Stories from 17 May 2011
Ukraine, U.S.: Chornobyl Songs Project
Maria Sonevytsky writes about the Chornobyl Songs Project: “To mark the 25th Anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, raise awareness of the continuing environmental damage created by the nuclear disaster and stimulate efforts to prevent such catastrophes from occurring in the future, a group of singers based in New York City...
Russia: Navalny Called In For Questioning On Rospil Logo
Kevin Rothrock (@agoodtreaty) reports that anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny (LJ user navalny) has been called in for questioning about the logo of his Rospil [ru] anti-corruption project: “[…] Does it desecrate Russia's state emblem?” Navalny's post [ru] about the investigation, launched at a United Russia MP's request, has so far...
Cambodia: Blog to promote LGBT welfare
Cambodia LGBT Pride! is a blog established by volunteers who “work together with NGOs and local businesses to reduce discrimination based on sexuality and co-ordinate events to help nurture and strengthen the LGBT community in Cambodia.”
Why East Timor should join ASEAN?
José Ramos-Horta, the President of Timor-Leste, lists the country's accomplishments to convince ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders to include Timor Leste as one of its members
Egypt: Online Campaigns to Release Arrested Protesters Underway
Egyptian cyber activists went back to their keyboards to demand the release of protesters and bystanders arrested on Sunday for being at a protest outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo to commemorate the Nakba (Day of Catastrophe as it is known in the Arab world) which marks the day the State of Israel was created in 1948.
Trinidad & Tobago: Dangerous Dogs & the Bigger Picture
Globewriter posts an interview he did with the President of the T&T Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Against the backdrop of a recent spate of dog attacks, they discuss the existing law as it pertains to dangerous dogs, as well as responsible pet ownership, animal welfare and...
Cuba: Uncertain Internet Future
“Cuban civil society is looking forward to what will happen in July when the network structure of the island is connected to to the fiber optic cable that came in early February to Cuba from Venezuela”: Still, Laritza Diversent says that “the future of the Internet in Cuba has a...
Spain: Thousands of People Take the Streets
Spanish citizens have taken to the streets this week to protest against corruption, unemployment, and a political structure that favors a two-party system. "We're not merchandise in the hands of bankers and politicians," was the motto of tens of thousands who demonstrated all over the country on May 15. Protests and sit-ins will continue.
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Women & HIV
Abeni writes a thoughtful post about HIV awareness, saying: “The judgmental stances do very little to help the issues at stake which is HIV transmission/infection. The reality is that women are the ones most affected by this disease and the onus is on them to protect themselves.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Manning Suspended
Trinidad and Tobago News Blog reports that former Prime Minister Manning has been suspended from the House of Representatives, having been found guilty of contempt of Parliament.
Bermuda: New Politics
Bloggers are “energised by the emergence of the One Bermuda Alliance”, saying: “We can’t afford any more ‘professional politicians’ who simply demand respect as our Leaders while wallowing in a constant circus of mismanagement and financial excess.”
Zambia: Whistle-Blowing Or Personal Vendetta?
In Zambia, it is very rare for politicians holding ministerial positions to resign on their own without a hint of scandal. Bloggers have been discussing the shock resignation of former Defence Minister George Mpombo back in July 2009, and the various unusual incidents that have involved him since.
China: Another Failed Grassroots Election
A retired worker from Jiangxi province, China, Liu Ping, had decided to run an economic justice campaign in the grassroots level election for her local seat in China's People's Congress. In the process, she and her supporters have been harassed by local police and on May 13, 2011, she was forcibly detained.
Equatorial Guinea: A New Blog is Born
A new blog was born in Equatorial Guinea: The Colectivo de Jóvenes de Guinea Ecuatorial [es]. The Colectivo is a youth organization born clandestinely that uses a digital platform to protest against Teodorin Obiang’s dictatorship. Their firts posts debate and analyze issues of sovereignty and the right to unionize.
Tunisia: Internet Censorship Makes a Comeback
Tunisian netizens have enjoyed an unprecedented access to the Internet, following the fall of the Ben Ali regime in mid-January and the end of the country's previous web censorship. This short honeymoon seems to be coming to an end however, with a military court's recent order to block four Facebook pages. Netizens react to the new development in this post.
Colombia, El Salvador: Outlook for Coffee Exports
“How many of you know where your coffee comes from? And does it make a difference to you?” asks Colleen O'Brien in a post about the outlook for coffee exports in El Salvador and Colombia.
El Salvador: Government Program Seeks to Improve Lives of Low-Income Women
Tim's El Salvador Blog comments and shares information on ‘Ciudad Mujer,’ a government program “creating a series of regional centers which to address specific needs of poor women […] Violence against women is a serious problem which the country is only starting to address. Discrimination against women in employment is common according...
Mexico: Teachers March on National Teachers Day
Aguachile reports: “During the National Teachers Day in Mexico this Sunday, more than 10,000 teachers, most of them from the dissident teacher union Coordinadora Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (CNTE), not to be confused with the SNTE, marched in Mexico City demanding that [Elba Esther] Gordillo resign.”
Jordan: Debating a Possible GCC Union
The announcement that Jordan and Morocco might join the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) caused an immediate shockwave of reactions. Many Jordanians were elated at the news, saying that it would lead to better economic conditions for their country. Betsy Fisher rounds up more reactions from netizens in this post.
Macedonia: Report on Sexual & Health Rights of Marginalized Communities
The Coalition for Protection and Promotion of Sexual and Health Rights of Marginalized Communities has recently published [mk] its annual Report on sexual and health rights of marginalized communities in the Republic of Macedonia for 2010, available for download as a single e-book with Macedonian and English text documenting over...
Jordan: Marches to Palestine
Salem Husseini posted a Storify article on the Jordanian marches in honor of Nakba, or catastrophe, on the anniversary of the founding of Israel.
