Stories about Portuguese from May, 2009
East Timor: Thoughts on Abortion A Few Days Before Law Approval
A heated debate about the provisions of a new draft penal code pertaining to abortion is taking place right now in East Timor. If the law is passed, abortion will become a crime and those who perform it will be punished with 2 to 8 years imprisonment, even in cases of incest or rape. The blogosphere reacts, Timorese women raising their voices and questioning why the more pressing issue of underage prostitution is not being debated instead.
Mozambique: House of the Flying Azagaias
In Mozambique, rapper Azagaia has continued to fascinate and infuriate bloggers. His critics claim his political lyrics amount to demagoguery. Others defend his music, to which many Mozambicans happily provide the chorus, and say his critics speak in exclusive, academic terms.
Brazil: Petroleum, elections and poverty matters
Discussions of an investigation into the nation's biggest state-owned company and its possible political motivation fill the Brazilian blogosphere. This debate takes place in a Brazilian society which sees 'black gold' as a solution to the country's economic and energy problems.
Brazil: Fighting against cyber surveillance
Brazilian cyberactivists are again taking action against online surveillance in defence of the netcitizen rights. The Mega Não! protest has been triggered by the controversial digital crimes bill which aims to control cybercrime, raising serious issues on digital rights management and the free use of digital devices. There will be...
Angola: “Every city has its history, and ours is no different”
In a time when Luanda's landscape is suffering big changes, citizens have come together to protect the city’s architectural heritage. In this post we explore bloggers' discussion of the need to save what is left of Luanda.
Brazil: When climate change meets cyber-activism
In another display of global climate change, Brazil has suffered an inversion of its usual weather for this time of the year. The traditionally dry North and Northeast regions of Brazil have been devastated by floods, whilst the usually wet south of the country is suffering a severe drought. People have gathered together in online social networks to cover the news and create an alliance to aid the populations hit by yet another natural disaster. It is cyber-activism at full speed.
East Timor: From sighs to steps forward with the use of the Internet
Being willing to listen what bloggers are talking about, Global Voices faces big challenges to cover the blogospheres of regions where people are not using citizen media. That is the case of East Timor, where there are many Internet connectivity problems which make blogging very difficult. But what are the challenges that bloggers from East Timor face when uploading content to the Internet? And what are the projects, nonetheless, arising in the Timorese blogosphere?
Japan: For the Price of a Plane Ticket…?
Recently, an initiative by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare offering to cover the travel expenses for unemployed nikkei nationals who wish to return to their home countries has been causing a stir.
Brazil: The Character Assassination of a Presidential Candidate
It seems that Brazilian mainstream media have set aside good journalistic standards when it comes to news stories about President Lula's preferred presidential candidate, Dilma Roussef. This has not been missed by Brazilian bloggers, who have dissected a series of false media reports, including the unabashed publication of a fake police file that has been circulating on the internet for more than a year.
Brazil: Remembering Ayrton Senna, the unbeatable F1 champion
The country pays tribute to the three-time Formula One world champion whose tragic death, aged just 34-years-old at the beginning of a successful career, shocked the world on May 1st 1994. 15 years on, Brazilian bloggers share photos, videos, memories and tears.
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