Stories from 9 August 2012
Tajikistan: Female Boxer Fights Odds, Wins Olympic Bronze
"I hope Chorieva will become a motivation for other Tajik girls and women, and we will have more female champions in future. It doesn't matter whether she wins or loses, she has already broken a social stereotype."
North Korea: First Lady Spotted With A Luxury, ‘Dior’ Handbag
North Korea’s young first lady was pictured carrying what appears to be a Christian Dior handbag which costs around USD 1,600. While international media lashed hard at the luxury in the midst of food crisis where millions of North Koreans suffer from starvation, one net user in Sina English site raised a...
Puerto Rico: “Ateorizar” Takes Atheism Online
Finding an absence of online projects in Spanish about atheism, Puerto Rican blogger Manolo Matos started "Ateorizar." The podcast will be going to its third season next October, and the blog has received over 150,000 visits. Matos talks to Global Voices about his project.
South Korea: Driving Force and Little-Known Facts Behind its Olympic Success
The Korea and the World blog published a detailed analysis on South Korea's good results in the 2012 London Olympics, pointing out Koreans’ strong patriotism as one of the main reasons for success.
Mauritania: The Day Ould Taya was Toppled
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya ruled Mauritania for more than 20 years following a military coup he initiated against his predecessor Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah, on December 12, 1984. In 2005, he was toppled. Remembering Ould Taya's ousting, netizens share some of their memories and impressions on that day.
Egypt: Cairo Blackout
Egyptians woke up today [August 9, 2012] to a Cairo without electricity. The city's metro and the Egyptian Stock Exchange stopped functioning. Netizens took to their keyboards to complain.
East Timor: President Rejects Woman Defense Minister
Prior to the swearing-in of East Timor's new cabinet, the new President provoked controversy by rejecting the coalition government's proposed Minister of Defense, Maria Domingas Alves (known as Mikato). Women's groups, academics and the public questioned why and also whether there are strict limits to women's participation in politics.
Russia: Pro-Kremlin YouTube Sensation Gets Own TV Show
Sometimes, a 90-second online video can change lives. Svetlana Kuritsyna was just nineteen last December, when she became an Internet sensation thanks to a laudatory and rambling interview celebrating the political records of Vladimir Putin and United Russia. Now she's been handed her own TV show, and Russian netizens are left wondering what it means.
East Timor: Crowdmapping Humanitarian and Community Development Projects
East Timorese NGO Belun, in collaboration with FONGTIL and Fundasaun Alola, have recently launched a crowdmap platform that features a National Database of Humanitarian and Community Development Projects.
China: Online Advertisement Contract
Dan Harris from China Law Blog looks into the advertisement contract with Baidu, the largest search engine in China and highlights some of the unique arrangement in the business agreement.
Myanmar: Curfew in Kyaut Taw, Rakhine State
A curfew has been imposed [my] in Kyaut Taw, Rakhine State, where another riot has occurred between the Rohingya and Rakhine ethnic groups. Myanmar government army troops were sent in to maintain security.
Argentina Returns Frozen Bank Deposit Funds
On August 3, 2012, the Argentine government returned depositors' funds which had been frozen during the year 2002 and which puts an end to the corralito era. The news was announced during the anniversary of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, and immediately there were comments on the Internet, for and against.
Kenya: ‘Do Milk!’ Campaign Targets Fast Food Generation
The Kenya Dairy Board and milk processors in the country have decided to launch a nationwide campaign to encourage the consumption of milk, using the title ‘Do Milk’. This is in line with changing lifestyle attitudes in the country, which has seen many of the youth abandon healthy eating practices for fast food.
Bolivia: New Video Campaign Seeks to Boost Tourism
'Bolivia Awaits You' is the name of a promotional tourism campaign recently launched by the government of Bolivia. It seeks to boost tourism by investing 20 million US dollars in the next five years, which will primarily benefit indigenous communities.
China: Liu Xiang falls out of race
China Hush translated netizens’ reaction on national hero Liu Xiang's out of the Olympic opening heat because of the same Achilles tendon injury.
China: Animal Cruelty
A puppy owner in Beijing threw his pet out of 18-story building. The puppy miraculously survives and its owner was arrested for endangering public safety. Story curated by Beijing Cream.
Bolivia: Communities Divided in Consultation about TIPNIS Road
Emily Achtenberg from Rebel Currents blogs about the latest developments in the project to build a road through the Isiboro-Sécure Indigenous Territory and National Park (TIPNIS): “Last week, the Bolivian government launched a highly contested community consultation process […] Affected communities responded with a range of creative tactics—some in support...
Myanmar: Aung San Suu Kyi as New Parliamentary Committee Head?
Netizens discuss [my] whether Aung San Suu Kyi could succeed as the head of the Rule of Law and Tranquility Committee in Myanmar's parliament.
Kazakhstan: ‘Imported’ Olympic Champions Cause Controversy
Two of the six gold medals bagged by Kazakhstan at the London Olympics were claimed by Chinese-born female weightlifters. The success of the "imported" athletes has caused a lot of controversy, with Chinese officials accusing Kazakhstan of misinforming the public about the athletes' country of origin.
