Stories from 16 June 2011
India: Kids Reality Shows, Neo-Child Labour?
Devika Mittal at Youth Ki Awaaz argues that the kids reality shows in Indian TV are exposing children to high-level competition by selling their childhood, talent and working hard at an early age.
Pakistan: Tax On Textiles
Deadpan Thoughts criticizes the imposition of 17% sales tax in this years budget on the import of machinery and equipment of textile mills, a major earning and employment sector of Pakistan.
Pakistan: Remembering The Golden Era Of Pop Music
Spring Of Autumn reminisces about the golden era of Pakistan pop music, which was the late 80's and the early 90's.
Bhutan: Advertisement And Deception
Namgay77 at Writers Association Of Bhutan is concerned about the proliferation of deceptive advertisement messages in Bhutan.
Angola: Past Meets Present in a Series of Photo-Chronicles
Throughout the month of June, António Trabulo, a portuguese doctor retired from work, on his blog De cá e de lá (From here and from there) [pt], has been publishing a series of photoposts and chronicles about the past and the present of Angola, following a trip he did three...
Russia: Ministry's Online Blunders
Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs has recently started to mobilise on the Internet and in the past weeks two important events have taken place in the Internet world which have drawn attention to Ministry's activities.
Chile: More than 70,000 March in Santiago Demanding Improvements in Education
According to the online version of Chilean daily El Mercurio, more than 70,000 people [es] are marching in downtown Santiago demanding improvements in education. Using the hashtag #junio16 (“June 16,” a local trending topic), netizens are sharing photos, reports [es] and reactions [es].
Africa: Bloggers Remember the International Day of the African Child
June 16 marks the International Day of the African Child. The day was initiated by the Organisation of African Unity on June 16, 1991. The day honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day and raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of quality of life for African children. Bloggers remember...
Panama: The Indigenous Ngobe-Bugle’s Struggle to Defend the Rio Tabasara
Intercontinental Cry publishes an exclusive report by independent journalist Richard Arghiris, who “takes an in-depth look at the controversy surrounding the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam in Panama and the Ngobe-Bugle’s struggle to defend the Rio Tabasara along with their own right to survive as Indigenous Peoples.”
El Salvador: Anti-Mining Activist Killed in Cabañas
Tim's El Salvador Blog reports that another anti-mining activist in Cabañas, “where conflict over proposed gold mining continues”, has been killed. Voices From El Salvador also blogs about the news.
Mexico: Photo essay: Final Day of Javier Sicilia’s ‘Peace Caravan’
Photographer ‘KT’ put together a photo essay documenting the last day of 7 day ‘peace caravan’ led by poet Javier Sicilia: “I’ve seen Javier’s marches on youtube and on the news and in newspapers, but to be there was a life altering moment for me. You hear about the violence,...
Trinidad & Tobago: Preferred Smartphone Platforms
Triniberry provides “a snapshot of what the current mobile internet user base looks like right now in terms of device preference.”
Cuba: Cervantes Continues Strike
“Protest by suicide is never an acceptable option,” says Uncommon Sense as he blogs about the failing health of a hunger striker, “but it is important to remember that Cervantes is fighting back against his jailers by the only weapons at his disposal — his health and maybe his life.”
Iran: “One year suspended jail sentence for being a Facebook user”
Several sites reported[fa] Mostafa Akhavan was sentenced one year sentenced jail sentence by an Iranian court. Among his accusations we can read acting against national security,publishing slogans in Facebook, sharing news about Green Movement and being a Facebook user.
Trinidad & Tobago: A Lawsuit Too Late?
When it comes to the lawsuit filed by the Central Bank against top CL Financial directors, Afra Raymond is “doubtful of the choice of targets in the apparent attempt to deal with this financial fiasco”, saying: “The early questions…are for me ‘Why this lawsuit?’ and ‘Why now?’.”
Barbados: Environmental Sham
As the Environmental Protection Department celebrates its 40th anniversary, Barbados Free Press asks “why Barbados has no Environmental Protection Act.”
Taiwan: Looking forward to “Seediq Bale”
The long awaited movie “Seediq Bale”-a movie depicting the controversy and conflict between Japan colonial force and Seedip people in 1930-released its first theatrical trailer on Youtube.
Taiwan: A Song for Those Pro-Nuclear Power Legislators
Political vlogger 廖小貓(Kitty Liao) made a music video with the names of the legislators who passed the additional budget of the 4th Nuclear Power Plant that is under construction. In the lyrics, Liao asserts: “Remember these legislators who poison Taiwanese people, and don't vote for them!”
Estonia-Latvia-Lithuania: 70th anniversary of deportations
Otto's Random Thoughts commemorates the 70th anniversary of deportations from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania following the June 1940 Soviet occupation of the countries, whereas Itching for Eestimaa reflects upon the political and social legacy of the deportations for Estonia.
China: Leftover women, do not get married!
Jing Gao from Ministry of Tofu translates an article on feminist debate about a Beijing erotica artist set of painting on “Leftover women, do not get married! Let’s enjoy ruining men!”
South Korea: Best Photos of Lunar Eclipse, Taken by Tweeters
The moon disappeared behind the shadow of the earth from 2 to 5 am in South Korea on June 16. Korean net users who witnessed the event posted photos online and South Korea's blogger/citizen news site Wiki Tree picked Twitterer @dmzkor‘s pictures as one of the best photos.
