December, 2012

Stories from December, 2012

An Open Letter to President Hugo Chavez, from El Salvador

  31 December 2012

From El Salvador, Paolo Lüers, the blogger on Columna transversal, posts an open letter [es] to Venezuelan President, Mr Hugo Chavez, and tells him “something that the few ones who have access to you don't dare to tell you, or aren't interested in telling you”, and ends up his letter...

Japan's Kanji of the Year 2012

  31 December 2012

The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation has announced the kanji of the year 2012 is gold (金) on December 12, 2012. How do netizens conceive this announcement and how do they look back this year?

Costa Rica: Of Mills and a New Year

  31 December 2012

There were days when I felt the mill go slowly, too slowly, desperately slowly. Other days, I felt the mill spinning vertiginously, so I couldn't take a breathe and just wanted to get off the mill and run away. Heidy, from Mi mundo mágico (My magic world) draws a parallel...

“Bogotá's Traffic Jams Are Horrific Now? Well, Just Wait!”

  31 December 2012

Mike's Bogota Blog rants about traffic jams in Colombian capital city, Bogotá, and foresees the situation can only get worse: Congress, in all its wisdom, has included in the tax reform bill which it just passed and Pres. Santos will sign, a cut in gasoline prices. Colombians will cheer and...

Most Read Stories on Global Voices in 2012

  31 December 2012

This year we've seen both successes and setbacks for online social movements, wars, injustice and tragedy - but also countless stories of human bravery and survival to give us high hopes for the future.

“Nobody Gets Mad on the Last Day”

  31 December 2012

Remembering his school days, Tomas Bradanovic [es] writes on his self-named blog “at elementary school, the last day of school year was the occasion for commiting any kind of mischievousness because there was no point for us to be sent to the principal's office”. Then, he reviews his own 2012...

Celebrating 2012 with Global Voices

  31 December 2012

As the year draws to a close, we’d like to express our gratitude for the hard work, creativity and care of so many in the Global Voices community. 2012 has been a year of tremendous growth and success for GV. Here are some highlights.

Bolivia: Nationalization and football

  31 December 2012

From Bolivia, blogger Eduardo Bowles refers to the nationalization of Spanish company Iberdrola [es]: […] amidst a severe credibility crisis and when the bumpings with Chile weren't enough for “beating around the bush”, MAS regime has ordered the nationalization of four branches of Spanish multinational Iberdrola, thus putting an end...

Cambodia: Major Events of 2012

  31 December 2012

Albeiro Rodas reviews the major events and issues in Cambodia in the year 2012. He mentions the passing away of King Norodom Sihanouk as the most important event in Cambodia in the past year.

State of Freedom of Speech in Tunisia in 2012

  31 December 2012

In 2012, the battle for freedom of expression continued in Tunisia. Though the internet remained uncensored, free speech advocates voiced concerns over the use of religion as a pretext to curb free speech. Meanwhile, a legal void has characterized the Tunisian media landscape as the government continues to ignore a new press law that protects journalists and limits government interference in media.

Thailand's ‘Skype Doctors’

  31 December 2012

“Virtual ER”, launched in 2011, serves as a direct means of communication between BNH Hospital's Emergency Room and patients via Skype…Patients or helpers can speak to and see the nurses in the ER from wherever they are with simple tools including internet connection, a computer, a tablet PC or a...

A Memorable 2012 for Myanmar

  31 December 2012

Burma has experienced a lot of political and social turbulence throughout the past year. Like a dilapidated taxi driving in torrential rain, the country is still moving forward but things looks risky. We can only hope that 2013 sees better weather ahead. Writing for The Irrawaddy, Kyaw Zwa Moe reviews...

Sri Lanka's Judiciary-Executive clash

  30 December 2012

Law and Other Things has updates on the proceedings that were initiated in the Sri Lankan Parliament to impeach the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, Dr Shirani Bandaranayake.

Promiscuity: The Image of Brazilian Women Abroad?

  30 December 2012

On a television program in Portugal, the president of the Portuguese Bar Association claimed "one of the things Brazil has most exported is prostitutes, among other things." Online responses have been fierce, and the polemical statement is raising questions about the images and stereotypes of Brazilian women abroad.