Jackie Chan: freedoms should be restricted

Jackie Chan has stuck his foot in his mouth again. The action star believes Hong Kongers doth protest too much and the right to protest should be restricted. People in Hong Kong have plenty to protest about: there is freedom of speech, but no universal suffrage. Hong Kong’s leader CY Leung tried to force through ‘national education’ and also misled the public about illegal structures at his luxury home. Jackie Chan said Hong Kong had become ‘a city of protest’ and is now more like South Korea. He previously said freedom and liberty had made Taiwan was chaotic, and Chinese people needed to be controlled. Okay, Jackie Chan, we get it. You don’t like democracy….

Catalonia closer to seceding from Spain

Catalan voters go to the polls this weekend in a snap election that will serve as an unofficial referendum on independence for Spain’s second-wealthiest region. Catalonia’s election could make a bad situation in Spain even worse. Spain is still reeling from the 2008 economic crisis, with the government planning to implement to austerity measures worth more than 90 billion euros over the next two years, despite an unemployment rate of 25.8 percent. If Catalonia secedes, other regions such as the Basque region may follow, leading perhaps even to the complete disintegration of a country that has suffered three civil war in the past 150 years. Catalonia, which has maintained its own unique culture and language…

Spain protests 2012: Police brutality in anti-austerity riots

Spain’s police drove anti-austerity protesters to rioting and the Spanish government turned a blind eye. Shocking videos posted on YouTube show police and protesters clashing in Madrid earlier this week. Where was the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy while all this mayhem erupted? Chillaxing in New York. Protests against the government’s austerity program are cropping up all over the country. The government’s program includes budget and public service cuts, not ideal for a country with a nearly 25 percent unemployment rate. Possibly a bigger issue related to the current unrest is the Catalonian separatist movement. If Spain does not make fundamental changes to its government, Catalonia, as well as other autonomous regions, are threatening to…

Striking S. African miners charged with murder

On Aug. 16, 34 frustrated platinum miners at the Marikana mine in South Africa were killed and 78 were injured by police sent to break up the strike by the African National Congress-dominated government. On Aug. 30, 270 of the miners who had been arrested after the incident were charged with murder under the so-called “common purpose” doctrine. None of the police who shot the miners were charged. The “common purpose” doctrine was enacted during the apartheid era to allow the white government to prosecute black democracy activists and protesters. ENGLISH:

2012 World Naked Bike Ride hits cities worldwide

World Naked Bike Ride 2012 attracted hundreds of cyclists in cities around the world on Saturday, who rode their bikes in the buff to promote awareness of cyclist-related issues. World Naked Bike Ride began in 2004 and originally focused on promoting sustainable transportation and the reduction of carbon emissions. World Naked Bike Ride has since evolved into campaign focused on road safety and road rights for bicyclists.

NATO summit, protests shake up Chicago

The 2012 NATO summit in Chicago ended with President Barack Obama vowing to end the Afghanistan war. But clashes between protesters and police stole the show. The two-day summit, held over the weekend, drew leaders from around the world to discuss the Middle East, nuclear weapons, Russia and the war in Afghanistan. While all these topics were addressed, the media paid more attention to the protesters. Protesters swarmed into the city by the thousands, and their diversity led to some confusion about what they were protesting. Protesters made headlines for such diverse reasons as ruining a wedding to police brutality. One of the largest altercations between cops and protesters involved a police van that drove…

Wikipedia, Reddit blackout to protest SOPA & PIPA

To protest SOPA, the Stop Online Piracy Act, Wikipedia, Reddit, Boing Boing and other sites are shutting down for a day on Jan. 18. The blackout seeks to educate the public about SOPA, which opponents say will “break the internet.” As hard as it is to go a whole day without Reddit or the cute animals of the Cheezeburger network, the site participating in the blackout with the biggest impact is likely to be Wikipedia. Tens of millions of people around the world check Wikipedia daily for fast information for free. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales warned students with a tweet: “Student warning! Do your homework early. Wikipedia protesting bad law on Wednesday! #sopa.” As the…

Occupy Wall Street celebrates one-month birthday

Occupy Wall Street hits the one-month mark this week. Even the protesters are amazed they’ve lasted this long. The demonstrations, meanwhile, have spread globally. Camps have been set up in financial centers all over the world. The protesters seem determined. But can their resolve last through winter’s cold? Temperatures in New York City can be brutal. The demonstrators cite economic frustrations. They claim financial benefits go to the 1% while the 99% struggle. But claims the American Dream is dead has irked “The 53%” who are still trying to make it work. The protesters offer few policy prescriptions. Their goal seems to be adding to their numbers and thus magnifying their grievances. The Democratic party,…