24 March 2013

Stories from 24 March 2013

Is President Carmona Trinidad and Tobago's Hope?

  24 March 2013

Last week, Trinidad and Tobago swore in its fifth President, retired high court judge Anthony Carmona. The new president's inaugural address, in which he vowed to “[hold] fast to the fundamentals [of] integrity, Transparency, Inclusiveness and Reverence to God Almighty” captured the public's imagination – and that of a few bloggers – who have been talking about what effect, if any, the new presidency could have on the country's political landscape.

Central African Republic's Self-Declared President

  24 March 2013

Following the taking of the presidential palace in Bangui by the Sékéla rebellion, their leader Michel Djotodia has declared that he is now the new president [fr] of the Central African Republic: I do not wish for a witch hunt [..] For now, a curfew is declared in Bangui.

Jamaica: The Female Image in Dancehall

  24 March 2013

[It] can be seen…as a celebration of full-bodied female sexuality. Especially the substantial structure of the Black working-class woman whose body image is rarely validated… Jamaica Woman Tongue thinks International Women's Month is the perfect time to put forward a different perspective of dancehall culture.

Japan's Prime Minister On Your Smartphone

  24 March 2013

The Japanese prime minister’s office revealed apps that give smartphone users easy access to official announcements and photos from official events. Masaru Ikeda at StartupDating writes:  for the younger generation who don’t subscribe to physical newspapers or watch TV news shows, it could be a good touch point for them to stay up to speed...

Myanmar: Who is Plotting the Meikhtila Riot?

  24 March 2013

For three days, riots raged in the town of Meikhtila in the Mandalay division of Myanmar. A curfew was imposed by the police after a group of people reportedly set buildings and motor bikes on fire in the area. Netizens condemned those who are speading hate messages online and those who are provoking religious and ethnic clashes

The Return of China's First Lady

  24 March 2013

Reversing a streak decades long of low-profile presidential wives, Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan accompanied her husband, new President Xi Jinping, to Russia on his first foreign tour, marking a return of the role to the political spotlight.