27 December 2010

Stories from 27 December 2010

Puerto Rico: Violent Clashes at the University of Puerto Rico

  27 December 2010

Students on strike at the main campus of the state-run University of Puerto Rico were beaten and arrested last Monday, December 20, after violent clashes with the Police. Students oppose an annual $800 tuition fee that will be imposed in January. Bloggers in Puerto Rico have analyzed and commented on this recent strike and the crucial moment the student movement confronts.

Nigeria: Bring our health data alive

  27 December 2010

Bring our health data in Nigeria alive: “For a long time, our leaders have taken Nigerians for a ride, quoting astronomical amounts of money for delivering nothing. One major reason for this is that we had no way of knowing more than they told us.”

Political Buddhism In Sri Lanka

  27 December 2010

D.B.S. Jeyaraj highlights J.L. Devananda's take on political Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Devananda opines: “due to the influence of the Mahavamsa (scripture), a Buddhist Bikkhu (monk) is at liberty to engage in racist politics and promote Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism and hatred.

Nigeria: Sotheby’s cancels sale of Benin’s stoles Mask

  27 December 2010

An update on the proposed sale of stolen masks from Nigeria: “Many thanks to all MyWeku readers and the 3000+ Members of the Connoisseurs of Contemporary African Art group who signed the online petition, tweeted and shared the planned sale of the “Queen of Idia” mask on various social media...

Armenia: Homosexuality & National Security?

  27 December 2010

Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on a recent statement from the Secretary of Armenia's National Security Council, Artur Baghdasarian, labeling homosexuals as a ‘extremely dangerous.’ The blog says that such comments are not only homophobic and in violation of Armenia's human rights commitments, but is also totally at odds with a...

Bolivia: The “Gasolizano”: Government Increases Taxes on Fuel

  27 December 2010

Greg Weeks from Two Weeks Notice writes: “The Bolivian government drastically increased taxes on fuel, by over 70%.  It did so for rational capitalist reasons, namely that higher prices in neighboring countries had fostered a thriving black market.  However, the official reasoning leaves something to be desired”

Honduras: Media Ignores Recent Reports on 2009 Coup

  27 December 2010

Honduras Culture and Politics states: “[…] we find it extraordinary that the US media completely ignore even high profile international organizations that continue to call attention to the serious failures of Honduras to redress any of the circumstances that the coup d'etat of June 2009 set in motion.”

China: Press conference held following suspicious death of rural activist

  27 December 2010

It has not been a peaceful week in the news, with a crossbow-shooting bomber-petitioner in Beijing, a city administration official killed with a screwdriver today in Fujian province, and the grisly death of village leader Qian Yunhui in Zhejiang province on Christmas day. [UPDATE: Roland Soong at EastSouthWestNorth has been...

South Korea Defined North Korea as ‘Enemy’ in Defense White Paper

  27 December 2010

South Korea Defense ministry has decided to label North Korea as its “enemy” from its newest defense white paper, reflecting the intensified military tension between two Koreas. Some of South Korean twitterers, such as @sohjiroll[ko] considered the decision as appropriate, but worried it may not be a smart move.

Azerbaijan: Let them eat even more cake…

  27 December 2010

After the account of one Azerbaijani blogger on how the country's second largest city marked the birthday of its president last year, another looks at how is was marked this week. Not surprisingly, if last year's 48th birthday saw a cake baked 48 meters long, this year saw it go...