Internet shocked by the Briton executed in China

 BRITON EXECUTED IN CHINA

China has executed Akmal Shaikh, a British national, sentenced to death for drugs trafficking. He was arrested in 2007 in Urumqi, Xinjiang province, with four kilos of heroin. An execution firmly condemned by UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
According to this expert psychiatrist, hired by an NGO to act as a legal aid, the fifty three year old suffered from mental problems. In this video, posted online during the trial, he criticises the Chinese legal system’s refusal to carry out a psychological appraisal as well as the conditions of the trial.

As illustrated by this 3D reconstruction posted online by a Hong Kong daily, Akmal Shaikh was allegedly manipulated by drugs traffickers who took advantage of his psychological vulnerability. The latter are thought to have entrusted him with a suitcase filled with heroin, promising him a music career in China.

The man was in fact obsessed by a song he composed himself. The song about a rabbit and world peace, is circulating online. Lyrics which show to what point the divorced father of three seemed disconnected from reality.

And although his execution generated indignation in the UK blogosphere, this online poll created by an official site, shows that he did little to move Chinese public opinion. Almost 99% of net users are thought to approve of this execution.
 

IRELAND : CHILD ABUSE SCANDAL

Since the publication of a report accusing the Catholic church of covering up the actions of paedophile priests in the Dublin area, four Irish arch bishops have handed their resignations to the Pope in December. A situation causing waves online.

This female blogger denounces the attitude of the church, which decided to protect itself by covering up priests’ sexual abuses of hundreds of children, without consideration for them. She hopes that the fifth arch bishop named in the report will also step down.

This video bloggers calls for victims to step forward as soon as they can.
 

And the affair has cast considerable discredit on the Catholic Church in the country. The site ‘count me out’, created by a graphic artist from Dublin, is enjoying growing success. It suggests downloading an official Catholic Church document, the formal act of abandonment, and filling it in and sending it to the parish where you were baptised to cease being a catholic.

Although the initiative is welcomed by many, others such as this net user criticise it. He declares having been sexually abused and not having lost his faith as a result. He considers that five percent of priests and religious figures act in this way.

Meanwhile the scandal is not set to do the Irish Catholic Church any favours, which, as shown by this documentary posted online last year was already going through a severe crisis.

CARS : NEW WIFI HOTSPOTS

Transform their cars into wifi access points. This is the challenge set by a US car constructor. Some models will now some equipped with a wireless internet connection system via a 3G key. The system will mean drivers can access information in real time via an on board computer, while passengers will be able to surf the net freely.

EVERYDAY THE SAME DREAM

Every day is the same in this animation. Somewhere between a short film and an interactive game, it deals with alienation in the work place. An ordinary man gets up, gets in the lift, is held up in traffic and is reprimanded by his boss before going to sit at his desk. The net user clicks then ends up back at the first screen, and the day begins again.

VIDEO DU JOUR

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria act out the famous opening scene of the film Grease in this video posted on the basket ball player’s official site, to celebrate Christmas. The two stars invite fans to make similar videos. The couple will then choose a winner who will be invited to San Antonio to watch game by the Spurs- the French player’s team.