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Myanmar: Decrease in opium production  · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Words of Life quotes from a report that opium production in the Shan State of Myanmar went down this year because of the El Nino phenomenon


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Myanmar: Food ration cutback in refugee center · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Democratic Voice of Burma reported that food ration for refugees in the Thailand-Myanmar will be reduced because of budget shortfall. There are more than 140,000 refugees in the border.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Mong Palatino


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Myanmar: Singapore to Yangon flight · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Htoo Tay Zar uploads a video of his flight from Singapore to Yangon in Myanmar. The video provides brief snapshots of rural Myanmar and the Yangon airport


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Myanmar: Soldiers steal buffaloes for TV · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Shan Herald reported that Myanmar soldiers near the Thailand-Myanmar border stole buffaloes in order to acquire a TV and satellite broadcast of the World Cup games.


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Myanmar: Sports magazines enjoying higher sales · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Irrawaddy reports that sports magazines are enjoying higher sales in Myanmar because of the World Cup 2010


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Nepal: Living Together – A New Trend · Global Voices
Rezwan

X Nepali Blog informs that couples “living together without marriage is a very new trend in Nepali society”.

author: Rezwan


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Philippines: Cebu Blog Camp · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Tonyo Cruz uploads his lecture on citizen journalism during the 2010 Cebu Blog Camp. Cebu is a major province in the central part of the Philippines.


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Russia: Chechen President Launches Blog · Global Voices
Gregory Asmolov

Ramzan Kadyrov [EN], president of the Chechen Republic [EN], launched a blog ya-kadyrov [RUS] at Livejournal. In his first post Kadyrov writes that he is “a sociable and to the limit outspoken person”, and that he “hopes to develop friendship and discuss various events with his readers”. There is no option to leave any comments at his blog, though.

author: Gregory Asmolov


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Rwanda: Update on Semadwinga’s murder · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Update on the killing of a senior political figure in Rwanda, Denis Ntare Semadwinga: “Semadwinga was linked to a dissident faction of the CNDP that had written a letter denouncing the party's leadership back in May. The signatory of that statement, Patrice Habarurema, was arrested by Rwandan police shortly afterwards.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Rwanda: Worrying signs in Kigali · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Worrying signs in Kigali: “Jean-Leonard Rugambage, the editor of the Umuvugizi newspaper in Kigali, was gunned down in front of his home on Thursday. A man came up to his car as he was driving into his gate and shot him in the head and chest, killing him immediately.”


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Sao Tome and Principe: Impressions of Sao Tome · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Sergio's impression of Sao Tome: “My admiration and personal tribute to the people currently devoted to the promotion of local produce, their own people and the art.”


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Turkey: Jazz and the Russian Revolution · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Daily Seyahatname/Blogging Balkanistan writes about “how the Russian Revolution brought jazz to Turkey.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Armenia-Azerbaijan: More Conflict Voices · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.
As mentioned in previous posts on Global Voices, new and social media is increasingly playing a role in facilitating communication between Armenians and Azerbaijanis online. Locked into a bitter conflict over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh, there are few other possibilities for connecting since the 1994 ceasefire other than meeting in third countries as The Story of a Brilliant Idea explains in terms of coverage by Global Voices’ Caucasus regional editor in this area after attending last week's Young Media Makers Preach and Practice Peaceful Journalism in Kobuleti, Georgia.
Through the use of social media […] young Armenians and Azerbaijani discuss, make friendship and occasionally also fall in love.
To meet up however, they have to come to Georgia.
Kobuleti
Even so, problems still remain and not least in the form of resistance to the idea of open communication and cooperation in both Armenian and Azerbaijani. Writing a guest entry [AM/AZ/EN] on The Caucasian Knot, the blog of Global Voices’ Caucasus regional editor, Reader from Baku, an Azerbaijani, says that there shouldn't be any.
For as long as I remember, people around me always uttered these words. The words my ears hated to hear. The words my mind refused to accept. Words that fortunately did not affect me.
The words about Them. Armenians.
But with all this negativity there was going to be something wonderful.
My personal journey with some of Them started online, through Facebook. Surprisingly, we never touched upon issues such as politics and conflict. There simply wasn’t a reason to. There were too many other common things connecting rather than dividing us. Such a short time to spend on matters imposed on others by politicians.
[…]
I often wonder now how many tickets people from Armenia and Azerbaijan buy each day to get to Georgia. How many liters of wine are drunk over the table with toasts to peace. How many friendships are made, and how many relationships are formed.
And now as I reflect on all of this and realize what I see now around me – people from both countries in friendship with each other, meeting with each other, and sharing with each other — I just feel inspired to say…
You do not have to wait for the heads of countries to reach a compromise. You do not need a Peace Treaty to ratify the friendships you want or already have with Them. It is people like us who make and bring peace. Do not wait “until the next time”. Do it today.
Now.
Writing another guest entry on the same blog and detailing his own personal experience serving in the Armenian military as well as later in cross-border projects, Sasun Khachatryan agrees.
The first time I came into direct contact with citizens of Azerbaijan was in September last year. Three journalists each from Armenia and Azerbaijan made up a small group on the way to Abkhazia with a Dutch coordinator. Before then I could never have imagined that I’d be sitting next to Azerbaijanis in the same mini-bus on our way to Sukhumi to report on the situation there more than a year after the August 2008 war.
It even made us sometimes forget our own conflict over Nagorno Karabakh when we instead engaged in heated discussions over the Russian-Georgian one as well as its consequences.
[…]
It is always possible to right past wrongs and dialogue on an individual level, as well as by civil society, should be brought to life – and the sooner the better. And after contact with Azerbaijanis my conclusion is that nothing is impossible, even if it might seem unrealistic to others on first sight.
An Azerbaijani and Armenian youth activist sit next to the monument dedicated to Sayat Nova, the 18th Century Armenian troubadour who wrote much of his songs in Azerbaijani, Tbilisi, Georgia  Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2010
Others feel the same about forging relationships on the human level away from the political, as shown by a video interview with an Armenian and Azerbaijani youth activist following their own participation in a workshop in Georgia. The two activists also visited each others’ religious centers and cultural monuments.
Of course, such voices are not the majority in both societies and especially in terms of online activity, but new tools do at least offer them the possibility to make their views be known. Considering the current level of discussion and debate on the conflict, or even lack of it, such a development is therefore unprecedented as Global Voices’ Caucasus Editor notes on the newly launched Ararat magazine site, a US-Armenian publication based on a blogging back-end, referring to existing cross-border projects.
True, they represent a minority in their respective countries, but it is nonetheless a significant step forward in terms of conflict transformation and not least because many believe that actual resolution will only be possible when negative perceptions and stereotypes, perpetuated by nationalists and often amplified by the local media, change.
“Communication is possible, living together is possible, and breaking down existing barriers is possible,” Geybullayeva recently wrote on her blog. “This is a message I would give to all non- believers in peace and reconciliation.”
This post is part of our special coverage Caucasus Conflict Voices.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Azerbaijan: Zhiguli · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Sheki, Azerbaijan honors the Zhiguli, a Soviet era car, with a post remembering it as part of history.


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Cape Verde: My life in Cachaço · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Steven blogs about his life as a volunteer in Cape Verde: “Cape Verdeans bathe regularly, sometimes twice a day, and fully half of each bath is devoted to cleaning the feet. Baths are generally taken outside, while wearing underwear.”


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Chile: Flash Mob Remembering Michael Jackson · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

María Pastora writes [es] about her first time participating in a flash mob. She also includes a video of the flash mob, which was choreographed as a tribute to Michael Jackson. The flash mob was organized by flashmob.cl [es]

author: Silvia Viñas


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China and Korea: National sentiment controlled by rumors · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Key from China Hush blogs about the anti-Korean sentiment in China which has been fanned by a number of rumors.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Debate over RMB evaluation · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

On June 19, a week before the G20 summit, the Chinese central bank announced the increase of flexibility of RMB exchange rate. The People's Bank of China asserted that the exchange rate regime reform could help China work closely with its economic partners on the long term for mutual benefit and further development (via Xinhua). Today, RMB hits new record high to 6.789 per U.S dollar.
However, the debate over the impact of RMB continues in online forums. Some claim that only traitors would support the increase of yuan, some believe that the rise would benefit the society.
Since April, a post criticizing the US's pressure over RMB exchange rate as a new form of colonialism has been circulate widely on major forums, such as club.china, bbs.ifeng, and etc. The article compares the Japan yen's evaluation in the 90s with the current situation in China:
日元升值的后果是什么？ 1995年之后，日本和美国的GDP之比重新拉开了距离，而且越来越大！ 日元升值，就是美国对日本的一次经济阻击战！成功的把日本20多年的发展财富大转移到了美国去了。
历史总有惊人相似的一幕，面对中国的崛起，面对中国几十年积累起来的巨大财富，为了榨取中国的财富，为了遏制中国的崛起，美国又一次故技重施。近期除了挥 舞贸易保护主义大棒制造贸易壁垒，支持达赖喇嘛等分裂势力，力挺违反中国法律的谷歌，以对台军售给中国添乱外，同时不断拿人民币汇率汇率问题说事。逼迫人民币升值的背后隐藏的贸易保护主义的企图，深层次的目的是想狙击中国的发展，榨取中国的财富，保住美国在世界的霸主地位。这一点，我们不能不清醒地看到。
User, Sichuanese from Chongqing, in Tianya forum disagrees:
中國大陸不是一個巴掌大的地方。其有豐富的資源和人口。強大而廣闊的內地市場。人民幣有序升值，其實對中國大陸開闊內地市場是有催進作用。因為人們發現，賣給國內賺錢多餘出口。對於國內人民生活的提高有很大幫助。
Another provocative post written by Pan Hongbing（潘宏斌） at Utopia forum accusing RMB evaluation's supporters as traitors has also been circulating widely across forums since March. The writer interprets trade statistics and argues that:
１、机电行业出口占全国出口份额近60%，而利润率只有2%~3%。如果人民币汇率升值超过2%，中国制造就成为历史。
２、纺织业占全国出口份额的１５％，平均净利润率在3%~4%左右。如果人民币升值超过３％，纺织业将一片狼藉。如果人民币升值超过5％，这个行业就将消失。
“中国制造”已经没有价格优势，人民币更没有上升空间。美国对中国发动的汇率战并不是为了平衡双边贸易，而是为了击垮中国。所以，汇率问题根本不是经济问题，而是政治问题，是压倒“中国制造”的最后一根稻草。
Tianya user, yjknj disagrees with Pan:
现在这谎言已经戳穿，这二个月因为欧元暴跌30%，人民币相对一揽子货币实际升值几个3%了，灾难不仅没见到，反倒是五月份出口劲升了近50%、（真服了 这些砖家搞的压力测试，），人民币高过实际价值升值肯定会对出口造成灾难，现在效应却是大大相反，这只能证实人民币的的确确严重低估了。无独有 偶，2007年人民币对美元也升值18%，此后二年也是中国出口最强势。
yjknj lists out several benefit of the RMB evaluation:
1，假如升值百分之50，则大幅降低中国产业最重要的成本——购进原油铁矿石付出的天文数字，从而改变我国高成本输入（低廉利益送出的）凯子行为，最上游成本降低又逐级带动中下游全民产业降低成本，全面减轻国内通货膨胀压力。
2，中国多数进口业获益，部分出口业因为成本降低也受益。中国人民购置高端世界商品和购车加油以及出国旅游消费等等都受惠。
3，中国人均收入将由倍受歧视的世界倒数的穷鬼地位，跃升几十位进入中等收入国家，中国人较大提升形象和尊严。可能很多国家签证都能免签了。
4，因为出口减速，央行购汇滥增人民币（是支付外商投资和企业结汇时，对应印刷的）的印钞机可以终于在持续高速运转十几年之后减速，极大降低人民币流通的过剩，也有益于房价等的抑制。
2. Our import sector will be benefited, some export sectors will also be benefited. Chinese consumers for foreign products such as vehicles and tourists will be benefited.
3. The average income of Chinese people will be increased and China can be elevated into middle income country. Chinese people's self image and self esteem will be improved. More countries will give us visa free arrangement.
4. The slowing down of export will also slow down the printing of RMB and reduce the circulation of yuan, thus repress the housing bubbles.
Now that the evaluation of Yuan has become a reality,  lee21799 from Tianya anticipates the outflow of hot money and its impact on the stock and property market:
4.央行一直强调此次汇改不会一次性重估人民币，意思很明确了嘛。美元要留是留不住了，没办法只能让他们有序离场。如果一次重估到位，人家没了念想，美元 部队就会一次性全局撤退，那样以房地产为首的中国资产就会轰的一声巨响。
5.接下来的演出，房市就算了吧，一个已经拉响了引线的手雷；现在还没看明白，进去就是当炮灰的料。股市应该会有几个月的好行情，刚宣布汇改，股市立涨，很能说明问题啊。
6.热钱走了，会有啥后果。央行结汇会回收天量的人民币上去，流动性一下子就下来了。其实说白了，房价就是钱堆出来的。有钱进，接着涨；没钱进，只会跌。 外资热钱在中国旅游多年，还直接、间接借了不少给中国企业与地方政府（地方政府融资平台干嘛的，融资不就就是借钱嘛）。走的时候，伸手要债；没钱还啊，抓 紧变卖资产吧；都急着变现，资产就会贱卖，从而加剧资产价格下跌。


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Hungary: Museum Night in Budapest · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Uncataloged Museum writes about this year's Museum Night in Budapest.


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Japan and the World Cup: Silencing the critics · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Ranked near the bottom of the 32 teams on the field in South Africa, facing odds estimated at 400-to-1 and four straight pre-tournament losses to boot, Japan was not even expected to win a game in this year's World Cup, let alone advance to the knock-out round.
How quickly perceptions change. With a convincing 3-1 victory over the favoured Danish team on Thursday, Japan has earned itself a place behind Holland in Group E, advancing to the next round for only the second time in World Cup history and the first time on foreign soil. A mesmerizing 35-meter free kick by rising star Keisuke Honda gave Japan their lead in the 17th minute, followed in quick succession with another by free-kick specialist Yasuhito Endo from 25 meters out in the 30th minute. The Danes never managed to recover from the early assault, and the game ended with Japanese maintaining a comfortable two goal lead.
Blogger Fumofumocolumn describes the feeling in the early morning hours in Japan when the Japanese team secured its place in the knockout round:
南アフリカの大地。宵闇の中のスタジアム。緑のピッチに映える、夏空のように濃く青いユニフォーム。胸に輝く日の丸は、朝焼けの色。夜明けの赤。今この記憶を書き綴る間にも、胸が高鳴り、手が震えるほどの昂ぶり。日本ではもう新しい朝が始まっています。この太陽は日本サッカーの暗闇を払い、夜明けを告げる光。7時間後、南アフリカの大地にもこの太陽がめぐり、僕らの代表を明るく照らします。ライジング・サン。日本代表は雄雄しく、誇らしく、ベスト16へと駆け上がりました。
引き分け以上で決勝トーナメント進出が決まるデンマーク戦。別会場で行われるオランダVSカメルーン戦は勝ち抜けを争う戦いではないので、日本代表の試合が世界の注目を集めたことでしょう。その大舞台でこんな結果が出るとは、いい意味で期待を裏切られました。よもやの3-1。美しい大勝。本田圭佑の無回転 FK弾、遠藤保仁の緩やかなカーブを描くFK弾、本田・岡崎コンビでデンマークDFを切り裂いたダメ押し弾。日本はデンマークを圧倒していました。0-0 引き分けでの勝ち上がりとは違う、力で押し切った戦いぶりは、「偶然」とか「幸運」とか「相手が弱かった」なんて疑問の余地のないもの。勝つべくして、このグループを突破するべくして、日本は勝ち上がったのです。世界の多くのファンも、そして日本のファンも、日本代表の強さを認めたに違いありません。
Behind the scenes, there was another story [ja] to Japan's success thus far in the World Cup. Among the record-setting 3,283 tweets-per-second flooding the microblogging service during the Japan-Denmark game, many were expressing apologies to one person: coach Takeshi Okada, who had been the target of fierce domestic and international criticism leading up to the World Cup tournament, most famously from former Japan coach Philippe Troussier, who lamented Okada's “stupid mentality”.
With the Denmark win, all at once the critics were silenced. A new hashtag, “#okachan_sorry“, was even created by Japanese fans to express their apologies to the coach for doubting his leadership abilities.
Team Japan coach Takeshi Okada
A search for the hashtag on Twitter brings up a slew of apologies. One from hase_aki:
正直なところ、監督交代しないとＷＣは闘えないなと思っていました。ところが、松井、大久保、本田をメインにした起用は大正解‼ 交代が必要だったのは監督でなくて選手のほうだったのね。岡ちゃんゴメン。Go Japan Go #okachan_sorry
And another from shunta_com:
まだ、デンマーク戦勝利の余韻からさめきれない・・・。目頭が熱くなった一戦だった。個々人としては、決して強くないチームが組織としてひとつになり、勝ち得た戦い。最高！そして、岡田さん、すみませんでした！！ #okachan_sorry
hagure_mental77 goes further:
僕みたいな馬鹿共の心無い批判、嘲笑、罵詈雑言にさらされてもしっかり本番までに戦えるチームを作ってきた岡田監督と選手達はマジすげえ。尊敬する。 #okachan_sorry
Prior to the start of the World Cup, many derided Okada's stated goal to get his team to the World Cup semi-finals just like the South Koreans did in 2002. But attitudes have changed, and expectations have too. That means that more attention than ever will be focused on the Tuesday night match against Paraguay, where many Japanese — and their team's players — believe their team will win.
Should that not happen, some are already looking further ahead. Anybody up for a World Cup in Tokyo?
(Some more Japan soccer-related videos included below for your viewing enjoyment.)

author: Chris Salzberg


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Maldives: Much Ado About Airport Privatization · Global Voices
Rezwan

Hassan Ziyau questions Maldivian media's role on the recent controversy about airport privatization in Maldives.


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Mauritius: 30 Prisoners escape from jail · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“Around 30 prisoners have escaped from the GRNW jail in Mauritius this evening. The prisoners attacked the jail officers at around 18.30 hrs today and fled as members of the public watched the scene with an utmost astonishment,” Island Crisis reports.


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Morocco: The Henna Experience · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Henna as an art form has existed for thousands of years.  Found from Morocco to Bangladesh, henna is used to dye the hair and decorate the body.  In Morocco, henna is used to decorate the hands and feet with intricate patterns, and to tint the hair at the hammam.
Recently, a new book documenting the ancient art of henna was released.  The book, entitled “Moor: A Henna Atlas of Morocco,” contains illustrations and photographs of the beautiful Moroccan version of the art form.  A sneak peek:
The book's authors also have a blog, entitled Moor Henna.
Peace Corps volunteer Emily (Emily and Jon in Morocco) recently experienced henna firsthand.  On the blog, she posts photographs of henna being applied at the artisana where she works:
Henna being applied in Morocco
Emily also posts a photograph of her own arm, post-henna:
Henna, several hours after application
Of the experience, Emily says:
When I got home I dabbed the dried henna with some olive oil before peeling it off. The girls told me to just use vegetable oil (probably because it's cheaper), but I opted for the good stuff. I think the oil is supposed to help the henna “set,” but it also just feels nice on the skin because the dried henna doesn't feel that great. when the henna first comes off it's bright yellow, then darkens up over the next several hours. By today it was a nice brown color.

author: Jillian C. York


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Pakistan: What Is Blasphemy? · Global Voices
Rezwan

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


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Peru: A Bill on Obscene Content  · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

The media in Peru are often accused of sensationalism and yellow journalism. After the Fujimori period and the vladi-videos uncover which involved corruption and the sale of editoarial agendas and various media, it was assumed that media would regain seriousness, but tabloids (“prensa chicha” or “chicha press”) had come to stay. Front pages of newspapers with flashy headlines and pictures that for many cross the boundary of decency are a daily occurance. But who defines the limit of decency or morals?
A few days ago the news broke of a bill [es] (pdf) that had been approved by the Justice Comission in Congress, proposing an amendment to section 183-B of the Penal Code, which sanctions the media publication of obscene and pornographic displays. As a result, the banners of “Freedom of the Press” and “Freedom of Speech” were raised by opponents, but .. Is it really so?
The bill's main section says the following: “shall be punished with deprivation of liberty of not less than two years nor more than six years, the Director, Editor or person responsible for publications or editions, transmitted through media such as newspapers, magazines, posters, panels, leaflets, radio, television or any other means of communication that produces a similar communication effect, who publicize images, messages or audio that is obscene or pornographic.”
Those who are leading the opposition to this bill are the media and journalists [es], who were the most affected. Some bloggers, especially those who are journalists and are also linked to the media, have also argued against this bill. There are, however, other bloggers from other areas who also cast their opinions. For example, in the blog Blawyer.org Miguel Morachimo who is against the project, publishes [es] a series of points he has identified as problems in the bill:
With a favorable opinion on the bill, Javier  Fernández from his blog Javi270270 ¿Qué pasa? says[es] the following:
tengo la impresión que la ley que promueve Belmont se  refiere a casos específicos. La verdad es que falta perfeccionarla pero  no es mala como concepto. El congreso se ve en la necesidad de regular  cuando la “auto regulación” no funciona. … Eso de escudarse que el  canal RBC ha dado obscenidades no invalida la corrección que en la  actualidad se está planteando. Basta de periódicos obscenos invocando la  libertad de expresión. Ellos no me inspiran respeto.
And with a point of view that tries to be in the middle of the aforementioned opinions, the blogger from  Zona Cero writes [es]:
el viejo debate  sobre el papel de los medios de  comunicación y los riesgos de una hasta  hoy no comprobada influencia  negativa directa en las actitudes y las  conductas de las audiencias.  … Así  como es válido que la prensa se pregunte quién decidirá qué es   pornográfico y obsceno, resulta completamente comprensible que la   ciudadanía se pregunte: ¿Y quién define qué es autorregulación? No  del  todo libres de ingenuidad, algunos periodistas creen que la   autorregulación se logrará con ayuda de los anunciantes. Como si la   lógica del mercadeo pudiera desprenderse, aunque sea en forma temporal,   de la dictadura del rating, los estudios de audiencia y los índices de   lectoría.
As expected, there is already a Facebook page about the issue: Ricardo  Belmont apesta [es]! (Ricardo Belmont stinks!). But it is in the comments of articles published in Lima newspapers where opinions you would hear from a coworker or neighborhood friend are expressed. For example, these are the comments from this article [es] in newspaper La República:
Lotty – ¿Se autoregulan los  noticieros de televisión que pasan sólo  noticias policiales y de  farándula cuando hay tantos temas que son de  interpés y nunca tratan?  ¿se autoregulan los programas cómicos que se  burlan de los negros, los  cholos, los homosexuales y los minusválidos?  ¿se autoregulan los  periódicos que hacen lo mismo?
David – Me disgusta mucho la prensa  sensacionalista y la vulgaridad  rampante de muchos medios de  comunicación; sin embargo, nada justifica  este proyecto de ley (que  aunque haya tenido buenos propósitos está  pésimamente redactado)  demasiado general y que deja un amplio campo de  acción para que los  jueces (y estamos llenos de malos jueces) apliquen  el concepto de  obscenidad y pornográfico a tantas cosas vulnerando de  esa manera el  derecho a la libertad de opinión y de expresión. No creo que pase al  final, pero dice mucho de la calidad de nuestros  representantes.
Cesar Portugal – Mal las portadas de los  diarios que vemos todos los dias en los  puestos de periódicos y esos no  se compran, se miran gratuitamente  malogrando la mente de menores que  no han recibido ninguna orientación  sexual en sus casas, me refiero a  los sectores C, D y E que son la  mayoría y lo peor es que no aportan  nada a la educación y la formación  de los peruanos.
Lotty-Do TV newscasts that only broadcast police beats and gossip self-regulate when there are so many issues that are never touched on? do comedy shows that make fun of blacks, indians, homosexuals and handicapped self-regulate? do newspapers that do the same also self-regulate?
David-I dislike a lot of the tabloids and the rampant vulgarity seen in many media, however, nothing justifies this bill (which has had good intentions but is badly written) it is too general and leaves a huge scope for judges (and we are full of bad judges) to apply the concept of obscenity and pornography to many things, thereby violating the right to freedom of opinion and expression. I do not think it will pass in the end, but it speaks volumes about the quality of our representatives.
Cesar Portugal – The front pages we see every day on the newsstands are bad, and these can not be bought, they can be look at for free, ruining the minds of children who have not received any sexual orientation at home, I mean the [poorest sectors] which are the majority and the worst is that they add nothing to the education and training of Peruvians.
The same things can be seen in other articles [es] and news [es] published in different media. In either case, one has to remember that this is a bill, that it still has to follow a process so that it can be approved or not. And, the Premier Javier Velásquez has said [es] that if the bill were to be approved, the executive would send it back to Congress. But surely, more about this issue will be written in the coming days.

author: Juan Arellano


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Peru: Scientist is Charged for Criticizing Investigation · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

In the blog Blawyer.org [es] Miguel Morachimo says [es] that a judge in Lima has declared biologist Ernesto Bustamante guilty of defamation for questioning a colleagues conclusions of a study on two media outlets.


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Russia: Blogger Finds a Vulnerability in E-Gov Portal · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

Habrahabr-user Romachev blogs [RUS] about a crucial security hole in the process of the identification of E-government portal gosuslugi.ru [RUS]. According to the blogger, the vulnerability offers a large potential for identity fraud.

author: Alexey Sidorenko


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Russia: New Initiatives Indicate Government’s Fear of the New Media · Global Voices
Alexey Sidorenko

The Russian government gets more and more involved in the restructuring of the national cyberspace. On the one hand, it proposes new initiatives to overcome the digital divide [EN], while on the other hand, it extends its presence, and, more importantly, its repressive power, online.
Two latest cases, originating from different department of the government (Roskomnadzor and the Federal Security Service (FSB)), illustrate the government's ambition to control the cyberspace.
Locked & Chained, photo by flickr-user .Bala
Moderating online newspapers
The first case relates to moderating online comments on different news sites. This practice has been mainly conducted by Roskomnadzor, a Russian online regulatory body. The latest decision [EN] of the Supreme Court makes online media (to avoid being confused with blogs, online media outlets have to be registered at the Ministry of Telecommunications and have almost the same rights and responsibilities  as conventional forms of media) not responsible for the comments posted on online forums.  At the same time, the ruling gives the authority to Roskomnadzor to flag certain comments as “inappropriate.” If a news outlet fails to delete the flagged online comments, Roskomnadzor may shut down the website.
On June 23, 2010, the organization issued [RUS] its first legal warning [RUS] to apn.ru for failing to delete a flagged comment within one day. Bloggers were surprised [RUS] by this action for two reasons: first, Roskomnadzor contacted the owner via e-mail, and, second, it is not clear who it is up to to decide how fast the comment should be deleted.
As a result, this practice makes online conversation increasingly problematic. One of the issues with e-mail notifications from the government agency is that it should be signed with a special e-signature, which the original letter probably lacked.
Warrior127 commented on the case:
Конечно это все цирк и письмо по электронеке не может являться официальным требованием, но, сайты СМИ — это отдельная песня. Выглядит все это — как прощупывание почвы, удастся или нет… ведь если сейчас никто не начнет открыто критиковать Роскомнадзор за данные действия — далее это очень удобный механизм для закрывания «неудобных» СМИ, со стороны Роскомнадзора ставиться ГОСТовая железка с крутящимся на ней mail сервером, далее из нее выгружается отчет, что письмо с требованием об удалении комментария было отправлено тогда-то, отчет о доставке и прочтении, и это будет являться официальными доказательствами в судах. Вот так на наших глазах зарождается новый способ регулирования оппозиционных СМИ.
Amendments to the IT legislation
Another case is a number of amendments (a full list is available here [RUS]) proposed by the FSB (Federal Security Service) to the law “On information, informatisation and privacy”. According to Vedomosti.ru, the FSB proposed the following measures to control the Internet:
Alexander Panov, an executive partner of Hosting Community, an association of hosting providers that has recently signed [EN] the “Declaration of the Providers”, argues [RUS] that all these measures already existed and were present in the specialized laws (e.g., “On Police” and “On Telecommunications”).
Bloggers were quite skeptical about the technology that would enforce these measures (especially blocking websites), but agreed on the ‘escapist’ solution of extending government influence. Blogger gradosfera.com wrote:
…Уедут отсюда все – для начала на западный хостинг и в зоны *com, *org, *net и прочие – им там письма из прокуратуры по-барабану.
Komarov wrote:
ну хорошо, ФСБ добился своего – больше я ни одного сайта в зоне .ru не зарегистрирую!
и хостинги буду покупать только в Америке и Грузии! И через провайдера буду делать только одно соединение – с помощью VPN до Америки, а оттуда уже куда хочу.
алёё, ФСБ!! интернет – это не телефонная сеть, его надо либо совсем закрывать, либо не трогать!
Whatever the bloggers’ strategies would be if the amendments pass, the whole direction to more power by the authorities online is extremely disturbing. While it is evident that the aforementioned measures indicate the preparations for the 2011-2012 election cycle, they also indicate the government's fear of the power of the new media.


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Russia, US: “Burger Diplomacy” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Vadim Nikitin wonders if the Medvedev-Obama meeting is a sign that “[…] the Russian President, for so long considered a mere window dressing to Prime Ministerial rule, might stick around longer than Putin might like?” Robert Amsterdam writes that “burger diplomacy” is “[…] an apt epithet for a relationship that is, in the moment, enticingly satisfying, but in the long term, possibly artery-blocking: as the Russian president put it, ‘not quite healthy, but very tasty’.” Mark Adomanis reports on the arrest of ten alleged Russian spies by the FBI.


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Saudi Arabia: Maysoon Azzam is “not a robot”  · Global Voices
Katharine Ganly

Why was Al-Arabiya newsreader Maysoon Azzam laughing when reading the news? Saudi Jeans wonders what tickled the newsreader, and why her explanation of the outburst was removed from Al-Arabiya's website in this post.

author: Katharine Ganly


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Serbia: Mufti Zukorlic vs Blic · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgraded writes about the conflict between the mufti of the Serbian Islamic community and the Blic newspaper.


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Seychelles: Visiting Vallée de Mai · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

I Love Seychelles writes about Vallée de Mai in Seychelles.  Vallée de Mai is a nature reserve, which is on the UNESCO world heritage list.


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South Africa: Rethinking customary law · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Pierre de Vos discusses South African customary law: “When I studied law at Stellenbosch University, we did not study a single aspect of customary law. It was as if customary law (and the millions of people who lived in terms of it) did not exist.”


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Sri Lanka: Constitutional Reform · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sumanasiri Liyanage at Groundviews discusses the expectations and the realities regarding  constitutional reform in Sri Lanka.


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Ukraine: Gorbachev and Chernobyl · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Window on Eurasia writes about Mikhail Gorbachev's order to hold the May Day demonstration in Kyiv shorly after the Chernobyl catastrophe.


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Ukraine: Kyiv Farmers’ Markets · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Photos of berries, fruit and vegetables sold at Kyiv farmers’ markets this summer – at The Pickle Project, here and here.


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Uruguay: Celebrating Advancement to Quarter Finals · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Agarrate Montevideo [es] posted pictures and videos of Uruguayans celebrating their team's advancement to quarter finals in the 2010 FIFA World Cup after beating South Korea 2-1; it is the first time in 40 years that the Uruguayan team reaches quarter finals in a World Cup.


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Zimbabwe: Celebrating World Cup in Harare · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Bev Clark on celebrating the World Cup in Harare, Zimbabwe: “Some of the Kubatana team have been moving around various pubs in Harare to watch world cup games. Our favourite haunt so far is Boleros in Chisipite.”


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Africa: Africa’s old men · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Africa's old men: “I haven’t checked the maths but here’s something interesting sent in to us from a subscriber: Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe) age 86, Hosni Mubarak (Egypt) age 82, Hifikepunye Pohamba (Namibia) age 74, Rupiah Banda (Zambia) age 73, Mwai Kibaki (Kenya) age 71…”


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Africa: The Great Green Wall of Africa · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Gold discussing the Great Green Wall of Africa: “The Great Green Wall of Africa was first suggested by the ex-Nigerian Prez Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2005…”


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Africa: The vuvuzelization of world football · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

“The vuvuzela, much like Ghana’s Black Stars, has beaten odds to become more than a cheering instrument. It has now attained the status of an African metaphor for the unacknowledged ways in which Africa determines particular discourses at the global level,” writes Steven Sharra.


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Angola: Once Upon a Time in Roque Santeiro · Global Voices
Clara Onofre

Market in Luanda by Flickr user BRamirez37, CC
The Roque Santeiro Market, a name that comes from the famous Brazilian soap opera that was a hit among the soap-opera crazed Angolans, is known for being the biggest open-air market in Africa, for transacting thousands of dollars a day, and for being the main stage for the sale of every imaginable product. Fortunately or unfortunately, the market’s days are numbered. The Luandan government plans to move the market from the Sambizanga to Panguila, located nearly 30 kilometers to the north of Luanda. The date has yet to be decided.
The Roque Santeiro Market was established in its current venue in the 1980’s, at a time when the country was still beaten down by war and provisions were scarce. Initially designed like the Boa Vista Market, the commercial area was perhaps the only location where it was possible to find a little bit of everything – albeit through hidden means, including guns and arms trafficking and both adult and child sexual services.
Currently, the Roque Santeiro Market is means of survival for many Angolan families. At the same time, the market is also a haven for criminals who have given the commercial area its bad name.
In an old article, taken from the blog entitled  Angola Drops, the Brazilian blogger describes [pt] the market:
Fui com dois colegas brasileiros e um angolano ao mercado do Roque Santeiro que tem a fama de ser o maior do mundo. São 500 campos de futebol numa área de um quilómetro de comprimento por 500 metros de largura, que abriga cinco mil vendedores. A infra-estrutura é mínima: em todas as “lojas” o chão é o barro nu e o máximo de cobertura são telhas gastas de zinco ou mais comumente, lona. Obviamente vende-se de tudo. Logo na chegada passámos por géneros alimentícios de vegetais comercializados directamente sobre panos no chão, a enlatados, caldo de carne, maionese e alimentos prontos, principalmente banana da terra na grelha. Se o Roque Santeiro é um grande centro comercial a céu aberto, não poderia faltar o cinema. O complexo tem duas salas, erguidas com madeira e restos de lona e com capacidade para umas 50 pessoas cada. Em cartaz, Sete Vidas com Will Smith, exibido numa televisão de 29 polegadas colocada numa mesa alta. O barracão é adequadamente escuro e os espectadores vêem o filme em bancos de madeira sem encosto.
Roque Santeiro Market by Menina de Angola
Thanks to the development that is spreading throughout the city like a wildfire, the Roque Santeiro Market will enter a new chapter that naturally displeases the vendors who go there daily  to sell their wares. The government’s idea to move the market to another part of the city is part of the plan to reorganize the city of Luanda, making it more modern and safer for its citizens. This is how the author of the blog Menina de Angola [Girl from Angola, pt] sees the situation:
O mercado mais famoso do mundo vai acabar. Finalmente o governo vai transferir todos os vendedores para a Panguila, numa área organizada, com restaurantes, bancos e o mais importante condições sanitárias adequadas. Essa transferência faz parte do programa do governo de requalificação do Sambizanga que vai transformar o perigoso e violento bairro num moderno distrito comercial e residencial, com muitos prédios modernos e caríssimos.
Angolan Women in Roque Santeiro Market, by Yan Boechat, CC
The author of the blog Morro da Maianga lists  [Maianga Hillside, pt] some of the possible consequences that will result from the closure of the most famous market:
mais miséria/exclusão social/mais zunga/caos urbano/mais delinquência/criminalidade/violência/mais instabilidade/insegurança/e mais um espaço de especulação imobiliária.
At the end of the post, the blogger warns:
depois não responsabilizem (apenas) a polícia.
Despite the vendors’ clear displeasure in having to move to another, supposedly more modern, location, the market administrator believes the move will be peaceful.
To see the area where the new market will be set up, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sq1n72IYnzI

author: Clara Onofre


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Argentina: Social Media Day in Buenos Aires · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Listao [es] shares that on June 30, the official Social Media day, social media users are invited to get together to celebrate the day in Buenos Aires. Users can sign up on a special site for the event on Mashable Meetups [es].


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Bahrain: What Happened to the Mubtakar Terrorists?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif wonders what happened to five Bahrainis implicated in a 2003 terrorist plot to detonate an explosive device on the New York City subway system called the “Mubtakar.” “Whatever happened to those five “men” I wonder? Anyone knows?” he asks.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Bolivia: Facts About Internet and Social Media · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Pablo Andrés Rivero analyzes [es] data about the use of social media and the internet in Bolivia.


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Caribbean: On Crime  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Caribbean Camera reports on the G-8 and G-20 summits from a regional perspective.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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China: Gamers need not worry over new real name rules  · Global Voices
John Kennedy

News sites, BBSes and microblogs are just a few of the current or past (#fail) parts of the Internet in China which have been slated for one form of real name registration or another.
On July 1, owners of online stores across the country are expected to go real-name, and for China's tens of millions of online gamerz, it was announced last week that as of August 1, registration with a valid resident identity card will be required to get back in the game.
Opposition to the latter plan has been relatively muted in spaces such as comment sections on news stories [zh] carrying the details of the forthcoming regulations and even in forums popular with gamers. Others, however, wonder [zh] if this is the beginning of the end of easy online anonymity in general.
Photo from Daniel Lunsford's Flickr stream
Not Sina.com blogger Mu San; while he predicts problems [zh] with this approach to implementation of real name registration, the potential for privacy violations aside, in his view they won't necessarily have much impact on the end user:
还记得去年出台的“网络防沉迷系统”，但是效果不是很明显。如今网络实名制的到来，真的是万众期待的结果，不过还是褒贬不一！据悉，网络游戏实名制将有三个系统：一是注册系统，玩家需提供身份信息；二是面向社会的查询系统，家长可查询到孩子在玩哪些游戏及在线情况；三是认证系统，与公安部门配合对注册信息进行认证。一旦发现使用虚假身份注册的用户，将会对玩家级别、经验值、道具等清零。不知道这样的政策出台，是好是坏？
家长可以实时监控
根据网络实名制实行的系统准则，除了玩家在注册游戏资料时必须采用真实信息之外，家长还能查看孩子的在线状态。如此一来，家长就可以实时的知道孩子上网的时间，方便监督！既然之前的“防沉迷系统”的宗旨是要求玩家每天连续游戏时间不能超过5小时，那么这个方案就是网游防沉迷的又一道屏障了，不过这只是想到的，实际效果如何还要等实施后才知道。
信息认证是个难题
实名制势必会遭遇信息认证的难题，不排除有很多未成年的在校学生会趁机借用家长的身份证进行注册，或者更严重的网吧经营人会借成人的身份证帮助这些玩家注册，这样一来就不能达到文化部对网游监管的目的。这只其一，另外，就玩家的虚拟ID和真实个人信息，想在短时间内核实对应起来就不是一件容易办到的事情，要知道中国游戏玩家注册人数可不是一星半点。
目前国内的网游玩家早已超千万，而且还在不断增长中，即使是由玩家自行自觉完成真实信息的填报，也需要工作人员去核实确认，可想进行实名制的工作量之大。而且要求这些信息的真实度更高，就要和公安部联合就身份认证进行确认，而这显然在短时间内完成也是不现实的！
There are currently far more than ten million gamers in China, and that number continues to grow; even if gamers were sincere and honest in filling out their actual information, people would still be needed to verify it, and you can imagine how much work implementing a real name system would entail. Further, the degree of authenticity of information required is quite high; authenticating it would require working with the Public Security Bureau, so clearly completing this within a short period of time is unrealistic!
个人信息的安全问题谁来保证
实行实名之后信息安全谁来保证，要知道很多玩家的信息都是极具隐私，非常敏感的。表面上实名之后能对盗取账号问题进行一定的遏制，但是不排除一些疯狂盗号的，一旦账号被盗后，如何保证玩家的信息不被泄漏，这是许多玩家都担忧的事情。还有，实名后一旦玩家信息遭到泄露，谁来承担后果呢？是这些网游公司还是盗号人？又或者是提出实施“网络实名制”的人？
可能引发的利益矛盾
还记得去年“防沉迷系统”提出后就已经遭到国内各大网游公司的反对，这也是实施起来困难重重的原因。而且也很难从根本上去做到对网络游戏进行监管，而说到底还是未能从根本上解决游戏公司与玩家权益之间的矛盾。而实名制同样会遇到这样的利益矛盾，眼下游戏群体中大部分都是青少年，如果因为实名注册而离开游戏，这显然不是游戏运营商希望看到的。所以，如果不能解决这个矛盾，网络实名制实施起来，也只是一个嘴上说说的形式，未必会有多大成效的！

author: John Kennedy


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Cuba: On Journalism · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Iván's File Cabinet says that “being a journalist in Cuba is like performing black magic. Investigating a story or getting reliable data is like trying to catch hold of a mirage.”


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Cuba: Spotlight on Fariñas · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In the wake of the death of political prisoner Orlando Zapata Tamayo, Cuban independent journalist Guillermo Fariñas started a hunger strike to demand the release of some two dozen seriously ill political prisoners”: As his condition worsens, Uncommon Sense applauds his bravery.


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Egypt: Allegations Against Khaled Said  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia comments on the allegations surfacing against Khaled Said – who was allegedly killed by police officers.


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Egypt: Faceook Group Against Torture · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A Facebook group was formed by Egyptian activists to mark the International Day Against Torture.


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Egypt: Heat Blamed for Hurghada Oil Spill  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

There is an oil spill off the coast of Hurghada and Egyptian officials are blaming it on “oil seeping from the ground due to heat.” Egyptian Chronicles has more here.


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Egypt: The Ministry of Interior Seeks Revenge · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Using their blogs, mobile phones, and new media, Egyptian activists have exposed numerous torture incidents by police officers over the past few years. Wael Abbas (Misr Digital), Shahinaz Abdel Salam (Wa7da Masreya), Ramy Raoof (Human Rights Defender), Amr Gharbeia (Gharbeia), Noha Atef (Torture in Egypt), Mohamed Khaled (Mac), Sameh El Aroosy (Eye on the World), Malek Mostafa (Malek X), Hossam El Hamalawy (3arabawy), and many others have advocated human rights and uncovered police violations and corruption.
The most famous incident is that of Emad El Kebir, who was tortured and sodomized by Islam Nabih and Reda Fathi – the police officers who were brought to justice after the torture video went viral. And the most recent of which is the severe torture and brutal murder of Khaled Said – a 28-year-old Egyptian from the coastal city of Alexandria who died for asking for a search warrant.
Amr Gharbeia‘s most recent post is entitled:
It is about the civil society's most recent anti-torture initiative. Gharbeia writes:
حادث التعذيب و القتل الأخير و الذي راح ضحيته خالد سعيد أعاد الاهتمام بالتعذيب كواحد من أكبر ما يعوق حركة الناس نحو تحسين ظروف حياتهم. الأفراد المحتجزين هم أضعف من أن يمكنهم الدفاع عن أنفسهم، و لهذا فإن سلامة الأفراد مسؤولية المجتمع.
يبدأ اليوم موقع جديد لقوة العمل المناهضة للتعذيب في العمل. تتكون قوة العمل من “مجموعة من المنظمات الحقوقية والأفراد – أطباء ومحامون وصحفيون ومدونون – اجتمعوا على العمل معا من أجل مناهضة التعذيب والتضامن مع من يتعرضون له مستخدمين في ذلك كافة الوسائل بداية من الدعم النفسي والقانوني وكشف جرائم التعذيب والنشر في الاعلام والأبحاث ومخاطبة الرأي العام بخطورة القضية ومعدل انتشارها وسبل التصدي للقائمين عليها”، و هي مدعومة من المجلس الدولي لتأهيل ضحايا التعذيب في كوبنهاجن.
باكورة إنتاج قوة العمل فيلم بعنوان رامي: قصة من تمي الأماديد، و رامي هو “طفل من قرية تمى الأماديد بمحافظة الدقهلية عذبته الشرطة في عام 2008 ليعترف بجريمة قتل لم يرتكبها”
The most recent torture incident that took the life of Khaled Said rekindled activism against torture, placing it among the leading factors that discourage people from claiming their rights to a better life. People in custody are too weak to defend themselves; thus their safety and security is the responsibility of their society.
Today, a new site combating torture is activated. Several human rights organizations and individual defenders from different paths of life are behind this site where they work together in offering torture victims psychological and legal counselling, exposing more incidents, reaching out to mainstream media organizations, and creating public awareness about the cause and its repercussions. The new site is supported by The International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims in Copenhagen.
The first fruits of this workforce is “Ramy: a Story from Tamy El Amadeed Village” – a movie about a young man from a village in Egypt who was tortured by the police in 2008 to confess to a murder he did not commit.
According to Wael Abbas, it seems that the Egyptian Ministry of Interior is seeking revenge from those who exposed internal police force corruption and recurrent torture cases. Wael received a message from Sameh El Aroosy who shared many video clips of torture in police stations saying that he has been arrested in Libya.
The message says:
Wael commented on his message saying:

author: Marwa Rakha


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Egypt: Unrest in North Sinai  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

It may be off the radar – but Zeinobia reports on unrest in North Sinai. Click here for more.


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Ghana: It was David vs Goliath · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

USA 2-1 loss to Ghana shows that economic might is not might everywhere, argues Ghanaian blogger Emmanuel Bensah.


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Global: Greek to English, Chinese to Russian, and Spanish to Macedonian · Global Voices
Elena Ignatova

This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.
We all have heard of funny situations when poor translation of idiomatic expressions from one language has produced ridiculous meaning in another. Translation of idioms is indeed one of the biggest challenges in translation, both for humans and for machines. The main difficulty lies in the linguistic character of idioms, whose meaning cannot be derived from the meaning of the constituent words. For example, the well worn out example of the English idiom to kick the bucket, literally meaning ‘to die,’ has nothing to do with either kicking or with the bucket.
WikIdioms is a new online resource that aims at helping translators to cope with this challenge. We talked with the creator of the site, Pavel Kats, and with one of its contributors, Yasna Trandafilovska, so that they could explain the service on their own in the best manner.
Q: Pavel, could you introduce Wikidioms in a couple of sentences?
A: Well, basically the idea is to provide a web environment where people would help each other to cope with the translation of idioms, maybe one of the toughest challenges in translation. Of course, when I say ‘translating an idiom,’ I do not mean literal translation, rather an equivalent idiomatic expression in the target language, or any other means to convey the meaning. The project is collaborative in its heart, therefore the web is an ideal place for it.
Q: How is the community organized?
A: Most of the community members are professional translators who find some time in between their translation jobs to help us. These people are very well aware of the challenges of translating idiomatic expressions, as they do it themselves all the time. But we do not limit the contributors to translators, and we have also seen significant contributions from language enthusiasts unrelated to translation business. See, many people love to cope with linguistic challenges when it is about their native languages.
Q: Can you give us a bit of statistics? How many contributors, in how many languages…
A: The actively contributing community counts more than 100 translators and growing. The project is rather young, but we are already proud to have more than 30 thousand expressions in more than 30 languages. And the sky is the limit…
Q: Who can contribute to the site?
A: Well, as I mentioned above we do not limit our contributors, so anyone can. Naturally, such a policy requires some level of moderation on the contributed content and this moderation is done by several members of our community. We also invite professional translators who would like to help beyond sporadic contributions to contact us directly. There is a number of specific projects, all connected to multilingual translation, that we are developing inside WikIdioms, and we are looking for partners.
Q: Why should we use the site?
A: An example that fits here best. Imagine you are translating a Global Voices article from English to other languages and the article contains an English expression ‘It’s Greek to me!’ in the sense that some text is completely obscure to the speaker. How would you convey the same meaning to other languages in the same picturesque way? Now, with the help of WikIdioms you know that other languages also have their ways to express the same idea: Russians refer to Chinese and Macedonians….to Spaniards!
Thanks, Pavel!
Q: Yasna, how did you become involved in Wikidioms and why?
A: My involvement with WikIdioms happened out of the blue when a Greek colleague and friend of mine sent me an e-mail with Pavel’s call for translators to contribute to Wikidioms. Since I have been working as a translator for quite a while, I noticed that when it comes to the Macedonian language, it is quite difficult to find sources and dictionaries on the web that would help all the translators do their jobs quickly, properly and efficiently. So I realized that this is a great opportunity to change the situation. But, because it is not possible for one person to know everything and because languages are living organisms that change and develop continuously, I would like to invite all my colleagues, and especially those of the Global Voices’ Lingua teams throughout the world, to visit us and contribute.
Q: You are also a  contributor for Global Voices in Macedonian, can you tell us how you found out about the project and what motivated you to join?
A: I have been living in Greece for the last 11 years. Because I am married to a Greek, at home we speak Greek. With time, I noticed that I started forgetting words of my mother tongue and that was very annoying. I started searching for a solution and I found it in translating various texts on Global Voices. I think it is very stimulating because there are no deadlines, no stress, no rush and I think that when you do something just for the pleasure of it, the result is much, much better.
This post is part of our special coverage Languages and the Internet.

author: Elena Ignatova


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Global: Statistics on Countries Participating in World Cup · Global Voices
Raphael Tsavkko Garcia

SRF from GeoCurrent Events blog writes about the economic geography of the 2010 FIFA World Cup participant countries.

author: Raphael Tsavkko Garcia


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India: English News Channels Not Effective · Global Voices
Rezwan

Sans Serif explains quoting television audience measurement data that English News Channels in India have such a minuscule viewership that they cannot be effective.

author: Rezwan


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Italy: Large protest against “gag” rule bill on local media · Global Voices
Bernardo Parrella

“No Bavaglio” (No Gag) is a large protest movement in Italy against a proposed privacy law that would impose heavy fines on newspapers (and blogs) that publish transcripts of phone calls. The law is suspect, because wiretapping has played a key role in media investigations that have led to mafia arrests and political scandals. The mobilization is taking place on Liberarete.tv and Facebook group, among other online venues.

author: Bernardo Parrella


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Jamaica: Bloggers Discuss Dudus’ Extradition · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Following his capture by Jamaican police, Michael Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke has been extradited to the United States to face pending charges of drug and arms trafficking.  “The President”, as he is also known, issued a statement about his decision “to waive [his] right to an extradition hearing in Jamaica and to proceed directly to the United States…”, a decision met with interest by some Jamaicans who “want him to sing like a canary regarding his dealings with influential people in the society.”  YardFlex.com quotes one unnamed woman as saying “that there is a lot of dirt to come out” and “that Jamaicans should be prepared for a rude awakening.”  There has also been a lot of discussion about the fact that  Reverend Al Miller (the clergyman who was reportedly escorting ‘Dudus’ to turn himself over to U.S. authorities at the time of his capture) “has been charged by the Police for perverting the course of justice and harbouring a fugitive.”
As that fugitive arrived on U.S. soil, YardFlex was prompted to ask:
Now dat dem have him wah now….
Jamaica can go back to normal or not, hope we the people can see the difference.
…while other netizens decided to crack jokes via Twitter, which were, of course, retweeted:
@meishagaymattis:
Two black presidents in America now! Dudus and Obama
@ArnoldKer took a more serious view of the situation in a series of tweets:
So wat happens now? The PM is forgiven & all is bak to normal, rite? smh I hope the opposition keeps pressing d govt for answers.
I'm irritated by how short our memory is. These politicians just keep playing us & we take it and move on.
Let's not be distracted by the wigs & the other red herrings. The issue is still at hand. Our leaders must be made to answer questions…
Where r the strong positions that were taken few weeks ago? the national outcry? Everybody had sumtin to say, now its like nothin happened.
As a ppl, unless we stand by our word, our politicians will do wat is necessary to pacify us for d moment. They kno how to play da game…
Weeks ago everyone was callin for Dudus’ capture & now that he has been & the media has humanized him we're not so sure anymore….
Anyway, that's all I'm gonna say. I really do wish we were different though. A lot of things would change in Ja if we were…
After a while, though, she too got in on the fun:
him happy him reach US alive lol RT @MizAlly_baby: no this is serious.. y is Dudus smiling in all the pics??? u nuh tink something wrong lol
Meanwhile, Annie Paul lamented that it was left up to the international media to “speculat[e] on the reasons for Christopher Coke's nickname…”:
The New York Post tells us that of Jim Brown's three sons:
The youngest was Christopher, who earned his nickname ‘Dudus’ — pronounced DUD-us — because he wore an African-style shirt favored by Jamaican World War II hero and Cabinet minister Dudley Thompson.
She did concede, however, that “there [was] a ray of hope on the media horizon in Jamaica with the establishment of On the Ground News Reports”, which she called “an invaluable source of news in the wake of the May 23rd assault on Tivoli”:
At first i was wary of the tweets coming from OGNR but then i noticed that almost everything they tweeted was later confirmed in the mainstream media. OGNR was providing the news live and direct almost as it happened.
In fact they were the ‘social media’ that the information minister Daryl Vaz was fulminating against when the government cracked down on media here denying them access to Tivoli and its environs.
Commenting on her own blog post on Twitter, she added:
In Jamaica farce, intrigue and tragedy remain inextricably intertwined…http://bit.ly/9qubr
…further explaining the situation – and the implications for Jamaica's future – in a piece she wrote for Channel 4 News.  In a separate post on her blog, Paul explained:
In a matter of weeks Coke has gone from being the most feared gang leader or strongman in Jamaica to a figure of scorn and ridicule after Police released photos of him wearing a wig and looking like an earnest church-going matron. Many are convinced that the police deliberately placed the wig on his head before photographing him in order to humiliate him and raise doubts about the awesome powers he is supposed to possess.
She also put Coke's decision to waive his right to an extradition hearing in perspective:
The nation which had waited with bated breath to see if Coke would actually leave the island alive heaved a sigh of relief. His ill-fated father, the legendary Jim Brown, was set ablaze in his Kingston cell on the eve of his extradition to the US for similar charges. That was in the nineties.
Coke himself seems surprised and grateful at the restraint shown by Jamaican Police when they intercepted the car he was travelling in with Reverend Al Miller on May 22nd. The Police, once famously described by Bob Marley as being “all dressed in uniforms of brutality” seem to have finessed a textbook arrest of the country’s Public Enemy Number One with no shots fired and not a drop of blood shed. This is contrary to the way they normally deal with suspected criminals.
Jamaica Salt quoted Coke's lawyer, who “has been re-iterating the fact that negotiations for Dudus’s surrender were going on before the Tivoli Gardens bloodshed.  That he had wished to be taken straight to US custody from the beginning”, saying:
This is bad because it shows how the raid on Tivoli was unnecessary and could have been avoided if the talks had been successful then.  But why weren’t they successful?
Writer Kei Miller was less intrigued by that question than what he calls “this strange history of bad men dressing like girls”; he mused about the trend in a Facebook note:
In a country where Dudus…could wear wigs and frocks; and in a country where any tour of dancehall will feature a few male dance crews who always offer…the most profound and sometimes magical performances of Jamaican queerness; and in a country where bad men run across garrison communities – one hand holding onto their uzi guns, and the other lifting up the hem of their frocks so as not to trip, then we know the real truth – that bad man dress however de rass him want to dress. And that’s exactly what makes them de real bad men. Selah.
His analysis opened the door to give blogger Annie Paul the last word:
Everyone is crying out for peace yes, none is crying out for justice sang Peter Tosh in his famous song Equal Rights. Ultimately its only equal rights and justice, yoked together for all citizens, that will deliver lasting peace in Jamaica.
Meanwhile Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke remains an intriguing and tragic figure. Except for the unflattering bewigged photo circulated by the police after his arrest Coke was never shown in the Jamaican media wearing handcuffs or otherwise displaying signs of someone whose freedom has been severely curtailed. In contrast the very first photo of Coke after he landed in the US shows him with his arms handcuffed behind him. The message is clear; as far as the United States is concerned Coke is a vicious criminal. In Jamaica however, his status is far more ambiguous.


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Japan: Questionnaire about English ability · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

What Japan Thinks translated the results of a questionnaire about “when Japanese feel most ashamed about their lack of English”. The number one situation? “When a foreigner asks me the way and I cannot answer. ” Here's a series of comical commercials from Nova, the now defunct English conversational language school, that feature similar situations.

author: Tomomi Sasaki


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Japan: The Hero, Sakamoto Ryoma · Global Voices
Tomomi Sasaki

Confident, charismatic, and ever so dashing, Sakamoto Ryoma (坂本龍馬) has always been one of Japan's favorite historical figures. Since NHK started to broadcast the historical drama series Ryomaden (龍馬伝: ‘The Legend of Ryoma’) this January, a nation-wide Ryoma boom has exploded.
Official Website for Ryomaden
Called a “renaissance samurai” in a biography by researcher Romulus Hillsborough, Ryoma was a key figure involved in overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate. The movement, fueled by the mounting risk of Western colonization, ended almost 300 years of feudal rule. Japan charged headfirst into becoming an industrialized country under a modern government headed by the Emperor, with doors open to foreign trade. The Psychology Masters blog offers a detailed description of Ryoma's life and historical significance.
Ryomaden is simply the most recent in the long line of books, movies, and TV shows based on the man. “Every year the television network produces one gorgeous high-budget historical period drama called the Taiga Drama”, explains Peter Payne. The Jdrama Weblog provides a list and comprehensive explanation of the main characters. Ryomaden will be shipped to other countries, too – Funn happily reports that the series will air in Taiwan with Chinese subtitles and possibly Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
The present day perception of Ryoma is said to be shaped mainly by Ryotaro Shiba's historical novel Ryoma ga Yuku (竜馬がゆく: “Ryoma moves ahead”). As pigrilm_reader explains:
青春歴史小説である『竜馬がゆく』は、『坂の上の雲』と並んで紛れもなく司馬遼太郎の代表作である。 この小説を人生の一冊として挙げる日本人は特に多く、また功成り名を遂げた政治家や経営者が後輩に薦める一冊としても、この作品が選ばれる場合が圧倒的に多い。戦後に生きた多くの日本人を魅了し、 心を励まし続けてきた、まさに国民的な歴史長編と言える。
From commemorative coins, beer cans to latte art, Ryoma's image can be seen everywhere. The Hopeless Romantic posted pictures of Ryoma seen around town while Time Out Tokyo listed up some places that Tokyoites can get a taste of the legend.
by Flickr user naitokz
One of the most famous spots to visit is Katsurahama Park in Kochi Prefecture [ja], which boasts a large bronze statue of Ryoma looking out to the sea. The Citynet blog reports that there's a temporary tower [ja] set up so visitors can get closer to the statue.
Takashi Yoshida comments:
それにしても空前の龍馬ブームである。高知は以前から観光も龍馬頼みで、空港の名も高知龍馬空港。そして「龍馬伝」の経済効果は４０９億円で高知県の県内総生産の2%というから相当なものだ（自分の給料が2%増えたことを考えるとその効果の程がわかる）。私は、高知で11年暮らしたので坂本龍馬の高知での人気ぶりは知っている。しかしこの全国的な人気はどうだ。ブームに便乗して稼げる内に稼ごうという姿勢が丸見えの地域もあらわれている。自民党から共産党まで、保革を問わず政治家は龍馬を口に出していればまず安心である。
Why does Ryoma command so much love and respect? Jon digs into this question in his review of Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration by Marius Jansen.
The fact is Ryoma WAS one of the most significant figures during the Bakumatsu. His personality, his character, his ability to develop relationships and create alliances allowed him to do what few others could have done. […]  I think you will find many examples throughout history of famous historical figures who may not have developed many of the original ideas they are known for but they took those ideas and improved on them or used their charisma and skill to carry them through. Sakamoto Ryoma is no different.
Here is another reason given at a thread on Q&A site Yahoo! Chiebukuro. The corporation refers to is the naval trading company Kaientai. Ryoma's associate Iwasaki Yataro would go on to build the Mitsubishi empire.
龍馬が日本で初めて株式会社を設立したのは知っていますか。おそらく当時の日本で龍馬は突出した経済感覚を持っていた人物だったでしょう。つまり金儲けの才能がずば抜けていた。その才能を自分だけの利益のためでなく日本全体のために働かせようとしていたところが尊敬されるのでしょう。
そういった意味で龍馬が若くして死んでしまったことは残念でなりません。
Preview of the second season of Ryomaden
One of the most publicly enthusiastic fans is Masayoshi Son, founder and CEO of the telecom giant Softbank. Random fact: Softbank's logo is based on that of Ryoma's trading company Kaientai (海援隊). Last year, @masason tweeted:
来年の大河ドラマは、坂本龍馬。私が最も尊敬する偉人です。 日本の夜明けのために命をかけた。立派なことだと思います。 事業を通じて少しでも龍馬さんの心境に近づけたらいいなあと思います。
Photo from Edo-Tokyo Museum
In 1863, Ryoma wrote in a letter to his elder sister, “I want to cleanse Japan once again.”
The letter was exhibited this spring at Edo-Tokyo Museum [ja] this spring as part of an exhibition to commemorate the NHK drama series. TJ Orosa reviewed the exhibition here.
While the words have been over-quoted lately, especially in the political scene, the sentiment hits close to our hearts. duku0312 blogged:
It is said that Japan in the end of Edo era where Ryoma Sakamoto lived looks like Japan now, with nearly one quadrillion yen in debt, hasn't caught up with globalization and whose people are concerned about their politics and future.
That is why Japanese are wishing modern Ryoma Sakamoto to appear. But…


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Japan: Voice tweets override election rule · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Akky Akimoto from Asiajin points out that incumbent upper house member Kenzo Fujisue tried to avoid the violation of upper house election rule in Japan by posting url of voice tweets instead of text tweets.


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Lao44 website · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Lao44 or Coalition for Lao Information, Communication and Knowledge is the largest repository of documents in Lao language. The number 44 in Lao44 refers to Article 44 in the Constitution which says that Lao citizens have the right and freedom of speech, press and assembly.

author: Mong Palatino


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Lebanon: Facebook Group in Support of Gaza-bound Maryam · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanese activists formed a Facebook group in support of a Gaza-bound ship called We are All Maryam (Ar).


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Lebanon: Letter to the President · Global Voices
Layal Al Khatib

Lebanese blogger finkployd writes a letter to the Lebanese President Michel Suleiman after three people were arrested for insulting him on Facebook.

author: Layal Al Khatib


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Middle East: Goodbye Saramago · Global Voices
Tarek Amr

Bloggers across the Middle East mourned the death of Portuguese writer Jose Saramago – the only Portuguese language Nobel Prize Winner in Literature, who has his own religious and political controversial views. People in the Lusosphere and all over the world reacted to his death, and the Arab world is no exception.
Yazan Ashqar published this photo of Saramago in his blog and wrote one of his most famous quotes under it: I think we are blind. Blind but seeing. Blind people who can see, but do not see. http://dajeej.wordpress.com/2010/06/19/%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%BA%D9%88/
Egyptian blogger, Badawiaa, wrote in her blog about Saramago bidding farewell to life:
Lebanese blogger Jihad Bazzi wonders what Saramago might be doing now in his afterlife:
Besides being a writer, Saramago has his own political stance as well. And this made Yassin El Suwayheh, a Syrian blogger living in Spain, write about Saramago's political stance in his blog Spanish waves on Levant shores:
An anonymous reader commented on Yassin's post. The reader objected to the phrase, “A man has died, who can at least be identified with his major awards in literature and poetry” writing that it's what such personalities do and say that identifies them and not the prizes and awards they win:
On the other hand, Ahmed Shawky was worried that Saramago's political stances, might make people overlook his side as a creative writer.
Many Arab intellectuals know about, and have read for, Jose Saramago. Unfortunately many others should be thankful to his death for introducing them to writer like him. Ahmed El Mueini wrote in his blog about Saramago's novel Blindness, and how he has had it in his bookshelf but never had the chance to read it:
Omani Wadhha AlBusaidi then commented on Ahmed El Mueini's post:
Another commenter replied saying that he will sure miss Saramago's writings, although he doesn't agree with his religious views:
And finally, Laila, advised Ahmed not to miss the chance of reading Saramago's novel:

author: Tarek Amr


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Pakistan: Perils Of Mixing State With Religion · Global Voices
Rezwan

Pakistani blogger Ayesha N. Rashid at Pak Tea House opines that “The 1974 decision to mingle state with religion developed the country (Pakistan) into an intolerant society.”


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Peru: Experiment for Social Networks · Global Voices
Juan Arellano

Ernesto Cárdenas from the blog Consultor Internet proposes [es] an interesting experiment in social networks:  “How feasible is it to have/simulate ‘the experience of living’ (virtually) the things that happen in a country you do not know and have not visited?” After explaining the experiment he asks, is there an entrepreneur willing to implement it?


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Philippines: Dancing Prisoners’ Tribute to Michael Jackson · Global Voices
Karlo Mongaya

And they've done it again. Last June 27, convicted criminals from Cebu danced to the tunes of the late Michael Jackson in a tribute performance marking the first death anniversary of the famous music icon.
Back in 2007, over a thousand inmates of a maximum security prison in the central Philippine island-province of Cebu became an international hit after jail authorities posted a footage of the prisoners dancing to Michael Jackson's “Thriller” on the Internet.
With more than 42 million views on YouTube, the music video of the Cebuano prisoners has become one of the most watched clips on the internet.
Lindsay's Adventure in the Philippines felt estranged by the sight of the dancing inmates.
For the past few years, they have been using this dance program as part of their rehabilitation program, as a means of positive reinforcement for the inmates. It was quite a strange sight watching over 1,000 inmates in bright orange pants perform choreographed dances. There was even a specialized group of dancers who were better than the rest and therefore were highlighted in the center of the other dancers.
The Fountain Yield saw the performances as a form of therapy for the prisoners.
We all need to be healed, every one has the right to be given another chance. The best way to heal ourselves if through any form of art. Art gives spirit freedom to express itself. These people obviously have suffered from certain blockages in their life that is why they ended up in prison. Dancing is a form of release for them. Aside from the fact that it could lift up their morale. This could give them more optimism once they get out of prison.
Meanwhile, Hellagood Ed's Wee Weblog interrogates the role of music in prisoner rehabilitation.
Are human rights being ignored for the cause of misguided attempt to stop prisoner rebellion and instead the desire to control every action of law-breakers has become a publicity stunt? If the punishment is to suit the crime its hard to see how all the prisoners fit into these routines given that their crimes range from murder to shoplifting… If prisoners are forced into dance skits, how much rehabilitation are they really benefiting from?
Last year, these same group of imprisoned criminals also performed a tribute to Jackson just two days after his death. The official footages of the performance has yet to be uploaded online. Here's an unofficial video of this year's performance:

author: Karlo Mongaya


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Singapore: No to caning · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Spotlight on Singapore is against the punishment of caning. Recently, a foreigner who was found guilty of vandalizing a train in Singapore was sentenced to 5 months in jail and three strokes of the cane.


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Spain: The Prospect of Catalonia Competing On Its Own · Global Voices
Marc Herman

On June 21, in a must-win match against Honduras in the 2010 World Cup, Spanish defender Gerard Pique was a picture of patriotic mettle. A dive for a header had bloodied his lip. An opponent’s pass, intercepted too low for comfort, gave Pique's gait a tender hitch. A cotton bandage flapped loose over his temple: in an earlier match, a rival’s boot had smacked him upside the head. By the end of the match, Pique looked horrible, but appropriately so: every inch the young hero, leaving his skin on the field for his country.
The only question was: which country?
In Catalonia, the northeast region where Pique is from, a desire for a Catalan “national” team has provoked ambivalence with Spain's favored team. Much of it is gathering at a Facebook page, which one can characterize as dedicated to Catalan's pride in their impressive soccer tradition, or whining over their lack of recognition, depending on your point of view:
Commenter NaniBcn, writing in Catalan, says:
Preparem-nos per la españolada que se'ns ve a sobre amb la roja. Ni que juguessin 11 catalans, mai aniria amb una seleccion en nom d'un altre país.
Amid the flag waving of a World Cup, a person from Barcelona calling Spain “another country's name” can seem strange. The Catalan Fútbol Association has argued that precedents exist: Wayne Rooney plays for England, under the St. George's Cross flag, not for the United Kingdom, or a Union Jack. Among Spain's victim’s on the way to qualifying for this month’s finals was a team from the little-known Faroe Islands — officially not an independent nation, a part of Denmark, but competing independently.
Complicating matters, this year's Spanish team, current champions of Europe, count as many as half its starting players as Catalans. If Catalonia had it’s own team, not just Pique, but several more of the world’s best players would wear its shirt, and the tiny province of eight million would have a fair shot at taking on giants like Brazil, Germany, and, controversially, Spain itself. In a friendly match last year, the Catalan team beat Argentina, currently undefeated in South Africa, 4-2. The previous year they'd beaten Colombia, a former World Cup finals participant.
The tantalizing possibilities have provoked, for some at least, frustration. At the pro-Catalan Facebook page, supporter José Antonio Castells refers, with a humorous touch, to “our players” getting hurt playing for a foreign country – Spain.
Per a que volem selecció espanyola? Per a que se'ns lesionin els jugadors?
It's far from a universal feeling. Also via Facebook, a group of pro-Roja fans in Catalonia is calling for the city government in Catalonia's capital, Barcelona, to mount a giant screen in the city's largest plaza to view the matches. The Mayor's office, moving with notable indifference, authorized the groups calling for the screens to use the plaza, but told them to do it themselves [es].
Inevitably, those emotions have helped regional sports politics bleed, like Pique's split lip, into regular politics. Online, a Catalan body, the National Team Platform, has already established Catalan teams in twenty sports, including rugby and indoor soccer, and argued that international sports federations, rather than local governments, should decide which teams are allowed to compete. Soccer’s governing body, FIFA, which hosts the World Cup, disagrees. FIFA maintains a policy of granting entrance only to independent nations recognized by the United Nations. But the reasoning is often hard to follow, and inconsistent, argues Geocurrents
The sentiment is common enough in Catalonia that an online effort, Plataforma Pro, has attempted, with limited success, to raise the issue. The group has recruited Catalonia’s former President and the incoming President of Barcelona’s professional soccer team to support it’s cause.
Much of the discussion has occurred offline, in bars and plazas. In l'Espluga de Francoli, an olive farming town two hours from Barcelona, you could hear firecrackers following the two goals that the national team scored during the match against Honduras, and at the end of the match, to celebrate the victory. But the celebrations came from the local Real Madrid supporters’ club, which supports Madrid's team in the Spanish League. The club for Barcelona's supporters, didn't carry out any special event, although many of Barcelona's players had been on the field for the national team's win.
At the Facebook group, Catalonia support Daniel Llopis said that he thinks Spain is going to win the whole tournament, and tried to manage his dismay:
Les coses com són, qui té més probabilitats de guanyar el mundial és la selecció de l'estat espanyol (ja m'agradaria que perdés tots els partits fins que no reconeguin la selecció catalana).
I l'Espluga de Francoli, an older gentleman, who declined to give his name, was somewhat more curt:
“De ponent, ni gent ni vent,” he told GV. “From the West, neither people nor wind.”
Madrid is to Catalonia's west.
Reporting by Merce’ Badia. English text by Marc Herman and Merce’ Badia.

author: Marc Herman


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Thailand: Bangkok back to normal? · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Don Gilliland observes that “the comforting rhythm of daily life in Bangkok has returned to normal this month.” Protesters were able to paralyze many parts of the city for two months this year


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Thailand: First country to block 100,000 websites · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Twitter user leosia congratulates Thailand for being the first country in history to block more than 100,000 websites.


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Thailand: Red Shirt leader to run for parliamentary seat · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Korkaew Pikulthong, detained Red Shirt leader in Thailand, is running for a parliamentary seat. The Red Shirts are anti-government protesters who paralyzed several parts of Bangkok for two months this year


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2010 Asia Declaration on Internet Governance · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The 2010 Asia Declaration on Internet Governance tackled issues on internet governance, security, and access of information. The manifesto was signed by delegates from many Southeast Asian nations.


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Barbados: White Elephant  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

B.C. Pires fears “there is a white elephant in the West Indian drawing-room.”


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Belize: Mayans Win Right to Land  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Repeating Islands reports on a landmark court ruling “in favor of 38 Mayan Communities in the Toledo District”, which confirms their rights to the land surrounding their communities.


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Cape Verde: Bau Talks On Being a Musician in a Small Country · Global Voices
Sara Moreira

In an interview for blog Café Margoso [pt], musician Bau shares his dream of creating a music school for the children of Cape Verde. The artist says that because he is based in “such a small country”, he finds many restrictions to the possibilities of growing as an artist.

author: Sara Moreira


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Chile: From California to Chile on Biodiesel · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Chilean duo Carlos Herrera –Co-Executive Director of Education Without Borders International– and Maria Jose Calderon –an award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist– embarked on a 6-month road trip from California to Chile in El Chaski, “a ’95 Chevy Suburban 6.5L Turbo Diesel 4×4 that has been modified to run on Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO), Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) and biodiesel as well as regular diesel.”
Carlos filtering oil in Mexico next to El Chaski. Image courtesy of Maria José and Carlos.
The project behind this journey had three main components:
1. Travel from California to Chile using renewable biofuel in their biodiesel vehicle, ‘El Chaski’, modified to run on waste vegetable oil.
[…]
2. Create interesting multimedia curriculum to engage youth throughout the Americas in the ever-growing dialogue on environmental and human sustainability.
[…]
3. Build an online network of grassroots communities, youth, educators and more – working together to create a future we can share sustainably with the planet.
Carlos and Maria Jose documented and shared their experiences through videos, pictures and blogging under a section on the site called “Diary.” The blog's main page describes what this diary is all about:
We want to know what Latin America is doing to find sustainable solutions to the problems and issues they face.
Through digital storytelling (photo, sound and video) we will highlight the stories of non-profit organizations, cooperatives and activists working towards sustainability; thus awakening the connections between our cultures, struggles and traditions.
Guatemalan youth in Paxtoca. Image courtesy of Maria Jose and Carlos.
Using Google Maps the travelers tracked their journey so that readers could see exactly where they were. The trip started on November 17, 2009 and less than a month after that, on December 11, they had already traveled 2,909 miles (4,681 km). On that day they wrote:
I won’t bore you with details leaving California, but we drove the southern length of the state and successfully crossed the border in Tijuana.  Step one, check.  Step two, ohh $h!t.  It was suddenly, really happening.  All the plans, all the support, the goodbyes, good luck and so on, were coming into fruition.
Although they reached Chile on June 4, 2010 their latest entry is from April 6. With 9,832 miles (15,823 km) on El Chaski, Carlos wrote:
Majo [Maria Jose] and I crossed the border into a new country for the 10th time in 5 months. It’s a special sensation crossing into the unknown. You learn to confront life’s necessities, or in our case, the necessities of international travel. Venezuela was a case study with interesting variables that could throw a monkey wrench in your equation at any time. There are basically three main areas you must cover; who, what and where? You never know whom you will encounter along the road, what you are going to eat or where you will end up sleeping.
[…]
The next chapter in our trans-continental journey – Brazil.
A crucial part of this project is the educational component. On a special section called “Education,” educators and parents can access videos and information to educate children about the environment and Latin America. Maria Jose and Carlos explain how this initiative is also an experiment in using mobile technology in education:
Not only are we creating rich educational content for use in classrooms, we are exploring the reaches of mobile technology in the field of education.  With cellular phones sponsored by Nokia and the Pearson Foundation, we are engaging youth throughout Latin America to find out what they think with regards to environmental issues and more.  Check out our Mobile Classroom to hear what youth are saying.
Presentation at culinary school in Morelia, Mexico. Image courtesy of Maria Jose and Carlos.
Most of this educational material comes from a section dedicated to each country the couple visited on their journey. The country sites are still a work in progress –much like the rest of the site, which grows as they add entries and information– but they all include key facts on the country, and some sites already have videos showcasing grassroots initiatives to protect the environment. The description of this section serves as a good summary of the project as a whole and the impact they hope it will have:
From north to south, we have searched for these communities and done our best to document some of these stories and publish them in a way that they may be shared, provide us with useful information, educate and hopefully inspire us all to look for ways to play our part in leaving a lighter footprint on the earth.
Hopefully our children and grandchildren will enjoy and witness the beauty and gifts the earth has provided us with.

author: Silvia Viñas


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Chile: Organizations and Citizens Against Mining Project in Magallanes · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Manuel Luis Rodriguez writes in the blog Coyuntura Política [es] about a mining project in Isla Riesco (Riesco Island) in the Magallanes region. He says that about 50 NGOs and 12 international entities signed a statement against the project because it endangers the flora and fauna of the island and could also affect tourism.


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China: A music video’s take on property prices · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Alice from DANWEI translated the lyrics of a music video commenting on the property price in China.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Shanghai World Expo · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Maple Xu blogs about her experience in the Shanghai World Expo. The post is translated from Chinese into English by Xujun Eberlein.


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China: The end of Google.cn redirect · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kai Pan from China/divide comments on the end of Google.cn's redirecting of search engine to Google Hong Kong.


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Club of Cambodian Journalists · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The website of the Club of Cambodian Journalists seeks to provide information to promote press freedom and media rights in Cambodia.


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Czech Republic: Dr. Milada Horáková’s Death 60 Years Ago · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Reference Frame writes about the execution of Dr. Milada Horáková 60 years ago: “Many people were killed by the communists but she has clearly been the brightest woman ever murdered by them.”

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Haiti: Five Months Later  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haiti, land of Freedom takes a look at the country just about five months after the devastating earthquake.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Haiti: MSM Coverage  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

The Haitian Blogger says that “mainstream media pieces about Haiti are like Swiss cheese, full of holes.”


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Japan: Thanks, Blue Samurai! · Global Voices
Scilla Alecci

Japan lost to Paraguay 3-5 in a penalty shootout yesterday but the Blue Samurai's performance touched their fans’ heart, Kazumie  says.

author: Scilla Alecci


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Laos: Vientiane’s second radio station · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Sabydee Lao blogs about the opening of a radio station in Vientiane, Laos. It’s newsworthy because it is only the second radio station in the nation's capital.


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Lebanon: No to The Rule of Dinosaurs  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

A new Facebook group named No to Dinosaur Rule: So that Lebanon Doesn't Turn into a New Arab Prison (Ar) has been formed. The group advocates freedom of speech.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Malaysia: Migrant worker fired for lodging complaint with government · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

jelas.info from Malaysia uploads a letter from labor groups highlighting the case of a migrant worker who was fired by an employer after lodging a complaint with the labor department.


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Russia: Moscow’s Female Poplars · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belatedly, a link to Vilhelm Konnander's post about Moscow's female poplars and the trouble they've been causing for half a century.


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Russia: Ramzan Kadyrov’s Blog and Plagiarism Controversy · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Sean's Russia Blog notes that “just when [Ramzan] Kadyrov thought he had a clear path to becoming a star of the blogosphere, his second post, “My city, Grozny” was accused of plagiarism […].”


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Russia, U.S.: The “Spy Ring” Story · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A selection of posts on the “Russian spy ring” story: Julia Ioffe at The Daily Beast; A Good Treaty; Yelena Osipova at Global Chaos; Mark Adomanis at True/Slant; Vadim Nikitin at FPA's Russia blog; Dina Fainberg at The Dustbin of History; Catherine Fitzpatrick at Minding Russia; Windows to Russia; Eugene Ivanov at The Ivanov Report.


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Singapore: Swiss national to be caned for train vandalism · Global Voices
Shawn Lim

On June 25th 2010, Oliver Fricker, 32, was sentenced to three strokes of the cane and five months in prison after he pleaded guilty to breaking into a Singapore train depot last month and vandalism for spraying the words “McKoy Banos” across two carriages (a video of the graffiti has been widely shared in blogs and forums).
He was accompanied at the time by with a man identified as Lloyd Dane Alexander, a Briton, who was in Singapore for just three days, according to the prosecution. Singapore has sought the extradition of Alexander, who it said was last believed to be in Hong Kong.
Legal and analysis blogger, Right Juris, wrote that foreigners should abide by the rules of the country they are in:
Singaporean socio-political blogger, Kristen Han, denounced the sentence as ‘completely sickening’ and labelled Singapore a ‘Global Torture Hub’ :
Singaporean blogger, Roger Poh, called the caning ‘demeaning and barbaric’, and also slammed Singapore's aspirations to be a kinder and caring society:

author: Shawn Lim


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Taiwan: Don’t call Rendy Lu “Glory of Taiwan” · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

“Do not always praise these national athletes ‘Glory of Taiwan’ loudly only after they strived hard to glorify themselves!” argues Klairelee(zht), who blames Taiwanese government and media that are always eager to consume their achievement but paid no attention to many striving Taiwanese athletes-including Taiwanese tennis player Rendy(Yen Hsun) Lu who just beat Andy Roddick at Wimbleton and enters the semifinals.

author: Portnoy Zheng


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Taiwan: Fly, Wen Gui Hospital, Fly! · Global Voices
Portnoy Zheng

Have you ever seen the Pixar/Disney animation “UP”? See the real version in Tainan County, Taiwan(zht) when students from Tainan National University of the Arts tried to save the old Wen Gui(文貴) Hospital(photos) , a historic building which is scheduled to be demolished on June 30.


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Ukraine: Hanna Herman’s $60K Wrist Watch   · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Foreign Notes writes about a $60K wrist watch of the deputy head of Ukraine's Presidential Administration: “$60K is equivalent to 10 to15 years average salary in Ukraine…”


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Venezuela: Making a Presence in the 2010 World Cup · Global Voices
Silvia Viñas

Venezuela did not make it to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but the blog Venezuela News and Views posted pictures taken by their correspondent in South Africa, Armando Tirado, showing Venezuelan flags in the match between Brazil and Chile. The flags include messages, like one against Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and another one promoting Venezuela for the 2014 World Cup.


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World Cup 2010: Who’s to blame for Nigeria’s performance? · Global Voices
Eremipagamo Amabebe

Nigerian football fans were disappointed Tuesday when the team's final chance of advancing in the 2010 World Cup evaporated in a 2-2 tie with South Korea. At the start of the Cup, the  future looked promising: Nigeria is one of the highest-ranked African teams (21st in FIFA's world rankings — second only to Egypt and Cameroon on the African continent); but the team has been burdened with setbacks, including the installation of a new coach only three weeks before the Cup and the red-carding of  a star player.
For Nigeria fans, the Super Eagles’ recent performance has been vexing:  The team made an impressive World Cup debut in 1994, but soon after began to slip, and have not won a Cup match since 1998. Many hoped that 2010 might be a turning point, but Tuesday's result made clear that those watching for a Nigerian football renaissance will have to wait until 2014 — if not longer.
In the blogosphere, disappointment was the prevailing emotion, though many fans were not surprised by the outcome. “They were never going to win that game,” wrote Bc Osunneye:
Failed hotel bookings, broken down aircraft, failed friendlies, shifted friendly venues, failed meetings between coach and players, shortlisting of players on paper, NFF still owing Chukwu, Eguavoen and Amodu [Former Super Eagles coaches] for work done close to 5 years [ago] now are all just a few in the catalog of ineptitude.
Adeola Aderounmu pointed to corruption as one of the grounds for the team's poor performance:
What are the criteria used for getting players into the national team? I have spoken to at least 2 ex-internationals and their responses are very heartbreaking. In some circumstances Nigerian politicians, dictators and family members have influenced the selection of players into the national team. There are stories (from the past) of bribing of coaches to get players selected into the team.
Others blamed Sani Kaita for the team's failure. Kaita horrified fans by becoming the first Nigerian player to be sent off the field during a World Cup match, after he received a red card for attempting to kick a rival player.  The red card was particularly rankling as Nigeria had started the match promisingly: The score stood at 1-0 before the incident. Team spokesman Peterside Idah said that Kaita received more than 1000 death threats from fans in the wake of the Greece match.
Nigerian Curiosity found humor in the incident and coined a new verb:
KAITA (Kai-ta)
v. Kai*ta, Kai*tas, kai*ta'ed, kai*ta'ing
1. To single-handedly dash the hopes and aspirations of one's nation in the full glare of other nations
2. To karate-kick your way out of the greatest stage/spotlight ever known to man
3. To destroy/zap/siphon the energies of teammates plus 140 million people through unexplainable stupidity
4. To act foolishly, unintelligently or irrationally and IMMEDIATELY regret the action by falling on your knees
Usage:
1. “Please, please, do not KAITA what we have been building for 50 years o! Oloshi!”
2. “I don't care what people say, I will KAITA the multi-billion dollar plan!”
Fans also complained about the replacement of Shaibu Amodu with Swedish coach Lars Lagerbäck just three weeks before the Cup. Echoing a New York Times article, Chxta wondered why Amodu wasn't replaced with a qualified Nigerian coach:
“Why do we have this terrible inferiority complex? … I say build from the bottom up… Let's gather the most intelligent of our ex-players – I suggest Siasia/Oliseh – and get them to mould a team that fits into the character of the nation.
Max Siollun, present at the match with South Korea, lamented the annoyingness of Nigerian fans:
Right behind me was a Nigerian with a smaller flag, who kept waving it and resting it on my head. I told him several times that my head was not a flag pole and to get it off me. Yet he persisted in wrapping the flag around my head continually. At one point, he had the temerity to get annoyed with ME for complaining about having a flag draped over my head from behind. He then proceeded to mutter insults about me to his friend in his native tongue.
Finding no silver lining in Nigeria's performance, Bc Osunneye took comfort in posting  photos from the team's glory days: “Would we see moments like this?” he asked.
Below the question he posted a video of his favorite moment in Nigerian Football: Sunday Oliseh's winning goal against Spain in 1998.
For more highlights of the Super Eagles’ World Cup history see here.

author: Eremipagamo Amabebe


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Afghanistan: Tribalism and the Taliban · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nick Fielding reviews a new “thoughtful, well-researched report” on how tribalist are the structures of Taliban, Afghanistan's largest insurgent movement between its tribal roots and Islamist ideology.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Africa: Great African photos on the Internet · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Glenna links to great African photos on the Internet: “The first set of beautiful photos I’d like to point out are by Jessica Hilltout of football in Africa.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Africa: Why was Jabulani ball not made in Africa? · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Will Prochaska argues that the choice of the Jabulani ball for for 2020 FIFA World Cup was a missed opportunity: “Sadly, however, a great chance was missed when the decision was made to use the Jabulani ball rather than a ball made in Africa.”


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Armenia: Homophobia PR defensive · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Following the recent controversy surround a music video clip which contained elements that many considered homophobic, Unzipped: Gay Armenia updates readers by saying the band, VO.X, is now on the defensive and has launched a damage-limitation PR exercise in response. The blog, however, remains unimpressed and says that “being a homophobe doesn't require courage in Armenia. Fighting for equality and against homophobia does.”

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bangladesh: On Blasphemy · Global Voices
Rezwan

Tiktiki at Unheard Voice elaborates on the use of blasphemy in Bangladesh politics.

author: Rezwan


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Bermuda: Unsuitable · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Vexed Bermoothes is concerned that the government plans to “forge ahead with [the] plan to take over Bermuda’s municipal corporations, replacing their elected officials with an appointed board.”


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Bhutan: Archery In Question · Global Voices
Rezwan

When a Bhutanese parliamentarian was struck by an arrow recently, an intense debate ensued on the need to regulate archery, the national sport of Bhutan. Dorji Wangchuk opines that “archery is not just a sport, it is a great socializing exercise.”