Stories from 25 July 2013
Sifting Fact From Fiction on the French Speaking Web
"Some people, known for their political activism, knowingly share false information." In this post we look at fact-checking projects in Francophone online media.
VIDEO: ‘Hacking Democracy’ in Loja, Ecuador
In Loja citizens use social networks to propose concrete ideas to better their city. The organization Loja es Más launched a video where they tell us about their work.
Facepopular, a ‘Popular’ Social Network Made in Argentina
Argentine political militants have created Facepopular, a social network deemed "popular and Latin American". Within a month of its launch, the network has gained more than 24,000 users.
What Issues do Malian Voters Care about in the Presidential Election?
Bruce Whitehouse parses out five key issues for the upcoming presidential election in Mali (July 28). As for what Malians expect from the poll, Whitehouse reports: Voters are overwhelmingly concerned about the high cost of living, unemployment, corruption, law and order, and everyday quality-of-life questions, particularly water and sanitation. Preserving...
African Fabric Kimono Belt Supports Mothers in Earthquake Disaster Area
A group of Japanese mothers in Sendai city is producing special kimono belts with fairly-traded African fabrics. Yumi Nakano, who organizes the fundraising [ja] by requesting a donation in exchange for the belts, hopes to encourage more people to enjoy the traditional Japanese kimono and help support the mothers of the...
Ethnic Slurs Haunt Alexey Navalny
Alexey Navalny came under harsh criticism from Russian opposition movement colleagues just days after he was released from Kirov jail, and as soon as it became clear that he would continue to run for mayor of Moscow throughout the appeals process for his 5-year long prison sentence.
Alleged Fraud during Parliamentary Elections in Togo
Parliamentary Elections are underway in Togo today (25/07/2013). The Save Togo Association has already reported instances of alleged fraud [fr]. Togolese activist Sylvio Combey posted an image from one of the polling station on twitter: 8h l'urne vient d'être montrée vide aux votants à #Kanyikopé #TGInfo #TG2013 #Nukpola #Fb pic.twitter.com/DZU1iFTPqI —...
Women's Struggle for Clean Water in Kyrgyzstan
UnitedKyrgyzstan blog tells [ru] a story of the daily struggle for clean water faced by women and children in many parts of rural Kyrgyzstan: It is the task of women and children to queue up for drinking water and then carry home heavy tanks with water through hundreds of meters of...
Taiwanese Professor Arrested in Protest Against Forced Demolitions
Taiwanese professor Hsu Shih-Jung was yelling "Today you demolished Taipu, tomorrow we demolished the government" when he was dragged away by police.