Stories from 6 April 2013
A Dishonest Election & A Divided Opposition in Russia
The city of Zhukovsky last weekend became the site of a bitterly contested mayoral election, which was marred by reports of electoral fraud and vote-buying. The opposition is also facing criticism that it failed to muster a good enough campaign to deserve victory in the first place.
Hardline Buddhists Rise in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan blogger Indi Samarajiva explains why Bodu Bala Sena, a hardline Buddhist organization, is gaining popularity in Sri Lanka.
Spain: The Eternal Fight to Dismantle a Fascist Symbol and Mass Grave
The Valley of the Fallen, the ostentatious memorial monument built for the Spanish fascist dictator Francisco Franco, is perhaps the biggest symbol of Francoism and the biggest mass grave in Spain. On 19th March, the national Catalan television channel aired a documentary called "I'll get you out of here, grandpa!", which set off comments on the social networks.
E-book on Digital Activism in Chile
Chilean website El Quinto Poder has published an e-book on digital activism in Chile [es, PDF], as part of the project “Social Media and Citizen Advocacy: Towards a new political...
VIDEO: Guinea-Bissau Community Radio Serves People, Not Politics
Guinea-Bissau's community radio does much more than fill local airwaves with music, according to the documentary "Voice of the Population". Stations have saved lives during a cholera outbreak, fought against illegal logging, and pushed back against gender discrimination, all the while uniting local communities around the rich musicality of Guinea-Bissau.
Chinese on North Korean Propaganda
Fauna from ChinaSMACK puts together some comments from Chinese netizens on a North Korean propaganda video about Americans.
China: Calling the Dead with QR Code
April 5 is the Qingming Festival, a time to pay respect to the ancestors by visiting their tombs. Shanghaiist highlights a new service to facilitate people to get access to...
Taiwan Independent News Academy Hits at Corporate Media
A group of Taiwanese independent journalists and academics in journalism and communication launched the Academy of Independent Media in March 2013. The academy is to provide journalistic skill to citizen reporters and serve as incubator for independent media organizations.
Jamaica: Blog Action, Jamdown Style!
Jamaica's version of Blog Action Day (the topic is Jamaican police abuses and brutality) will take place on May 23, to coincide with the anniversary of the country's state of...
Tajikistan: ‘High Heels for Higher Learning’
Emma Sabzalieva writes about the controversy surrounding a dress code introduced recently at a university in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. The dress code requires that female students wear high heeled shoes...
