Stories from 30 January 2013
Nepal: Wither Democracy?
Siromani Dhungana at United We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal opines that recent political events strongly suggest that Nepal is on its way to being ruled by an autocratic political system. Additionally the incumbent Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has been accused of misusing numerous costly helicopter rides for his...
“Judges in Tajikistan are like Elite Prostitutes”
The judiciary in Tajikistan has recently attracted more than its usual share of criticism from social media users. Following two controversial high-profile cases, Tajik netizens have slammed the country's 'corrupt' judges and compared them to prostitutes.
Bhutan: Security Taken For Granted
According to tourists Bhutan is a safe place. But ShyGuard at Writers Association Of Bhutan warns not to take it for granted. The blogger opines that Bhutanese should be more concerned about own security and be vigilant to stop unwanted incidents.
Colombia: A Long Way to Peace?
Despite ongoing peace talks, Colombia refused to recognize the most recent ceasefire declared by the FARC and launched an airstrike on New Year's day. Meanwhile, the deadline for brokering a peace agreement approaches.
Why Did Mali's ‘Soldier of Death’ Go Viral?
This photo of a French soldier wearing a scarf depicting death's face has been shared around the world and has become a concrete symbol for many of the start of French military operations in Mali. But why has this soldier captured imaginations on the Web?
Tens of Thousands Affected by Heavy Rains in Mozambique
In Mozambique, the rains that have been falling since early January devastated populations in the country's center and south. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, and 45 deaths have been reported. While the number of victims continue to rise and damages continue to increase, the online community has called for solidarity and expressed its indignation in the face of the vandalism and pillaging that has occurred.
Saudi Arabia: 36 Days in Jail for a Human Rights Sign
Saudi Mohammad al-Olayan was detained for 36 days for having a sign against arbitrary detainment on his car. Although he denied the charge, saying he found the sign on his car, he was held in inhumane conditions. al-Olayan shares his experience on Twitter.
‘Planet Asks for Pedalling': Cycling Through Latin America
"I understood that travelling like this, without being in a rush, gives you the freedom to get to know cultures more deeply and the simplicity of the people." Meet Beto, from Brazil, and his project 'Planet asks for Pedalling' that will take him on a 2.5 years journey cycling through Latin America.
Free Mobile Phones for Nigerian Farmers?
The Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture made public its plans to provide free mobile phones for rural farmers. This has triggered many reaction in the Nigerian blogosphere.
Navigating Entrepreneurship in Ghana
Ghana, a sub-Saharan country, has many budding young entrepreneurs. Some have even been recognised and awarded by international organisations, including Bright Simons, Regina Agyare and Elikem Kuenyehia.
‘Student Hair Revolution’ in Thailand
Kaewmala writes about the complaint of many Thai students against the official school hair policy of “crew cut for boys and ear-lobe-length bob for girls.” Some student groups want to scrap the hair policy which is criticized as a violation of children's rights. The author added: “If Thai teachers had...
Indonesian Hackers Strike Again
Several Indonesian websites were hacked by individuals who are supporting Wildan Yani Ashari, the person who was arrested by the police for hacking the website of the Indonesian president. Enricko Lukman translates the message left by the hackers in the defaced websites: …unlike corrupt officials, hackers shouldn’t be arrested. The...
First International Urdu Bloggers Conference
Mehwish Khan at ProPakistani reports that the first international Urdu bloggers conference was held on January 26, 2013 in Lahore, Pakistan. Over 70 Urdu bloggers from different parts of the country took part in the conference.
Myanmar: Biggest Barcamp in the World
At over 6,400 participants on January 19 and 20 this year, BarcampYangon not only dwarfs every barcamp in the region but even exceeds last year’s number by over one thousand attendees. Myanmar is now the envy of every barcamper in Asia. Anh-Minh Do reviews Barcamp Yangon 2013 in Myanmar.
Two Versions of Mao's China: History Retouched as Propaganda
A collage of historical photos showing two versions of Chinese history during the Mao's era (1949-1976) published by micro-blogger @Pongyoung with a brief comment: "How history has been amended?", has been retweeted 13362 times with 2237 comments within one day.
Survey of China's 24 most corrupt officials in 2012
Barry van Wyk from DANWEI highlighted a survey conducted by the Crisis Management Research Center at Renmin University which looked into 24 cases of corruption that became public knowledge on the Chinese Internet in 2012. The objective of the survey is to generate some trends and patterns in corrupt behavior...
China: Air Pollution in Major Cities
Jacky Huang from China Hush translated a local media feature on the problem of air pollution in major Chinese cities. According to a report published by National environmental analysis of the People’s Republic of China: only 1% of China’s 500 largest cities meet the recommended standard set up by WHO....
