Global Voices · Citizen media stories from August 2010

August, 2010

Monthly archive · 175 posts

Stories from August, 2010

8 August 2010

Egypt: Obssessed with Celebrities' Religion

Written by Tarek Amr · Middle East & North Africa

In Egypt, some people decide to like or hate celebrities based on their religion. Lebanese actress Nour, Egyptian actress Basma, radio host Osama Mounir, and many others have all been subjected to this scrutiny. Why are people so obsessed with the beliefs of celebrities?

· 11

· read »

7 August 2010

Pakistan: Call It Pornistan?

Written by Sana Saleem · South Asia

Last month, Fox News published a report claiming that Pakistan ranks first in porn web searches according to Google index. Pakistani Bloggers analyze the report and raise some valid points with respect to the ongoing Internet censorship issues in the country.

· 6

· read »

Voices of Young African Leaders Heard at Obama's Forum

Written by Lova Rakotomalala · Sub-Saharan Africa

The President's Forum with Young African Leaders took place in Washington, DC from August 3-5 2010. Delegates from Sub Saharan Africa were invited to exchange ideas on development in their countries as many were celebrating their 50 years of independence.

· 2

· read »

Armenia-Azerbaijan: Overcoming negative stereotypes in the South Caucasus

Written by Onnik Krikorian · Central Asia & Caucasus

This guest post for the World Bank's World Development Report 2011 is the first in a series on "New Media and Conflict" which explores the affect of new communication technologies on issues of conflict and development.

· 1

· read »

6 August 2010

Peru: Markarián Hired to Lead National Football Team

Written by Gabriela García Calderón · Latin America

The Peruvian Football Federation recently hired Uruguayan coach Sergio Markarián to lead the national team towards the goal of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup. Markarían's nickname is the "Magician" and many think that it will take magic to turn the team's fortunes around.

· read »

Hungary: A Controversial Interview With Former Communist Leader

Written by Marietta Le · Eastern & Central Europe

Marietta Le follows the public discussion of Hungary's pre-1989 past, inspired by a documentary about Béla Biszku, who served as the country's Interior Minister from 1957 to 1961 and was in charge of the retributions against those who participated in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

· read »

Updates from August, 2010

25 August 2010

Uruguay

Ana Rita Franco writes [es] in her blog about The Night of Nostalgia (in Spanish, La Noche de la Nostalgia), a night when Uruguayans dance to old songs and remember things that make them feel nostalgic. Ana lists some of these things.

• Silvia Viñas

Japan

In the looop recommends [ja/en] 19 websites that provide copyrights-free photos.

• Scilla Alecci

24 August 2010

Chile

Today, the Regional Environmental Commission of Coquimbo (in Spanish, Comisión Regional del Medio Ambiente de Coquimbo) approved a project to build a thermoelectric power plant in Marine reserve Punta de Choros. Pablo Astudillo writes in his blog, Astu's Science Blog, about the project and its environmental implications; he also posts a video (with English subtitles) created by a citizen campaign [es] to raise awareness on the issue. Blogs de la República [es] and La Libélula [es] quote President Sebastián Piñera's promise to, “oppose all thermoelectric plants that seriously undermine nature, communities and quality of life.”

• Silvia Viñas

Pakistan

Wajahat Ali at GoatMilk started a debate whether “Muslim women should be able to marry non-Muslim men” and the post drew a lot of comments.

• Rezwan

India

Reacting on the recent increase in salary of the lawmakers in India, Being Cynical at Desicritics debates whether or not politicians deserve pay hikes.

• Rezwan

Puerto Rico (U.S.)

“Legalization has not been enough for poor women who, despite the formal right they have, don't have the means or the access to the clinics to carry out procedures in a safe and risk-free way,” writes [es] Érika Fontánez, as she comments on a recent screening of a documentary about abortion in Puerto Rico called, “La legalidad no es suficiente” (Legalization is Not Enough).

• Silvia Viñas

India

Maddy writes about the Onathallu or Kayyankali festival which is celebrated by the Nairs of Pallassana Desham in the Chittur Thaluk in Palakkad district, in the southernmost state of Kerala, India.

• Rezwan