6 July 2008

Stories from 6 July 2008

Colombia: The Release of Alf Onshuus Niño

  6 July 2008

Otra Expresión [es] reports that Colombian-Norweigan Alf Onshuus Niño was recently released by the FARC in an act unrelated to the recent rescue of 15 hostages. The blogger at Balada del Elefante Azul [es] also mentions this and is especially meaningful since he has blogged about the kidnapping of his...

Mexico: Tram in the Historical Center of the Capital

  6 July 2008

A new tram will be constructed in Mexico City capable of transporting 240 passengers and will begin in the historical part of the capital city. El Nahual is in favor of this new project because [es], “it is quiet, does not contaminate, promotes the use of public transportation, etc.“

Nicaragua: Ex-Sandinistas Part of Renovation Movement

  6 July 2008

Política Nica [es] writes about the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) of Nicaragua and writes that it is comprised of “ex-revolutionaries combing their gray hairs and willing to swear upon institutional laws..and for many years they had been stigmatized by the right as a group of leftwingers guilty of the destabilization...

Global Lives Project: Recording the lives of 10 people for 1 day

  6 July 2008

The Global Lives Project is a global initiative created to showcase the lives of 10 different people from all over the world by following them and recording 24 hours of their day in video. These 240 hours of material will be shown at the same time in an installation where a person will be able to walk through 10 different rooms projecting each one of their lives, and a central hub where the 10 screens will be seen simultaneously.

Brazil: The Rent-a-Blog debate heats the blogosphere

  6 July 2008

A famous brand of beverage decides to invest in Brazilian blogs as the main vehicle to market its latest product. A well established blog-like website picks up the story using the term "rent-a-blog" to describe the chosen bloggers. A recipe for disaster or the signs of a new era?

Indonesia: Manhunt for terror suspects

  6 July 2008

Indonesian police have launched a nationwide manhunt for two top terror suspects behind the latest deadly bombings in Bali. SPH purple reporters provide key background information about the activities of the suspects.

Malaysia: Political scandals

  6 July 2008

Sex charges, disappearing witnesses, murder, fuel protests. Indeed, political drama is unfolding in Malaysia. Mr. Definite observes local politics gets interesting.

Vietnam: Dissident monk passes away

  6 July 2008

Ven. Thich Huyen Quang, the Supreme Patriarch of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam has passed away. Vietnam Human Rights Journal comments: “It is sad that a man of Thich Huyen Quang's stature could have been forced into a form of internal exile in central Vietnam, essentially cut off from...

China: Senstive Push-Up

  6 July 2008

In the Weng'an mass incident investigation, the murder suspect claimed that he was doing press-up in the bridge when the 15-years old girl jumped down to the river. Many netizens started to spoof about the term “push-up”, and now it has become a sensitive term in may portal websites according...

Ecuador: LDU Crowned Winners of Libertadores Cup

  6 July 2008

Gabby Corsales celebrates the victory of the Liga Deportiva Universitaria football team in the Libertadores Cup [es], awarded to the best squad in South America and Mexico. LDU became the first side from Ecuador to win the prestigious tournament.

Armenia: Education Blogs

Now that post-election tensions are dying down in Armenia, there is a huge potential for blogs to cover more specific issues which are either ignored or left undiscussed by the media and society in general. One of those subjects is education, an area which is particularly tainted by corruption in the post-Soviet space.

China: August moon over Beijing

  6 July 2008

Veteran China pundit Philip J Cunningham looks back at the phases of the moon leading up to the Tiananmen student protest in 1989 and forward to the August moon as it will be when the Olympics begin next month as possible justification for tightened security leading up to the Games...