Global Voices · Citizen media stories from 2010 September 10

10 September 2010

Daily archive · 4 posts

Stories from 10 September 2010

Russia: Wheat Export Ban Triggers Worldwide Panic

Written by Juhie Bhatia · Eastern & Central Europe

A new Russian ban on grain exports, including wheat, has created a panic over how the move will impact wheat prices and food security. Russia is among the world's top five wheat exporters, but crops were devastated this summer as the country was hit with a record-breaking heatwave, severe droughts and wildfires.

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South Korea: Daughter's Hire Sparks Public Outrage

Written by Lee Yoo Eun · East Asia

It is disturbing but universal fact of life. People from the priviledged class get a fancy job easily. In South Korea, a recent hiring of the Foreign Minister’s daughter into the ministry has made front pages for several consecutive days, promting public anger.

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Asia: Videos on Drug Abuse and Detention Centers

Written by Juliana Rincón Parra · East Asia

Drug abuse detention centers in Asia are in the spotlight. Although some Asian drug addicts go in voluntarily to kick their habit, in some places, this has led to routine human rights abuses where people off the street are locked up with no choice, tortured, raped, forced to work for free and denied basic comforts.

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Ecuador: Citizens Attempt to Remove President Rafael Correa from Office

Written by Paulina Aguilera · Translated by Silvia Viñas · Latin America

Through the web, using YouTube and his blog, journalist Carlos Vera has spread his plan to constitutionally remove President Rafael Correa from office. Other bloggers have also given their opinion on the proposal, which now also includes the removal of some local authorities.

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Updates from 10 September 2010

Angola

Angolan journalist Alberto Chakussanga was killed on September 5, at his house. The motive behind the killing is not clear. Some bloggers suggest [pt] that there are connections with politics, as Chakussanga hosted a radio programme critical of the Government. Committee to Protect Journalists and French NGO Reporters Sans Frontiers condemn the crime.

• Sara Moreira

Mexico

Gancho reacts to the news of the recent murder of the mayor of El Naranjo, “a small town in San Luis Potosí.” He wonders: “though it lies just of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León, San Luis is not a state known for a whole lot of drug violence. Could it be that the Zeta-Gulf wars are spreading?”

• Silvia Viñas

El Salvador

Tim, from Tim's El Savador Blog, writes: “In contrast to the news of gang threats and the reduction of bus service, the Festival of the Lanterns shone in the night streets of Ahuachapan.”

• Silvia Viñas

Venezuela

In Venezuela News and Views, Daniel Duquenal shares his opinion about the recent statements by Finance Minister Jorge Giordani, who said they hope to keep inflation low and see economic growth this year. Daniel says, “The fact of the matter is that for people like me, at ground zero, there is no evidence, no element whatsoever that may indicate that things might start moving again”

• Silvia Viñas

Ghana

A photo of a cassava peeler and her child in Ghana from Ghanaian blogger and photographer Nana Acquah.

• Ndesanjo Macha

Kenya

PayPal users in Kenya can now receive money,Nigerian blogger Oluniyi Ajao reports: “The big P of e-commerce, now offers more service to residents of Kenya. Paypal users in Kenya can now receive money via PayPal, and withdraw same to a US bank account if they have one.

• Ndesanjo Macha

D.R. of Congo

Jason wonders why UN peacekeepers are so bad at protecting civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo: “There had been an uproar about MONUSCO’s lack of response to the rapes – the peacekeepers had a base 30km away – so the Secretary General had sent his assistant in charge of peacekeeping to investigate.”

• Ndesanjo Macha

Zimbabwe

After 30 years in power, now it is time for Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to go: “The Union for Sustainable Democracy suggests that even if Robert Mugabe is in good health, its about time he stepped down.”

• Ndesanjo Macha

D.R. of Congo

Please, do not invited the President of D.R. of Congo to a large diplomatic gathering: “President Joseph Kabila is well known for his dislike of attending large diplomatic gatherings. He did not attend the AU summit in Kampala or the France-Africa summit in Nice, both held this summer. He also did not attend the inauguration ceremony of his Burundian counterpart Pierre Nkurunziza a few weeks ago.”

• Ndesanjo Macha

Ghana

Ma-Jordan's photo of the week is Andikra cloth symbols: “Adinkra are visual symbols, originally created by the Akan of Ghana and the Gyaman of Cote d'Ivoire in West Africa, that represent concepts or aphorisms.”

• Ndesanjo Macha