Stories about Breaking News from April, 2010
Puerto Rico: Amidst protests, students speak up for themselves online
Amidst protests over budget cuts students of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) have a found an additional space to express themselves: the Internet.
France: Reactions over Niqab and Polygamy Controversy
Lies Hebbadj is currently making the headline news because his wife was fined for driving while wearing a niqab and because he said himself that he has three more households. His statement led him to be suspected of polygamy and therefore possiblyof French gaming welfare laws. Although many bloggers, including Rokhaya...
Ukraine: Russian Black Sea Fleet Stays On in Crimea
236 Ukrainian MPs (UKR) have voted in favor of the ratification of an agreement allowing the Russian Black Sea Fleet to extend its stay in Crimea until 2042. Ukrainska Pravda posts a selection of photos and video (UKR) of fighting and egg-throwing inside the parliament building this morning. On Twitter,...
Trinidad & Tobago: Parties Unite
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog continues to report on the lead-up to the country's general elections on May 24, saying: “History was created at Charlie King Junction in Fyzabad when before a mammoth cheering crowd, the nation’s Opposition parties signed a historic ‘Declaration of Political Unity’, last night.”
Russia: Authorities Inspect Major Social Network
Russia authorities started inspection of the country's major social network Vkontakte.ru, rbcdaily.ru reported. The authorities claim the social network became popular with neo-Nazi, xenophobic and extremist groups. But the inspection can also be an attempt to extract users’ private data.
Egypt: Let's Shoot those Protesters!
In a debate on recurrent demonstrations, Egyptian ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) members of Parliament lashed out during a verbal battle with Muslim Brotherhood MPs over protesters in the country and said Egyptian pro-democracy demonstrators “should be shot” by police. Bloggers react in this post by Marwa Rakha.
Myanmar: Hundreds injured in bomb blasts
At least 170 people were injured in three bomb blasts in Rangoon, Myanmar during the celebration of the Burmese New Year last weekend.
Philippines: Veteran Journalists Receives Death Threats
Durianburgdavao reports on the death threats received by veteran Filipino journalist Marites Vitug after the publication of her book, Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court which is critical of the inner workings of the Philippine judiciary.
Philippines: Online indignation over massacre case
The government's recent decision to drop multiple murder charges against two members of the Ampatuan clan involved in the November 2009 Maguindanao massacre of 57 people, including 31 journalists, has sparked the indignation of Filipinos.
Madagascar: A Flurry of Alleged Coups as Mediation Resumes
After the Minister of the Armed forces was fired on April 7th under allegation of a Coup attempt, Achille52 wonders what the April 18th allegation of another Coup and the ensuing arrests really mean (fr). He is especially suspicious of the timing of these arrests because they happened just before international mediations including Rajoelina...
Russia: Volcanic Eruption Provokes Cooperation and Jokes
Two days passed since Mother Nature showed its power to mankind letting the Icelandic volcano with unpronounceable name “Eyjafjallajökull” fill the European aerospace with ashes. As the ash cloud went east, more and more airports were closing, which led to European-wide transport collapse. Russian bloggers – also affected by the...
Trinidad & Tobago: Election Date Announced
The upcoming general election date has been announced, according to Trinidad and Tobago News Blog.
Pakistan: Abbotabad Riots
Kalsoom at CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan writes about the recent riots in Pakistan which claimed at least seven lives: “mobs in Haripur, Mansehra, and Abbottabad (in Hazara) blocked roads, chanted slogans, and burned tires — all in the name of a name”.
China: Web mobilizes to help Yushu earthquake victims
Between local government attempts to keep news of the Yushu earthquake contained and China's top leaders calling for "all-out" assistance from the public, desire from offline and virtual civil society to contribute to rescue efforts any way they can has been loud and forward.
Egypt: Cairo Protest Turns Violent
From Egypt, Wael Abbas tweets: “Urgent: a protest in down town cairo is now in progress, security is dramatically violent, some protesters fell unconscious due to beating!”
China: Appeal for Hu Jia's release amid fears of liver cancer
Wife of imprisoned blogger and activist Hu Jia, Zeng Jinyan, has issued an appeal calling for Hu's release on medical grounds following reports that he might have developed a form of liver cancer. Artist Wu Wenjian speculates that with standard practice being to provide sick inmates with treatment (in addition...
Russia: Eyewitness Story Of Polish Plane Crash in Smolensk
LJ user elena-pushistay shares [RUS] an eyewitness story about the Polish plane crash near Smolensk, told to her by a local woman named Lyudmila, who lives just 3 km from the military airport where the tragedy took place.
Russia: Reactions to the Polish Tragedy
April 10, 2010, the day that should have started a new era in the Russian-Polish relations, brought tragic news instead. Airplane with the highest Polish establishment on board crashed in the Smolensk forest. The reaction of the Russian blogosphere was divided as usual when it comes to the Russian-Polish relations.
Poland: Video Reactions to the Deadly Plane Crash
Following the shocking news of the death of President Lech Kaczyński and 95 other officials, Poland starts the official week of mourning. Next to an enormous amount of reactions in various online venues, video messages present themselves as a very powerful tool to express the feelings of the nation.
Poland: R.I.P. Black Saturday 10.04.2010
As we live through the first 24 hours of the tragedy of the Polish nation, social media in Poland present various reactions to this morning's events, when the country lost its President and 95 other important personalities.
Poland: President Kaczyński is Killed in Plane Crash in Russia – Initial Reactions
Sylwia Presley reports on the initial reactions of the Polish social media users to the shocking news of the plane crash, which killed the Polish president and many other top officials in Western Russia this morning.
