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Supporting the Rights of Malian Youth to Education · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

While Mali is trying to reunite in its large territory strained by a prolonged internal conflict between the north and the rest of the country, its young people are impatient to move forward to build Mali's future. My Rights, My Voice, Mali is a project led by Malian youth and supported by Oxfam to promote their rights to education and sexual and reproductive health.
Image from Facebook page for the My Rights, My Voice project. Used with permission.
The context
Although 80 percent of Mali’s children enrolled in primary school in 2010-11 school year, the system struggles to give them a quality education. Almost half abandon their schooling early, while many complete school without basic reading, writing and mathematical skills. The education system is also plagued by a lack of schools in rural areas, as well as shortages of teachers and materials.
High school students in Kati, Mali via Wikipedia Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Generic license.
Laya Diarra, a blogger for Afribone in Bamako explains that finishing primary school is often not enough to solve the literacy issue [fr]:
Il a été constaté que les enfants qui terminaient le 1er Cycle de l’Enseignement Fondamental retombaient très vite dans l’illettrisme. Cet enseignement ne garantissait pas le minimum éducatif que le système se donnait comme objectif.
Statistics show that many children who completed primary school fell quickly back into illiteracy. This formation did not guarantee the minimum objectives that the educational system aims for.
Additionally, the gender gap in access to education is still a major subject of concern. In 2008, more than 80,000 students passed exams to enter secondary schools, yet around 17,000 — 40 percent of whom were girls — were denied placement in secondary schools. Marianne Opheim, an education researcher, explained that the gender gap is not as large as it may seem [fr]:
Tout en reconnaissant l'importance des facteurs particuliers au statut de la femme, je pense que la sous-scolarisation des filles est étroitement liée aux grands défis généraux de l'école malienne, tels que l'écart linguistique et culturel entre l'école et le foyer
While it is important to recognize the importance of specific factors linked to women status, I think the under-enrollment of girls in school is closely linked to the general challenges of the Malian school system, such as the linguistic and cultural gap between their school and their home.
Some solutions
Mali faces a shortage of teachers (only one per 100 pupils in some areas), poor teacher training, a lack of classroom materials and an outdated curriculum. Still, some schools are rising to the challenges, like the Mohamed Diallo Primary School. In the following French-language video, the director argues that despite many challenges, the school was able to meet its goals thanks to the dedication of the teachers:
The education authorities’ lack of accountability and transparency in financial management means legal standards are not upheld and policies such as the national girls’ education policy are not implemented.
Working with partners in Mali such as the Education for All coalition, My Rights, My Voice is advocating for an improved national curriculum, including life skills and sexual and reproductive health rights. They also train youth groups to monitor policy implementation so that they can hold the government accountable to its commitments to provide quality education for all Mali’s children and to promote girls’ schooling in particular.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Evading Exercise  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Diaspora blogger Afrobella lists “the dumbest excuses we make to avoid exercising.”

source: news-globalvoices

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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WeChat Users Send Virtual Envelopes Worth Real Money for Chinese New Year · Global Voices
Abby Liu

In China, it is tradition to give red envelopes as gifts during the Lunar New Year holiday. This year, the tradition is going digital on China's most popular social media platform. Now people have the option of giving the red envelopes on the popular messaging mobile application WeChat.
A red envelope is a gift of money presented and given during special occasions such as weddings and Chinese New Year. The red color of the envelope symbolizes good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits.
As the Lunar New Year draws near, Chinese Internet giant Tencent has introduced a new feature to its 600 million users on WeChat: “Red Envelope”, with which users around the world can send and receive virtual red envelopes connected with their bank account.
Screenshot of the red envelope feature on WeChat
It's easy to use. Users can send one to any individual friend on WeChat or even create a group, send an envelope to the group, and the first member to open the envelop receives the money. The user can also randomly allocate an amount of money for a group of friends.
WeChat replaced Sina Weibo as China’s most popular social media platform in 2013. With around 78 million users outside China, it has also seen significant growth in the past year.
The new red envelope feature is expected to help further increase WeChat’s users and expand its online payment function.
The concept doesn’t exclusively belong to WeChat; Sina Weibo and alipay have both introduced this concept. During last year's spring festival, 1.64 million yuan (about 270,000 US dollars) worth of money was sent via virtual red envelopes on alipay. Due to WeChat’s social networking function and added interactive and fun elements, the feature is likely to gain more popularity this year.

author: Abby Liu


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3 Out of The Top 10 Most Inspirational Bangladeshis are Tech-Centric · Global Voices
Rezwan

While commenting on the a list of 10 most inspirational Bangladeshis around the world published by the London-based organization ‘British-Bangladeshi Power and Inspiration’, blogger Aminul Islam Sajib points out that 3 of them had significant contribution in technology field.

author: Rezwan


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A Business Model Competition to Ignite Start Ups in Madagascar  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Harinjaka, founder of the co-working space Habaka and Madagascar-based blogger, created the 2014 Antananarivo Start Up Cup [fr] whose objective is to select and support the best business ideas in Madagascar. He thinks that there is a bright future for entrepreneurship and innovation [fr] in Madagascar. Here is a poster for the event [fr] :
“The objective of the Start Up Cup is to connect founders with business investors and VCs.” via the Facebook Page of the event with permission

author: Lova Rakotomalala


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Blogger Unveils Sochi Corruption Website · Global Voices
Nina Jobe

The costs of the Sochi Olympics according to Alexey Navalny. Screenshot.
Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist Alexei Navalny joined the Sochi anti-corruption campaign this week, launching an interactive website outlining what he calls the “true costs” of the Olympic preparations in Sochi.
Navalny tweeted, linking to the website:
Сколько стоила Олимпиада? Кто за неё заплатил? Кто сколько украл? http://t.co/FN8bZAwtdw pic.twitter.com/uCilgqiToG
— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) January 27, 2014
How much did the Olympics cost?  Who paid for it?  Who stole, and how much? http://t.co/FN8bZAwtdw pic.twitter.com/uCilgqiToG
With increased western scrutiny of the games, Navalny’s latest campaign was instantly covered in the New York Times, and other English-speaking media outlets shortly thereafter. Pro-Kremlin blogger Stanislav Apetyan (twitter handle @politrash) took the speed as a sign of some sort of foul play, or a collaborative effort:
Статья в New York Times выходит через пятнадцать минут после поста Навального: http://t.co/hBHYx9Pq6n Какая-то магия просто!
— Stanislav Apetyan (@politrash) January 27, 2014
An article in the New York Times goes up within 15 minutes after Navalny’s post: http://t.co/hBHYx9Pq6n It's like some kind of magic!
Photographer Ilya Varlamov shot back:
@politrash совершенно нормальная история. Такие штуки на правах эксклюзива рассылаются по сми заранее. В чем проблема?
— Ilya Varlamov (@varlamov) January 27, 2014
@politrash this is perfectly normal. These types of things are distributed to the media in advance, as an exclusive story. What is the problem here?
According to Apetyan [ru], the problem is that this means the story was created for foreign consumption — implying that Navalny is chasing foreign attention. Varlamov, though, claims [ru] that Navalny gave the story to pro-government Russian media as well, but they haven't published anything about it. Another twitter user criticized Navalny on merits, saying:
@varlamov @politrash главный вопрос – сколько ушло на олимпийские объекты и проведение олимпиады, а сколько на инфраструктурные региона.
— Тот самый Терновский (@dternovskiy) January 27, 2014
@varlamov @politrash the main question here is how much was spent on Olympic venues and the hosting of the Olympic games, and how much on regional infrastructure projects.
Navalny alleges that has Putin lied about the cost of the Sochi Olympic projects, when he claimed that it had cost 214 billion rubles (or roughly 6.5 billion dollars). Navalny claims that the actual figure is several times that, at $46 billion. (A previous project launched by opposition politician Boris Nemtsov found the spending had reached $51 billion.) The argument [ru] of the pro-government bloggers is that the 6.5 billion was indeed spent on the “Olympics proper” while the rest was spent creating infrastructure in Sochi — roads, utilities, and airports. All things that will be useful in one of Russia's few resort regions.
Navalny's numbers are pieced together from various public sources, as he says [ru], after much trial and tribulation. But the project did not just focus on Olympic construction projects, but also on the people he says benefited the most from the embezzlement. They include the Governor of Krasnodar Region (where Sochi is located) and his son-in-law; President Putin’s judo partner, billionaire Arkadiy Rotenberg; the oligarch Vladimir Potanin; and the CEO of state-owned Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin. And that, to some, is the real scandal.

author: Nina Jobe


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Cable Providers Begin Dropping Russia’s Only Independent TV Station · Global Voices
Kevin Rothrock

It's no longer just threats facing Russia's only independent TV station. Providers are now dropping the channel outright. Images mixed by Kevin Rothrock.
The prospect that Russian cable television providers might drop TV Rain, Russia’s only independent channel, became a reality today, when two major cable companies reported decisions to stop providing customers with access to the station.
In a tweet today, January 29, 2014, the telecom Akado (where the Board Director is Yuri Pripachkin—the man who launched yesterday’s crackdown on TV Rain) announced [ru] on Twitter that it is suspending TV Rain’s broadcasting license on its cable network, effective tomorrow. Another cable television provider, Dom.ru, has already cut off access to TV Rain on its network, citing [ru] the absence of a broadcasting agreement with the station. According to the cable provider, it is illegal in Russia to broadcast a channel without such an agreement. Curiously, Dom.ru’s press release says nothing about why it only now realized that it lacks a contract with TV Rain.
A third cable television provider, Tricolor TV, told [ru] Echo of Moscow’s St. Petersburg branch that will continue to carry TV Rain, but warned that it would drop the station, if it ever repeated the scandal (covered at length in a previous GV post) that sparked its current troubles.
According to reports and the telecoms’ own websites [ru], Akado and Dom.ru have somewhere between seven and nine million customers in Russia, serving upwards of 56 cities throughout the country.
Akado’s decision to announce on Twitter that it is suspending TV Rain coverage exposed the cable provider to a wave of anger from the station’s supporters.
Here are a few choice responses to Akado’s tweet:
@ru_akado @sult @tvrain позорище
— Feldman (@EvgenyFeldman) January 29, 2014
Dishonor.
@ru_akado @plushev @tvrain акадо-позорники. дайте возможность зрителю самому вибирать что ему смотреть
— Иван Пипаев (@IvanPipaev) January 29, 2014
Akado, this is shameful! Give viewers the chance to decide for themselves what to watch!
@ru_akado Мудаки вы электрические.
— Олег Козловский (@kozlovsky) January 29, 2014
Akado, you electrically operated scumbags.
@ru_akado @tvrain хуесосы.
— Митя Алешковский (@aleshru) January 29, 2014
C**ksuckers.
@ru_akado каково это писать твит с хуем во рту?
— Паша Никулин (@mrzff) January 29, 2014
What’s it like to write a tweet with a d**k in your mouth?
Хорошо, когда появляется возможность хоть какого-то противодействия. Отключаю у себя @ru_akado за отказ транслировать @tvrain и вам советую.
— Михаил Идов (@moscowidov) January 29, 2014
It’s good when the opportunity arises for some resistance. I’m switching away from Akado for its refusal to broadcast TV Rain, and I advise you to do the same.

author: Kevin Rothrock


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Coursera Online Courses Blocked in Syria, Iran and Cuba by US Sanctions [UPDATE] · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

UPDATE (January 30, 2014): Yesterday, Coursera posted an update on site accessibility in sanctioned countries. While Coursera services in Cuba, Iran, and Sudan remain blocked, access for Syrian users has been restored due to an exception that “authorizes certain services in support of nongovernmental organizations’ activities in Syria, particularly as they pertain to increasing access to education.”
Hit by US sanctions, online learning platform Coursera is no longer available for students from Syria, Sudan, Iran and Cuba. Those affected were surprised to have the following message on their screen as they tried to access their courses:
Our system indicates that you are trying to access the Coursera site from an IP address associated with a country currently subjected to US economic and trade sanctions. In order for Coursera to comply with US export controls, we cannot allow you to access to the site.
Iranian student Navid Soltani immediately expressed his outrage on Coursera's Facebook page:
Blogger Leila Nachawati shared her sentiments:
If @coursera believes in its own mission as a life-changer through education, it should ensure access to their site is reinstated in #Syria.
— Leila Nachawati Rego (@leila_na) January 28, 2014
Syrian blogger and developer Anas Maarawi criticized the US sanctions on his blog [ar]:
وبين مطرقة النظام السوري الذي يحجب مئات مواقع الإنترنت، وسندان “العقوبات الأمريكية” يزداد الخناق على الشباب السوري الراغب بالتعلّم، أو بالأحرى من تبقى من الشباب السوري القادر على الوصول إلى ما تبقى من الإنترنت في سوريا.
Between the censorship imposed by the regime, which includes blocking hundreds of internet sites, and the effect of US sanctions, it has become nearly impossible for the remaining youth in the country to have access to online learning.
Editor-in-chief at Wamda Nina Curley was more pragmatic in her approach and asked if it was inevitable:
Was this inevitable? A new solution is needed. Online education platform Coursera blocks students in Syria and Iran: http://t.co/LPizvB61mL
— Nina Curley (@9aa) January 27, 2014
However, one of Coursera's professors, Rolf Strom Olsen, couldn't understand why non-Americans are affected as well:
@KirstenWinkler Yep, ‘education for everyone’. Very unfortunate, isn't it? pic.twitter.com/IqmAxtDLdL
— Deny Setiyadi (@dgsetiyadi) January 24, 2014

author: Elia J. Ayoub


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Double Standards Toward Women in Corporate Japan Are a Joke · Global Voices
Akinori

Photo of a Japanese male employee and female employee working in office, discussing plans. Royalty free photo
A Tumblr post [ja] illustrating double standards in attitudes towards women in corporate Japan has been widely shared on social media among users:
彼が部長にお昼を誘われると、昇進間近じゃないかと言われる。
彼女が部長にお昼を誘われると、愛人じゃないかと言われる。
彼が同僚と話していると、何を議論してるのかと言われる。
彼女が同僚と話していると、またおしゃべりかと言われる。
彼の結婚が決まると、これで落ち着いて仕事ができるなと言われる。
彼女の結婚が決まると、仕事はいつ辞めるのかと言われる。
彼が海外出張に行くと、いい経験になるからがんばれと言われる。
彼女が海外出張に行くと、夫や子をほっとくのかと言われる。
彼が会社を辞めると、いい転職先が決まったんだなと言われる。
彼女が会社を辞めると、これだから女は・・と言われる。
If a boss asks him for lunch, they say he is getting promoted soon.
If a boss asks her for lunch, they say she is a lover.
If he talks with his colleagues, they ask what he is discussing.
If she talks with her colleagues, they say she's chatting again.
If he decides marry, they say to him “now you can settle down to work”.
If she decides marry, they say to her “when will you resign?”
If he has overseas business trip, they will say to him, “it'll be a good experience, go for it”.
If she has overseas business trip, they will say to her, “are you leaving her family at home?”
If he resigns, they say, “he found a better job”.
If she resigns, they say, “here it goes again, women…”
The Tumblr post seems to be quoting a website [ja] that collects jokes around the world, but when and who made this joke remains unknown.
The post was sub-edited by Kevin Rennie and L. Finch

author: Akinori


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Ecuador’s Indigenous People: “We believe in development that respects Mother Earth” · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

“The Government is appropriating our spiritual values of the Amazon region, it’s seeking to deconceptualize our cultural concepts”, says [Carlos Pérez, President of ECUARUNARI (Confederation of Kichwa Peoples of Ecuador)]. “It doesn’t know what Pachamama is. It doesn’t understand the rights of nature. It doesn’t understand Sumak Kawsay (good living), it doesn’t understand the right to water.”
In Intercontinental Cry journalist Robin Llewellyn writes about repression and indigenous rights under President Rafael Correa.

author: Silvia Viñas


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‘Good Girls’ Don’t Use Social Media Sites in Tajikistan · Global Voices
Mahina Shodizoda

Sexist bullying and harassment of girls and women is widespread on social media sites in Tajikistan, according to Radio Ozodi [tj] (Tajik service of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty). The problem has to do with a strongly-held stereotype that female social media users are sexually promiscuous. On Odnoklassniki, the most popular social network in the country, girls routinely encounter abusive and sexist comments, Radio Ozodi reports. As a result, female users change their real names and profile images to fake ones, limit what the public sees about their profiles, or leave the social network altogether.
Interestingly, comments under the report show that many Internet users in Tajikistan believe that “good girls” should not use social media. In a comment typical of many others, Nurik writes [tj]:
Хубтараш духтархои точик, однокласникро истифода набаранд.
It would be better if Tajik girls did not use Odnoklassniki.

author: Mahina Shodizoda


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Kazakhstan’s Largest City Hides Its “Beautiful” Side from Cameras · Global Voices
Mahina Shodizoda

Top rated Russian photo-blogger Ilya Varlamov presents [ru] a photo report about his recent trip to Almaty, Kazakhstan's capital before 1997. What the blogger found most surprising about the city is that police officers do not allow anyone “photographing anything good, beautiful, and new” in Almaty. Curious travelers are, therefore, restricted to snapping pictures of the “uglier” side of Kazakhstan's largest city.
Woman selling mushrooms at a market in Almaty. Image by Ilya Varlamov, used with permission.


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Lebanon: New Stamp to Commemorate Armenian Genocide · Global Voices
Elia J. Ayoub

Lebanon will have a new national stamp released to commemorate the Armenian Genocide. Announcing it on Twitter, Minister of Telecommunications Nicolas Sehnaoui stressed the symbolic importance of the stamp:
Today we signed the order to launch the production of a new national stamp honoring all the victims of the Armenian Genocide
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014
This stamp which will be on envelopes sent to all corners of the globe will be our shout-out to the world to recognize the Armenian Genocide
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014
It is also a statement to our fellow Armenian citizens that they are a core component of our Lebanese society and that we are proud of them
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014
Photo of the new stamp which will be produced in memory of the Armenian Genocide pic.twitter.com/AGB0pKOebn
— Nicolas Sehnaoui (@NicolaSehnaoui) January 28, 2014
An estimated 1 to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in present-day Turkey (then under Ottoman rule), starting from April 1915, in what became known as the Armenian genocide.
Armenian activists and supporters have taken this opportunity to remind the world of the importance of recognizing the Armenian Genocide:
@NicolaSehnaoui thank you for honoring the victims of the genocide, a devastating chapter in the history of the 20th century.
— nanor (@nanor) January 28, 2014
Should be used on the turkish embassy's docs ;) “@NicolaSehnaoui: the new stamp in memory of the Armenian Genocide pic.twitter.com/QXLR9rlSrR”
— Adham Hassanieh (@AdhamMG) January 28, 2014
@NicolaSehnaoui I am sending envelopes to turkey with such stamps
— Sari Aquismaia Árab (@Aquismaia21) January 28, 2014
@NicolaSehnaoui thank you dear for your contribution to the #ArmenianCause #RecognizeArmenianGenocide
— Garo Beujekian (@GaroBeujekian) January 28, 2014
London-based historian Rory Yeomans notes its historic importance:
@NicolaSehnaoui @Zinvor So much for Hitler's boast: “Who now remembers the Armenians?” The whole world, it seems :) #NeverForget
— Rory Yeomans (@roryyeomans) January 29, 2014
Turkish Twitter user Mehmet Kosucu thinks otherwise:
@MFATurkey @NicolaSehnaoui Please warn with this hostile minister in Lebanon,who thinks hostility towards TR is very easy.
— Mehmet Kosucu (@MehmetKosucu) January 29, 2014


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PHOTOS: Drone Captures the Beauty of Thailand  · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Giant Buddha at Wat Muang in Ang Thon
Richard Barrow, blogger and long time resident of Thailand, is a trusted source of journalists and tourists about the situation in Thailand. In addition, he has been consistently promoting the rich tradition and natural beauty of Thailand. His new blog, Thailand from Above, features some marvelous aerial photos of Thailand which Richard took using a Quadcopter Drone.
Richard shares his experience in flying a drone while using a smartphone:
I don’t have any experience of flying any other drones so I cannot do any comparisons for you. But, I will tell you a few things that I found cool. Firstly, it is very easy to fly the drone and then take your hands off the controls to concentrate on the smartphone. In theory it will just hover in the same place. But a gust of wind might blow it away so do keep one eye on it. The next coolest thing is that the pictures from the camera on the drone are streamed live to your smartphone.
Pagoda in the river. Phra Samut Chedi in Samut Praka
Wat Ban Rai in Dan Kun Tod, Nakhon Ratchasima
Temple of the Buddha’s Footprint. Wat Phra Phutthabat in Saraburi
Pa Sak Jolasid Dam in Lopuri is the biggest reservoir in Central Thailand.
Richard is sharing photos via social media through the Twitter hashtag #thaidrone
#ThaiDrone #ภาพมุมสูง “The Sea of Mist” at Phu Huai Isan in Nong Khai. Looking down on Mekhong River from 200 meters pic.twitter.com/im50Nx5eL4
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) January 27, 2014
#ThaiDrone Looking down towards Pratunam from the Victory Monumentin #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/PHjW5oH9j4
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) January 16, 2014
Drones were also used by many journalists to monitor the ongoing protests in Bangkok, the country's capital.
#ThaiDrone Aerial photo looking down on the Victory Monument in #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/SP233k53JF
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) January 16, 2014
*Photos are from Richard Barrow, used with permission

author: Mong Palatino


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Putting Faces on the Mysterious Disease Killing Nicaraguan Sugar Cane Workers · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Photo by Ed Kashi. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
An epidemic of fatal Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDu) is killing sugar cane workers at alarming rates in Nicaragua, and photojournalist Ed Kashi has set out to document their stories to “draw attention and resources that could help save lives.”
Kashi explains in his Indie Voices funding campaign:
We’re infatuated with sugar. But where does our beloved sweetener come from? and who tended the crops? More importantly, how does sugar affect them?
In Nicaragua, which exports 40% of its sugar to America, the average life span of men who harvest sugar cane is 49 years. At the root of these early deaths is an epidemic of fatal Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDu). In the town Chichigalpa, often called the “Island of Widows,” 1-in-3 men, mostly cane workers, are in end-stage renal failure. This fatal disease is not only a public health crisis, but also a social injustice. The cause of this epidemic is unknown, which is why we are launching this documentary project.
Photo by Ed Kashi. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
The New York Times recently featured Kashi's photographs in their blog LENS. In a post about the project, David Gonzalez writes:
What he encountered when he arrived in Nicaragua was troubling: There were daily funerals and increasing evidence that younger workers were falling ill. A former Sandinista commander who had spent the last 20 years in the cane fields died a month after Mr. Kashi photographed him. Mr. Kashi also learned how the kidney condition was killing workers in parts of India and Sri Lanka, where large-scale mechanization had yet to be introduced.
Gonzalez concludes by quoting Kashi about his goal for this project:
“How do we use visual storytelling to not only tell the tough stories but also offer some amount of light?” he said. “That’s why in my practice my goal now is to humanize and maintain the dignity of my subjects and open people’s eyes so they will at least learn, and maybe also take action.”
Photo by Ed Kashi. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Kashi wants to return to Nicaragua to capture more videos and photographs in order to “generate education, support, and community awareness.”
Ultimately this material could be utilized in local information and outreach programs to address problems confronting the workers and their families, to stimulate conversation within Nicaragua, to facilitate the development of community-lead solutions, and to expand the network of people willing to take a stand.
Worldwide print and digital media outlets would draw on the work to raise awareness of this growing health issue in an industry whose product is consumed by nearly everyone on earth: sugar. Furthermore, I will make my work (images and film) available to La Isla Foundation, and any other advocates working to raise awareness of the issue, support affected families and eliminate this growing work place hazard.
You can see more of Kashi's photographs and contribute to his campaign for the documentary project “The Island of Widows” on Indie Voices. You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook.


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Samsung Withdraws Controversial University Quota Policy in South Korea · Global Voices
Lee Yoo Eun

A recruitment and information session in South Korea for Samsung. Uploaded by Flickr User Samsungtomorrow (CC BY NC SA 2.0)
South Korea isn't notoriously nicknamed “The Republic of Samsung” for nothing.
Amid harsh criticism, Samsung has withdrawn a new hiring policy [ko] that would have allowed applicants recommended by their university's presidents to skip ahead in the recruiting process. The change would have also put a cap on the number of students from each university using that recommendation.
Although the recommendation does not guarantee a position in Samsung, it gives a significant head start by allowing students to skip the résumé screening process – a big deal in a country where Samsung, one of the most coveted employers, receives several hundred thousand applications each year. There is even a market for books and costly crash courses [ko] on how to get high scores on Samsung's standard exam.
Pointing out the quota was given disproportionately against [ko] women and colleges in certain provinces, net users on Samsung's home turf lashed out not only at the corporation, but also at universities, which were either elated or depressed by the quota dictated to them by Samsung. Two tweets below may best reflect one of the most frequently seen reactions from South Korea's Twittersphere about the Samsung's university quota:
기업이 대학의 상전 노릇을 하며 ‘추천인원 배정'따위의 건방진 짓거리를 할 수 있을 만큼 우리 사회가 자본에 목줄 잡힌 독점적 경제 구조가 완성 되었다는 뜻이고, 그만큼 희망이 사라졌다는 반증이기도 하다.
— 金氷三 (@PresidentVSKim) January 25, 2014
The company are now acting as if they were the university's overlord and can do such an arrogant thing like “setting a quota for a university”. This shows that a monopolistic economic system has formed, prevailed and held a tight grip on our society. Additionally, it also reflects that hope is scarce in our current situation.
@PresidentVSKim @cjkcsek 이 제안을 받아들이는 순간… 이제… 대학은 학문을 연구 하는곳이 아닙니다… 단지, 말잘듣는… 회사의 소모품을 만드는곳 입니다.
— [투표한 곳에서 바로 수개표!] (@jehyang) January 26, 2014
The moment that universities accept Samsung's proposal, the universities are no longer the place for academia, but they will have become a docile supplier manufacturing disposable goods for the company.

author: Lee Yoo Eun


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Sports as a Vector of Peace in Burkina Faso · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

The National Department of Sports and Entertainment in Burkina Faso published a report on the role of sports as a vector of peace and development in Burkina Faso [PDF in fr]:
Les programmes sportifs bien conçus renforcent les capacités humaines de base, créent des relations interpersonnelles et inculquent des valeurs fondamentales et des aptitudes à la vie pratique. Ils constituent un précieux outil de promotion du développement et de renforcement de la cohésion sociale. Collectivement, les avantages de ces programmes constituent un puissant moyen pour combattre l’exclusion sociale.
Sports programs that are well-designed can strengthen human capabilities, they create human bonds and instill core values and skills needed to face daily life. They are a valuable tool to promote development and strengthen social cohesion. Collectively, these programs are a powerful tool to combat social exclusion.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Smoke in the City  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The work week in Trinidad began on a dark note – literally.  On Monday January 27, the atmosphere was thick with haze, the sky a sombre grey as people commuted to work and parents dropped their children off to school.    At first, many couldn't pinpoint the cause – wasn't it too early in the year to be experiencing the effects of Saharan dust? – but soon, news spread that the source of the smog was coming from the La Basse, the capital's main landfill site, located next to one of the most disadvantaged communities in the country.
As usual, Facebook was the go-to site for information; users posted updates and thoughts as information came in.  It is suspected that several fires were started in the waste dump, allegedly by Beetham residents, in protest over the shooting of a resident by police the day before.  As the smog grew thicker, some schools in the area were closed, but officials from the Environmental Management Authority and the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company, which oversees the dump, have been working with the fire services to get the situation under control.
A mid-morning rainfall on Monday improved the situation slightly, but as of earlier today, firemen were still trying to contain two lingering fires that were blazing underneath mounds of rubbish.  Several early morning Facebook status updates spoke to the situation.  Catherine Emmanuel quipped:
Mmm…landfill smoke with my morning tea. Yes please.
Gareth Jenkins added:
This city stinks. Kids shouldn't have to go to school in a shroud of burning garbage.
Photographs soon followed.  Facebook user Iain Waller uploaded a pic of Port of Spain taken from the highway that passes in front of the dump and accompanied it with this sardonic question:
China?!?
C News Live posted a photo set that showed the effects of the heavy smoke in the capital:
Mark Franco posted a photo taken from a balcony on the outskirts of town, noting that “Port of Spain [was] shrouded again”:
There was also a lot of discussion on Twitter.  Kerwyn Forde noted:
"BREAKING: The EMA says the particles in the air at the beetham landfill is 13 times the limit of the air pollution rules. @CNC3TV"
— Kerwyn Forde (@Senator_Forde) January 29, 2014
@CNC3TV posted regular updates:
NEWS: SWMCOL says no new fires but the high smoke volume is due to high winds.
— CNC3TV (@CNC3TV) January 29, 2014
Latest EMA tests reveal that the air quality has returned to normalcy within the Port of Spain area.
— CNC3TV (@CNC3TV) January 29, 2014
EMA says " high ambient air quality levels are documented only at the Beetham at this time. "
— CNC3TV (@CNC3TV) January 29, 2014
Kalifa Sarah Clyne observed:
I might be the only person in pos with a face mask on. #toxicsmoke #Trinidad http://t.co/e6PzkGu6vF
— Kalifa Sarah Clyne (@kalifasclyne) January 29, 2014
@triniqt2 complained:
My lungs are burning from the #pollutuion of POS #Trinidad with smoke from the #Beetham dump!
— Simi (@triniqt2) January 29, 2014
@PLatchman felt sorry for the children who are being affected:
What a shame. MT @UKinTT: RT @Lordrich6: Schools in PoS suspending classes #SmokeInTheCity #trinidad
— Pradeep (@PLatchman) January 29, 2014
In typical Trinidadian style, @KetchAVapse used humour to deal with the situation:
Lewwe have a smog fete!! Complimentary respirator and mardi gras beads upon entry! #Trinidad
— Je Suis Lakshmi (@KetchAVapse) January 29, 2014
If the smog persists for much longer, chances are that netizens will be less inclined to joke about it.  It is now being reported that the Environmental Management Authority has allegedly asked the dump's management company to close the site until further notice.


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Ukraine Rolls Back Short-Lived Anti-Protest ‘Dictatorship Laws’ · Global Voices
Danica Radisic

What the new anti-protest laws meant for Euromaidan protesters at a glance. Translated infographic from Den daily by Euromaidan PR, used with permission.
This post is part of our Special Coverage Ukraine's #Euromaidan Protests.
The Ukrainian Parliament voted on January 28, 2014 to revoke nine of the 11 controversial so-called “dictatorship laws“, which were meant to stifle the ongoing Euromaidan protests in the country, only twelve days after they were brought into law by the very same Parliament.
Ukrainians and the international community, however, still seem to be displeased with the results, and while the the country's Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov and his cabinet resigned on the same day, protesters are still in the streets of several Ukrainian cities and opposition leaders say protests will continue until key demands are met. Azarov's official statement regarding his resignation, handed in earlier on Tuesday, January 28, stated:
For the purpose of creating additional possibilities of social and political compromise, for the peaceful solution of the conflict, I’ve made a personal decision to ask the Ukrainian president to accept my resignation from the post of prime minister.
Christopher Miller, editor at the leading Ukrainian English-language newspaper Kyiv Post, covered the voting process and tweeted:
361 lawmakers of 412 in session hall today voted to cancel 9 of the repressive laws passed on Jan. 16. Communists didn't vote. #ukraine
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) January 28, 2014
Jake Turk, a US-based journalist who has been following the protests closely, commented:
Too little too late? Yanukovych says he'll scrap the antiprotest laws. http://t.co/kaqhOHv8Dl via @RFERL #Ukraine #Euromaidan
— Jake Turk (@randomdijit) January 27, 2014
Euromaidan PR, the “official English-language public relations” site of Euromaidan organizers, reported:
Ukrainians value their freedom. The ‘Dictatorship laws’ caused mass indignation and radicalised protests. 9 of the 11 laws were just revoked in the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament). But the initiators of the repressive laws and those that falsified the voting results pretend that everything is normal, that 6 people haven’t died, tens are not missing, hundreds not arrested, and two thousands are not injured. The government proposes to give an “amnesty” to those that came to defent the rights and freedoms of ALL as if they are villains.
Calculating the price of freedom: What pressuring the government to revoke the “dictatorship laws” has cost the people of Ukraine, via Euromaiden PR. Image by MaidanSOS, used with permission.
On January 29, however, word spread that President Viktor Yanuckovich had yet to sign the decision to annul the questionable laws. Twitter users like France 24 journalist Gulliver Craggwarned:
#ukraine Yanukovych has NOT signed the cancellation of the anti-protest laws, which I'm told means they are still in force
— Gulliver Cragg (@gullivercragg) January 29, 2014
BBC Global News Editor Olexiy Solohubenko also added:
Not looking good, no amnesty vote in #Ukraine and Yanukovych hasn't signed the bill revoking anti-protest laws. Stalemate again.
— Olexiy Solohubenko (@OS1954) January 29, 2014

author: Danica Radisic


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Why the Caribbean Should Pay Attention to the Net Neutrality Decision · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

ICT Pulse takes a look at the recent decision about net neutrality in the United States and the potential consequences for the Caribbean.


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According to Google Autocomplete ‘Colombia is Passion’ and ‘Mexico is Culture’ · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Colombian blogger Javier Moreno typed “[Name of country] is” on Google search to see auto-complete suggestions for each country in Latin America and Europe. He modeled his experiment after the English version of the Google search “Why [country] is.”
From his search in Colombia he got results like “Ecuador is dangerous,” “Brazil is a Latin country”, “Bolivia is God's people,” “France is socialist,” “Belguim is expensive,” and “Spain is different.”
He added his results to two maps in his blog Rango Finito [es].


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Château-Rouge: A Prominent African Food Market in Paris  · Global Voices
Lova Rakotomalala

Market in Chateau-Rouge, Paris by Zanbard on Flickr via CC-BY-NC
In order to find ingredients for African cuisine in Paris, the go-to place is still the Château-Rouge area located in the 18th District, specifically in the Rue Dejean street market [fr] that operates every day except Monday. The African Expatriate explains why the market is such a draw for many shoppers :
Visiting this predominantly African neighborhood in Paris, is like stepping right into Congo Market in Freetown, Serrekunda Market in Banjul, Sandaga Market in Dakar, Adjame Market in Abidjan. Your eyes will instantly take in the colorful array of fresh food produces lined haphazardly along the streets [..] all in all you would love it, for it would surely transport you back to a typical market day in Africa.
Metro Politics points out that gentrification has had an impact on the local market:
The extraordinary density of business activities in the neighbourhood masks large-scale daily mobility flows that connect it to other residential and commercial spaces, and which extend beyond the metropolitan area.   67% [of surveyed shoppers] said they did not live in the neighbourhood. These non-residents share certain characteristics: over 70% of them were born outside mainland France, of which half in Sub-Saharan Africa.


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Circumstances Surrounding Aspiring Trinidadian Rapper’s Death Still Murky  · Global Voices
Matthew Hunte

On January 27th at approximately 3:20 a.m., nineteen-year-old Trinidadian Titan Lee-Hai fell fifteen floors to his death from his dormitory building in New York's East Village.  Lee-Hai was a former student of St. Mary's College in Port of Spain and was a freshman at New York University.  He was also an aspiring rapper who went by the name “Trizzykidd”. According to police reports, Lee-Hai may have been under the influence of hallucinogenic mushrooms before the incident; investigations are continuing.
Titan Lee-Hai had a very active social media presence (although, since his death, his Facebook fan page has been taken down) and there was a great outpouring of grief upon news of his passing, even from those who did not know him or his family personally.  An R.I.P. Titan Lee-Hai Facebook page was created, and it was there that many offered their online condolences:
Paul Thomas wrote:
All the love I can muster to his parents and family. So sorry, so very sorry. Nothing we can do or say will bring him back. Please know that you are not alone in your heartache and pain. May God provide you peace over time.
Wendy Cadogan Charles  added:
It is so sad to see someone with such great aspiration to greatness loses their life, Titan Lee-Hai I do not know you but I am also from Trinidad but live in the UK, your untimely passing has sadden (sic) me…God do not make mistakes, he has better plans for your gifted talents…Fly high and may your soul R.I.P.
The National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology in Trinidad & Tobago tweeted its condolences; Lee-Hai had participated in one of its competitions:
RIP to a rising talent. Young Titan Lee Hai entered our Science Music Video Competition 2013 with this video. https://t.co/4XNP3Yg2ZO
— NIHERST (@NIHERST) January 27, 2014
Others also expressed their grief via Twitter:
Titan aka #trizzykid requiescat en pace #rip
— #MrPantin |Musafa (@mrpantin) January 27, 2014
Titan Lee-Hai, a truly talented individual, filled with life and passion. I will miss you brother,… http://t.co/zqmkv3lr8c
— Shayad Captain Plexx (@CaptainPlexx) January 27, 2014
One of Lee-Hai's former classmates from St. Mary's College reminisced on their time together:
RIP Titan Lee-Hai aka Trizzykid remember this guy in form 6 when I now came in CIC.. One of the people that influenced me into loving music
— MƐИΛCHĪM ИƐDD (@mnedd101) January 28, 2014
Only God knows y he wanted you so early bro RIP Titan aka Trizzykid…. Entertain them in Heaven bro
— DJ Adam #2MV (@djadam2mv) January 27, 2014
A few Twitter users spoke to the questions surrounding the circumstances of Lee-Hai's death:
This Titan Lee-Hai situation bothering my spirit so much. So young, so much potential, so many unanswered questions.
— Nai (@VerbalFlair) January 29, 2014
Nothing anyone says can put a negative thought in my head about the exceptional human being Titan Lee-Hai was.
— Darien Subero (@dariensubero) January 27, 2014

author: Matthew Hunte


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Immigration: Issue Still Pending After Obama’s State of the Union Address · Global Voices
Robert Valencia

President Barak Obama giving his fifth State of the Union address. Many criticized its lack of depth regarding the immigration system.  Image taken from YouTube.
On January 28 as President Barak Obama gave his State of the Union address, Americans looked on with expectations.  Hispanics in particular were looking forward to a definitive statement [es] in regards to the broken immigration system. Last year the issue became laggard due to events that required greater priority, such as the government shutdown and the crisis in Syria.
On this occasion, Obama resumed the matter in a more succinct fashion. He insisted the lower house to approve an immigration reform that would allow the legalization of more than 11 million undocumented workers living in the United States. Independent economists agree with the president.  They indicate that immigration reform would help the economic slump by reducing its deficit to almost $1,000 million in the next two weeks [es].  The president added that many people “come here to make their dreams a reality (studying, inventing, and contributing to our culture). They make our country more attractive to businesses.
Nevertheless, the speech left pro-immigrant activists unsatisfied. In addition to Obama’s failure to provide any concrete solutions, they also asserted that the same rhetoric has been used for years. Examples of this can be seen on Twitter:
5 años de lo mismo: @lorellaluciana critica discurso de #Obama sobre #inmigración http://t.co/NZLzTvCq1F#SOTU pic.twitter.com/6sCP0DMVC7— Democracy Now! Es (@DemocracyNowEs) January 29, 2014
5 years of the same thing:@lorellaluciana criticizes #Obama speech over [immigration] #inmigración http://t.co/NZLzTvCq1F#SOTUpic.twitter.com/6sCP0DMVC7
Nos has hecho promesas! Firma la reforma de #inmigración, puede estar haciendo mucho más! #pplsSOTUpic.twitter.com/2UzrOxflqO— FLImmigrantCoalition (@FLImmigrant) January 29, 2014
You've made us promises! Sign the #inmigración [immigration] reform, he can be doing much more!#pplsSOTUpic.twitter.com/2UzrOxflqO
Not surprising, @BarackObama makes no reference to his record high #2million deportations under his 5 years as president. #not1more
— RI4A (@RI4A) January 29, 2014
MT @DRMAction: @BarackObama glossed over immigration during #SOTU, not mentioning deportations pic.twitter.com/NmHXJyafm4#not1more#stopice
— Detention Watch (@DetentionWatch) January 29, 2014
Well, at least Obama said that #ICE would no longer detain pregnant women. Oh, wait. He didn't. #SOTU
— DreamActivist (@DreamAct) January 29, 2014
The Republican response to Obama's speech in Spanish corresponded to representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. She, along with the president, recognized the flaws within the immigration system.  As a result, a sort of conclave amongst republicans has taken place in order to analyze the differing positions in regards to immigration reform. Some of their proposals have generated mixed opinions [Es].  These include the possibility of legalizing the status of undocumented workers, nevertheless being incapable of obtaining citizenship.

author: Robert Valencia


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Japan’s Taiji Fishermen Return to Infamous Cove for Annual Dolphin Hunt · Global Voices
Manasi Gopalakrishnan

Once again, fishermen from the small Japanese town of Taiji have made headlines over their annual dolphin hunt, during which hundreds of the creatures are captured in a local cove to be slaughtered or sold into captivity.
Pasay, Philippines. 2 September 2013 — The systematic killings of dolphins and porpoises in Taiji, Japan prompted protesters from various animal rights group to hold a protest rally in front of the Japanese embassy in Pasay City, south of Manila. Earth Island Institute lead the prayer rally together  [Photo by J Gerard Seguia ©Demotix]
According to conservation society Sea Shepherd, about 250 bottlenose dolphins were rounded up this year in a secluded cove now infamous as the location of the hunt following the release of the 2010 movie “The Cove“.
Taiji fishermen, who take part in the hunt with permits from the Japanese government, defend the practice as part of long-held tradition and count the support of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who defended them in a recent CNN interview. The captured dolphins are either slaughtered for food or sold to marine mammal parks for thousands of US dollars.
But environmental activists oppose the hunt as cruel. The animals are killed using spears, knives and other weapons, creating a bloody scene as they thrash about in the red-stained water and struggle to escape. The Oceanic Preservation Society claims that more than 20,000 dolphins are slaughtered in Japan every year during the hunting season from September to May.
Not everyone in Japan are as keen as the Taiji fishermen and Prime Minister Abe are to defend the tradition. Japanese conservationists held a protest rally on January 24, 2014 to raise awareness of what was happening in Taiji. Activist Noriko Ikeda of Action for Marine Mammals told Raw Story that, in fact, most Japanese don't know about dolphin hunting. “It is extremely rare to find Japanese people who eat dolphins. The real problem is that hunt is driven by demand for live dolphins among aquariums to put on dolphin shows,” she said.
Japanese artist Yoko Ono, the widow of the Beatles’ singer John Lennon, wrote an open letter this year addressed to the fishermen of Taiji, pleading, “The way you are insisting on a big celebration of killing so many Dolphins and kidnapping some of them to sell to the zoos and restaurants at this very politically sensitive time, will make the children of the world hate the Japanese.”
The US ambassador to Japan, Caroline Kennedy, even jumped into the fray:
Deeply concerned by inhumaneness of drive hunt dolphin killing. USG opposes drive hunt fisheries.
— キャロライン・ケネディ駐日米国大使 (@CarolineKennedy) January 18, 2014
Some people in Japan considered the comment by Kennedy as meddling in the country's affairs. Observing such reactions, technology blogger Satoshi Nakajima wrote [ja]:
ケネディ大使のイルカ漁に体する発言を「内政干渉」と大騒ぎをしている人がいるが、彼女の発言を理解するには、イルカ漁やクジラ漁が米国人にとって、どんな意味があり、何を象徴するか、を理解する必要がある。[…]大半の日本人が、あれは野蛮な行為であり、私たちの子孫の時代になっても、世界中の海を鯨やイルカが自由に泳ぎ回る地球であって欲しいと望むのであれば、捕鯨もイルカ漁も禁止すべきだ。鯨やイルカが自分の食卓に並ぶことを望む日本人が沢山いるのであれば、話は違うが、すでにそんな時代は、日本にとってすら過去の話だと私は思う。外圧に屈するのではなく、日本人として「捕鯨とイルカ漁は野蛮なことだからもうやめる」という判断を自らする時が来ていると思う
There are people making a fuss about Caroline Kennedy's comment against Japan's dolphin fishing as “interference in domestic affairs”, but to understand where her comment comes from, we need to understand what whaling and dolphin fishing mean to Americans, and what such practices represent. […] If most Japanese consider such practices as a barbaric act and if we wish the ocean to have whales and dolphins swimming freely around the world, we should ban whaling and dolphin fishing altogether. It would have been a different story if there were many Japanese who hope that whales and dolphins to be served on plates, however those days are gone. I think rather than giving in to external pressure, it's time for the Japanese to make our own decision to “stop more dolphin fishing and whaling because it barbaric”.
Twitter user Takao Setaka took a look at both sides of the argument:
私はクジラやイルカを食べたいとは思わないが、伝統的に生活の一部としてきた人たちが漁をおこなうことを国として禁じる必要性は感じない。逆に、伝統だからというだけの理由で漁をする必要性もまたないとは思うが。 / “Life is bea…” http://t.co/6Mw3RJKZFT
— SETAKA Takao (@twtko) 2014, 1月 28
I never wish to eat dolphins and whales, however, I don't think it's necessary for the state to ban fishing when there is a portion of local people who traditionally practice it as part of their lifestyle. Although, I also do not think that it's necessary to continue to fish just because it's a tradition.
Reading the post, another blogger, good2nd, argued that treating the topic as a cultural issue does not advance the discussion:
文化を野蛮と決めつけるのもおかしいが、文化だから野蛮ではない、とは言えないだろう／まあ文化文化言ったってどんどん食べなくなってるわけだが / “Life is beautiful: 米国人にとっての捕鯨・イルカ漁” http://t.co/VfBontFZ9D #捕鯨
— good2nd (@good2nd) 2014, 1月 27
It's wrong to label a culture as cruel, but at the same time, you can't say, “It's not cruel because it's culture”, either. Even as people insist on culture, we eat less and less.
Dolphin meat is considered a delicacy in some regions, but the culinary luxury can come at a high cost. Taiji's coast, where the dolphins are found, is reported to contain high levels of mercury, and residents in Taiji had mercury levels which were 10 times higher than the national average, according to a study conducted by the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido and Daiichi University's College of Pharmaceutical Studies. Mercury levels of 50 ppm in the human body can cause nerve damage.
Dolphins, unlike whales, do not fall under the protection of the International Whaling Convention. Recently, India's Central Zoo Authority banned dolphin captivity in the country, stating that they are “highly intelligent and sensitive” by nature and ought to be seen as “non-human persons.” This is because dolphins and whales are self-aware, demonstrate individuality and are highly intelligent. Dolphins are even known to recognize themselves in mirrors, and are certainly aware that they and those around them are being massacred.

author: Manasi Gopalakrishnan


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Landfill Smoke Continues To Hold Trinidad’s Capital Hostage  · Global Voices
Jason Nathu

For the fourth consecutive day, residents, visitors and people who work in Trinidad & Tobago's capital city have had to endure the thick, black, ominous smoke which has enveloped the city.
Welcome to Smoke of Spain! The capital of Trinidad and Tobago! @tv6tnt pic.twitter.com/LehWEfQEvn
— Mevon Soodeen (@XplicitMevon) January 29, 2014
Talk of the situation has dominated social media, with netizens quickly losing tolerance for the seemingly slow response by authorities:
Honestly I consider the deliberate (if they are deliberate) lighting of fires in the Beetham dump as 1.Terrorism. 2. Gross mismanagement — LJ Fresh (@ljzimberlis) January 30, 2014
I'm now dreading to pass the Beetham these few days, I see police, but they in their air condition cars @vsurajdeen @DayVan_TeaMal — Haydn Dunn (@HaydnDunn) January 29, 2014
Others were more concerned by the potential health hazards of the thick smoke:
Hospitals were placed on high alert after the toxic fumes from the Beetham Landfill sicken citizens — Clyde Jemmott (@outlaw961) January 30, 2014
Health Ministry: Smoke from Beetham landfill fires may be hazardous to health………NO WAY!!!! YOU SERIOUS! O.M.G! -_- — Ryan Richard Brown (@RyanBumpyBrown) January 30, 2014
This beetham smoke is going to kill everyone — Nicola Scott (@NicolaScott_16) January 30, 2014
Geez have to work in this Wth. #Smoke #Toxic #Beetham #Landfill #Fire #Poison #POS #TnT #SwaggLife http://t.co/CYDPNpAxCB
— Android/FuzionBanton (@PRINCE_N4_SWAGG) January 30, 2014
Many high school students chimed in on the issue with comments about the closure of schools throughout the capital city.  Some were happy for the unplanned holiday:
Thank you beetham people for another day away from school
— Tyreke ₵00₱€® (@Maestro237) January 30, 2014
Once again, give thanks to the beetham villagers, school's out✌ — kaela archer (@kaelaarcher) January 30, 2014
Others were not impressed:
Beetham needs to stop. I'd like to pass my exams without asthma. — Eliese ☺ (@x_Carterr) January 30, 2014
Men happy they getting sent home but what's going on in the Beetham is a serious health hazard. #thefog #thesmog — Jesé (@JesseJoseph2) January 30, 2014
Government officials also took to social media to address the issue. Minister of Legal Affairs, Prakash Ramadhar tweeted:
The Beetham Landfill and associated challenges will be dealt with at Cabinet today as top priority, beyond what is already in place#i4TANDT
— Prakash Ramadhar (@PrakashRamadhar) January 30, 2014
Meanwhile, officials at the Environment Management Authority posted:
ICYMI! The EMA met with SWMCOL yesterday morning to assess the current issue regarding the Beetham Landfill fires, and issued a joint…
— EMA (@emauthority) January 30, 2014
It remains to be seen what definitive action will be taken by the authorities.
You can monitor how the situation develops on Twitter by using the hashtag #Beetham.

author: Jason Nathu


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New Spanish Cardinal Believes that Homosexuality is a “Defect” · Global Voices
Lourdes Sada

Cartoon by Carlos Latuff posted on Twitter by Álvaro Escudero. This image is royalty-free.
The Spanish cardinal Fernando Sebastián Aguilar, recently appointed by Pope Francis, has sparked controversy over his statements in an interview with the newspaper Sur [es]. When asked: “Do you see homosexuality as a defect from a moral point of view?” he responded by saying:
Sí. Muchos se quejan y no lo toleran, pero con todos los respetos digo que la homosexualidad es una manera deficiente de manifestar la sexualidad, porque ésta tiene una estructura y un fin, que es el de la procreación. Una homosexualidad que no puede alcanzar ese fin está fallando. Eso no es un ultraje para nadie. En nuestro cuerpo tenemos muchas deficiencias. (…) El señalar a un homosexual una deficiencia no es una ofensa, es una ayuda porque muchos casos de homosexualidad se pueden recuperar y normalizar con un tratamiento adecuado. (…)
“Yes. Many people complain about this and won’t tolerate it, but with all respect I am saying that homosexuality is a defective way of expressing sexuality because sex has a structure and a purpose, which is procreation. A homosexuality which cannot achieve this [procreation] is failing. This is not an insult to anybody. Our bodies have many defects. (…) To point out this defect to a homosexual is not offensive, it is a way of helping them because many cases of homosexuality can be cured and individuals can become normal again with the right treatment. (…)”
One paragraph alone has stirred up an explosion of reactions on social media sites. Many responded to his statements and countless web users left comments on news webpages. On the webpage where the interview [es] was published, drymartino countered the cardinal using his own argument:
Ser cura es una manera deficiente de manifestar la sexualidad, porque ésta tiene una estructura y un fin, que es el de la procreación. Un cura que no puede alcanzar ese fin está fallando.
“Being a priest is a defective way of expressing sexuality, because sex has a structure and a purpose, which is procreation. A priest who cannot achieve this [procreation]  is failing.”
In El País, irisiss commented:
Yo también conozco a homófobos que, a pesar de padecer una enfermedad que consiste en odiar sin lógica, viven tan felices con su ignorancia, aunque deberían estar tratados.
Archbishop Sebastián with Pope Francis. Photo from the blog Iglesiaactualidad
“I also know homophobes who, despite suffering from an illness which consists of hating without logical reasoning, live quite happily in their ignorance even though they should be treated.”
Furthermore, many criticised Pope Francis for appointing a cardinal who is clearly out of sync with the progressive, modern image which the Catholic Church would like to portray. The user atila left this comment under the op-ed written by Enric Sopena in elplural.com [es]:
Si alguien cree que el Papa Francisco está al servicio de los pueblos está muy equivocado, no es mas un populista demagogo, al servicio de las clases pudientes y reaccionarias, información hay mas que de sobra de quien es quien, y nombrar cardenal a un fascista no es ignorancia del Papa, sino de seguir la estela de sus recientes antepasados. Menos hipocresía Francisco.
“Whoever believes that Pope Francis is serving the people is very much mistaken. He’s nothing more than a populist demagogue at the service of the reactionary ruling classes. There is more than enough information about who is who, and appointing a fascist cardinal doesn’t show ignorance on the Pope’s part, but his desire to continue in the footsteps of his predecessors. Less hypocrisy please, Francis.”
Pedro Zerolo, a socialist politician, homosexual and LGTB rights activist tweeted:
Si el Papa cree en lo que dice debe censurar a los cardenales que ha nombrado y llaman enfermos a los homosexuales http://t.co/CE1pqFYYRA
— Pedro Zerolo (@Pedro_Zerolo) January 19, 2014
If the Pope believes in what he says, he should condemn the cardinals he has appointed who label homosexuals as ‘unwell’.
Pedro Zerolo himself was recently the involuntary protagonist of an unfortunate incident with another religious figure. After having announced that he had cancer, a priest well-known for his extremist ideas claimed on an extreme right-wing television channel [es] that Zerolo’s illness was due to “Divine Providence trying to set an example to those who make a mockery of virtue”. The show host replied by saying, “I wouldn’t change my dog’s life for the life of Pedro Zerolo”.
The National Federation of Lesbians, Gays, Transexuals and Bisexuals (FELGTB) has severely condemned [es] the cardinal’s statements:
Mantener que la homosexualidad es una patología es una aseveración anticientífica, una forma de ponerse en ridículo y de perpetuar el estigma contra el colectivo de la diversidad sexual y de género. (…)
No queremos que la Iglesia católica pida perdón a nuestro colectivo dentro de 200 años por el dolor que nos está infringiendo hoy su jerarquía. Queremos que sean conscientes de que sus palabras incitan al odio, a un sufrimiento que puede llevar al suicidio a nuestros jóvenes. (…)
“To claim that homosexuality is a disease is an unscientific assertion, it’s a way of setting yourself up for ridicule and perpetuating the stigma of sexual and gender diversity. (…) We don’t want the Catholic Church to apologise to our community in 200 years’ time for the pain their hierarchy has been causing us. We would like them to be aware that their words preach hatred and lead to suffering which can end in our youth committing suicide. (…)”
Biochemist Pere Estupinya has also refuted the cardinal’s statements using scientific studies in the article of his blog “Homophobes need to be cured, not homosexuals”, [es] by concluding:
Lo que todos los estudios siguiendo a pacientes en terapias psicológicas reparativas concluyen es que efectivamente alguien puede evitar comportarse como homosexual, pero no dejar de serlo. Y lo más importante: este proceso suele venir acompañado de un enorme daño psicológico.
“All studies on patients being treated with psychological therapy effectively show that somebody can avoid behaving in a homosexual manner, but cannot stop being homosexual. And more importantly, this process is often accompanied by serious psychological harm.”
Large numbers of tweeters also viciously criticised Sebastián’s homophobic theory:
Señor Cardenal, si ser homosexual es una deficiencia ya nos contará usted qué es entonces montárselo con un pájaro y tener un hijo.
— El Humanoide (@ElHumanoide) January 19, 2014
Mr. Cardinal, if being homosexual is a defect, perhaps you could tell us what happens when a Virgin and a dove make a baby?
[Translation note: This is a Biblical reference. Certain Christians believe that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Virgin Mary in the form of a dove and she conceived baby Jesus, Son of God]
Que oye, igual esto de ser facha y cardenal también se cura con un tratamiento adecuado y nos devuelven a un vejete simpático y cachondón…
— Hank Solo (@Hank_Solo) January 20, 2014
Hey, maybe a fascist cardinal can be cured with the right treatment and we’ll get our loveable little old man back?
La Iglesia asume que puede estar plagada de deficientes: nuevo cardenal asegura que homosexualidad es “deficiencia” http://t.co/3EUzNeNkZS
— guillem martínez (@Guillemmartnez) January 20, 2014
The Church accepts that it may be plagued with deficiencies: new cardinal assures us that homosexuality is a “deficiency…”
La homosexualidad tiene cura. Totalmente de acuerdo y diría más: tiene millares de curas, monjas y algún que otro cardenal
— La Intrahistoria (@Intra_Historia) January 20, 2014
Homosexuality has a cure – I completely agree with that. I'd even go as far as to say that it has curates, nuns and even one or two cardinals..
The future cardinal Sebastián, in a press conference on the 13th January 2014. Screen shot from a video posted on YouTube by DIOCESISTV
The Cardinal’s inclination towards highly conservative views was already well-known. In 2007 when Sebastián was the archbishop of Pamplona, he released a publication [es] in which he urged Catholics to vote for “political parties that remain faithful to all of the Church’s social doctrine, such as the Comunión Tradicionalista Carlista (Carlist Party), Alternativa Española [es], Tercio de Acción Política [es], and Falange Española de las JONS”, all of which form part of the extreme Right-wing minority. He has also attacked the Socialist Party on several occasions, such as in 2008 when he criticised the policies of the Spanish socialist party PSOE (Partido Socialista Obrero Español) by saying that “analysing things objectively, there is no compatibility” between being a Christian and being socialist. In the words of Javier Lozano in Libertad Digital [es]:
Este posicionamiento de un obispo que había sido vicepresidente de la Conferencia Episcopal lo justificaba con ejemplos: “El tratamiento de la familia, el tratamiento del aborto, la campaña de la eutanasia, y la asignatura de Educación para la Ciudadanía”. Cosas “que no puedo entender”, afirmaba.
“The bishop, who had been the vice president at the Episcopal Conference, justified his position with the following examples: ‘Policies on the family and abortion, the campaign for euthanasia and the choice to have a civic education.’ These are things which he said that he ‘couldn’t fathom’ “.
Fernando Sebastián will only be a cardinal emeritus as he is 85 years old and therefore can no longer vote in the conclave.

author: Lourdes Sada


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The Cost of Living in Rio de Janeiro Is Too Damn High  · Global Voices
Marcela Canavarro

[All links lead to Portuguese-language webpages unless otherwise noted.]
Rio de Janeiro residents have begun to fight the increasingly high prices of hotels, rent, food, clothing and entertainment which have made the 2016 Olympic City and host of the 2014 World Cup a difficult place to live.
With the typical local sense of humour, comments on social networks have given others a glimpse of the borderline ridiculously high cost of living in the city. The term “surreal” has increasingly been used to refer to current events in Rio de Janeiro.
Incidentally, this was the name given to an exclusive currency created in jest for the city by web designer Toinho Castro to substitute the Brazilian currency the real. The proposal for the Surreal was the subject of comment in a note published in a widely read newspaper, O Globo:
“Tem mais a ver com a nossa realidade”, diz, citando um diálogo-que-gostaríamos-de-ouvir: “Quanto é a água, moço?” E a resposta: “Cinco surreais…” [cerca de 2 dólares americanos]
“It's more appropriate to our day-to-day lives”, he says, quoting a dialogue we'd like to hear: “How much is the water, young man?” And the reply: “Five surreals…” [around 2 US dollars]
“The Surreals: the face of the new currency they've been talking about…” Artwork by Patrícia Kalil shared on Facebook.
The Facebook page “Rio $urreal – NÃO PAGUE” (Rio $urreal – DON'T PAY) “publicises and boycotts extortionate prices” charged around the city. Created on 17 January 2014, the page attracted more than 95,000 followers in three days.
A gente aqui não faz a apologia de “tudo tem que ser barato”. Não, não é isso. Quem quiser comer ostra, beber espumante, jantar em um lugar cujo chef estudou no Cordon Bleu… Bem, tem que arcar com este preço. E, de vez em quando, todo mundo tem direito a tomar espumante, comer uma iguaria, enxugar a boca com guardanapo de pano – se puder pagar por este luxo ocasional. Comer bem dá alegria, dá conforto, é um convite à confraternização.
Bons ingredientes custam caro. Funcionários bem treinados também. Logo, ninguém aqui acha absurdo pagar mais por aquilo que de fato custa mais. É o justo. E você merece fugir do feijão com arroz e do trivial de vez em quando. Não merece?
Duro mesmo é pagar R$ 30 reais por batata frita [cerca de 13 dólares americanos]. Ou R$ 11 por um suco [4,7 dólares americanos]. Ou R$ 8, R$ 9 ou R$ 10 por uma garrafinha de água mineral [entre 3,4 e 4,3 dólares]. Ou R$ 15 pelo aluguel de cadeira e barraca na praia [cerca de 6,4 dólares]. Estes são alguns dos absurdos.
We're not arguing here that “everything has to be cheap”. No, it's not that. Those who wish to eat oysters, drink bubbly, dine in a restaurant whose chef studied at Cordon Bleu… Well, they have to bear the expense of doing so. And, from time to time, everyone has the right to drink bubbly, eat a delicacy, dab their mouths with a cloth serviette – if they can pay for this occasional luxury. Eating well brings happiness and comfort, it's an invitation to socialise.
Good ingredients are expensive. Well-trained employees are too. Nobody here thinks it absurd to pay more for something which actually costs more. That's fair. And you deserve to escape from the old beans with rice of every day from time to time. Don't you?
What's really tough is paying 30 reals for some chips [around 13 US dollars]. Or 11 reals for a juice [4.70 US dollars]. Or 8, 9 or 10 reals for a little bottle of mineral water [between 3.40 and 4.30 dollars]. Or 15 reals for a seat and shade on the beach [around 6.40 dollars]. These are just some of the absurd prices.
A “case of hyper-surrealism” was reported on the page by follower Clarissa Biasotto:
Hoje fui à praia do leblon e me deparei com um gringo sul-americano perguntando a um vendedor ambulante se ali era a praia do leblon. O vendedor respondeu que ali era copacabana, ficou enrolando o gringo dizendo que não sabia e no fim disse que aqui no Rio tudo é pago e que, por isso, a informação também era paga.. enfim, o gringo já tava pegando a carteira e perguntando quanto o ambulante queria quando eu tive que gritar pro gringo que era sim a praia do leblon.. o gringo chegou a perguntar se aquilo foi uma pegadinha.. enfim, achei vergonhoso, surreal..
Today I went to Leblon Beach and I came across a South American tourist asking a street seller if this was Leblon Beach. The seller replied that it was Copacabana, he carried on deceiving the tourist saying that he didn't know and in the end he said that here in Rio nothing is free, and for that reason, the information also had to be paid for. The tourist was already getting his wallet out and asking how much the seller wanted when I had to shout at the tourist that yes, it was Leblon Beach. The tourist even asked if it was a joke. I found it shameful, surreal.
Menu from a food stand at Ipanema beach shared on the Facebook page of “Marketing na Cozinha”
But the most common denunciations come in the form of photos of menus with exorbitant prices, like chicken stroganoff for 72 reals (or 30 US dollars), a toasted sandwich for 20 reals and a green salad for 43 reals (8.50 and 18.20 US dollars respectively; see photo to the right).
The administrators of “Rio $urreal” state that the page was created primarily with the “aim to encourage consumers to reflect on their purchases”:
Cabe a nós decidirmos quando queremos pagar o preço por determinada coisa – seja ela uma roupa, refeição ou um serviço. Está caro? Não compre. O prato é inviável? Mude de restaurante. Ainda assim não achou o que quer? Chame os amigos para jantar na sua casa. Foi à praia e o aluguel da cadeira tá um horror? Já pensou que ter a sua pode ser um bom custo-benefício? Consumo consciente – esta é nossa meta.
It's up to us to decide when we want to pay the price of a particular item – whether it is an item of clothing, meal or service. Is it expensive? Don't buy it. The menu's a non-starter? Change restaurant. You still don't know what you want? Call your friends and ask if you can eat at their house. You went to the beach and the seat rental was extortionate? Did you ever consider that buying your own might be a good investment? Conscious consumption – that's our goal.
Other initiatives have also become popular. The page “Se Vira no Rio” has more than 14,000 followers and publicises venues that offer food and entertainment at accessible prices.
The rise of the property bubble
In one of its posts, the page encourages users to share solutions that would allow the inflation of property prices to be reversed or stopped. In the almost 300 comments on this post, various cases are reported and some solutions proposed, many involving some kind of “anti-speculation laws” or state intervention; others called for a change in consumer behaviour, such as the search for alternative areas in the city or the abandonment of real estate agencies.
Many also believe that the real estate bubble is about to burst. Vinicius Bito Trindade, an employee of the Bank of Brazil, commented:
há quem diga que o que encarece os imóveis aqui é o excesso de crédito para o financiamento… inflaciona o mercado e tal, assim que a política econômica mudar, a tendência é cair e ferrar quem estiver preso a uma prestação irreal…
Some say that what's pushing up property prices here is the excess of credit for financing. It inflates the market and all that, as soon as the economic policy changes, the tendency is for it to fall and hit anyone who's tied into an unrealistic loan.
Another initiative to raise awareness of the jump in the cost of living in Brazil is the site “Tem algo errado ou estamos ricos??”  (“Is something wrong here or are we rich??”), which compares adverts for property for rent and for purchase in the country and abroad. With this, it exposes high prices in Brazil for old and poor-quality properties, in comparison with similar or lower prices for charming properties in good neighbourhoods in countries in the developed or developing world.
The site shows, for example, an apartament of 600 m2 in Rio advertised for 66 million reals (or almost 30 million US dollars). For several million less, it would be possible to buy the mansion where John Lennon wrote some of the songs for the album “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band” or an entire building in the Upper West Side of New York. In another case, quitinetes, or apartments in which the bedroom and living area are combined, go for more than one million reals (around 430,000 dollars). With the site's posts, it is possible to observe that the explosion of property prices is not exclusive to Rio de Janeiro:
Casinha em condomínio fechado em Valencia – Alicante (Torremendo) [Espanha]. Casa novinha em folha, perto da praia, perto de um clube de golf, em um condomínio fechado com tudo (solário, etc etc). garagem para 2 carros… bela vista… bla bla bla bla
(…)
Imóvel novo, condomínio fechado com tudo, perto da praia, bonito, etc etc… quanto?? Cerca de US$88.952 (em torno de R$ 200/ 210 mil reais… depende desse dólar maluco oscilando)
Mas não fique triste brazuquinha… você tem belas opções aqui no Braziu… Na nobre cidade de Lajeado no RS… no bairro Planalto você encontra uma linda casa pelo mesmo preço!! Incrível não???
Dá uma olhadinha…
É uma versão + root (a rua não é pavimentada… não tem piscina no condomínio, clube de golf… praia… vista… mas… é reflexo de nossa proximidade com os países de primeiro mundo né?? fazer o q??
Little house in closed condominium in Valencia – Alicante (Torremendo) [Spain]. Brand new house, near the beach, near a golf club, in a closed condominium with all facilities (conservatory, etc., etc.). Garage for two cars, lovely views, blah blah blah blah
(…)
New property, in a closed condominium with all facilities, near the beach, beautiful, etc. etc… how much? Around 88,952 US dollars (around 200,000 or 210,000 reals, it depends on that crazy dollar going up and down).
But don't be sad, sweetie, you've got great options here in Brazil. In the noble city of Lajeado in RS in the lovely district of Planalto, you can find a nice house for the same price!! Incredible, isn't it???
Take a look…
It's a more authentic version (the road isn't paved, there isn't a swimming pool in the condominium, no golf club, beach, views, but it's a reflection of our proximity to the countries of the first world, isn't it?? Do it or what??
For the World Cup period, the federal government has announced measures to contain the prices of air travel and hotels, such as the intervention of consumer rights organization Procon, who filed complaints against four airline companies due to abusive price of plane tickets, and the control of the National Agency of Aviation, the ANAC.
A recent measure was the authorisation of 1,973 new flights to increase competition in the aviation sector during the months of June and July when the Cup will take place.
Opting for state intervention to contain prices is always a delicate decision in free market states. For the aviation sector, which is regulated and considered strategic for national interests, this policy is already a reality in World Cup Brazil. But the containment of prices of consumer goods is still a huge challenge for Brazilians and also for traditionally dynamic sectors. At least on social networks, the mobilisation has begun.

author: Marcela Canavarro


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A Visual and Musical Journey Through Myanmar · Global Voices
Gerda

Like a visual postcard, the short video A handful of Myanmar by Berta upe Tilmantaitė invites its viewers to marvel at the wonders of the Southeast Asian country. Reid Willis‘ music replaces the natural sounds of the place, as rhythm and tempo adapt to the flow of the rivers and the laughter of young monks.

author: Gerda


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Australian Journalist Peter Greste Caught in Egypt’s Media Crackdown · Global Voices
Kevin Rennie

Writing in Working Life, Andrew Casey highlights the risks to media freedom in Egypt as international journalists and other media workers face terrorism charges. Among them is Australian Peter Greste, an Al Jazeera journalist.

author: Kevin Rennie


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Birds Avoiding Bhopal · Global Voices
Rezwan

Bhopal, the capital of the Indian State of Madhya Pradesh, lies in the North-South corridor of the migratory path of birds coming from Northern Asia, Russia, Afghanistan, China, Mongolia etc. Blogger Proloy Bagchi reports that several species of migratory birds which used to congregate in and around the Bhojtal (former Upper Lake) in Bhopal in large numbers, apparently, have avoided this city this winter. Two reasons cited by bird-watchers for the absence of the birds are: 1) human disturbance and 2) pollution in the Lake waters.

author: Rezwan


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China: A Glass of Swine · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

“300 Shots at Greatness” introduced one of most distinctive alcohol in China. The distilled rice spirit, Yubingshao, has the taste of fat aroma as it is aged with jars filled with pig fat. The blogger describes the taste:
I took a sip, and noted what appeared to be a flat, rather bland rice baijiu. But then the pig hit me on the back end, like getting slapped in the face with a slab of bacon. It was an odd, somewhat salty, somewhat oily finish that I found strangely compelling.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China’s Propaganda-Heavy New Year’s Gala Fails to Impress Viewers · Global Voices
Jenny Liang Feng

It annoys more than it entertains. That seems to be the message people are expressing via social media after this year's broadcast of China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala celebrating Chinese New Year.
Known in Mandarin as Chunwan, the variety show regularly draws tens of millions of viewers every year and has become an essential part of celebrations for the New Year since its start three decades ago. The South China Morning Post reported that 750 million Chinese watched the gala last year, more than six times the viewership of the Super Bowl in America.
But its popularity has dwindled in recent years. This year's nearly five-hour long event on January 30, 2014, consisting of stand-up comedy, dancing, singing, magic and other performances, drove home the themes of the Chinese Dream – an idea promoting hard work and collective effort for the prosperity of China. The television show also struck the tone of nostalgia for the country's red past.
The show was never short on rosy language. For example, a song titled “I am not too demanding” performed by a popular comedian tells of a comfortable middle-class life as representing the Chinese Dream:
The lyrics go:
I have an 80 square-meter house and a gentle wife. Our kid already finished college and secured a great job right after graduation. I commute between my workplace and home quite smoothly, rush hour is non-existent. I exercise outdoors and see the blue sky every day.
Pensions and health care are not problems because they will be covered by the government. This is my Chinese Dream, it’s small and simple. I am not striving to become a dragon or a phoenix. Instead, I want to be immersed in happiness. It’s easily attainable by standing on your tiptoes.
The backdrop behind the performance displayed the vast landscape of China, complete with newly built rural houses and some showcase infrastructure projects – all packaged to represent the Chinese Dream, a phrase coined by President Xi Jinping which is frequently evoked in media discourse and official speeches.
In addition to the theme of the China Dream, a session was devoted to the Chinese Communist Party's revolution history. The performance of the Red Detachment of Women, a Chinese ballet set in the 1930s, made its debut during the show at a time when the legacy of red culture remains a contentious issue in China. The storyline follows peasant-turned female soldiers’ devotion to communism:
The political underpinnings are subtle but pervasive, in the words of the hosts, and reflected in the choreography. These messages lacing the performances are ordered from above – in an earlier visit to CCTV, Minister of the Central Propaganda Department Liu Qibao urged that the gala should “spread positive energy” and promote “the rhythm of our era – the Chinese Dream”.
However, the gala is losing its magic spell on ordinary people. According to a recent survey, nearly 60 percent of the viewers were extremely disappointed in the program this year, particularly with the reduced number of stand-up comedy routines, which usually mock social happenings. The news of Cui Jian's pullout of the show caused the gala's reputation to take a hit. He reportedly quit after refusing to comply with censorship requirements for his songs.
The comments trickled in as the gala was underway, and the topic has remained trending as of the morning of January 31. Microbloggers in China have been largely critical of this year's show. Editor-in-Chief for the Financial Times Chinese Zhang Lifeng exclaimed:
春晚啊，你到底怎么了？？？
Chunwan, what has happened to you???
Some took notice of the “red” performance. A Beijing-based media professional under the Weibo name Zhangwen de Wenzhang wrote:
春晚，红色娘子军主导！
Chunwan has been dominated by the Red Detachment of Women.
Xiong Peiyun, an outspoken commentator,  found  the program full of conflicting values:
奴役与自由、丑与美、暴力与温柔，在同一时代的舞台。如果我承认一个集体的中国梦，这个梦就是希望这个国家彻底告别“红色娘子军”，走向“玫瑰人生”。
Enslavement and freedom, ugliness and beauty, violence and softness, all displayed on the same stage. If I subscribed to a collective Chinese Dream, it would be a dream that is detached from the “Red Detachment of Women”, a dream that would lead to a “rosy life”.
Writer Beicui criticised the propaganda nature of the gala:
春晚现象：为什么春晚总导不好？仿佛经年痼疾？病灶到底在哪里？就在它“用文艺节目推销意识形态”，谁导都得贯彻这个主旨，就像要人把一杯白水说成美酒那样痛苦；2、为何年年吐槽年年看年年骂？也是因为同一个原因“推销意识形态”，热议的是意识形态，不是文艺；3、伟光正存在一天这现象就持续一天。
Chunwan phenomena: Why is it difficult to direct Chunwan? As if it's some chronic disease? What is the root cause? The answer is found in the fact that it uses the show to promote ideology, whoever directs the show has to implement the theme, it's like making plain water into good wine; 2 Why do [people] lash out at Chunwan every year while continuing to watch it? It's for the same reason of ideology promotion, the hotly debated part is the ideology itself rather than the art; 3 The phenomena will last as long as the “grand glow” [referring to directives from state leaders].
On Twitter, Chunwan has also generated a buzz. Jeremiah Jenne, a PhD candidate at Beijing Foreign Studies University, wrote:
If the Chunwan=marathon, this is the part where the audience is hoping to just cross the finish line without lavishly pooping themselves.
— Jeremiah Jenne (@GraniteStudio) January 30, 2014
Elaine wasn't entertained, she lamented:
#chunwan too boring for too long. Time to play “put the snacks on the #dog‘s face” http://t.co/VrOMaRg0YM
— elaine (@shanghailaine) January 30, 2014
Human rights researcher Joshua Rosenzweig seemed to poke fun at Chunwan:
No, nothing Maoist about this #chunwan
— Joshua Rosenzweig (@siweiluozi) January 30, 2014
This wasn't the first year that the show's declining popularity was a topic of discussion. Writing in a Chinese newspaper in 2007, Ren Yi, a former visiting scholar of Harvard University, commented:
The Spring Festival Gala still needs to accomplish its political mission and disseminate political information. But its current format still uses the old political propaganda methods which will lose more and more of the younger audiences. Young people want to watch truly interesting entertainment programs, not to attend a class in political theories. In my opinion, that type of politicized style is in serious conflict with the market and commercial needs.

author: Jenny Liang Feng


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Citizen Journalists Expose Police Brutality During Protests in Algeria  · Global Voices
Abdou Semmar

For the first time in Algeria's modern history, the certainties of the established police state were dealt a severe blow by cyber-activists. Young Algerians are resorting to new technologies and a wide range of tools offered by the Internet to speak out against the tyranny of law enforcement and protect human rights.
It all started at the end of November 2013 when protests rattled the tranquility and peace of the town of El Guerrara in Wilayah district of Ghardaïa Province, more than 600 kilometers south of the Algerian capital Algiers. In that city, where unemployment, deprivation, hardship and precariousness are part of the daily routine, resides a religious community called the Ibadites. Their religious beliefs differ slightly from the majority of Algerians’ faith, who are followers of Sunni Islam. Ibadites are routinely victims of discrimination and injustice from the Algerian political authorities.
Screen capture of the police during the clashes from the video clips in El Guerrara
For every Ibadites protest demanding better life conditions, authorities would crack down on protesters, arrest them, take them to police stations and subject them to beatings and torture. In the absence of factual evidence, it was difficult for civil society to force public authorities to sanction the law enforcement agents perpetuating those acts.
However, the youth of the region are well aware of the impact that the Internet can bring when it comes to defend and protect human rights. Very quickly, citizen journalists, most often members of activist networks, used their mobile phones to capture scenes of police repression and collect testimonies of young men tortured and beaten by the police, as seen in the following video:
The clips were posted on YouTube and quickly went viral on the Algerian web. A police officer who was also a member of a cyber-militant group went as far as to secretly tape his colleagues commenting and revealing confidential information on the abusive arrests and torture practices of the riot police. The video was soon posted on YouTube with explanatory comments showing how some activists were detained and tortured. It sparked a public outcry.
At the beginning of January 2014, massive protests of this sectarian conflict opposing Mozabites, a Berber minority and Ibadites against Arab Sunni spread to the city of Ghardaïa, in the same Wilayah. Netizens were there as well to expose the racist and brutal practices perpetrated by some Algerian police officers:
Again, netizens videos and reports contributed to shedding the light on the abuses of law enforcement. The following video clip shows how police officers protected Arab rioters and attacked only Mozabite protesters:
The scandal has earned a global buzz. Videos and testimonies of cyber-activists reached international media. On Facebook, where around 4.5 million Algerians have a Facebook account, the pages of activists also relayed the information from Ghardaïa. The underlying reasons for the tension in city are addressed [fr] in a blog post Les Observateurs :
Les policiers sont de fait impliqués dans ces tensions car ils sont, pour la majorité, issus de la communauté arabe de Ghardaïa et des villes voisines. Ce qui explique le fait qu’ils prennent parti pour les Arabes. Contrairement à eux, les gendarmes sont bien accueillis par la communauté mozabite.
Police officers are by default involved in these tensions because they belong in their majority to the Sunni sect in Ghardaïa and its neighboring towns. This explains their taking sides with the Arabs.
The Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH) [ar, fr] used the power  of these videos, articles and written testimonies  to alert public opinion at both national and international levels [fr]. It succeeded in obtaining information proving that:
l’attitude scandaleuse de certains agents des forces de police que ce soit lors du conflit (gestes obscènes, comportement et propos racistes etc) ou lors de l’arrestation des Algériens Mozabites (jeter de l’eau froide sur des détenus, les obliger à se déshabiller, les obliger à mimer des attitudes obscènes) laissent croire que les forces de police Algériennes se comportent comme les forces d’occupation Américaine en Irak notamment dans la prison d’Abu Ghraib!
The scandalous attitude of some police agents whether during the conflict (obscene acts, racists comments and behavior, etc) or during the arrest of Algerian Mozabites (i.e. throwing cold water on detainees, forcing them to take off their clothes or to perform obscene acts) may lead to the assumption that Algerian police forces behaved like the American occupying forces in Iraq, namely in Abu Ghraib prison.
The following video shows police forces surrounding a Mozabite protester and beating him repeatedly [ar]:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwa28deBNrU
Well aware of these recurrent scandals, Algerian authorities are starting to investigate these events. They went as far as sanctioning and suing police officers “suspected of having taken sides during Ghardaïa events”, according to the General Security Directorate that monitors all of Algeria's police services. Other investigations are also being instigated. Thanks to the mobilization of cyber-journalists, police abuse will not remain in the shadows any longer. Cyber-activists won a big battle against the Algerian regime. They even succeeded in making it yield by demanding an investigation regarding these events.
For now, this is an important victory for the proponents of the defense of human rights in Algeria.

author: Abdou Semmar


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“Disaster” for Supporters of Ukraine Protests in Uzbekistan · Global Voices
Alexander Sodiqov

On January 29, police in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, detained eight individuals for picketing the Ukrainian embassy in support of Euromaidan protesters. Those arrested for holding an unsanctioned rally included a prominent photographer Umida Akhmedova, photojournalist Timur Karpov, and culture blogger Alex Ulko. Following the activists’ arrest, blogging platform NewEurasia.net asserted:
What happens when you mix Kiev politics with Tashkent security? Disaster.
Yesterday, a court in Tashkent sentenced three of the detained activists to 15 days in jail. Another four activists were ordered to pay fines. An eighth activist is still awaiting trial.

author: Alexander Sodiqov


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Don’t Stop the Party: Copyright Issues Threaten Trinidad Carnival Fete · Global Voices
Jason Nathu

The Carnival season is in full swing in Trinidad and Tobago – and for many, that signals constant partying or “feteing” – right up until the pre-lenten parade of bands is over and Ash Wednesday arrives.
One of the most anticipated fetes for the season is Soaka Till Sunrise which has been scheduled for this coming Sunday, February 2. Since January 14, the organizers of the fete, Wow Events, have been saying that the party was already sold out. Soaka was catapulted into popularity last year, when soca artiste Machel Montano filmed the video for his hit song “The Fog” at the party.
This has seemingly led to the increased demand for tickets to this year's event.
Fete-goers took to social media early, commenting jokingly on the demand for tickets:
If your a #trini and between the ages of 18-25 your biggest problem right now is getting a #soaka ticket. #trinilife
— Arvinder Rampersad (@winerboyent) January 15, 2014
Meanwhile man promises to trade kidney for SOAKA tickets pic.twitter.com/U3CGJhtIX8
— Ken Sambury (@ksambury) January 14, 2014
Men offering me $1500 for Soaka tickets…boy…ya'll gonna grow out of that phase REAL quick when you have REAL expenses lol.
— Zeeks (@King_Komo) January 20, 2014
Amidst the ticket frenzy, news broke yesterday that the Copyright Music Organization of Trinidad and Tobago (“COTT”) was threatening to shut down the fete, due to a dispute over a copyright license:
BREAKING NEWS: Copyright Organisation seeks injunction to stop SOAKA Event on Sunday due to dispute over copyright fees.
— Sampson Nanton (@samnanton) January 30, 2014
An excerpt of the pre-action protocol letter sent by COTT's attorneys was leaked to the media and posted on Twitter.
The key portion of the letter COTT's attorneys sent to WOW Events prior to seeking injunction to stop SOAKA. pic.twitter.com/X5DNKnqJDj — Sampson Nanton (@samnanton) January 31, 2014
This news sent potential party-goers into a panic, with many of them going online to vent:
liwe be real…unless they want ah nex state ah emergeny…nobody gonna cancel soaka
— Kevon Persad (@penguin0017) January 31, 2014
Ok sooo soaka may not be as there are copyright infringement…those ppl who paid $1000 and more I sorry for allyuh
— ♥♦Dani♥Bonita♦♥ (@DanzBonita) January 31, 2014
Passed out for 40 mins and Soaka is cancelled?!?? Details please somebody! Lol
— Nyssa Pierre (@kneezurr) January 30, 2014
One of the fete's organizers, Adrian Scoon, quickly responded to the news on his Facebook page:
Arite. So there are two copyright organizations in this country. COTT and TTCO. For many years COTT has had a monopoly on the market and has taken advantage of the promoter. Any promoter will tell you that when you go to COTT they charge you copyright fees based on ticket sales which is ludicrous and unlawful.
This year we decided to go with TTCO and we have secured a copyright license for our event. We were actually recommended to them by other credible promoters.
On hearing this COTT contacted us and threatened to shut down our event as they realized that yet another promoter has defected to their competitors.
1. COTT is a private company and has no affiliation with the government. Therefore they cannot shut down any event.
2. TTCO is an authorized copyright organization under the laws of Trinidad and Tobago.
3. We have a copyright license
4. We are going to sue COTT for wasting our time with this shit.
5. I'm at the venue right now and SOAKA is gonna be off the chain.
The central issue in this matter is the recognition of competing copyright collection agencies in Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinidad and Tobago Copyright Collection Organization (TTCO) maintains on its Facebook page that it is a legitimate entity, and enjoys the same rights as COTT to offer licenses:
A Brief background on Trinidad and Tobago Copyright Collection Organization (TTCO):
The debate generated discussion on the popular Trinidad Carnival Diary Facebook page. One commenter, Jenny Lin, noted:
COTT takes advantage of many small businesses as well for having a simple cd playing on computer speakers. They claim it goes back to the artistes. Yeah right. They charge us like 3xx a year
Whether COTT initiates an action in the Supreme Court of Trinidad & Tobago remains to be seen. The penalty for offences relating to unlawful public performances of any copyrighted work or sound recording is TT$250,000.00 (about $40,000 US) or 10 years imprisonment. Aggrieved parties may also be entitled to civil remedies, separate and apart form the penalties for the offense of infringement.


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Egypt’s Anti-Terrorism Law to Target Internet  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Facebook, among other sites, will come under new scrutiny in Egypt, when a draft “anti-terrorism” law comes into effect.
The draft law, submitted by the Interior Ministry to the Justice Ministry, which in turn would go to the Cabinet for ratification, states that internet sites which instigate terrorism could be censored. This includes popular sites such as Facebook, which have increasingly become a channel among Egyptians to voice dissent.
According to Al Sherooq [ar] Arabic daily:
تضمن مشروع قانون «مكافحة الإرهاب» المرسل من وزارة الداخلية للعدل، قبل إرساله إلى مجلس الوزراء، لإقراره، ولأول مرة موادَّ جديدة لضمان فرض السيطرة على الجرائم «الإرهابية» بشكل أكثر شمولًا من مواد قانون العقوبات، بداية من فرض الرقابة اللازمة على مواقع فيسبوك والإنترنت؛ لمنع  استخدامها في الأغراض «الإرهابية» المنصوص عليها
The anti-terrorism law, sent by the Ministry of Interior to the Ministry of Justice, before sending it to the Cabinet, for approval, for the first time includes new laws which guarantee control over “terrorism” crimes in a comprehensive manner, starting with the monitoring of Facebook and the Internet, in order of them not to be used for terrorism purposes
Egyptian blogger Ramy Yaacoub notes:
First implementation of article 31 of #Egypt's new constitution seen in Anti-terror law bill, proposes monitoring Facebook, blocking sites.
— Ramy Yaacoub (@RamyYaacoub) January 31, 2014
And adds:
This is becoming ridiculous. There needs to be an international treaty that governs the sanctity of private communication.
— Ramy Yaacoub (@RamyYaacoub) January 31, 2014
Novelist Ezzedine Choukri Fishere says that the new bill will impact more than just terrorism:
الف مبروك يامصر: الإضرار بالبيئة أصبح عمل ارهابي (عوضنا على الله في 3/4 الشعب) — نص مشروع قانون «مكافحة الإرهاب» http://t.co/5yZ6jHsHHA
— C. Fishere شكري فشير (@EzzedineCF) January 30, 2014
Congratulations Egypt! Protecting the environment has now become an act of terrorism
And Mai El-Sadany concludes:
2. New anti-terrorism draft law will incorporate internet and social media monitoring [aka, spying]. #Egypt
— Mai El-Sadany (@maitelsadany) January 29, 2014

author: Amira Al Hussaini