Stories from 29 December 2009
The Year that Was in Madagascar: Part I
In part one of a three-part summary of the year in citizen media in Madagascar, Lova Rakotomalala recalls the turmoil that seized the country in the first four months of 2009.
Brazil: Interpreting songs into Brazilian Sign Language
Pedro Witchs shares in Youtube his interpreation of the song "Todos os Verbos" [All the verbs], by singer Zélia Duncan into LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language). Vocal and guitar by Rodrigo Romão.
China: Cui Weiping tweets elite views on Liu Xiaobo
Many Chinese public intellectuals take flack for keeping quiet on major social issues. Beijing Film Academy professor Cui Weiping has sought to change that by tweeting her peers' views on the recent sentencing of China's most prominent democrat.
Brazil: New Year's Eve fashion in São Paulo
Polyana De Oliveira blogs about the many Brazilian traditions for New Year's Eve, from outfits to food.
Nicaragua: The Aftermath of the 1972 Earthquake
On December 23, 1972, a 6.2-scale earthquake struck Managua, Nicaragua killing 5,000 and leaving 250,000 homeless. Nicaraguan blogger Homero was a young child at the time, but he holds memories of the aftermath, which he describes in a recent post in his blog Ventana de Homero.
Malawi: Bloggers discuss 30 earthquakes in 3 weeks
In what some geologists have described as rare occurrences, Malawi's northern district of Karonga has in the past three weeks experienced a total of 30 earthquakes resulting in at least 5 deaths, over 200 people injured and over 3,000 made homeless. Bloggers have been quick to share their reactions.
Azerbaijan: Standing in line
Newly returned to Baku, Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines posts its observations on queuing in Azerbaijan. The blogger is not impressed and in a previous post also laments the state of the medical system in the country.
Japan: Spread the message, translate it
A video interview [en] of Kyo Kageura, head of the project Minna no Honyaku (みんなの翻訳, Translation for all) [ja], a new translation platform that helps NGOs and NPOs to spread their messages thanks to volunteer translators. Global Voices Japan asked him about the challenge of Minna no Honyaku [en], the...
Did China wreck the Copenhagen deal?
Uln tried to sort out what had happened in Copenhagen and questioned why the developed countries did not sign among themselves a deal for reducing emission. Inside-Out China translated a local report telling an insider story on Wen Jiabao's schedule in Copenhagen.
Winners of the 2009 Philippines Expats Blog Awards
Meet the winners of the 2009 Philippines Expats Blog Awards
The Top 10 Media Incidents In China During 2009
ESWN translated a Southern Weekend article about the top 10 media events in China during the year 2009.
Philippines: Blogs of Overseas Filipinos
Kablogs is an online portal that aggregates more than 300 blog links of Filipino expats and overseas Filipino workers.
Trinidad & Tobago: Facebook Assault
KnowTnT.com reports on “the first documented Facebook related assault” in Trinidad and Tobago.
Thailand's English as Second Language industry
A Filipino teacher-blogger in Thailand shares a brief background on the English as Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) industry in the country.
Curacao: Kayaking through Caribbean
Repeating Islands blogs about an activist from Curaçao, who “has paddled more than 1600 kilometres in a kayak to raise awareness for the environment.”
Bahamas, Jamaica: Jonkonnu & Christmas
“We tend to forget — or, more probably, we don’t know — that Junkanoo in the Bahamas is not unique”: Nicolette Bethel provides “a taste of what happens in Jamaica at Christmas…”
Trinidad & Tobago: 500
Trinidadian bloggers comment on the country's record murder rate – Jumbie's Watch: “The message is clear. We’re screwed.” B.C. Pires: “Not even when Mr Manning and Mr Panday achieve Trinidad's most vulgar historic event – the creation of an executive presidency by back-room trickery – will Trinidadians put their feet...
Cuba: Show of Support
Cuban diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense reports on “the arrests over the past several days of numerous activists attempting…to show their support for political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, who has been on a hunger strike…to demand that his human rights be respected.”
Barbados: Drunk Driving
“To Owen Arthur, Mia Mottley, David Thompson and a series of Attorneys General: the victims and the families of the dead and injured say ‘Thanks for nothing.'”: Barbados Free Press wants breathalyzer laws instituted on the island.
Impressions of Southeast Asian Games in Laos
Cambodia-based blogger Andy Brouwer shares his impressions on the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games held in Laos.
Cambodia: Police begins to fine motorists in the evening
Vutha observes that traffic cops in Cambodia have started to apprehend and fine motorists who violate traffic laws in the evening.
