Stories from 17 February 2014
Invisible Walls and Protests in Venezuela
The Berlin wall was not just physical. There was also an idealogical wall that prevented people from seeing reality clearly. The East Germans were told that the Wall protected the population from Fascist elements conspiring to prevent the peoples’ will from building a socialist state, so it was officially called...
Trinidad Lecture Ignites Fiery Discussion on Gay Rights & Religious Freedom
A public lecture on gay rights, following a Catholic priest's suggestion that LGBT rights should be included in the Trinidad and Tobago constitution, has generated heated discussion on social media.
Nepal Airlines Plane Crashes Killing All 18 On Board
The Nepalese aviation industry has seen a huge number of accidents in the recent years, with two fatal plane crashes each year from 2010 to 2012.
Sudan: Blogger Remains in Detention for Criticizing Presidents
Tajeldin Arja Arja was arrested at a press conference last December, after he criticized the Sudanese and Chadian Presidents for their actions surrounding the conflict in Darfur.
From Iran to the World: Humans of Shiraz
Who are the people of Shiraz and what are their dreams? The world famous Humans of New York has inspired yet another local Facebook page.
Race as a Political Weapon in the Caribbean
Of all the offensive – and unintelligent – statements made in the politics of the post-independence Caribbean, an assertion, that Dr Keith Rowley, the leader of the Opposition in Trinidad and Tobago, is ‘too black’ to be Prime Minister, has to rate as the worst. Bajan Reporter explains why such...
Zambia Ditches English in Primary School for Government-Approved Local Languages
Although there are 73 recognised languages in Zambia, only seven are to replace English as the language of instruction in primary school. Leaders of various ethnics groups oppose the change.
Dancing and Rising for Justice in Southeast Asia
Thousands in Southeast Asia supported the 'One Billion Rising' campaign with many people calling for justice and the elimination of violence against women
Collecting Data About Possible Web Censorship in Venezuela
Marianne Díaz, lawyer, digital activist and Global Voices Advocacy author, has been making constant appeals from her Twitter account asking users to collaborate on collecting data related to access to some websites and online platforms from Internet service providers in Venezuela, due to growing reports of partial or total blockage...
Could Barbados’ Economic Crisis Spread to Other Islands?
Abeng News Magazine's Mark Lee says that the latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) Country Report “reads like a good cop bad cop interrogation of the Barbados economy”. Read the details, here.
From Facebook to the Street: Activism on Cusco's Walls
A central wall in Cusco has become the epicenter of local activism, joining initiatives born both online and offline.
Correction to Chosun Newspaper in South Korea
In an article that lists Global Voices as one of several “non-legitimate”, “foreign media websites” who “spread rumors about South Korea” abroad, South Korean pro-government newspaper Chosun falsely describes our Korean editor Yoo Eun Lee as, “a dark-haired Korean-American blogger, who goes by a last name starting with L”. Lee's...
The Millenium Development Goal for Safe Water Is Still Beyond Reach for Many African Countries
Virgil HOUESSOU, a Benin-based reporter for the African association for clean water, is pessimistic about the Millenium Development Goal with respect to safe water. He writes on the collective blog Wash Journalists [fr]: A quelques mois de l’échéance de la réalisation des OMD [Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement], beaucoup de défis...
Will Fiji Become Australia's New Best Friend?
A visit by Australia's foreign minister heralds a thaw in relations with Fiji.
Algerian Cartoonist Faces 18 Months in Jail for Mocking President
Djamel Ghanem faces prison for an unpublished cartoon that compares Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's possible fourth term to baby diapers.
On the 11 Wives of Convicted Zimbabwean Preacher
Following the conviction of End Time Message church leader Martin Gumbura on multiple charges of rape, Sibusisiwe Bhebhe asks whether his 11 wives are victims, villains or victors: In past weeks, Zimbabwean gossip – from the mainstream media to social media to bars and public transport – has been dominated...
