Global Voices Online

Stories

Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

Salam Adil · 10:28

If you read no other blog posts this week read these

Today I present a series of must-reads from the Iraqi blogodrome. Each one is powerful and not to be missed in its own way.

It took a huge email exchange between Iraqi bloggers, but the rumble over the Lancet study estimating 650,000 Iraqi deaths prompted Riverbend to post for the first time in more than two months. She writes:

This has been the longest time I have been away from blogging… Every time I felt the urge to write about Iraq, about the situation, I'd be filled with a certain hopelessness that can't be put into words

(more…)

4 comments · »»

Links for Roundups

Americas

Displeased that more and more women are turning to complete eyebrow removal, Le Blog de [Moi] asks(Fr): “Do modern societies have a problem with body hair?” She then notes the ever increasing popularity of body hair removal dating back to the 1990's.

South Asia

Blank Noise Project puts some testimonies together and calls out for more action against sexual harassment on the streets. “don’t expect anyone to think of me as their sister or mother, but to really look at women as citizens who have every right to be out on the streets, without any explanation. Sometimes we just love to walk, stand around, hang around, without looking ‘available.’”

South Asia

Transcurrents.com on the political situation and the war clouds. “The Geneva conclave has come and gone! As predicted in these columns the parley was a failure. The summit took place without any agenda because both parties could not agree to a common one.”

South Asia

Light Within has a piece on why the author blogs. “I love the way ideas change when I blog them. I love that someone who reads something I write might see something I didn't realize was there. I love the conversation that takes a direction that I didn't expect. I love the learning,”

South Asia

State of Telecom Industry in Pakistan on industry statistics, which companies are likely to do well and competition in a volume-heavy market. “But eventually as in saturated markets, if mobile operators want to avoid simply competing on price, they will have to compete on superior service, innovative features and ease-of-use. As an example of new trends there were so many text messages (SMS) sent on this Eid that the networks of all 6 companies were kept extremely busy!”

South Asia

Bloggers Nepal on a system of rituals and traditions that might violate a girl's rights. “In the last couple of days Nepal’s unique culture of worshipping Kumari, the living goddess, drew widespread national and international media coverage after the Supreme Court ordered the government to investigate into whether the practice of worshipping a virgin girl violates the rights of the young girls.”