Stories about Feature from July, 2011
Poland: Smolensk Report Blames Both Polish and Russian Sides
On July 29, Poland presented its final report on the 2010 Smolensk plane crash, in which 96 people died, including the then president of Poland Lech Kaczynski. While putting the major blame on the Polish pilot's error, the report also pointed at the fault of the defective lighting at Smolensk airport and Russian air controllers.
Syria: Tanks Enter Hama on Eve of Ramadan
On the eve of Ramadan, Syrian troops have entered the city of Hama, reportedly killing as many as 45 people by 11:00 am on Sunday, July 31.
Blog Carnival: Mexico – Citizenry, Violence and Blogs
Global Voices in Spanish has the pleasure of announcing a new edition of its Blog Carnival, which will be focused on bloggers and Internet users from Mexico, along the topic "Mexico: Citizenry, violence and blogs." Find out how, when and where you can participate or get involved by reading this post.
South Korea: Controversies on the Return of Korean Royal Books
Koreans celebrated in May 2011 the return of a collection of Korean Royal books, looted by French troops in 1866. As it was later found out that the return was a de facto 'rent' of the treasure, many people have expressed resentment toward the French and Korean governments for failing to fulfill their long awaited wish.
Cambodia: Blog Article Leads to Murder Investigation
Cambodian opposition politicians and embassy officials are now investigating the death of a young domestic helper in Malaysia after a news blog reported that the maid was a victim of physical abuse.
Kuwait: Bidun fly “Freedom Balloons”
A month ago, the stateless community of Kuwait started a 3 day-long campaign of “flipping your twitter avatar” to catch the media's attention and highlight their cause for the world. This Friday, they've made another campaign to set balloons in the air, calling them “freedom balloons". Mona Kareem shares the story.
Global Voices Bloggers to Mentor Youth Activists from 10 Countries
Today we announce the names of 10 Global Voices bloggers and 11 activists who will be working together virtually over the next months as part of a new mentoring initiative developed by Global Voices and Activista, the youth network of international development organization, ActionAid.
Bangladesh: Indigenous or Not Indigenous, That Is The Question
In recent months many Bangladeshi indigenous people have taken the streets holding meetings, human chains and rallies, demanding constitutional recognition of their identity. Bloggers also voice their opinions on this issue.
Kyrgyzstan: Government Bans News Websites from the Election Campaign
Ahead of the presidential elections to be held in Kyrgyzstan on 30 October, 2011, the Central Elections Committee (CEC) came out with a controversial decision, barring web-based news media from taking part in the campaign. Eleven news sites were denied accreditation to inform voters on the pre-election developments.
Lebanon: Musician Arrested for Mocking President in Song
Lebanese musician Zeid Hamdan was detained briefly this week for allegedly defaming President Michel Suleiman in a song he released in 2010. Lebanese newspaper Assafir has since reported the Hamdan has been released, but not before a Twitter and blogger storm publicised the news of his initial arrest. Lebanon's online...
South Korea: 41 Dead in Torrential Flooding and Landslides
Torrential rain has battered South Korea for several consecutive days, causing landslides, flooding and power cuts. At least 41 people have been killed and 12 people are still missing. Throughout the disaster, South Koreans have shared updated stories, photos and useful tips for those affected via Twitter.
Lebanon: Maritime Dispute with Israel Escalates
Hezballah leader Hassan Nasrallah has exclaimed that God had given Lebanon an opportunity to rid itself of a crippling debt, and become a "rich country" by providing it lucrative offshore oil and gas reserves. However, the reserves potentially lie in a disputed maritime border zone with Israel.
Colombia: Dancing Police Welcome Soccer Players
In Medellin, Colombia, police officers welcomed England's U-20 soccer players at the airport with a dance, making a good impression on visitors but raising concerns on security for some locals.
China: Prominent ‘Independent Candidate’ Denounces Upcoming Elections
Nearly 100 people have now declared themselves independent candidates in upcoming legislative elections in China, but this week alone has seen one of the more prominent would-be politicians announce his withdrawal, and another accuse one city of trying to keep voters away from polls.
Russia: Bloggers Find Street Shooter
Bloggers across the Russian Internet were quick to respond with posts and information after well-known photo-blogger Dmitry Ternovsky was shot at recently on a highway in the southeast of Moscow. Ashley Cleek details the story.
Republic of Congo: Is the New ‘Made In Africa’ Tablet Actually Chinese?
A new ‘made in Africa' tablet computer from the Republic of Congo was announced in June 2011 to much fanfare. While technical innovation in Africa is worth celebrating, it's worth double-checking whether the new VMK tablet is actually designed, developed and engineered in Congo as advertised.
Slovakia: Big Money in the Tube
A few weeks ago, the Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights society (SOZA) - the country's music copyright organization - started billing web servers, typically for young music fans, which were embedding YouTube and Vimeo videos on their pages. Tibor Blazko reports on the Slovak netizens' reactions.
Iran: Campaign to Free Last Two Jailed American Hikers
Sarah Shourd spent 410 days in solitary confinement in Tehran, Iran, on charges of "espionage". She now calls on the world to speak up for her two friends, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, who are still in prison in Iran since all three were arrested while hiking in July 2009.
Should Singapore Nationalize its Transport System?
The petition of Singapore’s private transport operators for a fare increase has sparked a debate on whether it's time to nationalize the country's transportation system. Bloggers react to the proposal to create a National Transport Corporation
Belarus: East and West and Nothing in Between?
"East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet." This chronically misused Kipling phrase seems to catch the realities for an increasing number of Belarusians, who, waking to a wild and hostile world, are asking: "Who cares about Belarus?"
Tunisia: Time to Register for Elections
Registration for electoral lists in Tunisia started on July 11 and will be closed on August 2, but statistics have shown that Tunisians are reluctant to register on the lists. A group of Tunisian bloggers have launched an online campaign to urge people to register for the October elections.
