Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2008 December 26

26 December 2008

Daily archive · 7 posts

Stories from 26 December 2008

Iran: Islamist bloggers support Gaza

Written by Fred Petrossian · Middle East & North Africa

Several Islamist bloggers have launched a campaign against the Gaza Strip blockade and to ask worldwide Muslims to help Palestinians. The bloggers have used different tools such as Google bombs and banners to spread the word.

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Egyptian and Tunisian Bloggers against Censorship

Written by Marwa Rakha · Middle East & North Africa

In December 2006 frustrated Tunisian bloggers launched the "Action Blank Post" initiative in defense of freedom of speech. Supporting bloggers from all over the world posted a blank on their blogs on the 25th of December, and now bloggers have united again in this anti-censorship tradition, as Marwa Rakha shows.

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Americas: A Look Back at 2008

Written by Eduardo Avila · Latin America

In 2008, the Latin American team from Global Voices helped add context and helped highlight voices of bloggers that wrote about the numerous news stories that took place across the region. From the election of an ex-bishop in Paraguay to the march against the FARC in Colombia, bloggers provided their thoughts on natural disasters, protests, strikes, and important events across the Americas.

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Morocco: A Moroccan Christmas

Written by Jillian C. York · Middle East & North Africa

As Morocco is primarily a Muslim country, the majority of its residents do not celebrate Christmas. Still, bits and pieces of the holiday can be found, thanks to French influence and a good-sized expat community. This year, expat and Peace Corps bloggers share how they celebrated the holiday.

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DRC: A “Gloomy” Christmas in Kinshasa

Written by Jennifer Brea · Sub-Saharan Africa

Cedric Kalonji writes about his "gloomy" Christmas in Kinshasa. With the economic crisis, it seemed like many kinois weren't up for celebrating.

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Brazil: Chico Mendes lives on, 20 years after his death

Written by Paula Góes · Latin America

Bloggers remember and pay homage to Chico Mendes, the man whose actions highlighted the plight of the Amazon internationally, and who was murdered twenty years ago by those who were opposed to his activism.

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Southeast Asia: Newsmakers of 2008

Written by Mong Palatino · East Asia, North America

For Southeast Asia, 2008 was a year of terrible disasters, both natural and man-made. Rice consumption was reduced, milk products were contaminated with melamine, jobs were lost, bloggers were arrested, and homes were destroyed. But the situation is not hopeless.

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Updates from 26 December 2008

Russia

The New York Times‘ Clifford J. Levy writes on The Lede about the first anniversary of the paper's interactive Russian-language LJ blog: “The results far exceeded my expectations. The blog has received more than 26,000 comments, and has become an important tool for the newspaper to better understand and explain Russia. The title of the blog is, “Tell Americans and the World about Russia,” and Russians have done just that.”

• Veronica Khokhlova

Ethiopia

EthioBlog at Nazret.com posted a list of the top 50 stories of 2008 in this popular Ethiopian news portal. At the top of the list there's a story about Forbes magazine listing Addis Ababa as the 6th world's dirtiest city.

• Elia Varela Serra

Sri Lanka

At Groundviews, Ruki shares the experience of being in a Christmas Mass in a Sri Lankan conflict zone.

• Rezwan

Pakistan

Manzoor Ali Shah at Pak Tea House argues that the policies of Pakistan government regarding the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) need a paradigm shift.

• Rezwan

Morocco

Daily Maghreb reports that King Mohammed VI of Morocco sends his condolences to Guinea, a country which recently lost its leader, President Lansana Conté. Shortly following Conté's death, the country experienced a military coup d'etat.

• Jillian C. York

D.R. of Congo

Tomorrow in Kinshasa, the Congolese national football and a team of Congolese footballers from abroad will play a match to raise money for victims of the violence in the east of the country, Cedric Kalonji [Fr] writes.

• Jennifer Brea

Bahrain

Bahraini blogger Ammaro reports on the sudden interest of MPs in ridding Bahrain of anything with the Playboy rabbit on it: “The bunny logo has been spotted everywhere from supermarkets, to perfume and accessories shops, and it renders anyone staring at it for more than 2 seconds to be transformed into an immoral sin-making-machine.”

• Ayesha Saldanha

Palestine

In Gaza reports on the Christmas celebrations - or lack of them - of Gaza's Christians: “Father Manuel’s Christmas Eve service was lethargic. It was a desperate plea from a priest who has seen too many painful Christmases in Gaza and whose congregation has reached their breaking point.”

• Ayesha Saldanha

Martinique

le blog de [moi] notes cat woman Eartha Kitt's passing [Fr]. She died of colon cancer Thursday at the age of 81. “Talented and devilishly sexy, she saw it all.”

• Jennifer Brea

Taiwan: When News is Sold to the Chinese Government

First, let us ignore your assertion that at the time only 1% of young Chinese attended university because its not...

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