18 August 2012

Stories from 18 August 2012

Kuwait: The People Know Better

Kuwaiti netizens are expressing their disdain for an old-age tradition which gives the head of the tribe, or the Shaikh [Sheikh] absolute power. In a break with this tradition, they are tweeting under the hash tag #الشعب_أبخص‬‏ [ar], which translates to "The People Know Better."

India: Government Bans Bulk SMS To Stop Rumors

  18 August 2012

Medianama reports that the Ministry of Home affairs of India has banned bulk SMS and MMS for a period of 15 days. This directive came after reports revealed that rumors are being spread following violence in Assam, leading to mass exodus of people from the North-East region, from several Indian...

Togo: Is Your Mobile Phone Tapped ?

  18 August 2012

Syvlio Combey, a human rights activist in Togo, shares tips (via Allain Jules) on how to determine whether your mobile phone is tapped [fr] in Togo.  Togolese citizens have been subjected to various forms of Human Rights violations by the police in the past couple of months.

Madagascar: Neglecting Endemic Medicinal Plants at Its Own Peril

  18 August 2012

Reflexiums laments that for a country so rich in endemic medicinal plants, Madagascar has yet to fully develop this sector [fr]. “Isn't the whole point of fair trade to take advantage of the knowledge of  its endemic natural plants from the local population instead of purchasing costly medications from large pharmaceutical companies...

Egypt: Decoding Morsi's Ousting of the Generals

Mohammed Morsi's recent decisions to terminate the jobs of Mohamed Hussein Tantawi as Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and Sami Anan as the Chief of Staff of the Egyptian Armed Forces created mixed reactions. The president also issued a new Constitutional Declaration that give him constitutional power. Morsi was first perceived as weak and torn between the Muslim Brotherhood and the SCAF but the latest decisions have asserted his position and enabled him to rebrand himself.

Cameroon: Contesting Magazine's “Failed States” Report

  18 August 2012

Francois-Xavier from Cameroon wrote: “Foreign policy in collaboration with the Fund For Peace has issued the eight annual failed states index and a joint photo essay which they titled Postcards from Hell. The report has stirred much controversy and citizens mostly from the countries topping the report have reacted negatively to...

Bulgaria: Syrian and Iraqi Refugees on Hunger Strike

  18 August 2012

Bulgarian newspaper Dnevnik reports [bg] that 25 asylum seekers (21 Syrians and four Iraqis) went on hunger strike to protest the slowness of the asylum-granting procedures at the detention center for foreigners in the Bulgarian village of Lyubimets. Comments to the Dnevnik article reflect the general indifference to the plight...

Ethiopia: Powerful and Political Church Patriarch Dies

  18 August 2012

The head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Abune Paulos, has died aged 76. Abune Paulos, spent the last two decades as the sole figure of the popular Ethiopian Orthodox Church leading 40 million Ethiopians (half the country's population.) His death has sparked a debate on religion and politics and re-triggered speculation about the whereabouts of Prime Minster Meles Zenawi.

The South Caucasus at the 2012 Olympics

  18 August 2012

This post is part of our special coverage of the London 2012 Olympics.   The three South Caucasus countries have been participating  independently in the Olympics since 1996, and they each followed up their records in Beijing this summer in London to walk away with gold, silver and bronze in the...

Where is the flag of the Republic of China?

  18 August 2012

A number of activists from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau landed the Diaoyu island on August 15. While mainland Chinese media gave large coverage to the news as it reasserted China's territorial claim over the disputed island, the flag of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was missing in many of...

What Is A Chinese Orgy Actually Like?

  18 August 2012

A set of orgy photos leaked out online featuring three pairs of swingers, all are government officials and their wives. Anthony Tao from Beijing Cream picked up the buzz and continued the discussion on the Chinese orgy culture.