Stories from 9 April 2013
Wikipedia's Suicide Mission Against Russian Censors
Smoking cannabis is dangerous business for people the world over. In Russia, just writing about it online can get you in trouble. State officials informed Wikimedia Russia that the government has placed its “Cannabis Smoking” article on its blacklist of illegal websites.
Iran Quake Aftershocks Reach Qatar, Bahrain
Doha News charts reactions from Qatar residents following the aftershocks of an earthquake which hit southern Iran today. The aftershocks were also felt in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, where offices...
Bermuda: Is Thatcherism the Living Dead?
The politics and economics of neoliberalism have been shown to…have failed. And yet neoliberalism continues, zombie-like. A living-dead socio-economic system. In one of the few Caribbean blog posts acknowledging the...
Syria: Tweeting from the Frontline in Aleppo
Journalist Jenan Moussa is back in Aleppo, Syria, tweeting her experiences as the war between pro- and anti-government forces intensifies. Moussa's tweets are raw and personal, giving readers a snippet of what life is like for those caught in the crossfire.
65 Years After the Deir Yassin Massacre
Israel blogger Elizabeth Tsurkov tweets: @Elizrael: Today is the 65th anniversary of the Deir Yassin Massacre, one of the worst crimes ever committed by armed Israelis
Bahrain Anti-Government Protests for Equality
From Bahrain, where the ongoing anti-government protests are portrayed in mainstream media as a Sunni/Shia sectarian clash, blogger Nader AbdulEman writes [ar]: أنا الطائفي الذي اريد حكومة منتخبة أنا الطائفي...
Yemen Court Summons Investigative Reporter
“Yemen’s Press and Publications Court (YPPC) has issued a summon statement against prominent investigative journalist, Mohammed Abdo Alabsi, to appear before court and interrogate him for his investigative reports,” writes...
Egyptian Comedian Accused of Pakistan Insult
Satirist Bassem Youssef tweets: A new investigation started against me accusing me of: insulting Islam(again), spreading atheism & insulting Pakistan #LOL He was recently accused of insulting Islam and Egyptian...
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Cuba Getaway Offends Diaspora Bloggers
You might not think that political bloggers would be particularly interested in the whereabouts of celebrities, but the minute Beyoncé and Jay-Z, touched down in Cuba, an anniversary getaway became the business of the Cuban diaspora in the United States.
Iran: Earthquake Struck near Nuclear Plant
Thirty people have been killed after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Bushehr in Iran. Several bloggers worry about the safety of Bushehr plant.
Jamaica: Twitter 101
2012 was the year a handful of name-brand Jamaican journalists decided it was time to start using Twitter. That was pretty late in the day already. The majority however are...
China Sings the Iron Lady's Praises
Chinese state media and social media are brimming with admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She died on April 8, 2013 at the age of 87 after a stroke.
The Role of Monarchy in Modern Thailand
Cod Satrusayang explains the significance of the monarchy in establishing and strengthening the modern state of Thailand: We have created a state in which it is necessary to have a...
Masked Protest Against Thai Royal Insult Law
Activists entered Thailand's National Book Fair wearing masks with the face of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk, a magazine editor who was sentenced to ten years for publishing articles which were deemed to...
Rare, Live Glimpse into Pakistan's Progressive Fashion Industry
Unknown to most of the world, fashion plays a huge role in Pakistani life. Fashion Pakistan Week is being live-steamed on April 9-10 from Karachi and will offer a rare glimpse into a blossoming and professional industry that illustrates cultural norms in Pakistan aren't as rigid or conservative as most believe.
Portugal's Constitutional Court Blocks Bailout Measures
Portugal's Constitutional Court has struck down austerity measures considered necessary by the government to meet the conditions of its 78-billion-euro (101 billion US dollars) bailout program, opening a billion-euro gap in the country's 2013 budget.
Chinese Colonel: Avian Flu is an American Conspiracy
A People's Liberation Army colonel declared the avian flu outbreak in China an American conspiracy and suggested that Chinese authorities should not react with too much concern to the tragedy as the death toll will be low.
Iran's Anesthetics Shortage Reaches Alarming Levels
Panic struck in Iranian hospitals as the country's medical officials confirmed a serious national shortage of anesthetics on March 15, 2013 hindering life-saving operations on patients in Iran.
