Stories from 14 April 2009
The World According to Mom
What do blogging mothers around the world think are the five best things about being a mom? Global Voices has teamed up with Catherine Connors a.k.a. Her Bad Mother in Canada to ask this question and encourage mom-bloggers around the world to reach out and link to one another. So far, more than 85 bloggers in 26 countries have responded. But we're still looking for more.
Japan: Missile Launched. What to Believe?
On April 5th, North Korea launched a Taepo Dong 2 'rocket' that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese government, media, and the blogosphere all had very different reactions.
Dominican Republic, Haiti: Gagá
“Easter Sunday marked the end of the Gagá celebrations in the Dominican Republic”: Repeating Islands experiences the Dominican version of Haitian Rará.
Barbados: Paternity Laws
Do Barbados’ child support and paternity laws favour women? Bajan Dream Diary examines the evidence.
Trinidad and Tobago: Saving the Mangrove
“Is Essar and mangrove destruction the best way forward and is melting steel the best way for a small country with only a few yeas of gas left to develop?”: This Beach Called Life encourages you to sign a petition to save “the Claxton Bay mangrove and the environment in...
Egypt: Cleanliness Day on April 10
We have been paying close attention to the creative ways in which Egyptian bloggers and activists have been using online social networking to rally support for their causes and initiate social and political change. In this post, Marwa Rakha writes about a Facebook campaign by Mostafa Ahmed and more than 4,500 enthusiasts, who joined hands to mark Egypt's first Cleanliness Day on April 10.
Palestine: Allowed No Passage
The saga of journalist and blogger Laila El-Haddad, who writes at Raising Yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother, was covered in detail by Global Voices last week. However, as El-Haddad moved into her 36th hour at the airport and her tweeting and blogging ceased, fans, friends, and readers became concerned. Jillian York picks up from where we left off, and bring us up-to-date with El-Haddad's story, in her own words.
Morocco: Crossed Loyalties
Ibn Kafka remarks [fr] on the fact that, despite long-term disagreements between the two nations, the monarch of Morocco sent a congratulatory telegram to re-elected Algerian president Bouteflika.
Morocco: Discovering Jewish Morocco
Jewish Morocco is a blog in which a traveler to Morocco is tracking his experiences with Jewish sites and Morocco's few Jewish people. The blogger recently traveled to the east of the country for Passover.
Morocco: A New Green Party
The View From Fez announces that a new green party, called the Environment and Sustainable Development Party (Le Parti de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable), has been formed recently in Morocco.
Cuba: Blogger Yoani Sánchez Introduces Voces Cubanas
In this interview with Cuban blogger Yoani Sánchez, she presents the new project called Voces Cubanas that will providing hosting for anyone wanting to learn to create his or her own personal blog. She also comments on the term "blogostróika" often used to describe this new wave of Cuban blogs and their role in the democratization process.
Ecuador: Fernandina Volcano Continues to Erupt
The volcano Fernandina located on the Ecuadorian Galapagos archipelago continues to erupt writes La Voz de Guamote [es].
Ecuador: Handing Out Gifts During Signature Drive
In the Chillogallo neighborhood of Quito, Ecuador, Andrés Rodríguez of Modestamente Humano [es] has photos of workers supporting the campaign of Alvaro Noboa handing out bags of oats to “supporters” during a signature drive.
Dominican Republic: Traffic Fatalities Due to Alcohol
Over the course of the Holy Week holidays, 57 people lost their lives due to traffic accidents in the Dominican Republic. Rocío Díaz of Monaco [es] notes that 70% were alcohol-related and that people use the days off “as an excuse to drink like they never have in their lives.”
Rwanda: Fifteen years after the genocide
Today marks the end of a week of national mourning in Rwanda to commemorate the 15 anniversary since the genocide which killed 800,000 people. On the 7th of April ceremonies were held in the capital Kigali, and in Nyanza, where more than 5,000 people were slaughtered. At a stadium in Kigali, thousands of candles spelt out the word "hope" in three languages.
Peru: Traditional Music Takes on Internet Love
While internet romance has lost its shock value to many online veterans, certain segments of the population who have so far remained outside of the online revolution are just catching up with these changes and are exploring the pros and cons of cyber-romance. Here we bring you three music videos for songs by Peruvian folklore singers who provide us their Andean perspective on these new ways of finding and bonding with romantic partners.
China: Underage prostitution ring sparks public indignation
Teenage girls in high schools and even primary schools, being coaxed or threatened, were turned into prostitutes that serve local officials and teachers. The exposure of the entire prostitution ring in Xishui, Guizhou reveals the image of both moral and administrative degeneration of a Chinese town.
Ukraine: Good Museum Leadership
The Uncataloged Museum writes about Ukrainian women and good museum leadership.
Russia: Putin's Address to the Duma
Highlights of PM Putin's first annual address to the Duma – at CrisisCrunch.
Russia: Medvedev's Income
Sean's Russia Blog compares Medvedev's salary to that of other world leaders.
Russia: Notes on Moscow and Sochi Election
Mark MacKinnon shares his impressions of Moscow and writes about the upcoming election in Sochi: “Nemtsov has already had ammonia thrown at him by unknown assailants dressed in women's clothing and Volochkova has apparently now been disqualified for leaving her birthday off one of the documents she submitted with her...
