Renowned Egyptian blogger Baheyya writes about Egypt's youngest presidential candidate – Khaled Ali, who turned 40 last month. “In this maiden presidential race, electability is hard to gauge. But if credibility is a criterion, then Khaled Ali has it in spades,” writes the blogger.
20 March 2012
Stories from 20 March 2012
Bangladesh: The Plight of the Indigenous People
In Bangladesh there are more than 45 indigenous tribes (adibashis). Every day some of them are being subjected to discrimination, oppression and abuse. Their plights can be heard in indigenous blogs and other social media platforms.
Mexico: Videos of the 7.8 Earthquake Felt in Mexico
On 20 March, an earthquake struck off the coast of Acapulco in Mexico, reportedly between 7.6 and 7.8 on the Richter scale. So far, no casualties have been reported. Following, some videos of how the quake was felt in different regions of the country. All audio is in Spanish.
Turkey: Riot Police Continue to Clash with Kurds Celebrating Newroz
Kurdish people are the largest ethnic group in Turkey. They have been subject to state-sanctioned discrimination and human rights violations. Today, in Yuksekova, which is a district in the Hakkari province of Turkey, Kurdish people were attacked for gathering to celebrate Newroz - the Kurdish new year.
Cuba: Black Spring, Nine Years After
The Cuban Black Spring - a term that has come to describe the government crackdown on dissidents that took place in 2003 - marks its ninth anniversary this year. Cuban bloggers remember their history and wonder whether anything has fundamentally changed - especially in the context of the impending papal visit and the pontiff's inability to meet with opposition groups to discuss the country's human rights record.
Poland: The ‘Web Kids’ Manifesto’
Originally written in by Polish photographer and poet Piotr Czerski, the 'Web Kids’ Manifesto' is appearing on the web in many other languages since its publication on February 11. Samy Boutayeb explains more.
Cuba: Diverse Opinions on Pope Benedict's Visit
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Cuba has caused a great deal of controversy and debate in the Island. Blogs and social media have been a platform for an array of opinions. Elaine Díaz takes a look at some of these online conversations.
Norway Hosts First Journalism Award for Indigenous Broadcasters
Norway is widely known for hosting the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize Awards. This month, the Scandinavian country is hosting the debut of another important yet largely unknown journalism award ceremony for the World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network (WITBN) on March 29, 2012.
Panama: “I'm Ngäbe, I'm Bugle, I'm Panamanian”
After police forcibly removed the indigenous Ngäbe-Bugle who were blocking the Pan-American highway to protest mining in their territories, a video campaign titled "I'm Ngäbe, I'm Bugle, I'm Panamanian" aims to raise awareness and tell Panamanians that the struggle of the Ngäbe-Bugle should be a national concern.
Postscript to East Timor Presidential Elections
The incumbent president of East Timor conceded defeat in the recent presidential election which was hailed by both citizens and international observers as generally peaceful and credible. Here are other online reactions using the hashtag #eleisaun2012.
Video: Surfers, Fishermen and Radiation in Post Earthquake Japan
Journalist Lisa Katayama and filmmaker Jason Wishnow are documenting the lives of people dealing with radiation in a post-earthquake Japan. In We Are All Radioactive, they are including 50% footage made by themselves in the areas around Fukushima Power Plant, and 50% footage made by residents who were given waterproof digital cameras.
Perchance, immaturity creates distrust.....