Global Voices · Citizen media stories from August 2010

August, 2010

Monthly archive · 175 posts

Stories from August, 2010

17 August 2010

Morocco: The Ramadan Diaries

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

As the month of Ramadan begins, Moroccans share thoughts, reflections...even recipes. Jillian York has the story.

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Jordan: Reema, We Refuse to Let You Die in Vain

Written by Katharine Ganly · Middle East & North Africa

A 35-year old mother of three was shot by her husband during her sleep in Jordan. The reason for this murder? Her husband believes that his wife was a "victim of sorcery" and that she would kill him first. A heartfelt obituary has been written online by her nephew, a blogger, and appeals are being sent so that her death may not be in vain.

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India: Monitoring traffic violations on Facebook

Written by Namita Singh · South Asia

A new initiative by the Delhi Traffic Police is highlighting questions of citizen engagement and government use of social media in India.

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South Korea: Shrewder Commercials As Viewers Get Smarter

Written by Lee Yoo Eun · East Asia

In South Korea, an indirect type of commercial was apppeared in the country's largest network's prime time news. It was a netizen who caught it, proving once again that the internet user groups are not gullible enough to eat up the reality traditional media project.

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Brazil: Indigenous Camp Resists for Eight Months in Brasilia

Written by Manuela Tenreiro · Latin America

Since the beginning of this year, members of different indigenous Brazilian nations have settled a "revolutionary camp" out in front of the Ministry of Justice in Brasília D.F. The indigenous communities demand for the annulment of a decree on matters related to them, which was approved in the end of 2009 without consulting indigenous leaders.

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A Quiet Independence Day for Pakistan

Written by Ammar Faheem · South Asia

Given all the pain and gloom that surrounds the life of an ordinary Pakistani today, it is no surprise that this year's independence day was a quiet affair. Bloggers assert that the nation is still strong enough to bounce back.

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China: Did powdered milk cause infant breast development?

Written by Gabriel Nada · East Asia

Recently across China, more than 20 infant girls have been found to have begun developing breasts in what has been called “mini-puberty”. Reports also indicate that at least 3 infant...

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Panama: The Urban Development Boom

Written by Clotilde Castillo · Latin America

The boom experienced by Panama's recent urban development has been discussed actively by bloggers throughout the years. From the impacts on the environment to Panama's historical heritage, we explore some examples of what the bloggers are sharing.

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16 August 2010

Armenia-Azerbaijan: Dialogue through film

Written by Onnik Krikorian · Central Asia & Caucasus

The free flow of information between Armenia and Azerbaijan since independence is obviously problematic given the still unresolved conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, but can new media move in to fill the gap?

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Malawi: Missing out on online technology for transparency

Written by Victor Kaonga · Sub-Saharan Africa

While more and more Malawians are flocking online to use Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, the country has yet to make progress in using these tools for transparency and accountability.

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Updates from August, 2010

28 August 2010

Thailand

Michael Babcock describes the street ice cream products which are popular in Thailand.

• Mong Palatino

Thailand

Catherine Wentworth discusses the procedure and her experience of learning the Thai language through Skype.

• Mong Palatino

Thailand

Chris Mitchell identifies the health centers in Bangkok, Thailand where residents can get yellow fever vaccination.

• Mong Palatino

Thailand

Sanitsuda Ekachai criticizes the “repressive” policies of Thailand which target migrant workers. Most of Thailand's migrant workers come from the neighbouring country of Myanmar.

• Mong Palatino

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