Stories from 7 December 2009
Cuba: One Year of Blogging from the Inside
The community of Bloggers Cuba celebrate their first year of blogging about Cuba "from the inside".
Pakistan: Bolster National Pride
Pakistani blogger Teeth Maestro advocates a two-pronged approach towards the war against Taliban; military and the instillation of national pride.
Nepal: India-Nepal 1950 Treaty
Bhumika Ghimire's latest vlog stresses that its time to re-negotiate the India-Nepal 1950 treaty of peace and friendship.
Iran: Student Day Demonstration on YouTube
Thousands of protesters defied the Islamic regime today by protesting during Student Day, chanting slogans against Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, and protesting the government's foreign policy.
Russia: “Free Labor or People For Rent” Video
LJ-user kashamanka [RUS] posted a video [RUS] where two women tell their stories of being tricked into working for a Moscow company that never paid them salaries.
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.
Featured Author: Mac-Jordan Holdbrookes-Degadjor
From his home in Accra, Ghana, Global Voices author Mac-Jordan Holdbrookes-Degadjor talks about his prolific blogging and tweeting activity and his many collaborations with online communities.
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.
St. Lucia: Going Digital
“Under the prevailing economic situation, the region’s bookstores and publishers have little choice but to try and control their costs as best they can in order to survive”: St. Lucia's Caribbean Book Blog examines the impact of the digital revolution on the region.
Barbados: Tourism Weak?
As Barbados approaches Tourism Week, Living in Barbados notices that “many people seem confused about what is happening to this sector, which is a main earner of foreign exchange and provider of jobs in the economy.”
Bermuda: Of Leglisation and Violence
Bermudian bloggers discuss the issue of retroactivity as it applies to the proposed Public Access to Information legislation, while Catch a fire hopes that public response to “a new community focused action group to combat the downward spiral of violence” will be as good as it has been for PATI.
Jamaica: Climate Awareness
“IT'S no secret that we could treat our island and its environment a little better, not least in terms of energy consumption”: Letter From Jamaica is heartened by the fact that the island “is becoming more sensitive to the issue.”
Guyana: Let Them Eat Cake
“The best smell of Christmas for me is the smell of black cake”: Signifyin’ Guyana is getting ready to bake!
Iran: Students chanted slogans against regime
Iranian students demonstrated against Islamic regime in Tehran and chanted slogans such as “death to dictator”. Watch the video here.
Namibia: One woman's story
Watch a video of a woman's story related to forced sterilisation case going on in Namibia: “Have a look at this story, by Esther Sheehama. Esther’s story is an example of the kinds of stories we are hearing from many women, and highlights why we are fighting forced sterilisation.”
Azerbaijan: Culinary Blogging
Leyla's Room interviews Farida Sadikhova Buyuran, the blogger behind AZ Cookbook. Posting recipes, backgrounds and photographs of traditional Azeri cuisine, as well as other dishes, the interview details Farida's passion for food and cooking and says a book is on the horizon.
Kenya: Bloggers discuss Kenyan explosive drama, Shuga
Staying alive campaign being the world largest youth focused HIV prevention campaign content together with MTV bring an explosive drama for the world AIDS Day Shuga . Shuga slides away from the ordinary comfort zone and portrays life of six college students living the life on the first lane: alcohol, sex, love and money and focuses on how the youth put themselves and others at risk of contracting HIV.
China: Young people and housing
China Hush puts together an interesting discussion related with the property bubble in China. The focus of the debate is on whether people below 30 should be able to buy a home.
China and the World Map of the Internet
Uln from Chinayouren reprocesses the world map of the Internet to examine China's position and relation with the rest of the world in the Internet.
Africa: Marking World AIDS Day Poetically
Blogger poets in Africa mark World Aids Day 2009 with selective words to describe the registry of emotions triggered by a pandemic that still sees no end.
ICT4D for Women: Opportunities and Risks
Mobile phones present opportunities for development as well as risks for further abuse and marginalization of women. Gender awareness is crucial when it comes to using ICT for development.
