Global Voices · Citizen media stories from September 2010

September, 2010

Monthly archive · 153 posts

Stories from September, 2010

30 September 2010

Jordanian Bloggers Promote Dialogue With U.S.

Written by Betsy Fisher · Middle East & North Africa, North America

Jordanian bloggers advocate for dialogue and moderation rather than extremism in responding to U.S. misconceptions toward Muslims.

· read »

Brunei's “national twitter account”

Written by Senor Pablo · East Asia

Meet @BruneiTweet, probably Brunei's most famous twitter user who blogs about the lives of ordinary young Bruneians. GV interviewed him about his online projects and other advocacies.

· 1

· read »

29 September 2010

Russia: “Web of Justice”

Written by Yelena Osipova · Eastern & Central Europe

The Russian Internet is presented, especially in some Western media, as being one of the few democratic forums in the country. However, these reports should be taken with a grain of salt, as it is still unclear just how much of Internet freedom the government is willing to tolerate.

· 1

· read »

28 September 2010

Morocco: “Why Belle is a Peace Corps Volunteer”

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

A blog meme is making the rounds amongst female Peace Corps Volunteers in Morocco; though neither of the bloggers who posted the meme disclosed its origins, both women say that they relate to it. The meme in question? "Why Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, is actually a Peace Corps Morocco volunteer."

· read »

Jamaica: Back to Court for Banton

Written by Janine Mendes-Franco · Caribbean

Jamaican bloggers - nay, regional bloggers - have been following dancehall music icon Buju Banton's drug possession court case with great interest. Yesterday, news broke that the jury was evenly divided on what his fate should be. The judge has since declared a mistrial, which means that the singer will head back to court later this year.

· 1

· read »

Egypt: “The Inevitable Mubarak Photoshopping Contest”

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

In its coverage of the 2010 Peace Talks–the latest round of direct negotiations between leaders from Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Egypt, and the US, Al Ahram newspaper used Photoshop skills to place Mubarak at the front and center in the lineup of heads of states. Bloggers take the cue to launch their own Mubarak Photoshopping Contest!

· 3

· read »

Singapore: Minimum Wage Debate

Written by Mong Palatino · East Asia

Should the Singapore government impose a minimum wage policy? Hong Kong’s recent decision to adopt a minimum wage policy has sparked a debate in Singapore as to whether the prosperous city state should also fix the minimum wage of workers.

· read »

South Korea: Broadcasting Power Struggle Bruises Korean Viewers

Written by Lee Yoo Eun · East Asia

When two giants fight, it is usually an innocent bystander who gets most hurt. That is exactly what’s happening in South Korea’s broadcasting field, with Korean viewers being the bystanders. Some of...

· 1

· read »

Music: CD Brings together banned and censored musicians

Written by Juliana Rincón Parra · Middle East & North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa

Listen to the Banned is a music CD bringing together musicians who have been banned, censored or imprisoned due to their music. It features artists from Afghanistan, Cote D’Ivoire, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan, Turkey, Uighurstan and Zimbabwe.

· read »

27 September 2010

Ecuador: Former Football Referee Caught Smuggling Heroin to United States

Written by Milton Ramirez · North America, Latin America

Ecuadorians are devastated and surprised by news about one of their citizens: this past week, football referee Byron Moreno Ruales was caught trying to smuggle 6 kilos of heroin strapped to his body through the JFK international airport in New York City.

· read »

Updates from September, 2010

30 September 2010

Nepal

Today Nepal failed its ninth bid to elect a new prime minister. Anup Kaphle, for the Pulitzer Center on crisis reporting, notes the consequences of this political gridlock.

• Rezwan

Pakistan

Kalsoom at Chowrangi is furious after reading the rumors in the Pakistani and international media that the Pakistan army is considering options for an indirect intervention in Pakistan’s political sphere. “I think we need to stop feeding the rumor mill,” the blogger writes.

• Rezwan

Nigeria

This Bitch of a Life Tour in Nigeria: ““Fela: This Bitch of a Life” is a moving account of Fela, told from the inside. During his stay in Nigeria, Carlos will read from the book, discuss Fela and his times with Very Special Guests…”

• Ndesanjo Macha

Cameroon

Victim's tale of rape in Cameroon: “First, she was told by her husband that no one would ever believe her. Much as it had petrified the 15 year old then when he had first said it after mounting off her and zipping his pants with a smirk on his face…”

• Ndesanjo Macha

Trinidad & Tobago

Continuing his examination of the terms of the CLICO bailout, Afra Raymond asks the $57,000 question: “‘If the CL Financial group is insolvent, then how are we paying for all this?’”

• Janine Mendes-Franco

India

Raja Basu at Potpourri gives logic why the question of a plebiscite should not arise for deciding the fate of Kashmir.

• Rezwan

Nigeria

Nigerian blogger Adeola Aderounmu says the country’s democracy is in a shambles and the N17bn for the independence celebrations is money ill-spent.

• Ndesanjo Macha

Cuba

In the wake of massive public sector layoffs, how exactly are the rules for proposed self-employment going to work? Generation Y says: “Like a repertoire of destitution and dependency, this enumeration of private work seems more in tune with a feudal village than a 21st century country”, while El Yuma is “hovering somewhere between hopeful and doubtful.”

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Jamaica

“Well, the trials and tribulations of Buju Banton have abruptly been ejected from the Jamaican imagination by a raging storm which brazenly breezed its way across the island when no one was looking”: Tropical Storm Nicole takes Active Voice by surprise.

• Janine Mendes-Franco

Grenada

Blah Bloh Blog is ready for this year's Blog Action Day, saying: “The theme this year is WATER. Access to clean water is not just a human rights issue. It’s an environmental issue. An animal welfare issue. A sustainability issue.”

• Janine Mendes-Franco