8 January 2009
Stories from 8 January 2009
A Dark Past in East Timor for Obama's National Intelligence Nominee
Citizen journalists from East Timor have been busily tweeting about the nomination of Admiral Denis C. Blair for the post of US director of National Intelligence. The nominee faces serious accusations of backing the Indonesian occupation of East Timor in the 1990's, an invasion which led to the killing of approximately 1,400 Timorese and the displacement of 300,000 people.
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Cuba: Interview with Blogger Miriam Celaya
Miriam Celaya is a Cuban blogger, whose blog Sin Evasión [es] is celebrating its one year anniversary. She started writing under the pseudonym "Eva González," but six months later she decided to use her real name. In this interview with Claudia Cadelo, she talks about how she started blogging, the decision to leave her pseudonym behind, and about her participation in the recent blogger gatherings on the island.
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Iranian government uses Gaza conflict to repress
While several Iranian bloggers (including Islamist ones) multiplied their posts and digital initiatives, such as a “Google bomb” to condemn Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip, some other bloggers are saying the Iranian government is using the “Gaza conflict moment” to repress media and civil society inside the country.
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Azerbaijan: Day of Ashura
Yesterday marked the Day of Ashura, a religious festival commemorating the martyrdom of Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, at the battle of Karbala. Often associated with images of flagellation using chains, the day is observed in Azerbaijan, a predominantly Shia but secular Moslem country in the South Caucasus, differently.
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Malawi: Gas prices remain high despite global plunge
There are growing calls in Malawi for the government to reduce the price of gas, following a global drop in prices in recent weeks. While many countries have seen reductions in gas prices, in Malawi it has stayed the same as when it reached the highest prices in July 2008. Bloggers and forum users in Malawi discuss the problem.
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Philippines: Phenomenal video protests
‘Juana Change’ protest videos are the newest YouTube sensation in the Philippines. The videos were introduced last month when various groups were opposing the proposal to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Thanks to the internet, Juana Change (played by artist Mae Paner) is now a popular figure in the Philippines.
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Taiwan: Organic farming in Taiwan
In Taiwan, more and more farmers adopt organic farming methods, from rice to vegetables, from fruits to roses, and from tea to coffee. These farmers use blogs to support each other and sell their products.
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First, let us ignore your assertion that at the time only 1% of young Chinese attended university because its not...