Stories from 23 January 2013
Journalism Grants for Innovations in Development Reporting
The European Journalism Centre is calling for grant proposals for reporting projects related to global development and the UN Millennium Development Goals that make use of entirely new and experimental reporting and presentation methods. Grant applications are open to journalists, editors, and development stakeholders.
Waving Different Flags, Ethiopians Celebrate their Fight at AFCON 2013
Ethiopians across the world are celebrating TeamEthiopia, their national Soccer team, who fought a hard draw against defending champions Zambia in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in Nelspruit, South Africa.
Apostasy Case against Saudi Activist Dismissed
‘The apostasy case against Saudi activist Raif Badawi has been dismissed, his lawyer Waleed Abu Alkhair said on Twitter today. “It was not proven to the judges that the accused has insulted God or the Prophet,” Abu Alkhair added.,’ reports Ahmed Al Omran on Riyadh Bureau.
Air Pollution In Bhopal
Bagchiblog sheds light on the rise of air pollution in Bhopal, the capital of the the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh. The degradation in the air quality has primarily been caused by an increase in cars and two-wheelers in the cities and rural areas.
Jordanians Elect New Parliament
Jordanians went to the polls today [Jan 23, 2013] to elect a new Parliament. 7iber provides updates in this live blog post.
Acid Violence: A neglected issue in Bangladesh!
Amader Kotha provides some statistics of Acid violence in the past decade in Bangladesh and points out that despite introduction of tough laws, lack of awareness results in repetitions of the offence.
Russia's Siberian State Within A State
Roughly 90% of Russian gas production originates in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, located in the northwestern corner of Siberia. In recent months, bloggers and Russian netizens have reacted to the latest in a series of changes to internal migration laws inside YaNAO that make it difficult for non-residents even to pass through the region.
Tobago's Election Results Send Message: Hit the Road, Jack!
Tobago's election results have come in and bloggers don't seem surprised. The incumbent, Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Orville London, won by a landslide, while the main challenger, Ashworth Jack, representing the Tobago Organisation of the People, which has links to the country's current administration, failed to win even one seat.
Bolivia: 2012 Census Initial Data
Bolivian President Evo Morales announced the initial official data from the Census of Population and Housing 2012, carried out last November. According to the results, Bolivia has a population of 10.3, with the two most populated departaments being Santa and y La Paz, each with 2.7 million people. Netizens are...
Philippines: US Navy Ship Damages ‘Protected’ Tubbataha Reefs
Filipino netizens, environmentalists, and nationalists are angry after a United States Navy minesweeper, the USS Guardian, caused damage to the corals of the Tubbataha Reefs in the Sulu Sea. The Tubbataha Reefs was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993. It is a protected marine area that is off-limits to ships.
Haiti: Like a Phoenix from the Ashes?
Haiti Grassroots Watch examines the pros and cons of the Phoenix Project – a “massive public-private business deal [involving] a factory that would transform garbage from the capitol into electricity, a resource so rare in Haiti, only 30 percent of the population has access.”
“La Movida” – Revival of Spanish Language Comics in Brazil?
A panorama of Latin American comics in two parts. This post explores the invisibility among neighbouring countries within the region. Are economic factors, digital tools and collaboration going to change the way art is disseminated in these emerging markets?
Skills of a Chinese Police Porn Examiner
Alia from China Beat puts together a picture about the work and requirement of being a police Porn examiner in China: To be a porn examiner, one has to be an “outstanding, well-behaved and highly politically-sensitive” police officer who “won’t have any problems after watching porn materials.”
Côte d'Ivoire: Charles Blé Goudé Charged with War Crimes
After his arrest in Ghana, Charles Blé Goudé, nicknamed ‘Street General’ and close associate of former president Laurent Gbagbo, was charged with war crimes on January 21, 2013. His arrest caused great debate in the Ivorian blogosphere as it happened against a backdrop of national reconciliation in Côte d'Ivoire.
Mainland China's Demand on Infant Formula Milk Becomes a Global Issue
The news about anti-Chinese sentiment in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands as a result of the shortage of infant forumla milk is widely discussed in Hong Kong. Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese has collected the reports and the online discussion on this anti-Chinese sentiment.
Police Use Pepper Spray on Bangladesh's Teacher Protesters
For the very first time in Bangladesh, the police used pepper spray to scatter hundreds of teachers and employees of private schools who were demonstrating in Dhaka. One teacher ended up with fatal reactions to the spray and died, sparking intense debate in Bangladesh.
Sina Picks Kai-Fu Lee as China's Most Influential Micro-blogger
The former head of Google China Kai-Fu Lee, is the most influential man in China’s micro-blogging world, according to Sina Weibo. He topped the popular micro-blogging platform's recently released list, “100 Most Influential Weibo Celebrities.” This post takes a closer look at key opinion leaders in China.
Guyana: Minimum Wage and Inflation
The welfare of the working poor who have seen their purchasing power steadily eroded in the past ten years, or what one must consider, after reviewing the facts, as phantom concerns over inflation? Or is there something more than money involved? Guyana Mosquito responds to Ralph Ramkarran's argument that increasing the minimum...
Decades-old Banned Song Inspires Many in Japan
The Annual New Year's Eve music show by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) intrigued many because of a performance by Akihiro Miwa. He sang Yoitomake no Uta (Song for the Yoitomake) which had been banned from broadcasting in Japan for decades.
