Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2009 May 04

4 May 2009

Daily archive · 7 posts

Stories from 4 May 2009

Nepal: Prime Minister Prachanda resigns

Today (Monday, May 4, 2009) afternoon at 3 PM local time, Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) announced his resignation through a press conference, pushing the already troubled country further into crises. His resignation comes after President Ram Baran Yadav reinstated the sacked army chief Rookmangud Katwal.

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DR Congo: Baby Gorilla Rescued in Trafficking Bust

Written by Samuel Maina · Sub-Saharan Africa

On Sunday, 26 April 2009, ICCN Rangers, led by the Virunga National Park Director - a former WildlifeDirect CEO - Emmanuel de Merode arrested a suspected gorilla trafficker and recovered...

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Southeast Asia: Reactions to the H1N1 virus

Written by Mong Palatino · East Asia

Early this year, I wrote about the virus scare which swept the Southeast Asian region. Rising cases of dengue fever, chikungunya, bird flu and ebola viruses were registered in many countries in the region. There is another threat in the region: H1N1 virus (formerly known as “swine flu”)

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Caribbean: On Press Freedom

Written by Janine Mendes-Franco · Caribbean, Latin America

Yesterday - May 3 - was World Press Freedom Day - declared by the United Nations General Assembly in order to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press. Many Caribbean bloggers noted the significance of the occasion in their posts...

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Americas: Region Responds to the H1N1 Virus

Written by Eduardo Avila · Latin America

Even though the epicenter of the H1N1 virus outbreak has been in Mexico, other countries in the region are finding ways to prevent and combat it. Bloggers have been keen on taking a close look at what their governments are doing to alleviate fears, or whether they are responsible for adding to the panic by some. Others Latin American bloggers are observing the behavior of their fellow citizens, often using humor to cut through some of the tension.

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Costa Rica: Band Releases Citizen Collaboration Video

Written by Juliana Rincón Parra · Latin America

Costa Rican band Malpais has released the video for their first single of their latest CD. What makes the video of The Butterfly Effect different is that it includes video clips that were sent in by their fans and uploaded on their website. This new video, part of the Un Dia Lejano (A Day Far Away) album was released online.

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Fiji: Pacific Islands Forum membership had its privileges

Written by Michael Hartsell · Oceania

Since Fiji's government refused to schedule elections, the country has been suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum. Fiji’s suspension marks the first time in its nearly four-decade history the Pacific Islands Forum has taken this step against a country.

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Updates from 4 May 2009

India

Argumentation Crisis and other Short Stories lists some steps to improve the quality of life in typical Indian cities.

• Rezwan

Bangladesh

Mohammad Farhan Husain, at Had I been in Voyager 1!!! blog is excited that Bangladesh is closing on a deal with Russia to build its first nuclear power plant. He comments: “If this deal goes through, it will put an end to the agony (power crisis) people of Bangladesh are going through for decades.”

• Rezwan

Nepal

Democracy For Nepal (DFN) comments: “It is now time to form a new government that would include all parties except the Maoists. Jhala Nath Khanal would be the right person to lead that government.”

• Rezwan

Guadeloupe

In a photo-post, Guadeloupean Chien créole [Fr] blogs about the first massive demonstrations since the end of the recent social turmoil in the French West Indies: May Day celebration in Petit-Canal; meanwhile, Shakazulu [Guadeloupean Creole] reports on the number of demonstrators.

• Fabienne Flessel

Mayotte

Guadeloupean Mycho blogs [Fr] about her doubts concerning the “Estates General of the French Overseas Departments” to re-think the status of its distant departments, while bloggers Anba pyé mango-la and indiscrétions [Fr] also report on developments.

• Fabienne Flessel

Kenya

Kenyan blogger uses Twibes to aggregate African conversations on Twitter: “i have decided to use Twibes(a twitter based website)to aggregate african user tweets and followers.I have formed the Afritwits group at Twibes . The idea is to come up with an afrocentric twitter group where the latest twit on Africa can be accesed.

• Ndesanjo Macha

Kenya

What is the secret cyberlaw that was passed by the Kenyan parliament?: As unfortunate as it would be, the great story of a new beginning for the ICT sector went largely unnoticed. The new law curiously carries a section or two that traditional Kenyan media did not like. Members of the fourth estate had started waging war against the new act as early as 2007 before it was tabled to parliament. So distructive was the media's campaign against the law it is still unfortunately referred to as the ‘media bill'.

• Ndesanjo Macha

Kenya

A review of a book on corruption in Kenya, “It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistleblower”: I approached the book with a defensive scepticism, antennae up, mind braced, expecting a predictable caricature of an African nation in broad strokes of pitch black and sparkling white. She makes no sweeping indictments in the tradition of Kapuscinski and Naipaul before her.

• Ndesanjo Macha

Sri Lanka

Indi.ca asks a burning question: “War is dirty and war is death. Sri Lanka has chosen war and it’s too late to turn back. It’s a terrible question, but you have to ask yourself, how many would you support killing to end this war?”

• Rezwan