Stories from 8 June 2011
Trinidad & Tobago: There's an App for that!
Mod Blog 101 says that it's “exciting times for Trinidadian iOS users” as “mNAV…the people who brought to Trinidad the Official Maps for Garmin and other GPS devices…are working with NavFone to create an app for us to have maps on our iPhones.”
Peru: Congress Approves 10 Year Moratorium for Genetically Modified Seeds
Global Voices author and translator Isabel Guerra, who recently wrote about the debate regarding genetically modified farming in Peru, reports [es] that the Peruvian congress has approved a 10 year moratorium for genetically modified seeds.
Trinidad & Tobago: Taking Action vs. CL Financial
While Plain Talk applauds the action being taken against CL Financial directors “in the mismanagement of assets that led to the biggest bail out in this nation's history” he issues this caveat: “I hope that this is not just a show. If the purpose of this is not to recover...
Bermuda: The Issue of Independence
“Whenever a politician raises the notion of national independence for Bermuda there is a predictable flow of negative commentary”: Respice Finem suggests that it may be time for “an honest examination of our future constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom.”
Haiti: Rains Continue
Rains continue to take a heavy toll on Haiti; bloggers share their experiences.
Jamaica: Garvey's Reach
“Garvey's ideas, whether accepted or rejected, have played an important role in shaping our modern world”: Geoffrey Philp blogs about Marcus Garvey's influence.
Brazil: Jokes About Rape and the Limit of Humor
Rafinha Bastos, a famous Brazilian stand-up comedian, has raised significant controversy by declaring in a show that women who claim they have been raped are often ugly and should be thankful. The blogosphere has been discussing the limits of humor and political incorrectness.
Mexico: Journalists’ Deaths Go Unpunished
In Mexico Unmasked, Tim Johnson says that the 66 journalists killed in 5 years in Mexico “is an abysmal record and reflects on the weakness of Mexico’s state that the killers of unarmed journalists are rarely captured and punished.”
El Salvador: The Impact of Dollarization, 10 Years Later
Voices from El Salvador's Weblog analyzes the impact of dollarization in El Salvador, arguing that “dollarization does not seem to have improved economic development.”
Guatemala: Social Networks and Political Platforms
Blogger Sakis [es] looks at the use of social networks as politicians prepare for September's legislative and presidential elections. He suggests politicians should use social networks as a platform to actually communicate with the people, not just a place to share links.
Russia: Microsoft Representative ‘Would Be Glad’ To Provide FSB with Skype Source Code
Nikolay Pryanishnikov, president of “Microsoft-Russia,” said ‘he would be glad’ to provide Federal Security Service (FSB) with the source code of Skype, after the corporation finalizes the deal. Some media outlets first misinterpreted [ru] his statement, but later Microsoft had officially explained [ru]: “Within many years Microsoft had provided FSB...
Taiwan: Kidnapped Fisherman Killed by U.S. Navy
Coolloud reports the protest in front of American Institute against U.S. Government by the Association of Labor and Human Right of Fishermen in Taiwan. On 5/10, the kidnapped ship master, Wu Lai-yu(吳來于), was murdered during an anti-pirate mission conducted by U.S. Navy near Somalia coast, whose body was buried at sea...
Macedonia: More Anti-Police Brutality Rallies Planned
Elizabeth Flock of The Washington Post's BlogPost and Cory Doctorow of Boing Boing write about the protests against police brutality in Skopje; more reactions to the disturbing situation are at Reddit.com; GV posts are here, here, and here. In Skopje, protesters are planning to resume the rally at 6 p.m....
Brazil: Firefighters from Rio on Strike for Wages
On June 3, a clash between the Brazilian Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) and firefighters from Rio de Janeiro who were demonstrating against the lowest wages for their class in the country – R$ 950 (approximately $600 USD) – took hundreds to the prison. On Youtube, several videos by guardavidarj...
Azerbaijan: Conditional Freedom
On his new blog, Freedom in Azerbaijan, Emin Milli writes about the restrictions on his freedom since being released from prison. In particular, the dissident blogger and former prisoner of conscience says that he is unable to leave the country until the end of his parole, but that it “will...
China: Panda Diplomacy
Olivia from China Hush translated a local news story from Netease on the fate of giant panda under the Panda diplomacy in China.
China: How To Investigate A Chinese Company
Dan from China Law Blog gives some suggestions to foreign investors on how to investigate a Chinese company before agreeing on a joint venture.
South Korea: Protests Against High Tuition Intensify
Thousand of students and activists took to streets to demand lower tuition fee. The protests, which started as small-scale conflicts in Seoul's several universities, have spread to other major cities and continued for over a week now. South Korea's citizen/blogger news Wiki Tree consolidated [ko] Twit pictures of the protest.