Stories from 22 April 2011
Russia: “Navalny's Nationalism”
A Good Treaty went through the archives of Alexey Navalny's blog and other RuNet sources and wrote about this prominent Russian anti-corruption activist's nationalism.
Brazil: Friends and Advocates of a Street Full of Trees
The Amigos da Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho‘s blog (Friends of Gonçalo Carvalho Street) [pt] explains how a group of people in Porto Alegre, Brazil, mobilized an advocacy campaign against the plan for a new development construction in that street. Gonçalo de Carvalho Street is nowadays considered historical, cultural, ecological and...
Maldives: Competency of Maldives Media
Hassan Ziyau criticizes the Maldives media by questioning their competency and the standard of the editors and their playing of a puppet role for the businessmen and the politicians.
Russia: Photos of Moscow, Circa 1931
LJ-user nikolas11 shares [ru] rare photos of 1931′ Moscow made by Branson DeCou, XX century traveler and photographer. Hand-colored photos depict Russian capital 2 years after the “Great Turn” and before many Moscow churches had been destroyed by the Bolsheviks.
Nigeria: Tweeps Report And Discuss Post-Election Violence
Nigeria's presidential election was held in on 16 April 2011. Goodluck Jonathan was declared the winner. Some observers have alleged that the election was rigged to favor the incumbent. Post-election violence erupted in northern states where supporters of Muhammadu Buhari attacked churches, homes and police stations. This is a summary of reports and reaction from tweeps using NigeriaDecides hashtag.
Yemen: Millions Protest on Last Chance Friday
Millions of protesters thronged the squares of Sanaa and Taiz in Yemen, calling for the end of Ali Abdulla Saleh's regime. Dubbed Last Chance Friday, protesters are keen to boot out Saleh, who has ruled the country for 32 years. The whole week saw support pumped up for today's massive protests, which didn't fail the expectations of observers.
Bermuda: MPs’ Salaries
Bloggers are unimpressed by “the continuing refusal of MPs [Ministers of Parliament] to take a pay cut, even a symbolic one.”
Russia: “Power of the Families,” Wikipedia of Nepotism
Marina Litvinovich, Global Voices contributing editor and profound investigative journalist, launches “Power of the Families,” [ru] a Wikipedia-like report on corruption and nepotism among the top-ranking Russian officials.
Central Asia: “Cyber Chaikhana,” Book Written by Bloggers
"Cyber Chaikhana" is a book project about Central Asian bloggers and their perceptions of their region, culture and everyday life. Edited by Christopher Schwartz and published by HIVOS, the book is a collection of narratives written by the bloggers at NewEurasia.net, the Central Asian blogging network. The aim of the project is to reach out to both the Central Asian (Russian speaking) and global audiences.
Puerto Rico: Debate on Domestic Violence Continues
In Puerto Rico, the public debate on domestic violence has reached a boiling point. Individuals and organizations react online, and offline, to the recent court decisions regarding the application of the Law against Domestic Violence.
Nigeria: #NigeriaDecides Tech Meetup in Lagos
CP-Africa announces #NigeriaDecides tech meetup in Lagos, Nigeria on April 30, 2011: “The meetup is organizing a second edition to review the use of technology in the 2011 elections – and discuss possible future directions.”
Syria: The People Want to Overthrow the Regime
Syria is heating up this Friday, with news of fresh protests in many provinces, and more violence as the regime tries to crackdown on the unrest, which started on March 15. Netizens keep us updated on Twitter and YouTube.
Malawi: Political Science Lecturer Talks About Blogging Academic Freedom
When Malawi's Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito summoned political science senior lecturer Dr Blessings Chinsinga over an example he gave in the lecture room, he had no idea that the incident will appear on Boniface Dulani's blog. Victor Kaonga wanted to hear from Dulani about his blogging experiences especially following the Chinsinga episode which has turned into a movement fighting for academic freedom.
Libya: Remembering Photojournalists Hetherington and Hondros
Award-winning, renowned war photojournalists Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were killed in action on April 20, 2011, in Misrata, while covering the chaotic frontline of the Libyan conflict. Fellow professionals mourned their slain colleagues, and reminisced on two lives lived in full, and in peril, in the pursuit of truth, while all major photography outlets paid tribute to their work.
North Korea: North Korean Defectors’ Remittances to Families in North
North Korean expert Andrei Lankov, wrote about the remittances from North Korean defectors on the East Asian Forum site. Despite their economic struggle in capitalistic South Korea, they send money to their starving families in the North, a basically illegal act according to both South and North Korean law.
China: Massive Strike by Truck Drivers at Shanghai Ports
Kenneth Tan from Shanghaiist posts photos and reports on the massive strike by truck drivers against rising fuel prices and higher handling fees charged by Shanghai ports.
China: Rescuing Dogs
Jing Gao from The Ministry of Tofu has summarized some micro-blog discussions on the recent dog rescuing action in Beijing.
Ukraine: Politicians As “Folklore Characters”
Good Girl Gone Ukrainian writes that by now many Ukrainians perceive the country's politicians as “some sort of folklore characters,” and offers examples of “jokes, user-generated videos and photo collages circulated on- and offline.”
