Honduran coup d’état“- released its report “The Voice...
Wedding Party at Petrol Station with Greece in Crisis
In a blog post entitled “Crisis wedding in Greece”, Belgian freelance photographer Nick Hannes posts the story of a bride and groom in Patras, Peloponnese who decided to hold their...
Saudi Arabia: First Reactions to the Riyadh Explosion
A huge explosion rocked eastern Riyadh this morning, sparking a discussion on mainstream media coverage and praising Twitter for being a source of instant news. Initial reports said that a tanker carrying flammable liquid crashed into a flyover in the Saudi capital, leaving at least 10 people have been killed and over 50 were injured. Video footage shared on video-sharing site YouTube shows the charred remains of cars and extensive damage to surrounding buildings.
Indonesia: Apps for Sustainable Palm Oil Production
The World Resources Institute has developed two online mapping tools to track forest change and sustainable palm oil production in Kalimantan, Indonesia. Deforestation in many parts of Indonesia is blamed...
