Stories from 13 March 2013
New Pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is Argentinian
Netizens have quickly reacted to the announcement that for the first time an Argentinian, and a Latin American, will be leading the Catholic Church.
Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio Elected Pope
Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been elected as the new Pope of the Catholic Church. #Bergoglio and #OrgulloArgentino (Argentinian pride) are current trends on Twitter in Argentina.
South Koreans Rip ‘Chicken Hawk’ Politicians As War Rhetoric Heats Up
"Chicken hawk" has become standard vocabulary as South Koreans take aim at the increasingly pro-war rhetoric coming from draft-dodging politicians in the country's government now that North Korea has nullified the armistice between the two Koreas.
Arab World: Pope Alert, White Smoke
Arab netizens joined the rest of the world today in awaiting news of a new pope, who will replace Benedict XVI. And their reactions followed as soon as the white smoke bellowed from the Sistine Chapel, signalling the election of the pope.
Cigarette Vendor Sets Himself on Fire, Self-immolations Continue in Tunisia
Twenty-five months after fruit street vendor, Mohamed Bouaziz had set himself on fire, the phenomenon continues in Tunisia. Out of socioeconomic despair, Adel Khadri, a cigarette street vendor set himself alight on March 12 in the capital Tunis. He died today [March 13].
Survey: Sexuality Rights on the Internet
The Association for Progressive Communications is calling on sexuality rights activists to complete a survey describing how internet regulation affects them.
Italy: Fire Destroys Interactive Museum ‘Città della Scienza’ in Naples
On 4 March a fire (presumably arson) destroyed the cultural centre. Alongside worried comments, netizens (and some local authorities) immediately launched a campaign to rebuild this public structure, well appreciated throughout Europe and important scientific centre for the youth and future generations.
“Palestine in the Heart” of a Uruguayan Activist
Uruguayan activist and journalist María Landi shares her reports on Palestine in her blog Palestina en el corazón [es] (Palestine in the heart). Radio Mundo Real [es] recently interviewed Landi on current events in Palestine.
Grievance of a Young Indignant Santomean
Danilo Salvaterra published [pt] a video on Facebook that shows a young boy from São Tomé and Príncipe complaining about the general lack of basic infrastructures not only in Diogo Vaz (where the teenager lives and the video was recorded), but also in the rest of the country. He mentions...
Naming China's Censorship Beast
The Chinese government announced plans to merge two censorship departments, the General Administration of Press and Publication and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) on March 10, 2013. The proposed name of the new agency is extremely long and netizens are putting forward their own innovative names,...
Skip the Cigarettes, Breathe in Beijing's Air
The former head of Google China and influential Micro-blogger Kai-Fu Lee posted[zh] to his 32 million fans on Sina Weibo an imaginary conversation between a Beijinger and a Shanghainese: Beijinger: “We Beijingers are the most fortunate, we can open the window and have free cigarettes.” Shanghainese: “That's nothing, we can...
Angry Mob Torches Christian Neighbourhood in Pakistan
Riled by blasphemy charges, a Muslim mob of 3,000, torched 100 houses in Joseph Colony, a largely Christian neighbourhood in Pakistan's second largest city Lahore, on Saturday, March 9, 2013.
“Ten Years Without Zoran Djindjic”: Serbia Honors Slain Politician
Zoran Djindjic, the first democratically elected Serbian Prime Minister, was shot to death on March 12, 2003. On the tenth anniversary of his assassination, thousands of people marched in Belgrade to honor his memory.
Fears of Ticket Hikes As China Scraps Indebted Railways Ministry
China has decided to dismantle its powerful but indebted railways ministry in a bid to boost government efficiency and tackle corruption, a move that some Chinese Web users worry could mean higher ticket prices on the horizon.
