Stories from 6 November 2010
Costa Rica: Border Conflict with Nicaragua
What began as a simple cleaning or dredging of the San Juan River, the natural border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, has resulted in a diplomatic and military conflict. After this post was written in Spanish, various sources have reported on how Google has been embroiled in the border dispute.
Japan: Leaked video of collision with Chinese boat
What is believed to be the authentic footage of the collision between the Japanese patrol ship and a Chinese fishing boat has been leaked and uploaded onto Youtube [video, ja]. Several videos taken by the Japanese Coast Guard off the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands were made public showing what happened at...
Japan: Superficial media and misinformation
An anonymous blogger at NewzJapan.com harshly criticizes CNN's coverage of Japan. In the post titled Halloween in Japan and CNN’s Lack of Research [en] the blogger says to “be surprised and appalled” by the superficiality with which some of their articles treat the Japanese culture and customs.
Russia: Bloggers Discuss Attack on Journalist Oleg Kashin
The brutal attack on Oleg Kashin, a prominent Russian blogger and journalist, became topic #1 in RuNet several hours after it had occurred. Kashin is still in a medically induced coma; his legs, jaws and fingers are broken, one of the fingers on his hand has been amputated. The main questions that the bloggers are asking now are, "Who did this?" and "Will the attackers and their patrons be punished?" While there are at least three possible answers to the first question, there's no answer for the second one.
Peru: Campaign to Prevent Closing of Amazon Library
Juan Arellano from Globalizado [es] reports on a campaign to prevent the closing of a library in Iquitos, Peru that focuses on materials about the Amazon. This library is the second most important on the subject in Latin America.
Mayotte: Have You Ever Been to Mayotte?
Lauren blogs about a sea trip to Mayotte: “The French presence is very strong here, with French gendarmes (police), French Foreign Legion, and expats visible everywhere we’ve been, but the Mayotte people are still very much African. They are well dressed in colorful sarongs (women) and headwear (men and women)...
Madagascar: President linked to illegal logging
Wild Madagascar posts a video released by Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency showing Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina involvement in illegal logging.
Tanzania: First Albino in Parliament
Tanzanians elect first Albino Member of Parliament: “The elected Member of Parliament is Mr. Salum Khalfani Bar’wani from the opposition Cuf party. Mr Bar’wani said he was thankful to the voters in Lindi Urban, in the remote south-east of the country, for choosing him and that it shows Albino are...
Malawi: Introduction to Malawian Urban Music
An introduction to Malawian urban music: “In Malawi, urban music is said to have started when a group called Real Elements consisting of Louis ‘Marvel’ Chikuni, Kimba ‘Plan B’ Anderson-Mutaba, Jerome ‘Stix’ Kalinani, and Quabaniso ‘Q’ Malewezi hit the industry with their brand of music.”
Africa: Africa needs to change voting system
Africa needs to embrace new technologies to run elections: “Furthermore, Africans have recently wondered why their countries don’t adopt the voting system such as those in the West where results are often announced within 48 hours. We have greatly embraced technologies such as the mobile phones, money transfer, etc…why not...
Russia: Demanding Adequate Investigation of Attack on Kashin
A dozen people or so have gathered in front of the Moscow Criminal Police building (Petrovka, 38), demanding an adequate investigation of last night's attack on journalist Oleg Kashin, who is now in a medically induced coma. Some photos and Twitter reports (RUS; hashtag #KSHN) – by @plushev, @berillii, @adagamov,...
Russia: Journalist Oleg Kashin Severely Beaten in Moscow
Journalist Oleg Kashin (LJ user kashin/@KSHN) was severely beaten in Moscow Friday night and is now in intensive care. LJ users p0grebizhskaya and navalny host some of the initial Russophone discussions on the attack; Twitter reactions (RUS) are here. One of Kashin's recent texts for the Russian daily Kommersant dealt...
