Stories about Feature from January, 2010
Global Voices in Haiti: Talking to Volunteer Régine Zamor
Alice Backer, on assignment for Global Voices in Port-au-Prince, interviews Régine Zamor, a Haitian-American who travelled to Haiti after the 12 January earthquake and has helped dozens of people as an independent volunteer. "Many Haitians and others willing to help took matters into their own hands during the first-response period."
Global Voices in Haiti: On Reconstruction
With scattered clean-up efforts under way in Haiti, debates have begun about how best to rebuild houses and other structures destroyed in the 12 January earthquake. Georgia Popplewell reports from Port-au-Prince on "the critical matter of shelter for those who have lost their homes".
Haiti: Wired Money May Help Rebuild Before Aid
With phone lines being restored in Haiti, money sent from families abroad “by wire” is again arriving, and helping reconstruction even where international aid has not arrived. Remittances from family members living abroad represented at least thirty percent of Haiti's Gross National Product before the January 12 earthquake.
Iran: Green Tune to Support Protest Movement
A ring tone for a song which motivated young Iranians to go to the front and fight during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s is making the rounds again in solidarity with the opposition. Hamid Tehrani reviews the reactions of bloggers to the 'Ey Iran' song.
Haiti: The Politics of Recovery
The last thing that Haiti needs as it faces the monumental task of recovering from the earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and its environs on January 12 is a lack of good governance. Yet, some members of the Haitian blogosphere are bracing themselves for more of the same when it comes to the 2010 earthquake recovery effort.
China: Threatened by American Internet censorship
Reactions from Chinese programmers to SourceForge.net's decision to follow American law and block users from several countries include suggestions for how to work around American censorship of the global Internet.
Haiti: Security vs. Relief?
More than two weeks after the 12 January earthquake in Haiti, and despite an international outpouring of aid, thousands of affected Haitians in and around Port-au-Prince have received little or no relief assistance. Some Haitians and others on the ground suggest that exaggerated concerns about security and violence may be hindering relief efforts.
Russia: Prosecution Against Opposition Blogger Stopped
The first criminal case against a blogger in Russia with a happy ending unfolded over a long period of time. After two years of investigation and three socio-linguistic assessments, experts didn't find any evidence of "incitement hatred against police and Russian Security Service officers." But the blogger's victory, however, is rather an exception than a rule.
Peru: Heavy Rains and Mudslides in Cusco
Heavy rains and flooding have been affecting the region of Cusco, Peru, leaving thousands of local residents affected. The tragedy has left unanswered questions about the region's preparedness for these types of natural disasters.
Global Voices Online Nominated for Game Changer Award
Global Voices Online was recently nominated as a Community Choice Finalist for the 2010 We Media Game Changer Award. Please consider voting for GVO, as winners will be selected through an online vote.
College Students Protest on Japanese Employment @ TOKYO
Spurred by a protest late last year by a small number of college students in Hokkaido Prefecture, a number of students in Tokyo organized for a demonstration protesting against Japan's employment system. Coming together under the name “College Graduates Protest on Japanese Employment @ TOKYO” (就活くたばれデモ＠TOKYO [ja]) , the organization...
Philippines: “Renewable Marriage Bill”
A partylist group in the Philippines wants to introduce a law that would put a ten-year expiration date on marriage contracts. As expected this unique proposal generated an intense reaction in the blogosphere.
Ethiopia: Bloggers defend Ethiopian Airlines after crash
Ethiopia-based bloggers rushed to defend the safety record of the country's national airline on Monday after one of its planes crashed near Beirut, with all 90 people on board feared dead.
Lebanon: 90 Presumed Dead After Ethiopian Airlines Jet Plunges into Sea
Condolences poured in on Twitter after an Ethiopian Airlines jet plunged into the Mediterranean minutes after its take off from Beirut, Lebanon. All 90 people on board are presumed dead after the plane caught fire during a lightning storm and crashed into the sea.
Timor Police Brutality Video
Police brutality in Timor-Leste is not new, but getting it on video is. This is something of a “Rodney King” moment for Timor-Leste and its police service.
Russian Blogger Harassed For Marrying Chinese
Maria Gromakova became a victim of comprehensive virtual attacks of Russian extreme nationalists. Online harassment eventually turned into a real-life nightmare forcing Maria and her family to leave Russia. She tells her story to GVO.
Haiti: Teens’ perspectives on the earthquake
Although the coverage of the aftermath of the 7.3 earthquake which has left Haiti's capital partly devastated, has been massive, one group of Haitian bloggers has been overlooked - teenagers. Here is a look at what young people have to say about this catastrophe, which foreshadows a new era in their lives.
Haiti: “1+1=3”
More than ten days after the 12 January earthquake in Haiti, with large-scale relief efforts underway, Haitian bloggers and Twitter users wonder what the future holds in store, and how reconstruction efforts will be managed. Others seem concerned that media reports don't always add up with what they observe on the ground.
China：Google's announcement to clarify rumors brings in more speculations
The latest announcement by Google.cn is that all the rumors about their quit is just rumors. However, more speculations came in, questioning whether Google's move is to cover up its business failure, or to serve for a political purpose
Haiti: “We’re all eight days old”
Bloggers and Twitter users on the ground in Haiti continue to provide news on efforts to recover from the disastrous earthquake of 12 January, and comment on "aid politics" — who gets helped by whom.
Egypt: Detained Bloggers Tell their Tales
More than 20 Egyptian bloggers, who were on their way to pay their respects to the families of the victims of the Coptic massacre, were arrested when their train arrived in the village of Naga Hammady in Upper Egypt. They were released shortly afterwards and they are now telling us their side of the story.
