· May, 2012

Stories about Weblog from May, 2012

Cuba: Bloggers Discuss Mariela Castro's US Visit

  31 May 2012

On the heels of United States President Barack Obama's support for gay marriage, Mariela Castro, the daughter of Cuban President Raul Castro and Director of the country's Centro Nacional de Educación Sexual (National Center for Sex Education), has been addressing gay rights activists during her tour of the United States. Her trip has been stirring up some controversy in the Cuban blogosphere.

South Sudan: Blogging the Newest Country in the World

  31 May 2012

South Sudan declared its independence on 9 July 2011 to become the world's newest country. We have compiled a list of blogs with regular reports, analyses, updates, and opinions relating to South Sudan. These blogs cover a variety of subjects such as gender, politics, language, health and humanitarian work.

Bangladesh: Questions Over Indian ‘Tourism City’ Investment Proposal

  31 May 2012

The story of a 10 Billion Taka (US$120 million) investment in Bangladesh has made it into the country's headlines, following a visit by Subrata Roy Sahara, chairman of Sahara India Pariwar, one of India's largest business conglomerates. The group are planning to develop a 40 square kilometre housing project situated approximately 50 kilometres from Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.

Brazil: Questions Surrounding Rio's ‘Pacifying Police’ Units

  30 May 2012

The state government of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, has adopted a security policy based on the installation of Pacifying Police Units who tackle crime in favelas (shanty towns) but also promote social policies. But there are questions about the motivations behind this strategy and whether the voices of residents are being heard.

Ethiopia: EPRDF’s Anniversary: What is There to Celebrate?

  30 May 2012

The Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Front (EPRDF) celebrated its 21st anniversary on 28 May. Some Ethiopians consider the day a ‘National Day’ while others see it as a day when one oppressive regime replaced another one. Netizens have taken to blogs and Facebook to reflect on EPRDF anniversary.

Zambia: Mixed Feelings Greet Big Brother Eviction

  29 May 2012

The eviction of Zambia’s representative, musician popularly known as Mampi, from the on-going Big Brother Africa, has been received with mixed feelings from netizens. Big Brother Africa: StarGame is the seventh series of Africa's most popular reality television series.

India: Kolkata Joins the SlutWalk Movement

  29 May 2012

on 24th May, 2012, Kolkata formally joined the global SlutWalk movement, with over a hundred young men and women marching for the cause in the sweltering heat of summer. On the web, netizens bring the event alive through discussions, photos and videos.

Argentina: Football Fans Call for “Stop” to Violence

  29 May 2012

Football, the sport that is most watched and played in Argentina, has been witnessing a series of episodes of violence perpetrated by so-called "barras bravas" of various sports clubs. Football fans express their rejection of this violence through social networks.

Brazil: SlutWalks Spread Across the Country

  29 May 2012

On May 26th and 27th, a number of cities around Brazil were the scene of the second round of protests known as SlutWalks, calling for women's liberty and the right of women to dress as they want without being the victims of violence or moralism. Global Voices has selected a series of photos of protests around the country.

Qatar: Deadly Blaze in Shopping Mall

On May 28 a fire broke out at Doha's Villaggio Mall, leaving 19 dead, 13 of whom were children. The children were trapped in a nursery within the mall, and they and four teachers died of smoke inhalation. Two firefighters died as they attempted to rescue them.

China: Netizens Want Confucius to Return Home

  29 May 2012

A new visa policy was announced on May 17, 2012 by the U.S State Department which put the Confucius Institute under the spotlight in the Chinese blogosphere. Chinese netizens take the opportunity to ask Confucius to return home and teach the poor Chinese kids instead.

Palestine: Remembering the Nakba

May 15 is Nakba Day, when Palestinians commemorate the displacement and dispossession that took place at the time of Israel's establishment in 1948. In this post we look at how the day was marked by Palestinians on blogs and Twitter this year.

Brazil: Sex Abuse Revealed by Children's TV Presenter Provokes Debate

  28 May 2012

Xuxa Meneghel, the most famous children's TV presenter in Brazil, revealed on national television that she was the victim of sexual abuse during childhood. Her declaration divided opinions on the Internet and opened up a debate on a subject that is still considered taboo in the country: sexual abuse against children and adolescents. Paula Góes reports on the first week of the debate.