October, 2011

Stories from October, 2011

Greece: When the Crisis Hit the Fan

  31 October 2011

Freelance journalist Kostas Kallergis started a blog in English about the Greek crisis, documenting on a daily basis various “small things that usually go unreported in the international press,” from graffiti in the streets of Athens to roundups of the local press coverage and historical analyses.

Macedonia: Lead Smelting Factory Problem in Veles

  31 October 2011

Jovan Petrov provides an overview of the problem with the lead and zync smelting factory in Veles, after the court rejected a suit against the state from the municipality and local NGOs, demanding cleaning of pollution which will affect “10 generations to come” in this impoverished community.

Pakistan: Say No To Plastic Bags

  31 October 2011

95% people use plastic bags in Pakistan and only 15% of these bags are properly disposed off, informs Rai Muhammad Azlan Shahid, while advocating for banning them.

D. R. of Congo: DRC Elections Watch 2011

  31 October 2011

DRC Elections Watch 2011: “In the afternoon of Sunday, October 30, with his wife Olive Lembe by his side, Joseph Kabila formally launched his electoral campaign in Kindu, in the Maniema Province, with a long speech in Swahili in front of thousands of his supporters.”

Tunisia: Let's Invade Social Networks!

  31 October 2011

A crazy wave of posts hit the world of social networks when Tunisian netizens decided to invade Facebook and Twitter with their comments. First came the official Facebook page of US President Barack Obama. Soon other world leaders got a taste of this spam-attack.

Cuba: Off-Colour Remark in Red Light District

  31 October 2011

babalu is appalled by a remark that Mariela Castro (director of Cuba's National Center for Sexual Education) makes in an interview with Radio Netherlands during a visit to the red light district in Amsterdam, saying: “[She] enjoys a hearty laugh at the expense of Cuban women who are forced to...

Cuba: Members of “Las Damas” Detained

  31 October 2011

Uncommon Sense learns that “ten members of the Laura Pollan Damas De Blanco…were among severa dissidents arrested in Santiago de Cuba as they tried to gather for Mass” yesterday morning.

Trinidad & Tobago: Role of the Telecommunications Authority

  31 October 2011

Plain Talk suggests that the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is abdicating its responsibility in light of the recent national broadcast of the rape of a child and the release of a soca song that “glorif[ies] and promote[s] human trafficking and sexual slavery”, saying: “Much of what is being...

Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: After Anya

  31 October 2011

“I was struck by her looks of course and her flagrantly innovative personal style but complementing these was her personality, the warm intelligence of someone totally comfortable in her skin”: From Jamaica, Annie Paul blogs about Anya Ayoung-Chee, the Season 9 Project Runway winner, while back in Trinidad, Outlish asks...

Honduran Police Suspected of Killing Two University Students

  31 October 2011

Two university students were killed on October 22; La Gringa's Blogcito reports that four police suspected of killing the students were taken into custody but later “escaped”. “Even in this high profile case, it appears that police still attempted cover up and still felt free to intimidate reporters. What should...

Russia: Alternative Voting Portal Launched

RuNet Echo  31 October 2011

Habrahabr-user uhaby writes [ru] about otdamgolos.ru, a web-portal that offers users to propose alternative parliamentary and presidential candidates as well as to vote for them. The author claims that within 10 days his website attended 137,500+ visitors. In the virtual parliamentary election three parties received most votes: 1. The Pirate Party,...

Russia: Pirate Flag Over Novosibirsk City

RuNet Echo  31 October 2011

LJ-user dedmaxopka publishes [ru] pictures of himself placing a pirate flag over Novosibirsk city administration. “We just wanted to make nice pictures of the city,” explained the blogger to the police that identified him the same day. Blogger was charged with ‘petty hooliganism’ and had to pay a small fine.

China: Open letter to Relativity Media

  31 October 2011

C Custer wrote an open letter to Relativity Media, a Hollywood Film Producer, criticizing its plan to cooperate with the Linyi government to shoot a movie there. Linyi government has illegally detained Blind activist Chen Guangchen from leaving his house and stopped others from visiting him since his release in...