Global Voices · Citizen media stories from October 2011

October, 2011

Monthly archive · 215 posts

Stories from October, 2011

31 October 2011

Saudi Arabia: Poverty Video Vloggers Released

Written by Mona Kareem · Middle East & North Africa

Around two weeks ago, Saudi Arabian authorities arrested three young video bloggers Firas Buqna, Hussam Al-Darwish and Khaled Al-Rasheed for producing an episode of their show Malub Alena about poverty in one of Riyadh's areas. They have just been released.

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France: Calls for Official Recognition of 1961 Paris Algerian Massacre

Written by Suzanne Lehn · Translated by Patricia Worth · Middle East & North Africa, Western Europe

Fifty years after the bloody suppression of a peaceful demonstration by Algerians in Paris, French officials are still struggling to admit their responsibility. Calls for the official recognition of the 1961 massacre have been building in this anniversary year.

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30 October 2011

Russia: Retired Tennis Star Marat Safin to Run for Parliament

Written by Donna Welles · Eastern & Central Europe

Russian tennis phenomenon, Marat Safin, has announced that he will run for the Russian State Duma in the December 4 elections. However, his public image, as illustrated by citizen media outlets, has until now not been focused on public service. Donna Welles reports.

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China: Questions Following Mekong River Massacre

Written by John Kennedy · East Asia

Thirteen Chinese sailors were killed earlier this month in an attack on two cargo ships. Nine Thai soldiers have claimed responsibility, which the Thai government says is theirs alone, but contradicting points in the case have left many with lingering doubts.

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Thailand: Floods and Social Media

Written by Mong Palatino · East Asia

Many parts of Thailand are still flooded as the country continues to face the worst flooding disaster in the past half century. But some bloggers believe the flooding disaster has been exaggerated by the media - social media in particular.

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Brazil: Police Restrain Students at the University of São Paulo

Written by Adriano Rangel · Translated by Melissa Mann · Latin America

Military police launched a blitz operation at the University of São Paulo after approaching three students smoking marijuana on the night of October 27. Adriano Rangel reports.

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Updates from October, 2011

31 October 2011

Trinidad & Tobago

“I was struck by her looks of course and her flagrantly innovative personal style but complementing these was her personality, the warm intelligence of someone totally comfortable in her skin”: From Jamaica, Annie Paul blogs about Anya Ayoung-Chee, the Season 9 Project Runway winner, while back in Trinidad, Outlish asks about life post-Anya's win: “What will we do now?”

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Venezuela

Mirelis Morales Tovar in her blog Caracas Ciudad de la Furia [es] writes about the new attractions she discovered at El Hatillo, a “town” in Caracas.

• Silvia Viñas

Peru

Cyrano, from the blog Columna 17 [es] discusses some universal truths and questions, like “The fastest horses belong to the bandits” and “Who is the mother of Donald Duck's nephews?”

• Gabriela García Calderón

Honduras

Two university students were killed on October 22; La Gringa's Blogcito reports that four police suspected of killing the students were taken into custody but later “escaped”. “Even in this high profile case, it appears that police still attempted cover up and still felt free to intimidate reporters. What should also be clear to everyone is why citizens are afraid to report crimes or abuse or corruption on the part of the police”, she writes.

• Silvia Viñas

Russia

Habrahabr-user uhaby writes [ru] about otdamgolos.ru, a web-portal that offers users to propose alternative parliamentary and presidential candidates as well as to vote for them. The author claims that within 10 days his website attended 137,500+ visitors. In the virtual parliamentary election three parties received most votes: 1. The Pirate Party, 2. Yabloko (social liberal), 3. CPRF (communists). Most popular presidential candidates are: blogger Alexey Navalny, imprisoned oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, “Against Everybody.”

• Alexey Sidorenko

Russia

Udmurtia.tv publishes a video [ru] of Denis Agashin, Izhevsk city manager, telling the representatives of veteran organizations that the next year's financial support will depend on the results of “United Russia” party in their district. As Alexander Kynev, a prominent political analyst, points out: “Progress it's not only forcing students to make pictures of their signed bulletins [to ensure ‘proper' voting], it is also a risk to be recorded.”

• Alexey Sidorenko

Russia

11-minute headcam video [ru] of a story that could end up with a human casualty. Russian paraglider pilot making his first flight in Himalayas was attacked by three eagles, one of which got trapped into the paraglider strings. Thanks to the second parachute the pilot could land and then - to release the eagle.

• Alexey Sidorenko