Stories from 13 November 2012
From Bosnia to Mecca: “A Pilgrimage on Foot”
An Aussie in Bosnia wrote about Senad Hadzic's walk from a town in northern Bosnia all the way to Mecca – here and here [en]; a Facebook page devoted to this “pilgrimage on foot” is here [bs].
“Self-Defence is No Offence”: Nigerian Student on Trial in Ukraine
On Nov. 5, 2011, Olaolu Femi, a Nigerian student in Ukraine, was attacked by a group of young people in the city of Luhansk; he was detained the next day, and his alleged attempt to defend himself and a friend was interpreted by the Ukrainian prosecutors as attempted murder, for...
Sri Lanka: The Trouble In Putting A Child Into A Local School
Ratmale shares his experience of putting a child into a Sri Lankan local school. Without purchasing or political power “one has to go through a minefield of hurdles,” he thinks.
The Present Status Of Maternal Mortality In Bangladesh
Amader Kotha (Our Stories) analyzes the present status of Maternal Mortality in Bangladesh and things are looking promising for Bangladesh.
Blogging the Earthquake's Aftermath from Huitán, Guatemala
The blog for the community library Mi Nuevo Mundo (My new world) from the Huitán village has been sharing photos and reports of the aftermath of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that shook Guatemala's Pacific coast on November 7, 2012.
Assault of Female Radio DJ Ignites Zimbabwe Gender Violence Debate
The assault of a popular radio DJ by her boyfriend has ignited debate about violence against women in Zimbabwe. The pictures showing her swollen face were both praised and condemned on social media, bringing into focus what has become a growing social problem.
US Presidential Election Resonates in Zimbabwe
The just-ended United States election has got Zimbabweans excited as they face their own elections next year. Citizens are marveling at the speed the election results were announced, how presidential hopeful Mitt Romney “quickly” accepted defeat and how smooth the whole process seemed to them.
Blogging Contest Focuses on Child Development
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced its first contest for bloggers, which will focus on issues related to child development.
Arab World: What will Change with Obama's Re-Election?
Barack Obama has won a second term as US President but how does he fare among netizens across the Arab world? Here's a snippet of the conversation on Twitter following his re-election. Reactions were divided and while many were not pleased with the US foreign policy in the region, others were happy Obama won.
Lagos to Host Social Media Week in 2013
Lagos will become the first city in the African continent to host the Social Media Week (SMW Lagos) co-produced by Dragon Africa and AFRIKA21 in February 18 – 22, 2013.
Zambia's Intelligence Agency Rates Watchdog Website as “Most Influential”
Citizen news website, Zambian Watchdog, has received "endorsement” from the most unlikely source, the Zambia Security and Intelligence Service better known as the Office of the President (OP), which has described it as the most influential news source in the country due to its critical stance of the current government.
Petronas’ Deepavali Ad Angers Malaysian Indians
In conjunction with the Hindu festival of lights, Deepavali, Malaysian oil company Petronas aired a controversial advertisement on YouTube that enraged many Malaysian Indians as it allegedly portrayed Indians in a bad light.
Colombian Hip-Hop Artists, Victims of Medellín's Wave of Violence
Residents of Colombia's Comuna 13, a neighborhood in Medellín infamous for its high levels of insecurity, are mourning the deaths of two well-known hip-hop artists who were killed in the last two weeks, as a wave of violence continues to target artists, youth and cultural organizations that promote peace.