Stories from 9 May 2011
Video: Budding Young Scientists in India, Singapore and South Africa
The Google Science Fair project semi finalist listings are up. Although it was open to teens between 13 and 18 years from all over the world, it is interesting to note that the United States, Singapore and India take the majority of spots amongst the 60 selected semi finalists, which also includes entries from New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada. Find out some of the shortlisted projects.
Nepal: The Start Of A Facebook Revolution?
Pradeep Kumar Singh posts pictures and news of the recent Facebook campaign titled “Show up. Stand up. Speak up. Else, shut up”. Around 400 Nepali youth showed up at Maitighar Mandala on May 8, 2011 to demand a new constitution.
India, Bangladesh: Is Rabindranath Tagore relevant today?
Is Rabindranath Tagore still relevant in present day Bengal? Anirban at Its A Miracle tries to answer that question.
Bangladesh: The Complicated Issue Of Fatwa
Although Fatwa has been declared unconstitutional in Bangladesh by the High Court, misuse of fatwa is being continued by a section of village elders. Adnan M L Karim at Law Chronicles Online discusses the complicated issue of Fatwa in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh: The Cradle Of Buddhism
Bangladesh Unlocked analyzes history to deduct that the land of the present day Bangladesh was probably the cradle of Buddhism.
Pakistan: Bin Laden's Death Transforms Local Coffee House
Sasa Milosevic reports on how the death of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, has transformed a local coffee house into a unique press center and a vibrant online hub.
Russia: A Third of Russian Internet Users Enjoy Broadband Internet Access
Almost 18 million of Russians now browse the Web using broadband connection, Rumetrika.ru reported. It is 34 percent of all Russia's Internet users.
Brazil: Internet Users Commemorate Legal Recognition of Gay Civil Unions
On Thursday, Brazil's Supreme Court recognized civil unions for same-sex couples. The historic decision, which brings an end to the legal discrimination of homosexuals, dominated conversations both virtual and otherwise.
Russia Opens Its First “Creative Commons” Portal
Russian Institute of the Information Society created “Creative Commons Russia,” the first Internet portal in the country working under Creative Commons licenses, Russian collaborative blog Habrahabr.ru reported.
Russia: “United Russia” Party Targets Social Networks
Pro-government party “United Russia” plans to increase its presence on social networks, popular newspaper Kommersant reported. The party will create a separate group responsible for working with potential voters on social networks.
Russia: Video Shows Journalist Being Beaten in Khimki Forest
LJ user Oleg Kozyrev posted a video showing journalist Yuri Samsonov being beaten by a private security service employee in Kimki forest.
Cuba: Bloggers, Period
Elaine Díaz reflects on how Cuban bloggers have been artificially divided [es] into two bands: the “pro-government” and the “mercenaries,” erasing the plurality of this small, yet vibrant, blogosphere.
China: Ai Weiwei's Chat with Public Opinion Channeler
China Media Project has translated a portion of Ai Weiwei's interview with a public opinion channeler or the so-called member of 50 Cent Party which was conducted back in March 22 2011.
Asian-African Economic Cooperation
Johan Lagerkvist posted his research paper on “The strategic presence of China, Japan and Korea in sub-Saharan Africa” in China Roader.
Russia: Bloggers React With Cynicism to Bin Laden's Death
The death of Osama Bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011, has provoked condemnation and talk of conspiracy theories among Russian bloggers. Quickly becoming one of the hottest topics of the Russian Internet, the death of Bin Laden did not divide netizens. In a rare instance of unity, Russian bloggers revealed their cynicism toward one of the most important events of this year.
Bahamas: Education Failure
Weblog Bahamas‘ Rick Lowe thinks “it's time for the teachers and administrators of the public school system to stand up and be counted for the failure of the educational system.”
Cuba: Activities Against Homophobia
Blogger and journalist Francisco Rodríguez Cruz discusses [es] the history of, and his participation in, the Cuban Symposium against Homophobia [es], which celebrates it fourth edition this May with events all over the island.
St. Lucia: Views on Bin Laden's Death
Regional bloggers weigh in on different aspects of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Tattoo considers the “moral dimensions to Obama's actions”, while Lullabies, Fairy Tales and Other Self-Delusions suggests that “the greatest victory in the killing of Osama bin Laden came for the PR machine that runs the USA…There’s...
Trinidad & Tobago: R.I.P. Allyson
Bloggers pay their respects to the late television presenter Allyson Hennessy, with B.C. Pires saying: “There’s no up side to the passing of someone as committed to her Trinidad and Tobago and Caribbean family as she was; across the archipelago and Diaspora…she’ll me missed.”
Cuba: Role of Police in Dissident's Death
Generation Y says of the death of dissident Juan Wilfredo Soto: “I don’t know how the authorities of my country are going to explain it, but I doubt, this time, they will manage to persuade us it wasn’t the fault of the police”; Along the Malecon adds a few more...
Guyana, Jamaica, T&T: Reviews of “Bocas”
Charmaine Valere and Annie Paul both give a run-down of Trinidad and Tobago's first Bocas Literary Festival.
