Stories about Breaking News from January, 2013
Egypt Silent on Sinai Flooding
Sinai is being ravished by flooding, after heavy rains in the region. Very little information is available on online media, amid total silence on mainstream media. Netizens report that up to 1,400 families could be caught up in the flooding, without electricity and access to food.
Google Debuts Crowd Sourced Map on North Korea
Google revealed on Jan 29, 2013 its newly revised, crowd-sourced map of North Korea. There are drastic changes of Google's North Korea map and instant web reactions have followed.
Google Maps Targets Hermit Kingdom, North Korea
Google debuted its Google Maps program for one of the world's most secretive countries, North Korea, as part of its crowd sourcing map initiative. North Korea Tech blog posted several pictures of it with some background information.
Naming the Victims of the Algerian Hostage Crisis
If the press have the energy to expose the names of victims and their pictures, why can't they pour the same energy into covering the information and wisdom that would prevent further tragedies? A professor of Islamic studies Naito Masanori commented on Twitter [ja] about the press coverage of the Aménas hostage crisis...
Latinos Were Key Figures at Obama's Inauguration
The inauguration of the president of the United States Barack Obama last January 21st, was filled with a passionate speech that foreshadows what could be the next years of his administration. The prominence of Latino figures such as federal Superior judge Sonia Sotomayor and Richard Blanco were some of the highlights of the event.
Bangladesh: Missed Call – A Tool For Protest?
An intentional missed call is a widely used method in developing countries to save money or mobile minutes. In Bangladesh this is being proposed as a way to protest and reduce the price of mobile internet. A Facebook event of a proposed protest by using "miss call" has gone viral.
The Egyptians Want to Overthrow the Regime
The Egyptians are back on the streets today [January 25], calling for a continuation of their revolution, which started two years ago and saw the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak. Violence marred today's second anniversary of the revolution, with at least eight people reported dead so far, and 370...
Mexico: Florence Cassez, Guilty of Kidnapping or Victim of a Staged Process?
A great fuss has taken over the cyberspace after the French citizen Florence Cassez was released from a Mexican prision where she stayed seven years charged with kidnapping, illegal gun possession and organized crime. Reactions are diverse, all of which demonstrate the complexity of the case.
Bolivia: 2012 Census Initial Data
Bolivian President Evo Morales announced the initial official data from the Census of Population and Housing 2012, carried out last November. According to the results, Bolivia has a population of 10.3, with the two most populated departaments being Santa and y La Paz, each with 2.7 million people. Netizens are...
Venezuela – Colombia: Is There a Homeland?
Due to most recent news about the health condition of Venezuelan President, Hugo Chávez [es], who is currently in Havana, Cuba since December 11, 2012 for the cancer that is afflicting him, Juan Mosquera posts his personal reflection about the political landscape in Venezuela [es]: -Tell me, boy, what's the...
Rajoelina Steps Aside for Madagascar's Presidential Race
With interim president Rajoelina announcing that he withdraws from a bid to run for the presidential elections following a similar announcement by former President Ravalomanana in December 2012, Malagasy people are likely to have a new president in 2013, provided that elections take place as planned in the electoral agenda. Many of the observers are skeptical about the elections timeline in light of the statements of Rajoelina after his announcement and his wishes to change the electoral agenda.
Indonesia Flood: Jakarta Placed Under State of Emergency
Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, is paralyzed by massive flooding. Governor Joko Widodo placed the capital under emergency status until January 27. It is reported that 27 out of 44 subdistricts in Jakarta are flooded.
Peru: Flooding of Toll Road Via Parque Rimac
At 3 am on 28th December, 2012, part of the retaining wall of the Rimac River yielded to the flood, alongside the work which was being carried out from the VIa Parque Rimac above the normal riverbed height. Here we have a chronology of events as well as reactions to what took place.
Director of Films Denouncing President Sata Arrested in Zambia
Chanda Chimba III, a freelance filmmaker who made documentaries denouncing Michael Sata, while he was the opposition Patriotic Front leader and before he became the President of Zambia, has been arrested. Once reviled, the documentaries are now hits on YouTube as most of the things that Chimba predicted are now a reality.
Cuba Implements Long-Awaited Migration Reform
The implementation of the long-awaited migration reform on January 14 could put an end to the terrible human drama which the decision to stay or leave Cuba used to entail. Bloggers in Cuba comment on the historical reform.
Togo: An Open Letter to Denounce Violence Against Journalists
On January 14, 2013, Maxime Domegni, Secretary General of the National Union of Independent Journalist of Togo (SYNJIT) and Sylvio Combey Combetey, President of the Network of African Journalists on Human Security and Peace (RAJOSEP) published [fr] a press release to denounce violence against journalists in Togo. The release details a skirmish...
Russian Facebook of Horrors: The Murder Trail
A Moscow chef, Alexey Kabanov, has allegedly strangled and dismembered his wife and mother of three small children, Irina Cherska. Kabanov and Cherska were tightly integrated into the protest-minded Russophone Facebook community.
Protesters Trap QMM Staff in Madagascar over Land Dispute
Bill at Madagascar Tribune reports that protesters held Rio Tinto QMM Staff hostages [fr] on January 11 in Southern Madagascar. After armed forces disrupted the protests with tear gas and freed the staff, police proceed to arrest a dozen of protesters [fr] today. Rio Tinto executives threatened to exit the country after the...
Tuareg Families Regroup to Avoid Airstrikes in Northern Mali
We must regroup so that airplanes can tell us apart from the targeted ismalists fighters who will be on the move. Tuareg refugees in Borj and Timeaouine in Northern Mali are hurrying to gather around their family members in order to avoid airstrikes by French planes against islamist groups, Tamoudre reports...
“We Are All Hazara” Protests Across Pakistan
Thousands across Pakistan and worldwide are showing solidarity with the Shia Hazara minority, as their sit-in protest enters its second day in the country's southwestern city, Quetta.
New Palestinian Village Bab Al Shams Established in East Jerusalem
As part of the popular resistance movement in the Palestine, a group of about 250 Palestinian activists established the new village of Bab Al Shams or “The Gate of the Sun”, on a piece of confiscated land in Eastern Jerusalem, referred by Israeli authorities as “Area E1“. Despite an eviction notice from the Israeli army, the activists plan to spend the night in the tents they have set up there.
