Global Voices Online

Libertad blog reacts to the hammering of “the final nail in the coffin of democracy” of Sri Lanka - the arrest of General Sarath Fonseka: “adieu Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka and welcome the Totalitarian State of Sri Lanka for now.”

Five Rupees reports that two more suicidal blasts targeting Shia mourners rocked busy streets of Karachi taking scores of lives.

Forbes magazine published the list of the top-20 official bloggers [RUS]. President Medvedev [RUS] tops the list, followed by an ex-oppositionary Maria Gaidar [RUS] and Perm Governor Oleg Chirkunov [RUS].

The Institute Of Contemporary Development [EN], a think-tank related to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, recently presented a policy report “Russia of XXI Century: Image of the Desired Tomorrow” [RUS]. Recommending massive reforms of police, electoral system and strategic partnerships with the U.S. and E.U., the report provoked a big discussion [RUS] online.

The Haitian Blogger gives an update on the story of American “missionaries” trying to take children out of Haiti without proper documentation: “A problem in Haiti which is heightened by the catastrophic earthquake is child trafficking. Thankfully, the 10 Missionaries who attempted to move 33 orphans into the Dominican Republic in order to establish an “‘orphanage' were apprehended. The Missionaries are now behind bars in Haiti. Haitian officials have indicated that they believe these Missionairies are kidnappers.”

NewKaliningrad news site published photos and footage [RUS] of the most numerous protest in recent Russian history (from 5,000 to 12,0000 of people participated in the protest) that took place in Kaliningrad [EN]. Protesters demanded the resignation of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and the governor of Kaliningrad region Georgy Boos [EN].

Potoprincipe expresses [Fr] bewilderment at Haitian president Preval's decision to live under a tent in front of the ravaged Presidential palace, in solidarity with his people, when solutions need to be found to relieve the homeless, who will soon have to cope with the coming hurricane season.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, the question of international adoption and its legitimacy has been on many mouths: Both Espas Ayisyen and Haiti Recto Verso weigh in by posting a UNICEF statement [Fr] announcing that 15 children are “missing” from Haitian hospitals and questioning the possibility of abduction.

Journalists For Democracy In Sri Lanka blog informs that “the office of the ‘Lanka e news’, a prominent news website operating from Sri Lanka, has been sealed off by the authorities. [..] Two days before the elections, another regular contributor to the website, Prageeth Eknalogoda, went missing.”