Stories from 30 November 2012
Egyptians Want to Overthrow Mursolini
Egyptians are back at the epi-centre of the Egyptian revolution, in Tahrir Square, in downtown Cairo, where they are protesting sweeping powers their newly elected president Mohamed Mursi has granted himself. They include a rushed draft constitution announced today (Nov 30, 2012), penned by an Islamist-led assembly, which has new Islamic references to Egypt's system of government as well as clauses which infringe on women's rights and freedom of speech.
Is the Saudi Government Monitoring Women?
Is the Saudi government monitoring women? Blogger Ahmed Al Omran tells us how it is done. He adds: The problem is not that there is now an electronic system that sends an SMS when women travel. Some people might actually want this service. The problem is that the government is...
From Ramallah to Gaza: A Tearful Reunion
From Ramallah to Gaza, Linah Alsaafin had to travel through two countries – and two continents – for a tearful reunion with her grandmother. Read her account here.
Syria: Time for a Frank Dialogue
Syrian blogger Maysaloon calls for a frank dialogue on Syria. He writes: What needs to happen now, and not when Assad falls, is frank dialogue with all – whether they are Islamists, Free Syrian Army, Jabhat al Nusra, the Kurds, whoever it may be, about core principles. For the sake...
40,000 Syrian Lives Lost in 20 Months
According to human rights organizations, more than 40,000 Syrians have been killed during the 20 months conflict in Syria. The violence in Syria has caused rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation, where 4 million people expected to require assistance in Syria by early 2013, writes Rami Alhames
Virtual Game Leads to Real Job as Football Manager in Azerbaijan
A 21-year old university graduate who's favourite past-time is playing the computer game Football Manager was confirmed as the new manager for Azerbaijan side FC Baku's reserve team earlier this month. In an unprecedented move this gamer pipped former footballers including Frenchman Jean Pierre Papin to secure the job.
Ecuadorian Blogger Paúl Moreno Detained
Ecuadorian blogger Paúl Moreno (@paulcoyote) [es] was detained [es] on charges of fraudulent access to computer systems and databases, after publishing a post [es] where he explains how he accessed the information of President Rafael Correa to show the vulnerability of the site www.www.datoseguro.gob.ec [es]. Twitter users have set up...
The Surreality of Russian eDemocracy
The Coordinating Council of the Russian Opposition met for second time on November 24, 2012. In keeping with the its online origins, participants and audience members actively tweeted updates and excerpts from the four-hour-long meeting. RuNet Echo has translated an excerpt of the minutes, featuring eDemocracy in action.
Mauritania: “Don't Touch my Nationality” March Broken by Police
On November 28, 2012, Mauritanian police dispersed [ar] a march organized by “Don't touch my nationality” movement and arrested their coordinator Birane Wane [en]. The opposition group was asking for the trial of all those involved in the killing of black officers in the Mauritanian army in the 90's during...
Tajikistan Blocks Popular News Website
The higher the walls they are building, cutting people off from the outside world, the more willing people are to destroy the walls and bury those who build them under the bricks.
Syria Protest Videos Online Despite Internet Cut
With the Internet cut across Syria, videos of protests are still finding their way online. On Twitter, Hivos reports: @Hivos: While #internetcutinsyria @ANA_Feed continues to bring the news: video from large demonstrations today in Aleppo: http://ow.ly/fHVhx
Chinese Netizens React: People’s Daily Fooled by The Onion
Chinese newspaper People’s Daily made a fool of itself this week when it seriously reported that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was named Sexiest Man Alive by The Onion, a satire newspaper from the United States.
Wiping Out Ethiopia's History for the Sake of Development
Ethiopian netizens react to unconfirmed reports circulating online that iconic statues of Emperor Menelik II and Pope Abule Petros might be destroyed because of the construction of an Addis Ababa rail tunnel.
Peruvian Junior Volleyball Team Wins South American Cup
On Monday November 26, 2012, the Peruvian junior volleyball team won the South American Female Volleyball Championship. This is a historic result, after 32 years without getting any titles in that sports category. Bloggers have joined the celebration, and Twitter is buzzing with comments with the hashtag #matadorcitas (the team's nickname).
Palestine Gets “Symbolic” Upgrade at the UN
The upgrade of Palestine from an "entity" to a "non-member state" at the United Nations received a lukewarm reaction from netizens - who asked what a 'symbolic' gesture like recognising Palestine at the United Nations would do to Palestinians, particularly those living under Israeli occupation and refugees.
Nairobi Pulls Together During Matatu Vehicle Strike
On Thursday 29 November, most Nairobi city dwellers woke up to the harsh reality of the public service transport system going rogue. The Kenyan public service vehicles popularly known as matatus were demonstrating against the latest Traffic Amendment 2012.
Will China's New Leadership Bring More Freedom of Press?
China Central Television (CCTV) has always been considered as government propaganda. However, the past week has seen progress in its news coverage, including that of Ren Jiayu, a young man who was sent to labor camp for Internet speech. Chinese netizens are wondering: will the new leadership bring more freedom of...
