Stories from 23 March 2010
Guatemala: Transport Blockades as Protest
Luis Figueroa of Carpe Diem [es] writes about the blockades placed by public transport drivers in Guatemala City, who are protesting the lack of security and crime often targeted at them. However, Figueroa writes that all people have a right to protest, but not with blockades.
Spain: MyWorld Video Winner tackles unemployment
The BBC's video contest My World Video has come to a close, and from the hundreds of submitted entries, they've selected their winner: Frederico Teixeira of Samapayo in Spain who made a 2 minute video on the unemployment situation in his country. The simple video shows his reflection in a...
Nepal: Twitter And Facebook Reactions On Girija Prasad Koirala's Death
Dinesh Wagle at United We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal compiles Twitter and Facebook reactions on the death of former Prime Minister of Nepal, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala.
Africa: Crowdfunding in Africa
Erik writes about crowdfunding and seed funding in Africa: “We’re starting to see a few angel investors like Sean Murphy of Chembe Ventures making their way around the continent, but they are not nearly enough to fulfill the capacity of ideas and individuals who need startup capital.”
Pakistan: Intervention Of The Judiciary
Faisal Naqvi Monsoon Frog writes about the economics of judicial interventionism in Pakistan.
Kenya: Is Makmende Kenya's first Internet sensation?
Is Makmende Kenya's first Internet sensation: “Unless you’ve been offline for the better part of two weeks its Kenya’s first viral Internet sensation, and his name is Makmende! Yes. Makmende is something to smile about! He is Kenya’s first super hero and boy does he rock!”
Bangladesh: ‘CrossFire’ Photo Exhibition Barred By Police
Shamim Ashraf at Straight From Bangladesh reports that a photo exhibition on the extra judicial killing of the police force and the elite force RAB was shut down by the police.
Is Russia an Enemy of Internet?
The degree of freedom on the Russian Internet is an issue for debates. Some put Russia on the same list of "Internet enemies" with China and Iran. Others strongly oppose this kind of generalization and claim that Russian Internet is the most liberal and unrestricted public sphere in the country.
Nepal: Death of a polarizing ‘statesman’
Former Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala passed away on Saturday March 21st, after prolonged illness. The legacy of this often controversial and polarizing figure is being discussed by Nepali bloggers.
Pakistan: Child Abuse On The Rise
The term ‘child abuse’ covers a wide array of very diverse kinds of crimes subjected towards the minors. Bloggers discuss the disturbing rise in child abuse cases in Pakistan.
USA: In Census, Only Some Races Count
Census forms are being delivered to all U.S. households this month, but some citizens complain that the question on race does not offer enough answers to give an accurate picture of their ethnicity.
China: Google.cn migrated to Hong Kong
Finally Google has decided to leave China. Soon after the announcement, Google stopped censoring the search result of google.cn by redirecting the site to google.com.hk. In Google's official blog, David Drummond, the corporate's chief legal officer explains that its decision is due to the Chinese government's “non-negotiable legal requirement” in...
Haiti: World Water Day
Haiti Innovation blogs about World Water Day 2010.
Haiti: Debt Forgiveness
Repeating Islands links to a Business Week report that confirms the Inter-American Development Bank “has agreed to forgive $479 million in debts owed by quake-ravaged Haiti”.
Trinidad & Tobago: Horning
From Trinidad and Tobago, This Beach Called Life blogs about “horning”.
Barbados: Ten Year Sentence
Barbados Free Press is disappointed that the murderer of a tourist was sentenced to only ten years in prison: “Barbados doesn’t want any scrutiny about robbery, rape and violence against tourists…”
Bermuda: Violent Crime
Vexed Bermoothes says that crime in Bermuda is “a lot worse than most people assume, particularly given the small size of this rock and the even smaller neighbourhoods that are being scarred by this violence.”
China: Singing farewell to Google
Google has formally closed its mainland Chinese search engine and rival Baidu will not need long to pick up the slack; nonetheless, former users of Google.cn search braved the cold air to show their support outside the company's Beijing headquarters, singing an anti-Internet censorship protest song while they were at it.
Ghana: Accra Twestival 2010: Social Media Activity With Substance?
If social media is changing communication patterns in the West, it sure has not fallen short of touching interesting places on the African continent. So it is no surprise that MacJordan, one of Global Voices’ own, is collaborating with Rodney Quarcoo to bring Accra Twestival in Ghana.
CPJ Hires Internet Advocacy Coordindator
Danny O'Brien blogs that he has accepted a position as
Venezuela: Concerns About Controls on the Internet
Debate is heating up in Venezuela after decrees and statements from President Hugo Chávez, who questioned how the Internet is being used in the country. Many are interpreting these statements and policy proposals that the government wants control the Internet in Venezuela.
