Stories from June, 2012
Armenia: A Slow Descent Into Fascism?
Following the 8 May firebombing of a gay-friendly bar in Yerevan and the disruption by ultra-nationalists of a march for diversity two weeks later, the Huffington Posts asks if Armenia...
Sudan: Unshackling the Sudanese Revolution
Unlike other countries in the region, Sudan is grossly underreported, and this was ever so evident during Friday and Saturday’s street demonstrations. The Sudanese government keeps a tight grip on local media and bans journalists from reporting on issues of human rights and corruption.
Yemen: Attacks on Southern Yemen Jeopardize National Dialogue
While a National Dialogue is under way to discuss many of Yemen's issues, central security forces attacked Mansoura's square, where separatist activists staged sit-in protests for over a year, destroying their tents and using live ammunition to disperse them, killing and injuring some.
Israel: Violent Protests Across Tel Aviv #J14
Thousands rushed to the streets of Tel Aviv Saturday evening, June 23rd, after violent clashes erupted between protesters and cops the previous day. On Friday, June 22nd, social justice (#J14) protesters attempted to re-occupy Tel Aviv's Rothshield boulevard with tents and were met with heavy violence from police.
Will a Unified Time Zone Work for Indonesia?
Indonesia, the world's largest archipelagic country, plans to synchronize its three time zones on October. The business sector is supporting the plan but netizens and religious leaders have many questions.
Peru: Amazonian Indigenous Communities Protest Against Oil Pollution
The announcement that hydrocarbon reserves currently used for oil drilling will be put up for auction has put the people of the indigenous communities of the Pastaza river, in the Peruvian Amazon, on alert. For years, these indigenous communities have been condemning the effects of pollution on their ancestral lands and on themselves.
Sudan: Protests Trigger Arrest of Twitter Activists
Wide protests in Sudan on Friday led to the crackdown of many Sudanese activists, including prominent Twitter personalities.
Guyana: Race Relations
“In the past decade or so this demonic cancer of contemporary Guyana has been intensifying with systematic, contumelious frequency. We, as a nation, have not failed to take notice but...
Trinidad & Tobago: Bloggers Discuss Warner & Cabinet Reshuffle
The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago has been alluding to some major changes in government ministers' portfolios for some time now; last night, details of her Cabinet reshuffle finally came. Netizens have been sharing their thoughts on their blogs as well as on Twitter and Facebook: the most heated discussion appeared to be over the new appointment to former FIFA Vice-President Austin “Jack” Warner as Minister of National Security.
Greece: Flash Opera in Metro Station
To honor European Music Day on June 21, the Greek National Opera organized a small flash concert in Syntagma metro station in Athens, in front of hundreds of surprised passengers,...
Zambia: Will Zambia Score Boardroom Victory Against Sudan?
Zambian netizens have been hoping and praying for a boardroom victory against Sudan from the time it became known that Sudan, which beat Zambia 2-0 in a world cup qualifying match in Khartoum on 2 June, used an ineligible player.
The world viewed through 3054 languages in danger of extinction
Endangered Languages is a project started by Google which provides technology to individuals and organisations so that they can tackle the threat of certain languages becoming extinct. The page contains information,...
Pakistan: Puns and Pokes at New Prime Minister
Social media has been abuzz with puns and pokes at Pakistan's new Prime Minister calling him 'Raja Rental' and the new 'Crime Minister'. He was previously in charge of the widely unpopular Water and Power Ministry which started long hours of forced power outages in Pakistan in 2008 and has also been accused of graft.
Hong Kong: Leading English Newspaper Turns Red?
A series of recently leaked email exchanges between the chief editor and sub-editor of a leading English newspaper in Hong Kong, regarding the coverage of mainland Chinese political activist Li Wangyang's staged suicide, has highlighted a deteriorating state of press freedom.
Sudan: “Police Denies Use of Bullets; All Injuries are Imaginary”
Sudanese officials are repeating the all too familiar ‘lies' Arab officials have been telling us since the beginning of the so-called Arab Spring in December 2010. Protests are contained, they say, in citizens attacking policemen, who retaliate in self-defense, goes the story. Netizens paint a different picture amid rumours that the Internet will be cut off as protests increase.
Egypt: The Beer and the State
Egyptian blogger Amr Gharbeia tweets:”#Egypt invented beer & the state. Either the state came first so we made beer to forget, or beer was so good we didn't see the...
China: NGOs Struggle Under the ‘Big Government’
A TV host's comment on the Hunan education authority's uncooperative attitude towards a rural teacher training program has turned into a national debate on whether or not the Chinese NGOs sector should be more independent from the state.
Tajikistan: Dushanbe Zoo, from Different Angles
If you ever happen to travel to Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, you might think twice before visiting the city's underfunded zoo. Matthew Askaripour, an American student, posted on Twitter a...
Tajikistan: Blogger Translates Mobile Games into Tajik
Tajik blogger Khurrshed has translated a number of popular mobile games into Tajik. Khurrshed explains [tj] that he did the translation in order to make mobile gaming accessible to young people...
Hungary: New Freedom of Information Tool
Vastagbőr blog [hu] is promoting the use of atlatszo.hu's new website KiMitTud [‘WhoKnowsWhat’], which allows users to send freedom of information requests to any institutions responsible for spending public funds...
Belarus: Views From the Ground
Below is a selection of some "views from the ground" - recent posts by Belarusian bloggers about the situation in the country and what it is like for ordinary people to live there.
