Stories about Weblog from November, 2009
Colombia: The Tradition of Arepas in the Afternoon
In Colombia, the time between 3 and 6 pm is usually reserved for coffee or hot chocolate along with the typical arepa or other baked goods. This has become a tradition passed on from generation to generation.
Egypt: Alaa Mubarak for President?
Several names have been thrown in the pool of candidates for Egypt's 2011 presidential elections. Now a new name is being floated. Find out why Alaa Mubarak, the Egyptian President's eldest son, is a current favorite among some Egyptians...or maybe not.
Yemen: A Civil or Proxy War?
The ongoing war in Yemen certainly warrants coverage on Global Voices Online, but Tarek Amr was really shocked when he realized there weren't many bloggers interested in the conflict. Here are some scattered extracts from post written by bloggers from different countries.
Qatar: Cartoon of maid abusing child raises ire
A cartoon published in a local paper in Qatar depicting a crazed maid abusing a child has raised the ire of Doha bloggers, many of whom are condemning the possible satire for being racist and in poor taste. Shabina S. Khatri has more on the debate.
Video: Open Video Contest for Trip to SXSW Interactive Festival
The Open Video Alliance is putting out a call out for one minute videos that make a case for Open Video for an opportunity to win a trip to South by South West Interactive 2010 festival. The contest is open to anyone regardless of nationality.
Morocco: Peace Corps Community Honors So Youn Kim
The Peace Corps bloggers are mourning the loss of a fellow volunteer, 23-year-old So Youn Kim, who had worked at a youth center in the southern Moroccan village of Tamegrout. Bloggers who knew her and those who didn't have memorialized Kim in a set of posts describing her ambition, her beauty, her incredible drive, and the important work she was doing in Morocco.
Philippines: TV Ads of Presidential Candidates
Election season has started in the Philippines. Check out the TV ads of presidential candidates which have been uploaded on YouTube.
Malaysia-Singapore Water Agreements Under Review
Singapore sources about half of its water supply from its neighbor, Malaysia. It has two major water agreements with Malaysia. One of these agreements will expire two years from now. Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, through his blog, asks if the current government will negotiate for a better deal.
Featured Author: Diego Casaes
Diego Casaes is a dedicated Global Voices author and translator from Salvador, Brazil. Much of his writing on Global Voices has spread awareness about legislative threats to online freedom in Brazil, such as the infamous "Azeredo Bill".
China and Japan: Feng Zhenghu at Narita airport
Shanghai human rights activist Feng Zhenhu has been living and waiting in the hall of Japan's Narita airport since November 4 when he was barred from entering his own country...
Egypt and Algeria: Much More Than a Football Match
Who would have believed that a football match could cause such tension between two nations? The trouble between Egypt and Algeria has now reached an unexpected level and many bloggers believe that the World Cup qualifying match has nothing to do with the troubles on the street. Tarek Amr has the story.
Taiwan: Science park expansion dispute
Recently, the Executive Yuan in Taiwan has passed a bill in favor of Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP) fourth stage expansion. The construction plan has drawn the attention of ecologists...
Poland: Catholics Propose Adding Cross to National Emblem
Sylwia Presley reviews the reactions of Polish bloggers to a recent proposal by a Polish Catholic group to include the symbol of the cross in the national coat of arms.
Poland: Online Campaigning for the Rights of Employees
Sylwia Presley writes about the plight of and online campaigning by a group Polish citizens who work for IKEA via another, smaller, company called Solid Security: they claim to be earning amounts below the national minimal wage, being assigned to work up to 16 hours daily and lacking the basic benefits.
Brazil: The loss of a pioneer digital activist
The Brazilian blogosphere is mourning today: the country has lost one of its pioneers digital activists.
Russia: Local Authorities Slow Broadband Development
On November 10, activists held a rally calling for broadband Internet and protesting against Internet provider monopoly in the township of Kraskovo (Moscow region, 10 km from the Moscow beltroad). This is the first known case of a protest dedicated to the defense of the Internet rights in Russia. The event also raised the issue of the overregulatedness of the process of Internet providing in the country.
Colombia: Tensions and ‘Winds of War’ with Venezuela
As a result of several incidents along the border, tensions have been escalating in the last few weeks between Colombia and Venezuela, two neighboring countries which already have strained relations.
Morocco: War on Press Continues
The Moroccan authorities are ratcheting up their attacks on independent journalists. A week rarely passes without the authorities hitting hard on the press for alleged infractions, cracking down on printed as well as online media. Bloggers have been reflecting on this state of affairs.
Featured Author: Filip Stojanovski
Filip Stojanovski is a Global Voices author and translator based in Skopje, Macedonia. He is the Program Coordinator of Metamorphosis, a think tank which seeks the development of democracy and prosperity by promoting knowledge-based economy and information society.
Puerto Rico: Hate Crime Against Gay Teenager Causes Outrage
A horrendous murder has been committed against a gay teenager in Puerto Rico. The LGBT community has demanded that the crime be prosecuted under the Hate Crime Law. Bloggers react to this terrible crime.
Russia: Blogging the Winter in Yakutia
Winter is yet to arrive in much of Europe, but one of its geopolitical attributes is already back in the spotlight: fears of disruptions of Russian gas deliveries are growing more intense, due to the recurring dispute between Russia and Ukraine. Politics aside, though, in some of Russia's regions winter has been there since early fall. In Yakutia, for example.
