28 June 2010

Stories from 28 June 2010

Russia, US: “Burger Diplomacy”

Vadim Nikitin wonders if the Medvedev-Obama meeting is a sign that “[…] the Russian President, for so long considered a mere window dressing to Prime Ministerial rule, might stick around...

28 June 2010

Peru: A Bill on Obscene Content

A few days ago the news broke of a bill that had been approved by the Justice Comission in Congress, proposing an amendment to section 183-B of the Penal Code, which sanctions the media publication of obscene and pornographic displays. As a result, opponents of the bill raised the banners of "Freedom of the Press" and "Freedom of Speech." Bloggers and internet media users are debating whether this bill really gets rid of these freedoms, or if it serves as a protection for minors and others who don't want to see that content.

28 June 2010

Pakistan: What Is Blasphemy?

“What is Blasphemy?” This question has been drawn in numerous discussions after the the recent banning of certain websites in Pakistan. Shaista Kazmi & Azhar Aslam at Teeth Maestro has...

28 June 2010

Cape Verde: My life in Cachaço

Steven blogs about his life as a volunteer in Cape Verde: “Cape Verdeans bathe regularly, sometimes twice a day, and fully half of each bath is devoted to cleaning the...

28 June 2010

Japan and the World Cup: Silencing the critics

Ranked near the bottom of the 32 teams on the field in South Africa, facing odds estimated at 400-to-1 and four straight pre-tournament losses to boot, Japan was not even expected to win a game in this year's World Cup. But with their convincing 3-1 win over Denmark, perceptions have completely changed, propelling coach Takashi Okada from the butt of all jokes to a national hero.

28 June 2010