Stories about Weblog from July, 2010
Palestine: A Green Home Away from Home
In this post we hear about two women with a great love of nature: a nun who has found her home in the convent garden, and a city-dwelling mother who has brought her dreams of a village garden to the balcony of her apartment.
Jordan: Has Technology Killed Our Romanticism?
Computers and technology play an important role in our everyday lives. One blogger from Jordan remembers the romanticism of getting a letter in the mail and declares on her blog: "I hate electronics."
Zambia: Meet Zambian Citizen Broadcasters
The media in Zambia is being turned on its head as bloggers and citizen broadcasters enter the media space. Independent news websites and blogs by Zambians are springing up all the time. In this post by our new Zambian author, Gershom Ndhlovu, you will meet three Zambian citizen broadcasters who run regular shows online using BlogTalkRadio (BTR) technology.
Lebanon: The Rule of Dinosaurs
Shortly after the recent cyber censorship incidents in Lebanon, the term "The Rule of Dinosaurs" started to be used by the e-activists in their campaign against this invasion of their cyberspace. Lebanese blogger Tony explains what it means.
Slovakia: Hungarian School Trips
Tibor Blazko compiles Slovak netizens' reactions to a new Hungarian law that would bring Hungarian schoolchildren to parts of the neighboring countries that in the past belonged to Hungary.
Australians Want More Than Election Slogans
Just twenty-three days after deposing Kevin Rudd, Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard has called a general election for 21 August. The Oz blogosphere is looking for substance not just spin in this campaign.
Brazil: Daily Violence Against Women
In Brazil, 10 women are assassinated everyday. The recent assassination of a woman by the alleged father of her baby, and a promising young Brazilian goalkeeper, has sparked the conversation in the blogsphere about violence against women.
China: Unrestricted cultural imports coming soon, maybe
Remarkable news if it's true, that China has agreed to end restrictions on imports of entertainment products. Despite initial reports, hesitation and eager film buffs, final confirmation, however, remains to be seen.
Global Lives: Revisiting the project recording people's lives
Two years ago we wrote about a project in its initial stages: Global Lives set out to record a day in the life of 10 people from all over the world. Today we revisit the project and check up on how they're coming along.
Guinea: Awaiting the Second Round of the Elections Amidst Fraud Allegations
A historical presidential election is underway in Guinea as the official results of the first round [fr] are about to be made official. Despite the allegations of fraud, the overall sentiment is that of relief for the absence of turmoil and a remarkable turnout. The Guinean blogosphere was also actively involved:
Iran: Bazaars Closed for Business as Merchant Strikes Continue
Merchant strikes in the main bazaar of Tehran have entered a second week in protest of higher taxes. Several citizen journalists reported this event, while official media keeps silent and tries to ignore one of the most important strikes in 30 years.
India: From Stone Pelting In Kashmir Streets To Facebook Protests
Indian administered Kashmir valleys are boiling over tensions and rage against Indian security forces over killing of a number of young protesters. An SMS ban ensued to stop rumors and Kashmiri youths are increasingly relying on social media tools to share news and carry on with their protests amidst crack down on them.
Thailand: Texting Troubles for the Prime Minister
When Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva assumed office in 2008, he sent an SMS to millions of Thai mobile phone users asking for unity. Now he is facing a corruption charge for receiving a "gift" from telecom companies. He is also accused of violating the privacy of cell phone consumers
Ecuador: The National Day of the Condor
A resolution taken by the Ministry of Agriculture in 1991 declared July 7 as the National Day of the Condor in Ecuador. Unfortunately, the day goes by unnoticed by many Ecuadorians.
Brazil: Electoral Blogsphere Censored
Censorship in the Brazilian blogsphere is an extremely sensitive issue due to a dictatorship past when it was legal. As the presidential elections of 2010 approach, the siege tightens and bloggers react.
Palestine: The Pain of Exile
Palestinian refugees are one of the biggest displaced populations in the world, with the United Nations providing assistance for some 4.7 million registered refugees in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Millions more displaced and emigrant Palestinians live around the world. However, their attachment remains strong to the home they, or their parents or grandparents, left behind. Two bloggers in Gaza have written about the pain of exile.
South Africa: 67 Minutes of Change – Mandela Day
Nelson Mandela spent 27 years of his life in a prison on Robben Island in South Africa. What most people don’t know is that Madiba (as he is affectionately known in South Africa) spent 67 years in the fight against racism and poverty. Sunday 18 July 2010 marks his 92nd birthday and also Mandela Day - a day in which people around the world dedicate 67 minutes of their time to making the world a better place for all.
China: Police's call to set up censorship norms
Beijing City Chaoyang district police station issued an urgent notice today regarding "Calling for a working meeting on the security norm of Internet Company". Jason Ng tweetcasts the talk on censorship norms in the meeting.
Côte d'Ivoire: Blogger and Journalist Théophile Kouamouo Arrested with his Team since July 13th
Three journalists of Le Nouveau Courrier d'Abidjan were taken into police custody when they refused to disclose sources for an investigative report on the coffee and cocoa export trade. Here are reactions from citizens and media in Côte d'Ivoire as the three colleagues are still fighting for their release.
Paraguay: Prejudice in International Media During the World Cup
In Paraguay, the 2010 FIFA World Cup evidenced that Paraguayans had to look out for discrimination coming from the least expected source: international mainstream media from Brazil and Spain.
Southeast Asia: Sex and web censorship
Regulating internet content today is viewed as an anti-democratic practice but Southeast Asian governments seem able to justify it by invoking the need to save the young from the scourge of indecent sexual behavior.
