Stories from 8 March 2012
Iran: Women Say No to the War Monster
The Iranian Islamic regime has ignored International Women's Day for more than three decades. It does not recognize March 8, and has even banned women organizations from celebrating the day. But each year Iranian women both in the real and virtual world stil celebrate.
Russia: “The Way Forward”
OpenDemocracy.net posts an English translation of Yuri Saprykin's Lenta.ru text [ru] on the new, post-election goals of Russia's protest movement. (More insight into the March 4 presidential election and the opposition in Russia – from journalist Tikhon Dzyadko and an independent election observer Julia Chegodaikina.)
Macedonia: ‘Academic Solidarity’ Against Free Speech and Scientific Method
A young woman, gender scholar, human rights activist and blogger, who dared to speak truth to those in power in Macedonia and stood up against entrenched homophobia, ended up with a ruined academic career. Filip Stojanovski reports on the case of Irena Cvetkovik.
Macedonia: Blogirame.mk, a New Blog Aggregator
A new Macedonian blog aggregator Blogirame.mk (“We blog”) started working on Feb. 29, 2012. Founded by three popular twitterers/bloggers Pipo, Necovski and Iskric, and hailed by the community (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), it invites manual submitting of sites, which can be used as an indicator of the quantity of...
South Korea: Flight Attendants Demand Right To Wear Trousers
On International Women's Day, flight attendants from one of South Korea's major airlines held a press conference in front of airline headquarters to demand the right to wear trousers. Korean netizens came out in strong support.
Global Voices Seeks Deputy Editor
We're seeking a Deputy Editor to help manage daily content flow in English. Global Voices in English is a central focal point for more than 500 bloggers and translators around the world who work together to report on blogs and citizen media everywhere, with emphasis on voices that are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media.
South Korea: Journalists Stage Mass Walkout from National Broadcaster
Journalists of one of South Korea's biggest commercial television networks, the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), have been on indefinite strike since January 2012 demanding fair journalism free of political interference. On March 4, 2012, 166 journalists announced they would quit their jobs in protest.
The Best of the Blogs Awards: Have You Submitted Your Blog?
Nominate your favorite blogs in 17 categories and 11 languages to the Deutsche Welle Best of the Blogs Awards (BoBs) before March, 13, 2012. Bloggers, writers, artists, citizen video reporters, activists and educators are invited to participate in this respected global blog competition.
Caribbean: International Women's Day Message
In honour of International Women's Day, chookooloonks shares the Top 10 things she wants her daughter – and all youngsters – to know, while the Livesay [Haiti] weblog‘s key message for the day is that “No woman should die giving birth.”
Uganda: Can a Viral Video Really #StopKony?
A film aimed at making Ugandan guerilla leader Joseph Kony "famous" in order to raise support for his arrest has swept the Internet by storm, pushing #StopKony onto Twitter's trending topics list and prompting a wave of backlash from bloggers who worry the film and its associated campaign are overly simplistic.
Cuba: Doctor goes on Hunger Strike
Havana Times explains why Cuban doctor Jeovany Vega Jimenez is beginning a hunger strike.
Trinidad & Tobago: More Carnival Pics
“I suppose it is only the well trained observer who can see how much Carnival has changed over the years”: aka_lol shares his photos from Trinidad and Tobago's 2012 Carnival celebrations.
Cuba: Trying to get the Pope's Attention
El Cafe Cubano reports that Cardinal Jaime Ortega has met with the Ladies in White to inform them that the Pope's schedule is “too busy” and he will likely not be able to meet with them during his visit; Translating Cuba, meanwhile, publishes a letter to the Pope in which...
Venezuela: “Shooting Cameras Instead of Guns”
Alberto Rojas' photoblog Caracas Shots aims to show a friendly Caracas. With the motto "shooting cameras instead of guns," Alberto offers a refreshing look at a city with a bad reputation.
Ibero-American Blogging Competition Asks Teens: “What are you reading?”
The Organization of Ibero-American States invites teens ages 12 to 15 to enter a blogging competition about reading. The sign up [es] deadline is May 31, 2012, and judges will consider blog posts written until July 31. The winner from each participating country will receive an iPad. Visit the official...
NATO Invites to Citizen Dialogue on New Website
A new website, WE-NATO, invites to citizen dialogue on issues related to the agenda of the intergovernmental military alliance, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Website contributors include senior members of NATO leadership, including a video blog by the General Secretary and a live webchat with the Assistant Secretary General for...
Spain: Ten Years Without the Peseta
Biljana Veljanoska, a Macedonian woman living in Spain, wrote [mk] about the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the Euro, and the related PR campaign from 2001, which argued that prices will not increase. In general, they have increased (31%), more than the salaries (13%). On the other hand, prices...
Africa: Tech Entrepreneurship Bubbling in the Developing World
To illustrate the technological transformation that the African continent is undergoing, CNN's African Voices has highlighted 10 leading tech voices from different African countries. While the article put a much needed emphasis on the innovation trend originating from the African continent and their achievements, many tech experts felt that the feature did not represent the whole scope of tech innovation and entrepreneurship that is brewing in all the regions of the continent.
Brazil: Story of a 93 Year-Old Syrian Migrant
'Sito Badia', 'Grandmother Badia' in Arabic - as her grandsons like to call her - was born in the Western Syrian province of Homs. She immigrated to Brazil with her family 80 years ago, when she was only 13. The following story of her life recalls the early days of Arab immigrants to Brazil and Latin America.
South Korea : Crisis Map on Clashes over Naval Base Construction in Jeju Island
South Korean net users have created a crisis map on clashes between the government and activists over a naval base construction in the Jeju island. The construction plan has been accused of destroying the environment and the villagers’ way of life.
Singapore: Domestic Workers Finally Get A Weekly Day Off
After a four-year campaign initiated by migrant worker NGOs, foreign domestic workers in Singapore will finally get a day off a week starting next year. But not everyone is happy about this new regulation.
