Global Voices · Citizen media stories from August 2010

August, 2010

Monthly archive · 175 posts

Stories from August, 2010

19 August 2010

France: Racism and Politics

Written by Abdoulaye Bah · Translated by Lova Rakotomalala · Eastern & Central Europe, Western Europe

Following a speech from French president Sarkozy that France ought to consider stripping delinquents of their citizenship and the planned expulsion of groups of Roma people back to Rumania and Bulgaria, the UN Comittee on the Elimination of Racial dDiscrimination (CERD) denounced a "recrudescence of racism and xenophobia" in France. Bloggers weigh in on the tense social scene in France.

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18 August 2010

Morocco: Fasting Versus Individual Liberties

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

For most Muslims, the holy month of Ramadan is a time of peace, of reflection, of family and faith. But for those who have given up on religion, Ramadan can be a difficult time, especially when you live in Morocco, where fasting is obligatory.

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Russia: Anglophone Bloggers Discuss Social and Political Aspects of the Wildfires

Written by Veronica Khokhlova · Eastern & Central Europe

Anglophone Russia bloggers have been discussing social and political aspects of the catastrophic wildfires and the ongoing firefighting efforts in central Russia since early August. Here is a selection of their views.

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U.S.A.: Russophone Students Blog About Work and Travel Program

Written by Maryna Reshetnyak · Eastern & Central Europe, North America

Every summer thousands of college students from Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet countries come to the United States to take part in the Work and Travel USA program. Many blog about their experiences and impressions.

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Paraguay: Soaring Soybean Production Prompts Clashes

Written by Juhie Bhatia · Latin America

As the global demand for soy rises, Paraguay has become the world's fastest-growing producer of the crop. But with resulting riches have also come battles over land rights and environmental concerns.

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Zambia: Citizens react to Chiluba's court clearance

Written by Gershom Ndhlovu · Sub-Saharan Africa

Zambian President Dr. Frederick Chiluba and seven others were found guilty of stealing US$46 million public funds by Zambian High Court judge Evans Hamaundu. As expected, the court's decision last week has attracted debate in the Zambian blogosphere.

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Updates from August, 2010

28 August 2010

Thailand

Aside from commenting on the unique attitude of many Thais on animals and insects, BigBabyKenny also posts pictures of a cockfight event.

• Mong Palatino

Togo

Reporters sans frontières deplores that two weeks after being harassed and threatened by a French Lieutenant-Colonel Romuald Letondot, journalist Didier Ledoux of Liberté Hebdo was brutalized again [fr], by Togolese officers this time because he allegedly took photos of one of them. Liberté Hebdo was also fined 90,000 Euros [fr] because it published report suggesting that the president brother-in-law was involved in drug trafficking.

• Lova Rakotomalala

Madagascar

Tomavana posts on twitter [fr] a report that Radio Soatalily in the town of Toliary (South East of Madagascar) was sacked by 30 members [fr] of the opposition after their meeting was dismantled by police forces. The government also launched “Operation Strike” to curb down banditry and increasing criminality [fr] on the island.

• Lova Rakotomalala

27 August 2010

Ecuador

“It is really a pity […] We are not only losing a critical voice on TV, the citizenry is losing another space in that ‘fight' between the top and bottom.” This is how blog La Hueca [es] reacted to the news of journalist Jorge Ortiz leaving television channel Teleamazonas.

• Silvia Viñas

Japan

Steven Sande at TUAW reports [en] on the reasons that induced the Japan Sumo Association to distribute iPads to the “big-fingered sumo-wrestlers”. He says the aim is to make the internal communication process smoother after the scandals that hit the association [en] recently.

• Scilla Alecci

Israel

Every week the Em angola blog posts some figures about the country. This week, on war and violence, Gabriel Toueg makes a comparison between Angola, Brazil and Israel, concerning both legal and illegal armament.

• Sara Moreira

Ghana

Photos of recycled Bolga baskets from Ghana: “But this is not crappy marketing, this is just being honest. These baskets go quickly. So quickly that the photos to show from last week’s delivery are redundant because the damned things sold out already.”

• Ndesanjo Macha