Stories from 21 March 2013
PHOTOS: Once Upon a Time in Madagascar
With the same desire to honor and archive Madagascar's history, two Facebook pages are archiving vintage pictures of the cities and the Malagasy people: Madagascar Hier (Yesterday's Madagascar) and Il était une fois Madagascar (Once upon a time in Madagascar). Here is a photo essay of Madagascar, once upon a time.
Nowruz as Tajikistan's Official New Year?
If we want Nowruz to serve the goal of the [cultural] revival of our nation, the holiday should mark the official beginning of a new year in the country...
Google Myanmar is Now Online
Google Myanmar is now available in local domain at www.google.com.mm a few days before the arrival of Google CEO Eric Schmidt in Myanmar. Google play store which is inaccessible in Myanmar also seems to have been unblocked for now.
Coca Cola Machine ‘Out of Order’ in Australia
A nationwide campaign against Coca Cola has followed their successful legal challenge to container deposit legislation in the Australia's Northern Territory. An activist group reacted by putting “Out of Order” signs on Coca Cola vending machines in all capital cities.
Dominican Republic Wins World Baseball Classic
The hearts of the Dominicans are rejoicing thanks to their incredible performance during the III Baseball World Classic. On March 19, 2013, the Dominican team obtained the definite victory of the III Baseball World Classic 2013, after defeating the Puerto Rican national team 3-0
VIDEO: Tokyo Gives Harlem Shake a Whirl
Popular Internet video meme the Harlem Shake [en] has hit Tokyo. A verison organized by a Latino under the pseudonym Saw was filmed on March 17, 2013 in Shibuya, the heart of Japan's youth culture, and the video was uploaded on YouTube a few days later. Portal Mie [pt], an online portal that serves Portuguese-speaking foreigners in Japan, has...
Colombia's Indigenous Set Development Goals
1) the protection of indigenous territory; 2) indigenous self-government; 3) the self-development of indigenous communities on the basis of equilibrium and harmony; 4) free, prior and informed consent as a condition for developments on indigenous land; and 5) the ‘institutional redesign’ of the state in its relations with indigenous peoples....
Panama Bids Farewell to ‘Red Devil’ Buses
Panama says goodbye to its traditional transportation system and the buses known as "red devils." Nevertheless, the transition process is traumatic and complicated for hundreds of riders.
Accidental Email Exposes Trolls of Governing Party in Spain
The Balearic Popular Party of Spain sent an email meant for its trolls to the media, which included instructions about the news that they should comment on, and advice on ways to intervene in commentary.
São Tomé and Príncipe: 12 Reasons to Return
Carmen Alvarez Vilas, founder of the NGO Cooperación Bierzo Sur, posted on her Facebook page an album titled “12 Reasons to go back to Sao Tome and Principe”. Each image selected – from a set of photos taken when she and her team volunteered in the country in the summer of...
African Presidents Active on Social Media
Dapa Arnaud gives a list of the 10 most active african presidents [fr] on social media. At the top of the list is president Paul Kagame in Rwanda: In place since 2003, the president of Rwanda is the most active on the internet. According to the Ecofin agency, Paul Kagame interacts...
Guinea-Bissau is Second Worst Democracy
The Democracy Index 2012 from The Economist Intelligence Unit, published on March 19, 2013, places Guinea-Bissau second to last in the ranking, just before North Korea. The same day a coalition of civil society organizations released a roadmap with concrete proposals for the restoration of constitutional order following the military...
US Rape Case Resonates in France
The ramification of the Steubeunville rape case has had an impact beyond the US borders. Following the sentencing of the perpetrators for rape of a minor, CrêpeGeorgette [fr] tries to unpack the rape culture [fr] that has sneaked in in today's society. The fact is that we are living in societies that find excuses,...
How Russian Villagers Can Terrify the Kremlin
The ploy was simple: Andrei Turinov, a town councilman from Novouspenskii, posted to the Internet an open letter addressing Dmitri Medvedev, declaring the exit of 60 United Russia members from the party. The timing was perfect, and for a brief moment one small village in Krasnoyarsk had the attention of the nation's political elite.
Happy Nowruz from Central Asia!
How do people in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan celebrate Nowruz today? NewEurasia.net bloggers have produced a video that gives you an idea.
Chinese Microblogger Detained After Questioning Dead Pigs Scandal
The dead pigs scandal in Shanghai has been a hot topic online for the past two weeks, yet one poet's voice on this issue has lead to her detention.
Nowruz on Uzbekistan's Tower of Silence
About 20 countries and communities almost all over the world celebrate Nowruz today. Commonly known as the ‘Persian New Year,’ Nowruz has its origins in the ancient religion Zoroastrianism. Don Croner celebrates the holiday on the ruins of the so-called ‘Zoroastrian Tower of Silence’ in Uzbekistan. The blogger writes about...
Cuba: A Pope from the Americas
How do Cubans feel about the new pope? Iván's File Cabinet gives us an idea.
