Stories from Quick Reads and Australia
Australian DJ Asks PM if Partner is Gay
Mia Freedman of popular website Mamamia attacks the “disgraceful” behaviour of shock jock Howard Sattler when he asked Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard whether her partner Tim was gay. [Wikipedia: ‘A shock jock is a type of radio broadcaster or disc jockey who entertains listeners or attracts attention using humor...
Oz Cyber Security Czar Ignorant of Tor
IT website Delimiter reports what would seem inconceivable to most people with an interest in Internet security: a senior Australian public servant responsible for cyber security policy has confessed to not being familiar with the Tor encryption service.
Australia Excuses Itself from Refugee Law
On 17 May 2013 Australian blogger and self-styled ‘global nomad’ More Atlitude posted a lengthy and detailed post in response to “Australia’s decision yesterday to excise its mainland from the migration zone” this week. He argues that it essentially reinforces a horrible, horrible policy of enforced detention for legal (I...
The State of Torture in the World in 2013
On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...
Australian Senator Nick Xenophon Detained in Malaysia
From Hussein abdul Hamid's blog Steadyaku47: ‘Federal independent Senator Nick Xenophon has been detained by Malaysian authorities. He was taken into custody on his arrival at Kuala Lumpur airport and told he was considered a security risk.’ He was to meet with the electoral commission and a senior government minister.
Mainland China's Demand on Infant Formula Milk Becomes a Global Issue
The news about anti-Chinese sentiment in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands as a result of the shortage of infant forumla milk is widely discussed in Hong Kong. Dictionary of Politically Incorrect Hong Kong Cantonese has collected the reports and the online discussion on this anti-Chinese sentiment.
Free Online Course on Media and Information Literacy by UNESCO
UNESCO has launched a free online course on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue. The course is designed for teachers, policy makers and professionals, and will be offered from February 25 to May 31, 2013 by the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.
Communications and Social Change Awards Open for Nominations
The Centre for Communication and Social Change at the University of Queensland in Australia is accepting nominations for individuals and organisations working in the theory and/or practice of communications for social change for the Communications and Social Change Awards. Deadline in January 18, 2013.
Australia: Violence at Sydney Protest Against Anti-Islam Film
Jim Brown, on his blog Grace Filled World, reflects on the nature of Anger and Mercy, in light of the violent protest in Sydney on Sunday 16 September 2012 over the anti-Islam film Innocence of Muslims.
Funny Image of How Australian Newspaper Distinguishes Two Koreas
The 101 Great Goals site shared a scanned image showing how an Australian newspaper distinguishes two Koreas in its Olympics medal table. One was referred as ‘nice’ Korea, while other was named the ‘naughty’ one.
Tunisia: The Plight of Palestinians in Iraq
Tunisian blogger Nawel Abdullah posts an interview [ar] she conducted with the founder of The Australian Society for the Palestinian-Iraqi Refugee Emergency Yousef Alreemawi, who speaks to her about the plight of Palestinian refugees living in Iraq and efforts to resettle some of them in Australia.
Mapping the Australian Twittersphere
Queensland University of Technology academic Dr Axel Bruns presents research findings into the Oz twittersphere with graphic slideshow and audio presentation in Many Maps of the Australian Twittersphere.
Australian Broadcaster Wins First Indigenous Journalism Award
The winner of the first journalism award for indigenous broadcasters hosted by the World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network (WITBN) in Norway on March 29, 2012 was National Indigenous Television from Australia. The winning video and other finalists can be viewed on the WITBN website.
Video: Studying, Creating and Editing Videos with Cerebral Palsy
Christopher Hill is a young man living with cerebral palsy, and through the video One switch. One head. The world. produced, directed and edited by himself he explains how he uses one button to connect to the world through his computer. (via engadget)
Video: Online Media by and for Indigenous People
Intercontinental Cry has a list of 12 recommended films on indigenous issues, some made by indigenous people from Brazil, Australia, Panama, USA, Northern Kenya, Colombia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Australia: Comment on the Palestine Boycott, Divestment & Sanction Campaign
Crikey's NAJ Taylor gathers five of Australia's Middle East diaspora to write about the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction of Israel campaign. How effective is it at “balancing the competing harms”? How “useful is [it] for members of the Israeli and Palestinian, as well as Jewish and Muslim, diaspora”?
Australian Documentary about Japanese Yakuza
Jake Adelstein comments on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's 2010 documentary, “Yakuza”. The video is now available for viewing on YouTube.
East Timor: Polemic Payment to “Miss World” for Work as Spokesperson
On the blog of East Timorese weekly Tempo Semanal, controversy erupted over a leaked memo indicating the government's payment of US$300,000 to Australian Caroline Pemburton, former Miss World, for her services promoting East Timor as a tourist destination.
China: Yang Hengjun's thoughts on his kidnapping
China Media Project has posted an English version of the blog of Sino-Australian novelist Yang Hengjun, who shared his thoughts and feelings on his disappearance from Guangzhou airport last month, widely imagined as part of the Chinese government crackdown on activists.
Australian blogger disappears in China
An Australian blogger and spy novelist, Yang Hengjun, is missing in China. He may have been arrested by Chinese authorities.
China and Australia: Reactions to Chinese Asylum Seekers’ Rooftop Protest
Veggie Discourse translated Chinese netizens’ reaction to the Chinese Asylum Seekers’ 2 days rooftop protest in Sidney.
