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Croatia: Changing Eminent Domain for a Golfing Gain · Global Voices
El Hud

Near the end of last year, a law was passed in the Croatian Sabor (Parliament) that made a number of changes to how eminent domain can be used within the country, specifically when it comes to the development of golf courses.  The blog for Lifejacket Adventures describes why this particular type of development required government intervention:
Currently it is very difficult to organize a large parcel of land in Croatia for a golf resort as the country is divided into numerous small plots, many of which are owned by numerous owners, who may also be dead or living overseas. The newly passed law is a heavy-handed attempt to break this impasse.
The new law allows the government to use ‘eminent domain’ to confiscate land from its owners if a golf course resort is proposed nearby and the land is required for the development, even if the owners don’t wish to sell. There is no right of appeal.
…The situation smacks of overt corruption – several golf developers have given sizable donations to HDZ [the majority party of Croatia] and a local Istrian law firm, who has a number of large golf developers as clients, had a hand in drafting the legislation.
It seems that there is now no way to prevent Jupiter Adria from building its resort below Motovun.
The town in question that this immediately affects is Motovun, an otherwise idyllic hilltop town similar to others that dot the landscape of the Istrian Peninsula in the far western region of Croatia.
As this process started, a local to the area named Ranko Bon began writing about what was happening on his site, Residua:
In major developments, such as golf in Motovun, the state land is leased for a period of many years, while the private land adjoining it is sold outright to foreign investors. The spatial or physical planning process preceding individual development projects is widely used in the region to ensure that leasing and sale go hand in hand. In accordance with the Croatian law, agricultural and urban land use can be switched in the planning process without informing the owners.
Motovun is a very small place and this article did not go without notice.  Just a few weeks after publishing the article, Ranko was summoned to court for slander as he wrote in a later article:
…this morning I got a hefty piece of registered mail summoning me to the County Court in Pazin on December 1. Vugrinec is suing me for slander on account of a piece of mine published on my website (“Croatia Spells Conflict of Interest,” October 3, 2008)…
…the mayor demanded my apology for slander, which I refused to give. I told him that we should discuss such matters in the presence of our lawyers, and that the public discussion should concern only the study itself.
Ranko's situation to date remains unresolved and is still in legal proceedings.
This issue has become a national concern as well, due to the fact that in addition to not being in line with the EU acquis, there are large environmental concerns as well with the group Zelena Akcija (Green Action) taking up the issue and creating the Facebook Cause, Zahtijevamo ukidanje Zakona o igralištima za golf! (We demand the abolition of the Golf Course Law!) (HRV) which was started by organization member, Jagoda Munić.  In the Cause, they outline a good number of the issues and elaborate on how the law came about:
The law was secretly pushed through and threatens the right of ownership and entrepreneurial freedom.
…The law was without a public hearing and deferred through the urgent parliamentary procedure, although it does not relate to the harmonization of Croatian legislation with EU acquis.
They also talk about how large the scope of definitions for golf courses have now become:
Thus the law sets the minimum surface of the golf course to be 85 hectares [210 acres], a building can occupy up to 25% of the total surface area, which makes the possibility of building luxury accommodations and villas, as has already been done by law in the case of Golf & Country Club in Zagreb.
This means that an extremely large resort can be constructed right next to a town that claims fewer than 1,000 inhabitants during the warm months of the year.  But, beyond relaying the facts, there is a call to action by multiple groups.  On Barkun prozor u istra (A Window into Istria) they write (HRV):
NGOs have called on the citizens to speak up if they are directly affected by this law, and tell others to become a member of the ‘facebook group’ under ‘Zahtijevamo ukidanje Zakona o igralištima za golf!’ which currently has more than 1200 members.
Citizens are also invited to an Internet page where Green Action can send automated mails to all MPs in the Croatian Parliament, Government, and the Ministry of Tourism with the request to revoke this law.
While the Facebook Cause now has 2,700 members, Croatia is a small country and the people fighting this law need all the help they can get.  For anyone who wishes to support (or challenge) their cause, join the Facebook Cause or go to Zelena Akcija and send the email.  Also, stay up to date with the predicament of Ranko Bon, which he writes updates on (as well as a great many other topics) at his site, including this one three weeks ago:
Concerned with the legal pickle in which I found myself, Vjeran Pirsic, a friend and a Croatian ecological activist of note, recently wrote to Zarko Puhovski, a professor of political science and a Croatian human-rights activist of note. “Concerning Bon,” responded Puhovski tersely, “only two things can help–a good lawyer and a good deal of public noise.” And I have followed his advice to the letter.  Having already hired the best lawyer I could find in Istria, yesterday I agreed to appear this Monday at a press conference in Pula organized by some of the Istrian greens, and then I wrote a one-page statement that I will distribute to the journalists who appear at the event […] And now I am sitting with a glass of wine in my hand and waiting for that noise to begin. I can almost hear it already.

author: El Hud


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Cuba: A Look at Sports Blogs · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Editor's Note: The following is a translation of the article written by Yudivián Almeida Cruz on the site  Bloggers Cuba and it is republished with permission.
Sports form a large part of the Cuban identity.  Passion can be seen for the sport of baseball all the way to the unexpected participation of a Cuban in another sport.  We all feel capable of questioning sporting decisions and we are comforted by those results that permit us to keep believing that this small Caribbean island is a world sporting power.  Anything short of this causes us to call for their heads. Despite all of this, information and appraisals of Cuban sports is still insufficient on the net. I believe that the alternate means of communication taking place on blogs is the ideal space for the diffusion and analysis of the present dynamics of daily Cuban sports. However, this has not been sufficiently exploited, neither by communication professionals, nor sports fans.
Despite this, there exists some spaces that have been providing the first steps towards this goal.  Despite the fact that Cubans enjoy the controversy related to politics or sports, these digital spaces lack the emotion of a Cuban street corner, since very few comments appear that can help enrich the posts. Of the sports blogs that I am familiar with, my favorite is Palco Deportivo [es] and is written by the Cuban journalist Abelardo Oviedo. Here the frequency of the posts are spread out and no one has commented, although the quality of his articles and interviews forces one to visit each time a new post appears.
Mi Columna Deportiva [es] is another site that I usually visit.  This sports blog is the work of journalist and professor of the Department of Communications [es] at the Havana University [es] Miguel Ernesto Gómez Masjuán. This blog is where I first read about the Cuban sporting blogosphere [es]. In this site, the posts appear regularly and it may be the only space that has broken the ice with comments, not as much as I would like, but it may be the point of entry for enriching debates.   Another sports blog is Cuba El Deporte [es].  The author is José Luis Basulto and his articles don't appear as regularly.  On this blog, as of the majority of sports blogs, readers do not leave a trace and do not comment.
In the case of Infodeportivas [es], RomoDeportes [es], and Siempre Con Ustedes [es], these blogs specialize in information about sports in Santiago de Cuba, Ciego de Ávila and Holguín, respectively.  These blogs are updated frequently and are one of the best examples of the usefulness of blogs. National online media do not provide in-depth coverage of sports in each one of our provinces and the blogs are one of the best solutions to spread local information.  Hopefully, I will discover more blogs that imitate these blogs and allows us to know the happenings, not only sporting events, of each possible corner of Cuba.
These are some of the Cuban sports blogs that one can find after invoking Saint Google and navigate among the links.  There is a lot to be done by those that attempt to create and maintain a Cuban sports blogosphere and by those who read the blogs, but don't dare to comment and contribute to the dynamics of those blogs.  I, who am always optimistic, believe that soon we can have many more digital spaces.

source: news-globalvoices

license: Creative Commons - Attribution - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

author: Eduardo Avila


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Cuba: Political Prisoners & Human Rights  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Uncommon Sense learns that the number of Cuban political prisoners dropped last year, but “there also were more than 1,500 arrests and detentions, albeit temporary, of opponents to the Castro dictatorship”, while Havana Times reports that the island “has ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Forced Disappearance, a new indication of this Caribbean nation’s will to strengthen its cooperation with international mechanisms of promotion and protection of human rights.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Czech Republic: HIV/AIDS · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Czechmatediary writes about HIV/AIDS in the Czech Republic.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Dominica: Carnival Parade  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Dominica Weekly posts photos of the island's Carnival 2009 opening parade.


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Egypt: Erdoğan, Leader of the World · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip  has new fans across the Arab world, notably in Egypt where one blogger went on to describe him as the “leader of the world.” Another sees fault in Arab leaders who are not standing up for the Palestinian cause.
By storming out of a debate at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and after the moderator refused to give him extra time to rebut Israeli President Shimon Peres’ explanation of what happened during the Israel-Gaza conflict, Erdoğan is getting the thumbs up from bloggers.
Maher Mahmoud wrote in his blog Kelmety:
Abu El Maaly Fayek also wrote about the incident in his blog Lokmet Eish:
Zeinab – Bent Masreya – wrote another post here calling him the “leader of the world”:
And finally Ahmed Abdel Moneam wrote in his blog Tasrehat:
Also on Global Voices Online:
Turkey: Prime Minister Storms out of Davos Hearing

author: Tarek Amr


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El Salvador: Partial Election Coverage · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Hora Cero [es] comments on a recent published report that concluded that the press in El Salvador is favoring the ARENA party during the election season.


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Europe: “Who Needs the Euro?” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Andrei Tuch of AnTyx writes at Th!nk About It: “So, for the eleven member states who still use their own currencies – and especially the more developed ones, whose economies might have some chance of standing on their own without leaning on the European Central Bank – the question is: do we want to join the Euro?”


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Guyana: Domestic Violence  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Guyanese diaspora blogger Charmaine Valere writes a piece for Baiganchoka about “the case of the disappearing domestic violence complainant.”


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Hungary, Slovakia: Joint Session of Parliamentary Committees on Human Rights · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes: “It is hard to call the joint meeting of the Slovak-Hungarian parliamentary committees on human rights anything other than a fiasco. Or a scandal.”


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Iran: Balatarin, a popular community website was hacked · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Iranian bloggers reported that Balatarin, a popular community website was hacked.Farsnews, a conservative site recently accused Balatarin to be a “Zionist” site. Read Global Voices interview with Balatarin's founder. Amin Sabeti writes[fa] Balatarin was used by many news agencies and played a key role in persian web 2.0

author: Fred Petrossian


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Israel: Hamas Raids UN Aid in Gaza · Global Voices
Gilad Lotan

Justin wonders why this story, on the United Nations accusing Hamas police in Gaza Strip of seizing thousands of blankets and food parcels meant for needy residents, is not displayed in any of the mainstream media outlets.

author: Gilad Lotan


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Jamaica: View from Mount Diablo  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Two facts to bear in mind: I am white and I am 80 years old. the first precludes me from using Emancipation or any other black triumph as a poetic epiphany; the second allows me to focus, more or less, on an 80 year span of Jamaican history to which I can be a personal witness”: Litblogger Geoffrey Philp features poet Ralph C. Thompson in his own words.


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Japan: Bloggers respond to new filtering measures · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Over the past week, Japan's major mobile phone operators have commenced filtering web access on mobile phones contracted to minors (users under 18 years of age), following on legislation introduced in late 2007 and on developments over the last year toward the regulation of “harmful” content. On January 30th, NTT Docomo became the first mobile phone company to apply [ja] the new filtering policy [ja], with others set to follow suit: KDDI Corp., parent company of mobile phone operator au by KDDI, will begin applying filtering on February 10th, while Softbank Mobile Corporation will start from the first week of February. While earlier measures had, over 2008, already enforced default web filtering on phones held by new users in some cases, the current filtering is more extensive and applies uniformly to all users under age 18 (and not only to new users).
Sites targeted by the new filtering policy include adult and dating (deaikei) sites, as well as so-called “communication sites”, which include bulletin boards and blog services.  Some of the affected blog services have already posted explanations about the change to their users. At the goo staff blog [ja], an entry posted on February 2nd [ja] explains:
2009年１月下旬頃より、携帯電話会社（docomo、au、SoftBank）にて18歳未満を対象としたフィルタリング（アクセス制限）が実施されております。
現在、モバイル版gooブログはフィルタリングの対象となっており、携帯電話のご契約名義が18歳未満の場合には、ブログの閲覧・投稿が出来なくなる可能性がございます。
このフィルタリングは各携帯電話会社のショップ窓口等で解除が可能となっておりますので、携帯電話の契約名義が18歳未満の方は保護者の方と相談し、ショップ窓口にてモバイル版gooブログにもアクセス可能なフィルタリングサービスを選択していただく、または解除手続きについてお問い合わせください。
gooブログでは皆様が安心・安全に全てのサービスをご利用いただけますよう取り組んでおりますが、18歳未満のお客様におかれましてはしばらくご不便をおかけいたします。
他ご不明な点等ございましたら、お手数ですがご利用の携帯電話会社まで直接お問い合わせください。
Not all Japanese social media sites will apparently be subject to the filtering, however. A J-CAST article [ja] explains that while Ameblo [ja], a popular blogging site featuring famous tarento bloggers, is subject to the filtering, Japan's hugely popular social networking service Mixi is exempt, as is Mobage Town, Japan's largest social network site with gaming functionality.
For the one in five Japanese who already choose to have their web access filtered, the moves described above will likely mean no great change. Many other bloggers, however, responded with puzzled reactions. One blogger writes [ja]:
えー、誠に残念なことに、私のケータイ、いつのまにかフィルタリングかかってましたwww
blogに投稿は出来るんだけれども、アクセス制限のため見れないんだなこれが／(^O^)*＼
なーんてこったーいＯTZ
At PECO's　favorite　things, blogger Peco writes:
そんなことするよりもネット機能のないケータイを作ればいい
そもそもフィルタリング機能って意味がわからないし
例えば卑猥な情報をシャットダウンするものだとして
卑猥な情報ってなに？
例えば真面目な性教育のサイトでもセックスとか女性器男性器って単語で卑猥なくくりにされちゃうでしょ？
女性は16歳から結婚できて、結婚してれば当然性生活もあるわけで、法律上は未成年でも結婚して子供もいれば大人として義務を果たさなきゃいし、立派な大人だし
それなのにフィルタリングする必要あるの？
At Tokotoko Diary, another blogger warns readers [ja] that the filtering is not automatically removed when users turn age 18:
ちなみに、適用されたフィルタは１８才以上になっても自動的に解除されません！
１８才になったら忘れずに手続きしましょう（笑）
Another blogger describes their experience requesting removal of filtering:
フィルタリングを
解約しましたよー！
やったー(´∀｀)
やっと
自分のブログが
見れるように
なりましたよー
てか、
ありえないですよね
自分のブログを
自分でみれないとか…
いやー良かった
Finally, while many bloggers were puzzled and confused by finding their blog entries blocked, others worried that the filtering was in fact not sufficient. Blogger Nakono Hitorigoto explains:
我が子はもちろんフィルタリングしていましたが、最近みたいサイトがみれないから
「フィルタリング解除して」って言ってきます。
フィルタリングといってもいくつか選択肢があるわけですが、
どこまではずしたらどうなるかがまったくわからないんです。
もう少し、簡単な選択方法が知りたいな～
（勉強すればいいのでしょうが、難しいよあせる）
The blogger then makes a suggestion:
できればURLをみただけでこれはフィルタリングだと見れないとか
フィルタリング何段階のものだとかの判断ができれば、
子どもが見たいサイトのアドレスを見て
判断できるのですが。
実際パケホ（DOCOMO)でメールのやり取りは自由なのは理解していますが、
ネットが見れるのもなんとなく不思議な感じ。
どこまでiモード対応なのか、iアプリなのか
そして、パケホの範囲なのかが理解できていないです

author: Chris Salzberg


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Latvia: The Penguins’ “Stroll-In” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Another update on the political situation in Latvia – at Baltic and Free Speech Emergency in Latvia (the latter post includes a video from today's peaceful protest).


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Mexico: Protesting the Proposal to Illuminate Teotihuacán Pyramids · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Nearly 200 protestors assembled near the Teotihuacán pyramids near Mexico City.  They do not agree with the governor's proposal to illuminate the pyramids at night in order to attract more tourism saying that it will only further deteriorate the archaeological ruins writes Perla Cristal Gómez of Vivir México [es].


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Pakistan: Human Cost Of Conflict in NWFP · Global Voices
Rezwan

“The conflict in Pakistan’s northern areas has translated to an increasing number of internally displaced persons (IDPs)”, reports CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan.

author: Rezwan


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Paraguay: Loofah and Plastic makes a home · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Loofah gourd (luffa cylindrica) by Laura512
Paraguayan innovator Elsa Zaldívar has won the 2008 Rolex Award for Enterprise thanks to her project which consists of not only training women heads of households about processing the luffa cylindrica gourd to make bath scrubbies and sandals, but also in mixing the leftovers of the vegetable sponge with recycled plastic and turning it into a strong material which can be used to make walls, a technology which might save the forests by substituting wooden planks for the plastic composite.
In the following video [en], Elsa speaks about her Paraguay: the low cost housing shortage, the quickly shrinking forests and the pollution caused by plastics, and how this project can address all of these issues:
So, what is a luffa? It is a type of gourd that grows on a climbing vine. Some varieties can be eaten when young, others are bitter, but mostly the luffa (or loofah) is famous for being a bath sponge, used as an exfoliating agent to remove dead skin cells while in the shower. On the  cmc-cmc blog [en], the author took pictures and videos of a farmer harvesting loofah gourds, peeling and cleaning them right on the spot. On the blog post, he also mentions that the seeds are sometimes ground to make a natural remedy against high blood pressure.
WilliamSabber on YouTube [pt] made this short video from the garden of Mr. Adair Satler in Brazil, when he saw a really long loofah gourd, easily surpassing 120 cm (47 inches):
The good news is that in Paraguay, the loofah industry is up and growing, and some NGO's like OIPIC [es] are promoting its farming as a way for families to be able to compete with the soy or cotton industries. The loofah can be used as a filling for furniture or car seats, for making handbags, shoes, and bath sponges, insoles, sandals, as pot scrubbers (they are safe for use with metal non-stick pans), as an ingredient for natural hand-made soaps and even medication against sinus problems.  Another benefit for loofah planting is that  because it flowers year round, it is great for bee-keping, to keep a colony healthy, well fed and increase honey production, as the Bees for Development [en] website states. And well, it seems that now, thanks to Elsa Zaldívar,  it will be a staple for construction as well.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Romania, Ukraine: Serpent Island Ruling · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Antal Dániel of Central Europe Activ writes about the ruling in the Romanian-Ukrainian dispute over the Serpent Island.


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Serbia: Tadic and Obama; Situation With “Pescanik” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgraded writes about president Boris Tadic's failure to congratulate Barack Obama on becoming president, and explains the situation with Pescanik (“Hourglass”) radio show.


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Slovenia: Lawsuit Against Writer Goran Vojnović · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sleeping With Pengovsky writes about the lawsuit filed by the Slovenian police against writer Goran Vojnović for a novel he has written: “But the problem arises when the only organisation which can legally use force against a citizen starts using these powers to curb freedom of speech, thought and artistic expression. Sure, file a libel suit against a writer for writing a work of fiction. Make a fool of yourself. But treating a work of fiction as a criminal offence is dangerous.”


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Sri Lanka: Not Proud · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sri Lanka celebrates 61 years of Independence today but A Janusis is not flying the Sri Lankan flag. Read the reasons why.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados: Credit Rating  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Liming House and Bajan Global Report learn that the Trinidad and Tobago government's bailout of failed conglomerate CL Financial may threaten the country's credit rating.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Integrity Issues  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Following a Trinidad and Tobago High Court ruling that the Integrity Commission “had acted in bad faith and was guilty of misfeasance in public office”, This Beach Called Life says: “Imagine that, the Integrity Commission has no integrity.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Opportunities in the Recession  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Then there are those who are strangely calm as the storm approaches.  Who are these weirdos smiling in the face of [economic] adversity?”: Alien in the Caribbean tells us.


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Ukraine: IMF “Problems” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Abdymok comments on the statement by the director of the IMF’s European Department: “you don’t have to be a genius to figure out that it’s a big risk to dole out billions of dollars to ukraine’s inept leaders. um, so . . . what, exactly, is the problem?”


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Algeria: CIA Chief A “Serial Rapist” · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“That the CIA Station Chief in Algiers is a serial rapist will do serious damage to  American prestige in that country. When this story hits the Algerian press, one can expect fire and anger,” writes American-Algerian blogger The Moor Next Door.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Armenia: Environmental Destruction · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Vladimir Azriyan, an Armenian participant in DOTCOM, comments on visiting a photo exhibition in Yerevan on environmental destruction. The teenage blogger particularly decries the destruction of Armenia's forests while another DOTCOM blogger, 15-year-old Nare, says that all of the Armenian participants attended.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Confusing Messages · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Writing on Voodoo Knickers, Kimpossible says that the outcome of the upcoming referendum in Azerbaijan already looks a foregone conclusion and discusses some of the confusion surrounding posters alerting voters to the plebiscite.


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Azerbaijan: Prisoners of Conscience · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines says that Azerbaijan has the highest number of imprisoned journalists for any member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The blog details some of those serving jail sentences and says anyone who is deprived of the right to speak their mind freely can be considered a “prisoner of conscience.”


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Azerbaijan: Tea Houses · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Thoughts on the Road makes a stop at a roadside tea house in Azerbaijan and says that contrary to the upmarket stereotype of such establishments in the West, they are very much the preserve of men in the country. The blog also posts a video of a tea house in Lenkoran.


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Barbados: Stimulating the Economy?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The impact of the global crisis is beginning to take root in Barbados as pre-bookings promising tourist dollars for the treasury dwindle”: Barbados Underground wonders when the government will announce an economic stimulus package.


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Bermuda: Good Governance?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes thinks that “as the heat is poured onto ‘offshore tax havens’, Bermuda can differentiate itself by improving our ‘good governance’ in the public sector.”


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Bolivia: Participation in FITUR · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Alexis Argüello Sandoval of Turisbo [es] takes a look at Bolivia's participation in the 2009 International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR).


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Chile: Film Festival at Catholic University in Santiago · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Seventeen different Chilean films are being shown as part of the 33rd Catholic University Film Festival in Santiago beginning on February 14 through March 1 writes Notas Al Margen [es].


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Chile: Number of Unregistered Young Voters · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Comparing the number of Chilean young people who are not registered to vote vs. the number who have signed up to use Facebook, Enzo Abbagliati of Cadaunadas [es] wonders why there are more using the social networking site.


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China: Logo for 50 Cents · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Someone has designed a logo for the 50 cent party (state sponsored online opinion maker). via wumao twitter.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Remebering History · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

2009 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of PRC. David Bandurski from China Media Project translates an article by a Chinese scholar Zi Zhongyun (资中筠), who urges China to reflect on its suppression of contemporary history.


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China: Shanzhai Spring Festival Blocked · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

In the evening of 25 of January 2009, most Chinese people in mainland China were at home, enjoying the year end dinner while waiting for the Lunar New Year. A usual entertainment for the night among family members was to watch the Spring Festival Gala broadcasted by CCTV. This year, they could have an alternative, however…
A netizen, Lao Meng planned to organize an alternative Spring Festival Gala online, called Shanzhai Spring Gala 山寨春晚 (The meaning of Shanzhai is home-based factory or mountain village), in November 2008. He openly called for participation and had successfully recruited 35 performances. The Gala was scheduled to broadcast online via video hosting websites, Tecent and UUSee, in the evening of 25 of January. However, in early January, the State Administration of Radio Film and Television (SARFT) issued a notice demanding all the media stop reporting on the Shanzhai Gala. Moreover, due to some unknown reasons, the venue booking on that night was canceled and Lao Meng had to record the performances and turn the “public performance” into gathering and celebration among friends.
Lao Meng and his friends had finished recording their performance on 22 of January. However, they failed to upload the video, if the clips are tagged as “Shanzhai Spring Gala”. Even if they don't tag the clips, the uploading would be intercepted in the middle of the data transmission. On 2 of February journalist from Beijing News reported that he failed to find any video clip concerning Shanzhai Spring Gala on 56 major online video hosting websites in China. Lao Meng speculated that the performance was blocked by the government under the pretext of anti-Smut campaign.
Which sectors are to responsible for this blocking? Gowers points out:
可是，为什么视频网站没播呢？没办法，谁让视频网站有着广电总局、文化部这样的BOSS呢？视听许可证是广电总局发的，那是托关系、找人，费了九牛二虎之力才混到的。所以，广电告诉你“不参与、不炒作‘山寨’”，谁敢播？加上近期文化部等又在搞反低俗，要是因为播个山寨春晚就被弄成了低俗，也不值得。
The Shanzhai Spring festival Gala's slogan is “Spring Festival Gala for the people, by the people”, and the performances were designed for rural migrant workers, students and Diasporas who fail to return home for family gatherings. It is very likely that the CCTV and propaganda department see it as a challenge to their status.
In 163.com, there are more than 200 comments on the blocking of Shanzhai Gala, most of them criticize CCTV's monopoly status. Below are some selected comments:
这分明是个阴谋，偶年三十搜山寨春晚，有关链接全部连不上
cctv真缺德，没本事真刀真枪的干，只能玩阴的
结果今年的春晚办的果然不负众望，还是那么烂！
央视真可怜,一个山寨给吓成这样.
连一个小小的山寨春晚都无法容忍，更何况别的！中国！终国！
很央视…很中国…..
You can access the Shanzhai Spring Festival Gala in youtube(however, it is difficult to distinguish which are the genuine Lao Meng production as many use the Shanzhai tag to increase the video’s popularity). For mainland Chinese, they can access via Proxy and TOR. Here is a production by mainland Chinese students at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, using the Shanzhai in their title:
More information from DANWEI and hollywoodreporter.
This article is cross-posted in Globalvoices Advocacy with slight changes.


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Global Health: Obama Lifts “Global Gag Rule” · Global Voices
Juhie Bhatia

In his first week in office, U.S. President Barack Obama lifted a policy popularly known as the “Global Gag Rule.” The move is being applauded by women's rights and public health groups, as it will reinstate funding to international family planning programs globally.
The policy, also known as the Mexico City policy, bans U.S. government funding from going to overseas family planning groups and clinics that perform or promote abortion or lobby for its legalization. Obama lifted the ban one day after the 36th anniversary of Roe versus Wade, the case that legalized abortion in the U.S. The policy was created in 1984 and has been tossed back and forth between presidents ever since. A blog post on South-South elaborates:
“The Global Gag Rule [also known as the “Mexico City Policy” or specifically, The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151b(f)(1))] denied United States family planning funds to foreign NGOs that use their own private, non-U.S. dollars to counsel women, make referrals for abortion, or perform abortions. It even denied U.S. funds to NGOs that expressed support for laws to make abortion safe and legal. The Global Gag Rule was in effect from 1985 until 1993, when it was rescinded by President Clinton. President George W. Bush reinstated the policy in 2001, where it was in effect until Friday, 23 January 2009.”
Critics have dubbed the ban the “Global Gag Rule” because of how it restricts groups overseas from participating in the abortion debate in their home countries. Texas in Africa points out that another problem with the policy is that its restrictions are too broad.
“The Global Gag Rule doesn't take a country's policies on abortion into account. Instead, it blocks funding from any organization that supports abortion rights anywhere in the world. That means if Planned Parenthood operates a clinic in rural Uganda that gives advice on family planning and provides prenatal screening, it loses funding when the Global Gag Rule is in effect because of its pro-choice stance on policies in the U.S. This happens regardless of the fact that abortion is illegal in Uganda unless it involves preserving the mother's life or health.
When the Bush administration reinstated the Global Gag Rule in 2001, clinics all over Africa lost all of their funding. In many places, especially in Kenya and Ghana, it meant that tens of thousands of people lost their only access to health care. Period.”
In light of this, many bloggers are praising Obama's move and the potential impact it will have on reproductive health and family planning issues worldwide. Danie, Danie, Danie believes we should be thanking Obama, while Arash Kardan blogs:
“Desperately poor women with high risk pregnancies won’t have to die because their doctor can’t tell them about termination options.  Many will have more access to safe abortion care, and won’t die or face permanent injury due to risky do-it-yourself procedures.  Women won’t have to get pregnant because their local birth control clinic had to choose between no funding or substandard, dishonest care, and subsequently closed down…This is what change can mean. Thousands of women’s lives saved.  And after the past 8 years of this deadly policy, it’s about time.”
However, many anti-abortion groups have condemned the move, arguing, for instance, that U.S. taxpayer dollars shouldn't be spent supporting abortion and that this opens the door to more abortions worldwide. The Vatican has spoken out against Obama's decision, and the move has raised fears in some countries impacted by this funding. The blog Mike in Manila discusses the reaction in the Philippines:
“There are fears that now US funds will be released here in Asia as well to fund programs towards a global legalization of abortion. Some pro-Abortion groups have lobbied to tie in US Aid to legalization of abortion in the developing world.
A move that greatly concerns members of the CBCP [Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines] in the country who have called on Philippine-Americans of all faiths to signify their voices against the new executive order as well as for a campaign by them to elected members of the house and senate to be emailed and called by Catholics all over to world to ensure that the ‘pro-death and pro-abortion’ stance of the extreme left of American politics is not pushing to impose abortion supportive or legalization policies to the rest of the world.”
However, Nicholas, posting on Staying Left, Living and Driving in South Africa, points out that the choice to have an abortion isn't always clear cut in the countries that need this funding:
“When thinking about abortions, especially in developing countries, the arguments seem quite compelling. In sections of the KwaZulu Natal region of South Africa, up to 50% of pregnant women are HIV+. If my work were successful, we could reduce transmission of HIV from mother to baby into the single digits, instead of 30+% in most parts of the country. However, that means we'd have carefully execute a number of steps in a process without faltering. Given the fragility of the health system, the likelihood of passing HIV to the baby is quite high, and if I were the pregnant one, its not a roulette game I'd want to be playing.”
Image of The Abortion Debate by Better In the Basement on Flickr.

author: Juhie Bhatia


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Haiti: Baie d’Orange  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Living in Haiti brings me face to face with the most urgent and painful result of our environmental crisis: the death of children and the elderly in a village where environmental degradation has led to poverty and starvation”: Konbit Pou Ayiti takes a trip to Baie d’Orange.


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Hungary: Viktor Orbán in the Financial Times · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about a piece on Viktor Orbán in the Financial Times.


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India: Sakshat, The $10 Laptop · Global Voices
Rezwan

Gaurav Mishra at Gaurovonomics discusses about the recently unveiled Sakshat, the $10 laptop in India.


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Jordan: Arguing with Fools  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Qwaider urges his readers to never argue with fools for the following reasons.


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Kuwait: UAE Snow is “Real” · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Kuwait, Loft965 posts a video featuring the recent snowfall near Ras Al Khaymah, UAE and remarks: “And it's not fake!”


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Latvia: Hard Times · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

BBC's Mark Mardell writes about the political and economic situation in Latvia: “These are hard times for many Lativans, but they will probably get much harder.”


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Latvia: Vote of Confidence · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Manuel Alvarez-Rivera writes at Latvia Economy Watch that “the four-party coalition cabinet of Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis remains in power for the time being, having survived a parliamentary vote of confidence on February 4″ – but “an early general election – one year ahead of schedule – remains a distinct possibility.”


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Lebanon: Cedar Island – A Controversial Construction · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

From disbelief to bewilderment to outweighing its environment disaster against its economic impact, the proposed Cedar Island project is taking the Lebanese blogosphere by storm.
The blueprint for the artificial island, covering an area of 3,311,731,60 square meters, in the shape of the Cedar Tree, will boast residential, commercial, recreational, and touristic facilities in the Lebanese part of the Mediterranean Sea, once completed.
The idea for this man-made island has created a strong divide between the Lebanese, whose reactions are voiced in various blog posts and different Facebook groups. Most of the blog posts oppose the project. Those who support, especially the Facebook group, see it as an opportunity to eternalize the Lebanese emblem – the Cedar – in addition to creating jobs, money and other economical benefits to their country. Those who oppose it, both on Facebook and in the blogosphere, see that it will destroy the livelihood of fishermen, the environment and the Lebanese culture among other disadvantages.
Here are some of the reactions of Lebanese bloggers to this project:
Qifa Nabki, in one of his posts, goes out to investigate whether the project is a hoax, because of many considerations which are explained in the post, and found out that the project was real:
The more time one spends on the website of Noor Holding, the firm that is allegedly developing Cedar  Island, the more one begins to get the creeping suspicion that this is one of the most brilliant hoaxes pulled off in recent memory.[…]After scratching my head about this for a few minutes, I picked up the phone and called the number listed on the website. The fellow who answered assured me that it was real.
“The crazy cedar tree island is real?”
“Yes, of course.”
“The company is real? The enormous building shaped like a chair, and the Canadian  Town near Baghdad airport? These are all happening?”
“Inshallah.”
Truth stranger than fiction?
- UPDATE
I’ve just received heard from my contact in the Tourism Minister’s office that the project is, in fact, real. It was first floated (no pun intended) a few years ago, and is now gathering steam.
In another post, Qifa Nabki almost screams “Stop Cedar Island” and explains that Lebanon should not stoop to being a soul-less tourist trap like other countries because:
Far from demonstrating such gauche sensibilities, we Lebanese have culture, history, and taste. We have cafes, newspapers, intellectuals, universities, people who speak Arabic, service taxis, Sayyed Hasan, Abou l-Abed, and Fairouz. How can we be Dubai? We’re Lebanon!
Lebanos writes [Ar] about the call made by the Naqib (leader) of the Divers Union. The Naqib called on all environmentalist and fishermen to stand against this project. He was quoted as saying that the project will destroy the livelihood of hundreds of fishermen, in addition to destroying the richest marine resources in the Lebanese sea.
Liliane does not see the need to create an artificial land with trees in a country that is endowed with mountains, forests and green areas. She does not believe the claim of the project representatives that it will not destroy the marine life too:
Thank you but NO THANK YOU. We already have trees and green and mountains and a great beach and a great weather and a great location in Lebanon, we do not need to go by imitating Dubai (who originally imitated us in the first place) and create fake things by killing the maritime life.
We still have a little bit of great nature in Lebanon, forests, mountains and a very nice sea. We do not need to fake things.
Dr. Saleh, are you sure this project takes into consideration the protection of the maritime environment? How is that possible? It is going to take up a lot of space in the sea, are you going to send a note to all the fish and turtles and algae and everything to move to a new section in the sea?
Nihil Declaro is “partially amused by all the attention this “project” has received on Facebook.” He links to the Facebook groups that are “for” and those those that are “against”.
Urban Memories calls it the “Island of Dr. Moron” and criticizes the spokesperson of the project who claims that it will not disturb the environment:
I am sure that by now, many Lebanese across the world have seen this image that has been circulating in emails. At first I thought it might be a hoax, but then I got it many times, from different sources… And this mass advertising scares me.
Now pardon my arrogance and maybe my pretense, but with my multiple architectural degrees, and in all modesty, I can sincerely say that I would tend to have thoughts regarding this.
So here’s my educated opinion:
What the F*** do you think you’re doing!
So you’re telling us, that you are going to claim 3.5 M.sq.m of marine land, and not disturb aquatic life? Or the planet? I don’t care how many environmentalists you’re going to hire, but I don’t buy into that… not one bit.
Rami also questions the environmental impact of the project.
The Lebanese Inner Circle wrote a lengthy post about the project. In this post, both the owners’ view and the criticisms are mentioned in addition to some updates on the numbers in Facebook groups that are with and against it:
Noor International Holding is planning on building this massive island covering an area of 127.8 squared miles in the touristic coastal area of Lebanon, the Cedar Island lends itself as a luxurious residential, commercial, and touristic project. Its geographical location along the Lebanese coast allows it to play a vital role in attracting tourists and savvy residents looking for an exotic lifestyle or escaping from the city.
Update (30/01/2009): As you can see from the comments, and the rage over at facebook, many seem to be pleased by the candy colored plan for this massive project, and many seem to be keen on preventing it from happening, if ever the capital for such a project is secured. Till now, facebook’s Cedar Island – Lebanon has 7,345 fans and counting, while those opposing it, hosting a page called No for Cedar Island has 1,848 members.
Criticism has also come from environmentalists, who have raised concerns that building a giant artificial island will affect marine and coastal bird life. Amir Shahab works on research for the project, and counters that they are finding a site for land reclamation, which will “not have a coral reef, we are making sure there will be no bird habitat and no fishermen whose livelihood depends on fish stocks.” It will, in the long run, he said, become an artificial reef environment for fish, and the water treatment facility will prevent stagnation.
Wishing you a happy and fruitful surfing for more news from Lebanon.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Malaysia: War on Dengue and Chikungunya · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Malaysian government has launched a dengue awareness campaign in response to the rising number of dengue cases. Last month, 4,521 dengue cases and 13 dengue-related deaths were reported. The high number of dengue cases is alarming. Last year, Malaysia recorded 49,335 dengue cases and 112 dengue deaths  – the worst in the nation’s history.
Aside from dengue, there is another virus which is spreading in several Malaysian states: Chikungunya (pronounced chikoon-goon-nya). Doctor2008's Weblog writes about this little-known virus:
“(Its is) the latest in a series of diseases caused by a virus and spread by mosquitoes. While most of us were distracted by events of the world, this disease has steadily made its impact, not only in tropical regions but also in far-flung countries like Italy. In Malaysia alone, in 2008, more than 3700 cases have occurred. It used to have an incidence of 100 cases per year but this has now risen to 100 cases per week. Strangely enough, mainstream media has been deafeningly quiet and the health authorities have not done enough to educate the public on this relatively unknown condition.
Chikungunya is but the latest in a long line of diseases carried by mosquitoes, which include Malaria, Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, and the West Nile Encephalitis and causing 1 million deaths worldwide.
Elizabeth Wong lists the dengue hotspots in Malaysia. Daddy-O's has compiled information about dengue fever and chikungunya which he collected from various sources.
Lim Kit Siang hits the Health Minister’s “protracted silence on the dengue epidemic last year.” Environe blames ignorance on public cleanliness for the epidemic:
“The situation is aggravated by the lack of awareness among the Malaysian people about public cleanliness. Refuses and garbage not only pollute the drains,rivers and streams, but they clog them as well. Clogged waters are the best breeding grounds for Aedes mosquito.
“As people continue to be ignorant towards a clean environment, it is no wonder that the dengue cases kept on rising, alarming the Malaysian government.”
Palmdoc agrees with the observation that the present campaign against dengue may be a “phony war”:
“We’ve had years and years of a dengue endemic in our country. Now we are also plagued with Chikungunya which is also transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. We’ve heard and read similar noises before so it’s no surprise to read that a “War on dengue” has been declared by the Health Ministry. Fogging won’t be a permanent solution since it only kills the adult mosquitoes, and indeed the authorities acknowledge the problem is that there are too many breeding grounds for Aedes.
“Unless everyone gets serious, I am inclined to think LKS is right and all this is just lip-service and indeed a Phoney war”
M. Bakri Musa thinks that civil engineers should help in the anti-dengue campaign:
“We should engage civil engineers in local councils and the Ministry of Works, instead of medical doctors in local hospitals and the Ministry of Health. If those engineers could get away from their air-conditioned offices, they would notice those stagnant drains, silted ponds, and ditches with overgrown weeds. If those officers could brave the stench and examine closer, they would see mosquito larva luxuriating in the stagnant waters.”
Ji Keon's Blog urges citizens to remember their responsibilities in helping prevent the spread of dengue:
“It has been reported that residents do not allow the authorities to perform fogging activities in their premises. However, no fogging activities have been carried out so far in my area unlike previous years where relevant authorities will dispatch people to carry out fogging activities to eradicate those bloody mosquitos.
“It is unacceptable for the dengue and chikungunya cases to escalate for a prolonged period of time. Swift action must be taken to halt the problem from taking a turn for the worse.
“Prevention is better than cure. The Malaysian citizens must be reminded of the responsibilities they have in helping to curb this outbreak. Let's not allow those mozzies to reduce our productivity and our competitiveness at such critical time when the country needs everybody's effort to revive its ailing economy.
DESTROY AEDES!”
Picture in the front page is from the Flickr page of Pedro Trindade.

author: Mong Palatino


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Martinique: The last masters of the islands? · Global Voices
Fabienne Flessel

As the two-week-long-protest in Guadeloupe continues, the other French Overseas Departments of America – French Guiana and Martinique – are thinking about their own contribution to this deep thinking and massive mobilization.  In the midst of this brainstorming, the French-encrypted and sometimes trouble-making channel, Canal+ is seasoning up the debate with a sizzling hot documentary about the tight relationships between certain ethnic groups and economic domination on the French island of Martinique. The Martinican blogosphere, naturally, has been buzzing…
One Martinican blogger, blogdemoi explains her interest in watching the documentary after presenting the synopsis [Fr]:
Voilà le synopsis, disponible sur le site de Canal+, concernant ”Les derniers maîtres de la Martinique” (production: TAC Presse):
En Martinique, moins de 1% de la population détient 52% des terres agricoles. Il s’agit des békés, les héritiers des vieilles familles blanches, installées dans l’île avant la Révolution française.
Pour Spécial Investigation, Romain Bolzinger enquête sur une communauté méconnue et discrète qui a traversé les siècles en préservant ses coutumes, ses richesses et ses codes et dresse le portrait d’un département rongé par les inégalités et les rancoeurs post-coloniales.
For Spécial Investigation, Romain Bolzinger investigated a little-known and discreet community who have succeeded in preserving its traditions, wealth and codes through the centuries. He drew the portrait of a department [Martinique] tormented by various inequalities and post-colonial resentment.
blogdemoi draws attention to the pseudo-coincidental time of the broadcast – when the neighboring island of Guadeloupe is still shaken by a mobilization which questions the monopoly of a few families, and as another mobilization is scheduled in Martinique on February 5th 2009:
Le timing est presque parfait vu que les syndicats martiniquais appellent à la grève générale ‘contre la vie chère’ (selon l’expression désormais consacrée) à partir du jeudi 5 février.
She expresses her fears concerning the consequences of this broadcast, at a time when economic and ethnic matters tend to get all mixed up:
Ca risque de faire mal.
[…]Il faudra aussi s’attendre à des dérives racistes et xénophobes qui refuseront de s’appeler comme telles bien sûr; tout le monde sait que le racisme et la xénophobie ça ne va que dans un sens, n’est-ce-pas ? J’espère simplement, je croise les doigts, que ce documentaire ne mettra pas le feu aux poudres
blogdemoi‘s concerns may be justified: although the program will only be broadcast in the French West Indies on Feb. 6th 2009, it has already triggered many reactions. Indeed, the program was broadcast on Jan. 31st in continental France and has already crossed the Atlantic thanks to the Internet. bondamanjak and montray kréyol, both from Martinique, expressed their complete shock over the words uttered by a man from one of the richest and oldest “Béké” families, concerning racial mixing and slavery [Fr]:
Dans les familles métissées, les enfants sont de couleurs différentes, il n’y a pas d’harmonie. Moi, je ne trouve pas ça bien. Nous (ndlr : les Békés), on a voulu préserver la race.
Les historiens ne parlent que des aspects négatifs de l’esclavage et c’est regrettable
The man in question has since published a letter [Fr], to say that his words and ideas had been twisted by the journalist, but most people from the West Indian diaspora who saw the documentary in France, feel still miserable about it – like this woman for instance [Fr] :
Bref…ça fait mal…quand même parce qu'on passe (le reste de la population non béké) pour des cons bien gentils qui se font entubés depuis 400 ans !!!
Such bitter feelings are probably one reason why bondamanjak asks the question “DOIT-ON DIFFUSER LES DERNIERS MAITRES DE LA MARTINIQUE AUX ANTILLES?” which means, “Should The Last Masters of Martinique be broadcast in the French West Indies?”  The majority of comments on this post say yes, as people seem to think that now is the time for some truths to be officially unveiled.

author: Fabienne Flessel


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Martinique: Yes “Oui Canne” · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

le blog de [moi] [Fr] writes about “Oui Canne”, a new ad campaign for a Martiniquan liquor, a riff on Barack Obama's famous campaign slogan.

author: Jennifer Brea


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Morocco: Fez, a romantic getaway  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Moroccan Fez has been named a top romantic getaway, reports The View from Fez, in this post.


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Paraguay: Good News for Diabetics · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

López Barrio has good news for diabetics in Paraguay [es] with the release of a new device to automatically release insulin which is being sponsored by the Paraguayan Diabetes Foundation (FUPADI).

author: Eduardo Avila


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Paraguay: Stadium Collapse Kills Two Police Officers · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Daniel Ortiz of El Peatón [es] criticizes the authorities’ failure to inspect the Defensores del Chaco stadium, where two Paraguayan police were killed after part of the structure collapsed.


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Philippines: Chess to be taught in schools · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Jhay supports the inclusion of chess in the school curriculum of the Philippines.


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Russia: Maria Segeeva · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Scraps of Moscow writes about Maria Sergeeva, a United Russia's youth wing activist: “She sort of has elements of a Russian Sarah Palin – spunky and down-to-earth, but also self-contradictory and determinedly dim-witted, and not really ready for prime time.”


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Russia: Spamming Champions · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes: “Last year, the Russian Federation led the countries of the world as the source of spam messages that are filling up email boxes everywhere […].”


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Singapore: Art culture is a joke? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Temple of Thoughts comments on the state of arts in Singapore: “Singapore is too efficient. We all got to admit, it’s clean, green, but sterile and concrete. Our art culture is a joke, and as much as we want to call ourselves vibrant and cultured, we still have a lot to learn about courtesy and values.”


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Singapore: Internet not self-regulated enough · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

A Singapore minister complains that the internet “is not an effective self-regulated regime.” Mollymeek is worried that many Singaporeans consider self-regulation as an “unproblematically positive concept.” Molly asserts that “self-regulated regime is a disciplinary regime.”


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Singapore: Pictures at a traffic junction · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

While waiting for the traffic lights to turn green, Frannxis from Singapore found the time to shoot pictures at the traffic junction.


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Syria: A Photojournalist  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Syrian Yaser Sadeq explains why he deserves the title photojournalist.


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Thailand: Four years after the tsunami · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Jamie from Phuket, Thailand remembers the tsunami which hit Asia-Pacific last December 2004. Jamie blogs the tsunami's impact on Phuket. Lilian offered prayers for those who lost loved ones on that day.


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Top Ranked Blogs in Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

If you are following African blogs, you might be interested to know the top ranked blogs in the African blogosphere.  Through Afrigator’s ranking system we are able to know the top ranked blogs in Africa as well as the most read blogs.  Afrigator, which is an African blog aggregator, also has a list of top 45 African female bloggers.
Here is a list of 10 top ranked blogs:
1. Thought Leader: This is an editorial group blog of quality commentary and analysis, edited by the M&G Online
2. iMod: This blog ranks 2 in Africa and 2 in South Africa. It is a blog written by Chris M, a blogger based in Cape Town, South Africa. Chris is a freelance php developer.
3. Times Multimedia: A showcase of the best videos, audio, photos and movie trailers that The Times have to offer.
4. Web AddiCT(s): This is a blog run by three South Africans. Web AddiCT is an acronym for Web “2.0″, Applications, Developments,Designs & Innovation in Cape Town.
5. My Heart's in Accra: This is blog written by Ethan Zuckerman about Africa, media and international development. Ethan is the co-founder of Global Voices Online. His blog ranks 5 in Africa and 1 in Ghana.
6. Blat: To utter without thinking.
7. Adii: A blog about freelance design, Web 2.0, entrepeneurs & strategy by Adii Rockstar from South Africa.
8. Urban Sprout: This a South African blog featuring green news and opinion, and an organic eco-directory that focuses on organic and eco-friendly products.
9. So Close: This is a blog by the South African popular blogger, Tertia. Her blog description reads: After being So Close for so long, I have finally arrived. Life after infertility. Her blog, So Close, started as off as a chronicle of her journey through infertility.
10. Wonkie Cartoons: A cartoon blog of recent news, celebrity gossip, bollywood antics and political commentary.
You will note that apart from My Heart's in Accra, the rest of the top 10 ranked blogs are South African. Other non-South African blogs on the list are Black Looks (ranks 14) by the Nigerian blogger Sokari Ekine, Bankelele (ranks 18) from Kenya who writes about baking, finance and investment in Kenya and Bongo Celebrity (ranks 20), a Swahili blog about Tanzanian celebrities. It is interesting to see a non-English blog making the top 20 blogs on the continent.

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Ukraine: Kyiv Mayor’s Traffic Violations · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Kyiv mayor's car caught on video while driving in the opposite lane; cops can't agree on the violations that took place – Ukrainiana has more on this.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Ukraine: MV Faina is Free · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Eternal Remont reports on the release of the MV Faina crew by the pirates, “a deep discount” on the ransom paid – and the future of the ship's cargo: “T-72s and assorted weapons” to be delivered to “Sudan, er, ‘Kenya.’ Shipping weapons to Sudan would violate the U.N. arms embargo. That would be illegal.”


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Afghanistan: Who are we?  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Azar Balkhi provides an in-depth analysis of the Afghan national identity, covering both linguistic and historical roots of the nation.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Africa: BetumiBlog Top 100 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Franks is excited about her blog being one of the top 100 blogs for learning about Africa. Betumi is a blog about African food: I received word today that BETUMIblog has been listed as one of the 100 Best Blogs for Learning About Africa. It's thrilling to be included in this impressive list, and I highly recommend checking out the other blogs there.


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Africa: On Being an AU Citizen · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Emannuel discusses the general lack of interest and apathy in the exercise of creating the United States of Africa.


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Africa: The Best African Poetry 2009 · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

What shoud be the Best African Poetry 2009? You can submit five different poems that appeared in print between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2008. Black Looks has all the details.


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Antarctica: More Blogs from the Coldest Place on Earth · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Editor's Note: This is part 2 in a 2-part series looking at blogs written from or about Antarctica by Latin Americans
The frigid surroundings of Antarctica may be the last place one would find bloggers.  However, there have been a handful of Latin Americans who have become interested in sharing their experiences traveling or working on this desolate continent. Some do write directly from Antarctica posting photos and videos helping readers feel what it is like to be so far away from home, while others wait once they return to the South American continent to post to personal and group blogs.
A summary of the presence of other countries can be found at the first part of this series.
From Argentina, the blog Antarctic Open Expedition [es] is counting down the days until the new expedition departs for the frigid continent.  Juan Kestelboim writes about his departure day:
hoy es quizás el día más importante de mi vida. Hace tres noches que no duermo, son las 3.45 de la mañana y en 45 minutos estaré en la puerta de la Dirección Nacional del Antártico para subir a un autobús con rumbo al aeropuerto militar de El Palomar. Allí me encontraré con Mariano Rabinstein, mi amigo de toda la vida con el que planeamos esto hace 12 meses.
Si todo sale bien, subiremos a un avión Hércules que en seis horas lllegará a Ushuaia. De la pista de aterrizaje, algún vehículo nos trasladará al ARA Canal de Beagle, un barco de carga de 120 metros de eslora y 17 de manga preparado para abastecer las bases antárticas argentinas. Pasaremos dos días entre olas de 10 metros y pastillas para el mareo antes de ver los primeros témpanos y a las personas que viven junto a ellos.
Today may be the most important day of my life.  I have not slept for three nights, it is 3:45 a.m. and in 45 minutes I will be at the front door of the National Antarctic Office to board a bus towards the El Palomar military airport.  There I will meet up with Mariano Rabinstein, my lifelong friend and with whom we have been planning this for the past 12 months.
If everything goes well, we will board a Hercules plane that will take us to Ushuaia in six hours. From the landing strip, some vehicle will take us to the ARA Beagle Channel, a cargo ship 120 meters long and 17 meters wide and which will supply the Argentine antarctic bases. We will spend two days on 10 meter high waves and with pills to combat seasickness before seeing the first ice caps and the people who live there.
The Argentine blogger Blinx has been blogging directly from the San Martín Scientific Base [es] and the site also contains a live webcam.  He also filmed this time-lapsed video:
Timelapse Noviembre – Diciembre from blinx on Vimeo.
The blog Antarjub – Base Jubany – Antártida [es] maintained by Richard Javier Ortíz contains many educational posts, including one about the description of the climate:
El Clima tiene varias características, es húmedo por la cercanía con el mar, ya que es una isla y la Base está sobre la costa.También es muy ventoso, las precipitaciones son escasas en forma de llovizna, pero abundantes en nevada sobre todo en epoca invernal. No se producen tormentas eléctricas, ya que no llegan las corrientes cálidas hasta esta latitud. Si existe la llamada ventizca que son fuertes ráfagas de viento con precipitación de nieve, dando como resultado la visibilidad casi nula en reiteradas oportunidades y hasta serias dificultades para deambular. La temperatura en el verano, suele estar en el rango de -10 a +7 con registros mínimo de -17 y máximo 10 en ocaciones. En Invierno la mínima puede llegar holgadamente a los -30 y la máxima apenas llega a una cifra (+7). En cuanto al viento, es muy común en esta zona, al punto de considerar un buen día cuando sólo hay 20 o 30 Km/h pudiendo llegar sobre todo en invierno a los 170 Km/h, velocidad ésta que dificulta mucho caminar, y si a esto le sumamos la inestabilidad debido al hielo del suelo, resulta peligroso andar a la intemperie.
The climate has various characteristics, it is humid for its proximity to the ocean, since it is an island and the Base is on the coast. It is also very windy,  precipitation is scarce in the form of drizzle, but snow is plentiful especially in winter. There are no electrical storms, since warm currents do not reach this latitude. However, there is what they call “ventizca” which are strong gusts of wind with snow precipitation, which makes visibility almost zero and makes it difficult to walk around. The summer temperature can reach a range of -10 to +7 C with minimum temperatures of -17 and up to 10 on occasion. In winter, the minimum temperature can reach -30 and the maximum barely reaches +7C. In terms of wind, it is very common in this area, and it is considered to be a good day when it only reaches 20 or 30 km/h and in winter the winds can reach up to 170 km/h making it very difficult to walk, and if we add the instability due to the ice on the ground, makes it very dangerous to walk out in the open.
There are some blogs that also contain some interesting photos such as Fresco pa’ chomba! [es] and Lince Bajo Cero [es]. Another Argentine blogger named Martín writes at El Grillo Loco Desde La Base Antártica [es] and describes the role of the Argentine Polar Dogs:
Traidos por el General Pujato (fundador de la base) en 1950, originarios de Alaska y Canada. Han sido imprescindibles para las penetraciones polares del Ejercito Argentino. Cada año se fueron multiplicando y cruzando, hasta conformar una raza robusta y resistente de mayor porte y peso que sus padres originales. Simpáticos y dóciles, amigos incondicionales de los hombres, eran sumamente agresivos entre si, llegando a consumar peleas a muerte. Con increíble sensibilidad e instinto para detectar grietas, poseían capacidad para alertar infaliblemente situaciones de peligro. transportar trineos de carga incansablemente y encontrar caminos con rastros imperceptibles. La protección del medio ambiente antártico determino su triste ausencia hace poco mas de una década. Viejos antárticos atesoran el recuerdo de imágenes y emociones que solo pudieron ser, gracias al fiel servicio de los PERROS POLARES ARGENTINOS.
Brought by General Pujato (base founder) in 1950, originating from Alaska and Canada. They have been indispensable for the polar incursions of the Argentine Army. Each year their numbers multiplied and they mated, until becoming a robust species and resistant and with a larger size and weight than their original parents. Nice and docile, unconditional friends of man, they were aggressive amongst one another, even fighting to the death. With an incredible sensitivity and instinct for detecting crevices, they possessed the capacity to infallibly alert for dangerous situations, tirelessly transport sleds with cargo and locate paths with imperceptible traces. The Antarctic environmental protects led to their sad absence for more than a decade. Old antarctic characters accumulate the memories of images and emotions that can be caused, thanks to the loyal service of the ARGENTINE POLAR DOGS.
Even though the population of Antarctica is listed officially as 1, there are still many who stay for months at a time, and these blogs help capture what life is like on scientific bases.

author: Juan Arellano


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Armenia-Azerbaijan: Common Ground? · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

The Common Ground News Blog comments on a Global Voices Online post detailing a new cross-border online project between American, Armenian and Azerbaijani youth. The blog of the Search for Common Ground international NGO notes that the number one concern of youth in the two estranged South Caucasus neighbors is the environment and asks whether such initiatives can contribute to the resolution of otherwise seemingly intractable conflicts.


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Barbados: Blogger/Writer  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Barbados-based B.C. Pires has “become interested in the connection between blogging and writing.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bermuda: Ineffective Website  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

If the Bermudian government is sincere about wanting to promote a greater level of transparency, Vexed Bermoothes wants to know: “Umm, then what’s the deal with that creaky-perpetually-out-of-date-and-not-particularly-informative website?”


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Brazil: The (r)evolution of Lusophone music · Global Voices
Jose Murilo

LabCult provides a torrent link of a documentary about Luso-Afro-Brazilian music and sounds: “Lusophony – The (R)Evolution“. From hiphop to rock, visiting the Portuguese fado and Angolan and Caboverdian rhythms like the kuduro and the morna, the doc compiles Lusophone music from the colony days till today.

author: Jose Murilo


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Brunei: More rain, flashfloods and landslides · Global Voices
Senor Pablo

The recent downpour has been continuous and caught many by surprise. It caused a power outage, flash floods and land slides. Many of the rural areas have been cut off due to rising flood waters and land slide last night at Sungai Liang,  nearly cut off the main highway linking the capital with Kuala Belait, the western part of the country.
Many local blogs including BruneiMotors have continued to monitor the affected areas as well as come up with early warning mechanisms to warm motorists of areas with impending dangers of land slide and traffic jams. Using google maps, they were able to show the affected areas clearly. Tips were also provided on how to drive on rainy conditions and save the cars from flood waters.
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Compilations of videos by those affected by the flood were also shown.
Born to be Pisces documented the flood in her village, Tanjung Maya.
Just look at the pictures above. These were taken yesterday before turun keraja(  going to work). Hopefully the authority could provide boat or apakah  ( something) for them to cross the rapid flooded area. I read the newspaper today di Ukong ada ( there is a ) villager was bitten by croc kah… didnt quite read it though. Imagine that crocodiles bersantai dapan  rumah kami. ( relax in front of the house) .. have to be ready if hujan lagi turun today.
KB Happening also documented the flood in her district which caused damage to cars and homes.
Jidule provided photos of landslide in Penanjong, which cut off road communication.
It seems residents have to bear more rains in the coming days. The National Disaster Management  Center (NDMC) has set up a 24/7 monitoring and has collaborated with a local communication service provider, DST, to start an SMS campaign to alert local residents on impending rainfall and weather disturbances.

author: Senor Pablo


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China: update on Xintai mental asylum abuses · Global Voices
Yantao BI

Prof. Yu Jianrong（于建嵘）exposed [zh] that the governmental probe into the Xintai mental asylum abuses of the 18 protesters who were reportedly locked in a mental hospital in Xintai City, Shandong Province has already reached the conclusion that what the Beijing News reported [zh] is “not consistent with facts”. But Prof. Yu felt puzzled why the authorities have not published the investigative result.

author: Yantao BI


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Colombia: The Release of Alan Jara · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Bogotá Subterranea [es] is celebrating the release of Alan Jara, a Colombian professor and former governor, who will held captive by the FARC for nearly 8 years.


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Cuba: Two Agendas · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The duality, in which we are caught between the official version and the on-the-street reality, also characterizes the demands emerging from this Island”: Generation Y blogs about Cuba's “two agendas”.


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Cuba, U.S.A.: Travel Ban  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Circles Robinson is concerned that the lifting of the travel ban on Cuba could be doomed.


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DRC: Volcanic eruption may be imminent · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

Local radio are reporting that Nyamulagira volcano, near Goma, is showing intense activity, suggeting that an eruption may be imminent.  Cedric Kalonji shares a neighbor's theory about the cause of volcanic eruptions:
Bien que la ville de Goma ne soit pas directement menacée, tout le monde s’y prépare. Face aux éruptions volcaniques et aux dégâts qu’elles entraînent, chacun a sa théorie. La plus folle, c’est celle d’un de mes voisins, un vieillard qui a vécu plusieurs éruptions. « Les ancêtres sont mécontents, il faut trouver un moyen de les calmer », affirme-t-il. Le vieux va jusqu’à qualifier de maudit le quartier Office, le plus touché lors de l’éruption du Nyarangongo du 17 janvier 2002. « Ce quartier a été totalement rasé et englouti par la lave à cause de la prostitution, des vols, escroqueries, et autres dépravations de mœurs qui y avaient élu domicile. Cela ne plaisait plus aux ancêtres,  d’où la décision de le nettoyer », soutient-il.
Suivant le raisonnement de ce vieux voisin, je me pose une question : Si ces ancêtres existent réellement et s’ils peuvent punir ceux qui se comportent mal , pourquoi n’interviennent-il pas afin d’alléger un tant soit peu la souffrance de cette population ?


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Egypt: Bloggers for Terrorism · Global Voices
Eman AbdElRahman

Last November, blogger Mohamed Adel, or General Mait (dead), was detained because of a photograph taken of him, with a Palestinian Hamas official. The damning evidence was clicked when Adel participated in a humanitarian caravan to the Gaza Strip.
Since then, Egyptian activists and bloggers have been left scratching their heads, thinking of ways to draw attention to the plight of their detained colleague. Their efforts included posting banners over Facebook, holding Press conferences and even going on open strikes in front of the General Prosecutor office. All this amounted to nothing, forcing them to come up with a totally a new idea.
On February 2, an online initiative called “Operation General Mait” was launched in solidarity with Mohamed Adel. A group of Egyptian bloggers were photographed with fake AK-47's and toy guns. They were imitating Adel's photograph holding a gun with Hamas leaders that was used as evidence against him by the Egyptian government.
Mina Zekry explains the initiative to Alexandra Sandels on MENASSAT as follows:
“Our aim is mainly to bring attention to how ridiculous the (Egyptian) government's photo fabrications are (of cyber-activist Mohammed Adel). We are trying to cut-off an escalation of the process against him,” Mina Zekry, a prominent blogger and “Free-Adel” campaigner told MENASSAT on Tuesday.
Posing in photos with fake AK-47s and toy guns, Zekry is part of a new initiative launched on February 2 called “Operation General Meit” – meit being Adel's blog title (and nickname) that translates to “Already Dead.”
Prominent Egyptian bloggers Wael Abbas, Zekry, Mohammed Gamal, and Egyptian human rights activist Noov Sevary launched the online campaign in solidarity with Adel, a 20-year old IT student and blogger who was arrested on a Cairo street in November of last year.
No formal charges have been brought against Adel, but sources in Cairo say that he could face charges of “terrorism and involvement in an armed organization” because of photos he took in Gaza last year.
Among the founders, Wael Abbas was the first to publicly announce the  launch of the campaign's first phase on his Jaiku profile and on his blog, where he was photographed in a picture cross-legged and his finger raised in the air, mimicking an Islamist about to convey his message to the world.
In his Jaiku message, Abbas says:
Mo EL Taher who is also running Free Adel blog wrote:
كل الناس تدون تانى عن عادل وتحط البنر على مدونتها علشان ماننساش ان فية واحد اتسجن واتعذب ولسة ماخرجش علشان بيعبر عن رأية
Adel is still detained. People stopped writing about him because of Gaza's events; but now Gaza's events are much quieter and we should return to writing about him.
Everybody should blog about Adel, and place banners on their blogs so as not to forget that one of us has been imprisoned and tortured because he was expressing his views.
Going on further, Leftist Egyptian and Ahmed AbdelFattah fabricated an Osama Bin Laden reaction to the campaign:
كرد فعل اولي على عملية العميد ميت اعلن اليوم شيخ المجاهدين أسامة بن لادن في تسجيل صوتي جديد بثتة قناة الجزيرة، افاد فيه تأيده و مباركته التامة للعملية و القائمين عليها من حركة 30 فبراير بالجناح العسكري بكتائب الشهيد مالك مصطفى، كما اعلن ايضاً استعداده التام لدعم الكتائب بجسر جوي يوفر ذخائر الخرز البيلاستيكي برتقالي اللون…
As an initial response to the operation, Sheikh of Mojahedeen Osama Bin Laden announced today, in a new audiotape broadcast by Al Jazeera television, his full support to those who made it from the February 30th military wing of the Martyr Malik Mostafa. Bin Laden also announced his readiness to support the battalions with an air bridge to provide ammunition of orange beads …
Blogger Mostafa, who was supposed to join the campaign, wrote a different point of view:
تحمست لمشاركة المدونين ووعدتهم بمشاركتهم بشراء سلاح بلاستيكي و إلتقاط صورة و نشرها هنا. ولكن شيئ ما منعي.
فالكلاشنكوف (أو أي سلاح) كان قاسم مشترك في قصص تهديد و إغتصاب و قتل و تعذيب و إرهاب و تدمير و خطف و تشريد و هجرة سمعتها بنفسي.
أعذروني أنا أكرة الأسلحة فهي دمرت حياة ناس كثيرة أعرفهم. و البلاستيك منها يمجد العنف.
الحرية لمحمد عادل و القلم و لوحة المفاتيح و الكاميرا.
I was enthusiastic to join the bloggers, and promised them to participate by buying a plastic weapon, then to publish my picture on my blog. However, something stopped me.
Kalashnikov (or any weapon) was a common thing in all stories I've heard myself of threat, rape, murder, torture, terrorism, kidnapping, destruction, displacement and migration.
Excuse me, I hate weapons as they have destroyed the lives of many people I know. And plastic ones glorify violence.
Yet, Freedom is to Adel and to the pen, the keyboard and the camera!
Five days after the launch of phase one of “Operations General Mait,” more and more people are joining the campaign.  And you can follow their activities, as well as media coverage, on their Facebook group.

author: Eman AbdElRahman


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Global: On Erdogan’s Walkout · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Earlier this week, Global Voices Turkey author Deborah Ann Dilley detailed the events of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, during which Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan stormed off the stage following an argument with Israeli President Shimon Peres.  Turkish bloggers weren't the only ones to react to the kerfuffle; A number of bloggers from around the world had something to say about the incident as well:
Richard Silverstein, blogging for Tikun Olam, a liberal Jewish-American blog which focuses on Palestinian-Israeli peace, said of the incident:
Shimon Peres put on a display of fireworks, venom and histrionics–in his talk at Davos (60 minute video) about the Gaza war–that was startling. He shouted, wagged his finger, hectored, berated. It was astonishing. His antagonist was primarily the Turkish prime minister Erdogan, who took Israel’s prime minister Olmert to task for wasting an opportunity to make peace with Syria under Turkish auspices during a meeting only four days before the Gaza attack.  In fact one wonders why Olermt would go forward with such a meeting when he knew what the IDF had in store for Gaza.  It really was the ultimate insult for his Turkish hosts.  Of course, if you read the Israeli rightist press like the Jerusalem Post you’ll find nothing but vitriol for Turkey, which is viewed as the one which betrayed Israel.  But the right never wanted negotiations with Syria anyway.
Kalash, writing for Arab-American blog KABOBfest, had this to say about Erdogan's actions:
When Turkish PM Tayyip Erdogan walked away from a WEF session on Gaza, he did so angrily but calmly – he did not “storm” off the stage as we keep reading in the press. While he was understandably offended by the Israeli president, he kept his composure. He finally left because the moderator would not allow him to speak. He explained himself later at a press conference with the WEF president before leaving Davos, possibly for the last time. At the end of the day, it was more about Turkish pride than anything else.
But West Bank-based blogger Marcy Newman of Body of the Line put it most concisely when she said:
next time i hope someone gives erdogan a shoe…
Also on Global Voices Online:
Egypt: Erdoğan, Leader of the World

author: Jillian C. York


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Guatemala: BarCamp Set for March · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

BarCamp Guatemala is scheduled for March and Gustavo Reyes of Interactiva Web [es] has all of the details.


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Honduras: Blog Directory Site · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Catracho Blogs [es] is a new directory site for Honduran blogs and highlights various blogs from around the country.


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Iraq after the elections  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Writing at Arab-American blog KABOBfest, Kalash updates us on the situation in Iraq after the elections recently held there.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Iraq: Election Results  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

The early results for the January 2009 provincial elections in Iraq are in, and Musings On Iraq shares the results here.


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Japan: The Origin of Zoku · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Neojaponisme has a post investigating the origin of a popular term “zoku” in youth subculture.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Japan: Tokyo Police Acts Against Slander On Blog Posts · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Masaru IKEDA from Asiajin blogs about Tokyo police's recent prosecution of 18 people for slandering comments in a local comedian's blog.


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Jordan: Credit card drama  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

From Jordan, Jad narrates an incident with a customer using an unsigned credit card at his store. Click on the link to see what happens.


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Jordan: Fight in Parliament  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Another big fight took place between several members of the Jordanian Parliament today. I'm willing to give a 100-JD donation to whoever is willing to supply everyone of them with guns for the next fight. Seriously, we need to cut the number of members from 120 to nothing,” writes Jordanian blogger Hareega.


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Jordan: Water, Honour Crimes, Jordan Web Award, and Corporate Social Responsibilty  · Global Voices
Mohammad Azraq

Water is a serious problem in Jordan. The scarcity of rain this year is of deep concern to the government and the general public. Blogger Tala talks about how people could rationalise their use of this very vital life resource:
Every Wednesday in Amman, the water line gets connected to our neighborhood so early morning, dad irrigates the trees around the house, we do the laundry in the afternoons, clean the backyard and our neighbors would wash the stairs and do the windows, most people do the same the stuff on that day.
All our home use water is done with fresh water!! imagine, if we were able to store the water we use while showering and doing the laundry and using this Gray water for stuff that doesn't require fresh water, lets water our home gardens with gray water & utilize space to grow home vegetables.
This way we save money because we use less water from the Water Authority, we would be doing Jordan a favor by lessening our consumption, we re-use the water and we get fruits and vegetables from our home.
Farah addresses what is an essentially a Jordanian social nightmare, and that is honour killings. Honour killings happen at an alarming rate in the kingdom, and many civil society initiatives have been launched to limit if not eliminate this troubling phenomenon:
“ Zarqa criminal prosecutor has referred a 17-year-old youth, who confessed to murdering his younger sister over the weekend, to a juvenile court for further questioning.
The suspect, confessed to stamping on his 13-year-old sibling’s head several times with his boots, then stabbing her 30 times at their family home on January 21, to defend his family’s honour, a senior official source said.
The suspect then headed to the nearest police station and handed officers on duty a dagger which he claimed he “used to stab and kill his sister”, according to the source.
The same disgustingly violent, ridiculous rituals of these crimes happening over and over again and nobody is doing a single thing about it. It's like honor crimes have become integrated into the country's traditions and customs.
And nobody is doing a damn thing about it.
And I don't understand how are we to change any stereotypes about us when murderers of innocent women are being set free.
It's sickening.
Naseem talks about the Jordan Web Awards and the honouring of 7iber at the ceremony:
I wrote this post in my head while sitting at a table at the Jordan Web Awards the other night. It was surely a proud moment to be honored unexpectedly like that but I have realized recently that 7iber is in fact life-changing. It’s an incredible journey and just watching it, which ever way it turns and bends in a chaotic sea of social media, is very interesting to me. I am incredibly fortunate to have this project in my life that feeds a variety of passions that drive me daily, while simultaneously surrounding myself with some amazing, bright and beautiful people. It’s not an easy task in a country like Jordan, or anywhere for that matter, to be part of a team that feels right; a group of people who have similar interests and passions that a single meeting becomes akin to watching random chemicals reacting in a crucible – like fireworks. And it’s something that you’re aware of, that you’re conscious of, every time you’re in their presence. Moreover, it’s something that is completely dependent on luck, fortune and/or divine intervention.
And the Arab Observer talks about the social programme carried out by the telecoms group Zain:
Zain group, the largest telecommunication provider in Jordan, has issued a press release in their annual strategic business meeting that was held in Amman this year. We all know how good these telecommunication companies make, and thus this post is not meant to focus on the company’s achievements and its prospects and plans for the coming few years. This may also sound like a free advertisement for the company, but it is a thing that I believe such companies deserve for the fulfillment of its social duties. It is worth highlighting the appreciation of people of such work in order for other companies to follow up.
For more on this issue, read here

author: Mohammad Azraq


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Kazakhstan: Blogger Establishes Contact with the Minister  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Askhat writes about his communication with the Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, which he has established via the official’s blog.


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Kazakhstan: Devaluation and threat of growing prices · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog says that as the tenge has been devalued and the banking sector has been shown to be weak in Kazakhstan, people start panicking and increase of prices can be expected.


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Kazakhstan: Kazakh economic miracle shaken · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Sean Roberts reflects on whether the global economic crisis is to bring down the “Kazakh Economic Miracle”.


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Kazakhstan: Nur Media is On the Air  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

KZBlog writes that Nut Otan, the ruling party in Kazakhstan, led by the president, is creating a media holding.


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Kazakhstan: Railroad Sketches  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Mikhail posts a new set of his roadtripping pictures, capturing the moments of life on the railways in Kazakhstan.


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Kenya: Anti-gay blog suspended · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Gay Kenyan Man write about the anti-gay blog in Kenya that has been suspended: I am a believer in freedom of expression and actually think that blog helped expose that there are some willing to propagate hate to get their point across. But I draw the line when someone advocates for homosexuals to be killed.


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Korea: Being Unemployed.  · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Since the economic downturn began, being unemployed has become one of the topics netizens talk about. How do people cope with this situation?
Aspan finds other way to enjoy being unemployed.
오늘로 백수가 된 지 두 달을 넘겼다. 지난해 11월 17일부러 지난 10년간 근무한 회사를 그만두게 되었다. 다니던 회사가 서울로 이전을 하게 되었고, 그 와중에 고향인 이곳 대구를 떠날 수 없는 처지인 나는 자연히 직장을 그만두게 된 것이다. 한편 막막한 기분이 들지 않는 것도 아닌데, 그 반대로 아주 홀가분하다는 기분도 든다. 사실 지난 10년간 나름 열심히 일했으니 교수들 안식년을 가지는 것처럼 이제 좀 쉬어야 되지 않나 하는 자위의 감정도 한몫을 하는 것 같다. 그래서 실지로 현재 잘 쉬고 있다. 일단 나의 백수생활은 가정 내에서의 역할이전으로 시작되었다. 짐작되듯이 직장일을 다시 시작하게 된 집사람과의 역할이 자연스레 뒤바뀌게 된 것이다. 그러니까 집안일 특히 이제 5살과 3살이 되는 애들을 전적으로 책임져야 하는 것이다. 한창 에너지가 폭발하는 요 두 녀석들을 보는 일이 정말 만만치 않다는 사실을 새삼 느끼면서 이른바 ‘그림자노동’이라는 가사일을 도맡게 된 것이다. 오 기쁨(?)이여!
이렇게 나의 백수생활은 애들과의 전쟁으로 시작되었다. 그러나 애들을 좋아하는 터라 별 어려움 없이, 애들과 놀 수 있는 시간을 많이 가지게 되었단 것에 오히려 위안을 느낀다고나 할까? 아무튼 내 입장에서는 시작이 순조로운 것이다. 그러나 문제는 의외의 곳에서 백수생활을 고통을 느끼게 된다는 것이다. 대부분의 실직자들이 직장을 그만두고 나서 만나는 첫 당혹감은 실업급여를 타러 가서 느끼는 수치감이다. 그 실업급여를 받기 위한 교육에서 당혹감을 아니 느낄 수 없는 것이다. 아니 실직한 것도 서러운데 그것을 그토록 처절하게 상기시켜준단 말인가, 구걸하는 것도 아니고 말이지, 시쳇말로 참 기분 더러워지는 것이다. 2주간 한번씩 지급되는 그 보험금을 타기 위해서, 공단에서 일방적으로 지정한 시간에 정확히 출석해서 2주간 구직활동을 검사를 받아야 하고, 그것을 통과한 다음에야 비로소 실업급여를 받을 수 있는 것이다. 실업급여 수령기간이 몇년은 된다는, 그 권리를 당당히 요구한다는 서유럽에 비하면 아직 한참을 멀었구나 하는 자괴감을 느끼며 고용지원센터의 문을 나서게 되는 것이다. 또 백수의 비애를 느끼는 것은 주변의 따가운 시선들이다. 애 둘의 가장이 뭐하고 집에 틀어박혀 있나 하는 일종의 무언의 따가운 시선을 느끼는 순간의 당혹감 말이다. “와, 새로운 충전을 위해서 좀 놀면 안 되남?” 그리고 실직 후 하다 못해 무슨 카드를 새로 만들기 위해서도 전에는 서로 만들어주려던 것을 직장이 없다는 이유로 거절당할 때 등등 …… 우리 사회는 아직 백수들에겐 불편한 곳이다.
그런데 백수생활이 이런 비애만 있는 것이냐? 이런 불합리한 문제와 기타 등등의 비애를 상쇠하고도 남음이 백수생활에는 있다. 나에겐 무엇보다 백수생활과 함께 그동안 꿈에만 그리던 일들을 하나하나 해나가게 된 기쁨이 크다. 나는 등산을 참 좋아하는 편인데, 그동안 일에 매여서 산을 제대로 오른 기억이 가물가물할 정도이다. 그런데 실직을 하자마자 한 가장 기쁜 일이 내 고향 대구의 명산 앞산을 어떨 때는 거의 매주 한번 꼴로 오른 일이다. 사실 나는 지난 10년간의 직장생활의 여러 가지 스트레스로 인해 몸과 마음의 건강이 아주 좋지 않았다. 이것이 일을 그만두게 된 하나의 이유가 될 정도로 몸과 마음이 많이 지친 상태였는데, 이런 몸과 마음의 쇠약이 앞산 산행으로 차차 회복되어감을 느낀 것은 나의 큰 즐거움 중의 하나였다.[…]
While some  actually enjoy being in this situation, most of course do not. A book, Escape from Unemployment, about living as an unemployed person in Korea and about how to find jobs, is even published. It is called a book of hope. And a poem…
새벽 4시까지 라디오를 듣고,
하루 종일 컴퓨터를 켜 놓아야 마음이 놓이며,
문득 문득 불안해 하다가도
어느순간 아무 생각이 없는 바보가 되어버린다.
희망이 없다.
자꾸만…미쳐가고 있다는 생각이 든다.
이대로…다 끝나버릴것만 같다.
학원에 가는 길에 항상 지하철 계단에 엎드려 구걸하는 할아버지를 본다.
예전엔 그런 사람들을 보면 참 불쌍하다고 느꼈었다.
하지만 지금 느낌은 좀 다르다.
나의 모습이 될 수도 있다는 생각…
그런 생각이 들어서
내 자신이 불쌍하다는 생각이 든다.
동정이라는거 사치스런 감정이었다는 생각이 든다.
예전의 나는 많은 사람들과 더불어 도움을 주면서 살고 싶었다.
이제는…남에게 피해주지 않는 사람이 되는 것이
나의 최대의 희망이 되어 버렸다.
It seems that I am getting crazy.
I feel that everything is over.
On the way to an institute, I saw an old man who begs on subway.
In the past, I felt sorry for those people.
But I have a different feeling now.
It could be me…
I feel sorry for myself.
I feel that even sympathy is a luxury.
I wanted to live helping so many people before.
But now…My biggest hope is
not to bother other people.

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kyrgyzstan: Expulsion of the US Manas Base · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Patrick Frost reports on the decision of the Kyrgyzstani government to the American Manas Air Base in this Central Asian country.


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Kyrgyzstan: The U.S. Air Base Shutdown · Global Voices
Elena Skochilo

The president of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev declared that American airbase will be called off Kyrgyzstan. Political intrigues around the airbase began when Bakiev became the president of Kyrgyzstan. The question about the base withdrawal was raised [en] before every trip of the Kyrgyz president to Moscow. However, this February trip became decisive.
A Little History
The American air base “Manas” began the work in December, 2001, according to the intergovernmental agreement. Originally named in the honor of the head of the New York fire service Peter Gansi. According to the American legislation, military bases outside of the USA can't be named in the honor of the American citizens, that's why the airbase was renamed to “Manas” (the epic famous Kyrgyz hero).  The main task of the base are the transmission of soldiers and cargoes to Afghanistan and back, and fuel service in the sky over Afghanistan.
Officially
On February, 3rd, Bakiev declared about future withdrawal of the American airbase from Kyrgyzstan after the negotiations with the president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev.
“Recently the Kyrgyz government decided to terminate the agreement about the stay terms of the American airbase in Kyrgyzstan.This decision will be announced soon”, – Bakiev told.
The Kyrgyz president noticed that the USA didn't satisfy the financial conditions of Kyrgyzstan to base stay. There was also a negative social resonance about the airbase stay.
Next day, on February, 4th, the government of Kyrgyzstan approved and directed to the parliament the law project has officially declared that they hadn't received the formal notification about the decision to close the base.
“We have been in discussion with Kyrgyz authorities on the future of Manas Air Base.  These discussions will continue. At this point we have not received formal notification of a decision by Kyrgyzstan to close the base.  We have a broad range of programs and interests we will continue to pursue with the government and people of Kyrgyzstan, – said [en] in the press-release of the American embassy in Kyrgyzstan.
Expert's Opinions
The political scientist Nur Omarov doubts that the American airbase will be called off Kyrgyzstan.
“There are some serious evidences that the American air base won't be made go out. There is the trusted information that the statement sounded last night has the certain forced character. I think, within next few days Bakiev will meet a number of the high-ranking officials of the USA. They will convince him to refuse the present position”, – Omarov told [ru].
The political scientist Marat Kazakpaev considers this decision as wrong, because the USA were for Kyrgyzstan the strategic ally in region.
«The USA is the world power. It has a great potential. We have the big humanitarian and economic help, a lot of grants for the non-governmental organizations. It was a good cooperation. The airbase also concerned military operations in Afghanistan. It is necessary to hold base untill the situation in Afghanistan completely will be stable. Besides everybody knows that Kyrgyzstan joined voluntary to the international anti terrorist operation in 2001, and provided the base”, – Kazakpaev told [ru].
One of leaders of opposition and the director of Institute of freedom and human rights Topchubek Turgunaliev is against the airbase withdrawal.
“Kyrgyzstan is in the depressing situation now. After that decision our relations not only with the USA, but also many west countries will worsen”, – Turgunaliev thought [ru].
What is on the Internet?
Diesel forum user Parazit79 tried to foreseen [ru] the future location of the airbase:
How the president of Tajikistan behaves recently, the base if moves, will move there.
Certain Lugovsa suggested [ru] three possible actions:
The only one question is a question which of three events will appear first.
earlier: Americans will offer more than Russian (Is it really necessary to them? The Uzbeks would drag the American base); the next wave of drug-jihad from Afghanistan (awfully it would not be desirable, but it is very real); or the Chinese will decide to fill the vacuum. The Kyrgyzstanis are afraid of last variant most of all, but it is visible future.
Livejournal user aka_b_m told [ru]:
I think that the base will stay more. Bakiev didn't tell anything new. He told about the withdrawal in 2005, without specifying terms. And now Russia still at all did not start to bargain with new administration of the USA. Russia is just trying to gain more trumps. But the card can lay down in any way.

author: Elena Skochilo


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Mongolia: Prime minister and his horse accident  · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Bilguun reports that prime-minister of Mongolia S.Bayar fell from a horse at a snow festival and fractured a rib.


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Morocco: Quran Controversy on the Way  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jillian warns us about a new controversy which could rock Morocco once the new issue of popular Moroccan weekly TelQuel hits the streets. The issue's cover story is entitled “Le Coran: Est-il vraiment applicable ‘en tout temps et en tout lieu?'” (or “The Qur'an: is it really applicable ‘at all times and in all places?'”)


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Nepal: The Brahmin hegemony · Global Voices
Rezwan

Divas at abc – voices sans borders criticizes the predominance of the Brahmin caste in all walks of Nepali lives and asserts that Nepal should replace its Brahmin leaders.

author: Rezwan


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Pakistan: Kashmir Day · Global Voices
Rezwan

Faisal K. at Deadpan Thoughts writes on the Kashmir day: “it remains as much of a waste as does the movement.”


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Peru: Blogger Juan Sheput to Run for Mayor of Lima · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Blogger Juan Sheput of Mate Pastor [es] has announced his plans to run for mayor of Lima, Peru in 2010 writes Pospost [es].

author: Eduardo Avila


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Puerto Rico: Unacceptable Crime  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Puerto Rico grapples with news of the macabre murder of Sara Kuszak, Dondequiera is unhappy about comments made by a local psychologist and the President of the Hotel and Tourism Association: “What we as a society have not realized is that we can not draw lines around crime and say these crimes are acceptable, but when it happens to someone like Sara…they are unacceptable. Crime should be unacceptable in all of its forms and disguises.”


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Sri Lanka: Economic Independence · Global Voices
Rezwan

Ajith P. Perera at Dare to be Different questions whether the economic independence of Sri Lanka is a distant dream.


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Taiwan: First Twestival Announced · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

Following other “twestivals” or twitter festivals around the world, Taiwan's first twestival will be held on Feb 12 at Mayor Salon, Taipei. (zh), according to bnext.

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Trinidad & Tobago: Potter’s Clay  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

My Chutney Garden posts photos of Trinidadian potter Bunty O'Connor's most recent exhibition.


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Trinidad & Tobago: The Breathalyser  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I don’t know if people have noticed that statements by Government Ministers are no longer featured in the Political section of the daily Newspapers but under Entertainment”: This Beach Called Life takes on the issue of breathalyser laws in Trinidad and Tobago.


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UAE: From Vibrant to Honest  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Inmotion, from Dubai, the UAE, shares with her readers the following: “Since this blog has started I've found that I've changed. I've gone from being vibrant and alive although confused and sad at times to flat-out honest and preferring my own company more than anyone else's.”