Stories about U.S.A. from December, 2009
Caribbean: 2009 Regional Roundup
As Global Voices celebrates its fifth anniversary, the occasion has given us all an opportunity to reflect on why we do what we do and how our work makes a difference. As my colleague Jillian York so succinctly put it, “We spread stories. We spread words.” We manage to do...
Cuba: History & Hope
“Hopefully, 2010 will bring, finally, an end to this sad, torturous chapter of Cuban history”: Uncommon Sense remembers Cuba's past and expresses his hopes for its future.
Russia, U.S.: Billy Joel in 1987
Siberian Light writes about Billy Joel, “who stumped up $2.5 million of his own cash, and became the first American rock star to tour the Soviet Union with a fully staged show” in 1987.
Jamaica: Over Hills and Valleys
Trinidadian diaspora blogger Afrobella blogs about reggae superstar Buju Banton at his best and worst, prompting Jamaican Annie Paul to respond: “Just as you…have pointed out the good and bad sides of Buju…it's necessary also to nuance what homosexuality represents in cultures such as Jamaica, that homosexuality too has its...
Iraq: Arabs, Coffee, and Resistance
Iraqi Mojo, connects the dots between calls to boycott Starbucks, calls to resist the Iraqi government, and the size of foreign troops in countries that send the largest number of suicide bombers to kill innocent Iraqis in poor cafes in Iraq.
Israel: Defining Parenting Styles
“What defines Israeli parenting?” asks A Mother in Israel. Readers provide commentary about their impressions and experiences.
Russia, U.S.: Brittany Murphy in Moscow on Dec. 19?
LJ user becky_sharpe (Bozhena Rynska, Gazeta.ru‘s gossip columnist) claims (RUS) that actress Brittany Murphy, who died on Dec. 20 in Los Angeles, was a guest at a private party in Moscow on Dec. 19 and was [“hungover”] when she flew back home. UPDATE: a follow-up discussion (RUS) of LJ user...
American Petitioner in China
Julie Harms, an American and a Harvard graduate, hit the news as she becomes one of the few, or perhaps the first, foreign petitioner in China. Her case was a grievance against the government that her fiancé, Liu Shiliang, was jailed on a charge which she says is not true....
Lebanon: Queer Parenting
Lily, a guest writer at queer Arab magazine bekhsoos explores queer parenting in Lebanon.
Iraq: Iraqi Prisons and Iraqis
Iraqi Layla Anwar is “overwhelmed with sadness.” Click here to find out why.
Cuba, U.S.A.: American Arrested in Havana
The Cuban Triangle comments on press reports that “an American citizen working on a USAID contract was arrested in Cuba” for allegedly “distributing ‘cell phones, laptops, and other communications equipment’.”
Armenia: Music Awards
Ianyan covers the 10th annual Armenian Music Awards in Los Angeles. The blog also live tweeted the event on her Twitter account.
Caribbean: New Media & Celebrity Fascination
The fascination with celebrities has always been at a fever pitch, but in the current age of new media and consumer-generated content, it’s at an all-time high. While Caribbean bloggers do not tend to overly focus on gossip, they often tune in on the current story at hand.
Five Americans arrested in Pakistan: Following the story
Kalsoom at Chup Pakistan provides a detailed round-up of the news of 5 Americans recently detained in Pakistan in connection with an alleged raid on militants.
Cuba: Human Rights Day
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense says that today, which commemorates the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “is a day to remember and honor this document, and more importantly, those in Cuba and around the world imprisoned and suffering for demanding that their governments abide by its precepts.”
Arab Bloggers Workshop: Twitter Reflections on Day One
As the first day of the Second Annual Arab Bloggers Workshop comes to a close, we'll take a look at participants’ reflections from the whole day, to find out what they learned and how they're feeling. The day started off with a bang, as Global Voices organizers Sami Ben Gharbia,...
Behind the scenes of Kiva's micro-lending
“Kiva is not quite what it seems,” says David Roodman on The Open Book Blog on the Center for Global Development. And Matt Flannery from online micro-lender Kiva.org responds.
Madagascar's forests decimated for $460,000 a day
As the world's nations gather in Copenhagen for the UN Convention on Climate Change, Madagascar, having already lost 90% of its original forest, faces continued threats from black market logging, threatening to destroy what is left of one of the world's most diverse ecosystems.
Ukraine: Arts Updates
A few last month's updates at IZO: artist and writer Vagrich Bakhchanyan dies in NYC; Ukrainian artist Aleksandr Gnilitsky dies in Kyiv; a Ukrainian Euro-2012 icon.
World AIDS Day: Reflections and Raising Awareness
While it's true that most people know by now that HIV/AIDS poses a threat, World AIDS Day, which takes place today, attempts to focus the world's attention on this disease for a day and show just how big a threat still persists.
