Stories from 19 November 2010
Morocco/Western Sahara: Gadaym Izik Riots Become a Volatile Political Crisis
There has been ongoing unrest in Western Sahara, the former Spanish colony that was annexed by Morocco after “The Green March Demonstration“ in November, 1975. Last week, the territory witnessed one of the worst violent events in years. Bloggers react to the development in this post.
Sri Lanka: LTTE And JVP
“LTTE and JVP have been two faces of the same coin of fascism. Both have miserably failed their terrorist campaigns though operated under different political slogans,” comments Lanka Rising.
Bangladesh: Corruption And Honesty
Expat Bloggers Jacob and Hosanna shares their experience of corruption and honesty in Bangladesh.
Bermuda: Political Financing
Vexed Bermoothes says “it is time to address political finance in Bermuda.”
China: First case of Twitter inquisition
A woman in China was sentenced to one year of ‘re-education through labour’ for sending a single tweet, under the charge of 'disrupting social order.'
Latin America: Travel E-Book Celebrates Latin America At Ground Level
Margaret Snook from Cachando Chile writes about Celebrating Latin America at Ground Level, a free e-book by Steven Roll from Travel Ojos: “a collection of tales from 29 expats and travel writers on just about every imaginable aspect of life in Latin America.”
Haiti: Saving Lives
“The current count of patients treated in 10 days is 227″: real hope for haiti shares some of their experiences as they help to battle the cholera epidemic.
U.S.V.I.: Smoking or Not?
News of St. John says that “a new ‘No Smoking’ law went into effect this week but it's not being enforced”, adding that there is “confusion about the law”.
Trinidad & Tobago: A Different View
Blogger Afra Raymond was “one of the three people ‘let go’” from a state-owned media house; he examines the controversy and asks: “How committed are we to a conversation with people who hold different views?”
Trinidad & Tobago: Comunications Interception
In the context of the wiretapping debacle, KnowTnT.com republishes the Law Association's comments on the Interception of Communications Bill.
El Salvador: Canadian Mining Firm Files Lawsuit Against Seven Anti-Mining Activists
Voices from El Salvador's Weblog reports: “Tension in the debate over Pacific Rim’s efforts to mine gold in Cabañas continues […] In this latest episode, Pacific Rim has filed a lawsuit against seven anti-mining activists in Cabañas, the province where Pacific Rim’s El Dorado property is located, accusing them of...
Sudan: Ballots symbols for Southern Sudan Referendum
Maggie Fick writes about ballot symbols for Southern Sudan Referendum 2011: “The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission unveiled yesterday the symbols which will appear on the ballots indicating the two choices voters have in the January 9 vote on southern self-determination.”
Sudan: Southern Sudan Referendum 2011 on Twitter
Follow tweets about Southern Sudan Referendum that will take place on 9 January 2011.
Cuba: Fiber Optic Cable May Not Bring Greater Internet Access
Officials at Cuba’s Ministry of Informatics and Communications recently announced that a much-anticipated submarine fiber optic cable linking Venezuela, Cuba, and Jamaica, will be in operation by January of 2011. Although the cable’s 640 gigabytes will increase Cuba’s connectivity 3000-fold, it will not bring greater opportunities for Cuban citizens to access the Internet. Bloggers react.
Armenia: Police crackdown on ‘Emos’
Unzipped comments on news reports that the Armenian police are targeting teenagers who look different than what is expected in the still somewhat conservative and traditional former Soviet republic. The blog describes the methods employed by the police as “Stalinist,” but takes solace in the fact that some local bloggers...
Azerbaijan: Emin Milli released, but another activist detained
Following yesterday's news that video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade had been conditionally released in Azerbaijan, Facebook was today awash with news that his friend and fellow activist, Emin Milli, had also been freed.
USA Now Alone, as Canada Votes to Adopt Indigenous Declaration
Canada has endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, leaving the US as the only country to vote against the document.
Brazil: dreams of competing with China
Writer and analyst Bradley M. Gardner weighs in on billionaire entrepeneur Eike Batista's plan [pt] to bring Apple’s manufacturing process to Brazil. Gardner writes that Batista “wants his country to be China”, where Apple's products are currently manufactured. He adds that he “wouldn't put it past” Batista, the world's eighth-richest...
Azerbaijan: Second video blogging youth activist released
Following yesterday's surprise news that video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade had been conditionally released from prison in Azerbaijan, Emin Milli, a friend and associate of Hajizada arrested and imprisoned at the same time last year, was also freed today. Threatened Voices has updated its status page accordingly.
Brazil: Dilma Rousseff and the ‘currency war’
Enéas de Souza, blogging at Sul21 [pt], examines how president-elect Dilma Rousseff will deal with the huge surge in Brazil's currency that has led Goldman Sachs to classify it as the most overvalued in the world.
Madagascar: Coup attempt, as referendum takes place
The controversial referendum held on November 17, 2010 in Madagascar was soon overshadowed by reports of a rather bloodless putsch.
