Stories from 25 July 2010
Mali, Mauritania: Hostage Michel Germaneau Killed in Failed Raid as Tension Rises
A French-Mauritanian raid to free French aid worker Michel Germaneau inside Malian territory has raised tension [Fr] between the two nations, Diaspora Sahauri blog reports. The 78-year-old engineer Germaneau was killed after the failed attempt to free him.
Venezuela and Colombia: Online Political Cartoons Add Humor to Current Events
Humorous political cartoons provide a steam valve for Colombians and Venezuelans who tune into the web for different perspectives on current events through animated online web shows.
São Tomé & Principe: Political Background for a Voting Day
The 25th of July 2010 is a voting day for local and regional government in São Tomé & Príncipe. Blog OPLOP posts a report about the political system and the current electoral situation in a country that celebrates its 35th anniversary this month [pt].
Brazil: Collaborative Website on Street Dwellers
Maria Frô talks about the new website FalaRua [Street Talking], dedicated to the street dwellers of Brazil. The online community offers information about the Project for Training and Strengthening of Street Dwellers and invites everyone to participate through a quick registration. [all links in Portuguese]
Sri Lanka: The Black July of 1983
D. B. S. Jeyaraj remembers the Black July of 1983 when anti-Tamil attacks were carried out by Sinhala mobs in different cities of Sri Lanka.
South Korea: Addiction Mutates and Permeates Korean Society
A revolting incident caused by the internet addiction has recently shocked South Korea, and the government and non-profit organizations are rushing for solutions. Korean bloggers share their analysis on the uphill battle against addiction. Last week, a couple who starved their baby to death were sentenced to a year and...
India: A Future For Kolkata
Supriyo Chaudhuri has some ideas about a bright future for Kolkata, the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal.
Philippines: Oplan Bantay Laya and Counterinsurgency
Kapirasong Kritika writes a book review of Oplan Bantay Laya: The US-Arroyo Campaign of Terror and Counterinsurgency in the Philippines. Oplan Bantay Laya is a counterinsurgency program alleged by critics and human rights groups as the blueprint behind more than 1,000 extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations committed between...
Philippines: Dayo and the Filipino Migration
The Marocharim Experiment designates the Filipino word “dayo” as descriptive of the Filipino experience of migration: “Diaspora assumes exile, deportation, the removal of identification. ‘Dayo,’ like ‘pakikipagsapalaran,’ represents the hope for return; of when, they can only tell.”
Vietnam: Understanding the Hanoi floods
Neil Nguyen, writing for Vietnam Talking Points, analyzes the flooding disasters in Vietnam, particularly in Hanoi.
Malaysia: Corruption in the bureaucracy
Gutter Malaysia is shocked to discover from a report that 418,200 or 41% of Malaysia's civil servants are suspected to be involved in corruption
Brunei: Reducing plastic use
Through a cartoon that he made, Cuboiart from Brunei tries to raise awareness about the need to reduce use of plastic.
Azerbaijan: Youth activism and social media
Ali Resh uses online video tools to interview Baku-based Ruslan Asadov, along with now imprisoned video blogger Adnan Hajizade also a co-founder and member of the OL! Azerbaijani youth movement, live from Tbilisi, Georgia. Resh and Asadov speak about the use of new and social media in youth activism in...
Africa's Hunger Hardships Spur Biotech Debate
Many solutions have been proposed to help combat hunger in Africa, but one in particular remains controversial: biotechnology. Many experts suggest that genetically modified organisms could help ensure food security. Others claim there are numerous risks associated with adopting GMOs in Africa.
Iran:”The Persian Wikipedia got filtered”
Several bloggers including Sabz21baltarin reported[fa] that the Persian Wikipedia got filtered by Iranian authorities.
Serbia: ICJ Rules Kosovo’s Independence Legal
On July 22, the International Court of Justice ruled that the declaration of independence of Kosovo did not violate international law. Sinisa Boljanovic reviews Serbian bloggers' reactions to the ruling.
Saudi Arabia: Dear Moron
In Saudi Arabia, all businesses shut down during prayer times. Ahmed Al-Omran sends out the following tweet: “Dear moron at post office who refused to serve me b/c “it's prayer time,” 1) u r a disgrace to this religion, & 2) I paid for this service.”
Lebanon: Sex and the City
From Lebanon, Guy Meets World reviews Sex and the City, the movie.
Jordan: Jailed for MSN Messages
A Jordanian computer science student has been sentenced to two years in prison by the State Security court for supposedly insulting HM King Abdullah during a chat with a friend on MSN Messenger. Naseem Tarawnah reacts.
Taiwan: Rice fields outside the Presidential Office
On July 18th, Taiwanese farmers transformed the Presidential Office into rice fields, not for creating a city garden, but for a protest to the Land Expropriation Act.
