Stories from 5 July 2010
Uruguay: World Cup in the 21st Century
Gabriel Budiño [es] analyzes how new technologies like Twitter and Facebook have affected the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He cites the use of Twitter by Uruguayan football player Diego Forlán and the quick creation of a Facebook group [es] about the handball by player Luis Suarez against Ghana.
Colombia: 200 Years of Independence
The blog Realidades Colombianas [es] writes about the bicentennial of the independence of Colombia, thanking those who sacrificed their lives for the “new generations, meaning us.”
Costa Rica: Congress Approves US Military Presence to Battle Drug Trafficking
Under the premise of counteracting drug trafficking, the Costa Rican government has endorsed the arrival of a North American fleet to its shores. Costa Ricans turned to blogging and social networks to express their opinions on the matter; for now, most users seem to reject the measure, but those that are in favor of it are also making sure their voice is heard.
Iraq: Caring for a Sick Grandmother
Iraqi blogger Sunshine is now in Baghdad, caring for her sick grandmother.
UAE: The end of Emirates Business 24×7
Dubai-based Alexander McNabb, from Fake Plastic Souks, writes about the end of a newspaper – Emirates Business 24×7 – “the newspaper that managed to be as unwieldy and unattractive as its name.”
Iraq: Fixing What the Occupation has Destroyed will take Decades
Iraqi blogger Faiza Al Arji is back in Iraq, working with an NGO serving women. She writes: “Iraq now is a postwar society,and it needs huge efforts to fix everything. the occupation forces will pull out soon, and will leave Iraq in the middle of darkness and loss.we need decades...
Palestine: Surviving with Portable Generators in Gaza
The only power plant in Gaza shut down temporarily on June 25 due to a payment dispute between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. During power cuts of 12 or more hours a day, the residents of Gaza now depend even more on portable diesel generators that carry a significant health and safety risk.
Arab World: Remembering Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah
Lebanon's Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah, a leading Shiite figure, has died at the age of 75 yesterday. The religious leader, with a huge following, was remembered by bloggers from across the region.
Kuwait: All About Mohammed Aljasem's Case
Kuwaiti journalist and blogger Mohammed Aljasem was released on bail after spending 48 days behind bars for allegedly defaming Kuwaiti Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammed Al Sabah. Supporters have set up this blog, in Arabic and English, to update readers on the case.
Egypt: On Khaled Said's Murder
Egyptian blogger Mostapha shares his thoughts on the murder of Khaled Said, allegedly at the hands of two secret service policemen.
Palestine: Living on the Wrong Side of the Wall
On Mideast Youth, Lamiaa shares this poem and several photographs of the “apartheid” wall fencing the Palestinian territories.
Syria: All About the Lebanese
Syrian Maysaloon has a lot to say about the Lebanese in this post.
Lebanon: Najwa Karam's New Video Clip
Hanitizer at Arab-American group blog KABOBfest remarks on a new video clip by Lebanese signer Najwa Karam, which was produced with help from the Lebanese Army.
Palestine/Israel: Imagine 2018
Imagine 2018 “is a multiplatform campaign that depicts visions by Israelis and Palestinians of 2018 if a peace agreement is signed versus maintaining the status quo or worse,” launched by OneVoice Movement.
Macedonia, Belgium: Endangered Democracy
Macedonia in EU blog commented [MKD] on the article by Brussels-based journalist Tanja Milevska published in the Belgian [FRA] and Macedonian [MKD] press, advocating that with Belgian Presidency, the European Union must take active steps – primarily providing a date for the start of the EU membership negotiations – to...
Russia: Pros and cons of motorist democracy
LJ user salut_doc discusses [RUS] the pros and cons of Russian car owners as a political factor for middle-class driven democratization.
Nepal: Bleak Picture of Nepalese Economy
A libertarian in Nepal is irked by the recently reported bleak picture of Nepalese economy.
Global Voices Announces Investment from Omidyar Network
I'm thrilled to announce that the Omidyar Network has made a $1.2 million investment in Global Voices's work. Omidyar is a philanthropic foundation created by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam to improve people's lives through “harnessing the power of markets”. Omidyar has supported some of the organizations...
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Facebook war
Despite the potential for new and social media to bridge the information gap between Armenia and Azerbaijan, two countries locked into a bitter dispute over the territory of Nagorno Karbakakh, The Armenian Observer highlights yet another example of the arguably greater activity present in the use or manipulation of such...
Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan enter customs union
GUS-News reports [GER] that the presidents of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan today finally signed a long-awaited customs agreement.
Africa: Children Playing with Makeshift Football
Ariniaina shares photos of children playing with a makeshift soccer ball in Antananarivo. The scene is reminiscent of the remarkable photo essay by Julius Mwelu at the road-to-2010 blog about “the ingenuity of children to keep the joy of soccer alive”. [Additional photos at africamediaonline]
