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Israel, Lebanon: Russophone Bloggers Discuss Prisoner Exchange Deal · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

While some bloggers from the former Soviet Union take interest in the Middle Eastern affairs out of idle (or not so idle) curiosity, for others Israel is home, and so it's not surprising that the July 16 exchange of prisoners between Israel and Lebanon did not go unnoticed in the Russian-language blogosphere.
LJ user dolboeb – Anton Nossik, a Moscow-based Israeli citizen (RUS), widely known as a “Social Media Evangelist at SUP,” the online media company that owns LiveJournal.com – posted this comment (RUS) on his blog on July 17:
Israel: Capitulation
Israelis today have exchanged [Samir Kuntar] for the remains of two soldiers who died in 2006.
The shame and disgust which I feel because of this deal are impossible to describe in words.
And for once, I don’t even have the moral right to reproach the nasty journalist of the International Herald Tribune who wrote this in his piece about Kuntar:
Samir Kuntar, will return to a hero's welcome when he crosses into Lebanon this week, 29 years after he left its shores in a rubber dinghy to kidnap Israelis from the coastal town of Nahariya.
That raid went horribly wrong, leaving five people dead, a community terrorized and a nation traumatized. Two Israeli children and their father were among those killed.
The straightforward message here is that the journalist does not see anything horribly wrong about the actual idea of kidnapping [Nahariya] residents by the terrorists, and that no tragedy would have occurred had Kuntar and his associates managed to kidnap this same family and take it away to Lebanon.
But how can we have a grudge against the American journo when both president [Shimon Peres] (who pardoned Kuntar) and prime minister [Ehud Olmert] (who secured a triumphal return to his [Hizbullah] comrades-in-arms for him) see nothing horribly wrong with how everything turned out to be in Nahariya 29 years ago.
In this connection, it seems relevant to mention that in 1985, Palestinian terrorists hijacked a whole ship, [Achille Lauro], with 400 passengers on board, also demanding freedom for Samir Kuntar. But 23 years ago, Israeli leadership had the balls. The ship was liberated and the terrorists captured. And this kept Palestinian militants from taking hostages again for a long time. Now, everything’s changed. And I’m afraid that the price that the whole Israel will have to pay for the shameful Samir Kuntar deal may turn out to be higher than what’s been paid for all the past adventures of Olmert and Peres.
This post has generated 344 comments. Below are bits of a discussion that, among other things, highlights the possible implications of the prisoner exchange deal for Gilad Shalit, a 21-year-old Israeli soldier who has been held hostage by Hamas since June 25, 2006:
igrok2:
Does it have to do with religion? That is, are the soldiers’ remains so valuable only from a religious point of view?
[…]
rjiyxapb:
First of all, they are priceless for the relatives of the killed ones, IMHO…
jerusalea:
Not really. In the Torah, there is even a prohibition to pay ransom for those who are alive if this is likely to lead to new kidnappings of Jews. It’s not about religion. At least, not about Judaism. And I can’t explain what kind of nonsense this is. My [LJ friends’ blogs] are full of a communal howling that this is just idiotic behavior. And two thirds of my [mutual LJ friends] are religious Jews. And everyone is ashamed and disgusted.
[…]
haraz_bey:
No, [it’s not about religion]. It’s just that no one knew for sure whether they were dead or alive – for Israel, this has been a blind exchange. If they had known for sure that there’d be dead bodies, they most likely would have canceled the exchange.
[…]
dolboeb:
I don’t know about everyone. But I knew that the deal was about the remains [of the soldiers]. I learned it from the open-access press. From the Russian press. I don’t believe that Olmert and Peres did not know.
haraz_bey:
Perhaps, Olmert and Peres don’t read the Russian press :) [That they were dead] was, of course, the most obvious assumption, and the press is always putting forward the gloomiest forecasts. But as long as their fate was unknown, there remained a chance that they would be alive.
[…]
yakov_sirotkin:
Actually, according to the Christian tradition, for example, to pardon criminals is not considered impossible. Nonetheless, I think that bandits should always be called bandits, even the pardoned ones, but I do not see any confirmation that the Israeli leadership is clearing the bandits of their guilt.
It’s sad to read comments with suggestions to kill someone – this will only result in a non-stop cycle of violence and terrorism.
As for the exchange of live human beings for the dead ones, the very fact of trade in corpses seems [barbarous].
dolboeb:
[…]
You’re looking in the wrong direction.
The problem isn’t in paying ransom for the corpses. The problem is in admission that we are ready to pay the same price for a live prisoner in the form of a corpse as what we would have paid had he been alive.
After such an admission, not a single reason remains to keep him alive. After such an admission, the price of [Gilad Shalit’s] life equals the daily cost of feeding him.
[…]
anreality:
IMHO, all this noise isn’t worth […] the time wasted on it. A huge pile of [feces] has been taken out of my country, where it was being kept on my money, too, and the animal was being fed, educated and kept safe, instead of quietly rotting somewhere.
And no matter how you look at it, by announcing to the whole world that this creature is a hero, Hizbullah is not likely to draw more sympathizers, and even the current ones may possibly think twice.
And to return the soldiers by exchanging them for [feces] is good in any case.
And nothing but annihilation will take away their taste for taking hostages.
dolboeb:
It would be very good if you were there instead of Gilad Shalit.
But, unfortunately, this isn’t so.
In Gilad Shalit’s place is Gilad Shalit, a corporal of the Israel Defense Forces. And you are in the place of someone who is ready to pay for [Gilad Shalit’s] body as much as for a live soldier. Judging by how categorically you sound, you must be a [draft dodger].
It really would have been better the other way around.
[…]
anglofilka:
Somehow it seems to me that the Israelis are not done with this Kuntar story yet. One quiet summer night he’d just be shot somewhere, without any noise. This step, crazy from the perspective of sane people, has given Israel a huge advantage in the international political arena. And it has taken away many points from Hizbullah. Now it’s possible to bargain with America, there’s a moral right to strike Iran, etc. – everything will be tolerated. But, unfortunately, the life of Shalit is nothing but an exchangeable coin.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Jamaica: Glass Casket · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Francis Wade has the strange experience of driving behind a hearse that was transporting “the dearly departed” in a glass casket: “Perhaps this is something that every Jamaican who lives abroad should aspire to return home to accomplish… a fashionable and public exit.”

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Japan: Ban on Daggers and Double-edged Knives · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Esotericlarity from Japundit comments on the recent ban on daggers and double-edged knives to prevent assault incident such as Akihabara massacre. The blogger wonders if the ban would be effective as the problem is related to the society's mental health.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Japan: Communist Party gets boost from Nico Nico Douga · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

It is a long time since the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) had any luck in Japanese politics. According to an article at J-CAST [ja], however, there are signs that this may be changing — with help from no other than Japan's popular video sharing site, Nico Nico Douga.
The article reports that a video of a Diet session debate recorded on February 8th, which made its way onto video sharing services shortly thereafter,  was a hit on both Nico Nico Douga [ja] and YouTube [ja] (for instructions on how to register for Nico Nico Douga, see this post at Tokyotronic). The video, which registered nearly 12,000 comments at Nico Nico Douga, and over 50,000 hits at YouTube, also appears to have had an impact offline, with inquiries from young people in their 20s and 30s way up, and subscriptions to Akahata (“Red Flag”, newspaper of the JCP) on the rise among younger readers as well.
On the surface of it, a 51 minute long speech by the chairman of the JCP would not seem like a huge attention grabber. But the topics that Kazuo Shii, chairman of the JCP, talked about on February 8th are more important than ever among people in their 20s and 30s: the temp worker industry, and fears about growing wage disparities and an unstable work environment.
Akiko Yamashita (山下明子) described the situation in her blog on March 26th:
きっかけは、派遣労働者の問題を取り上げた衆議院予算委員会での志位委員長の質問。YOU TUBEやニコニコ動画でも取り上げられて、ふだん共産党に関心を持ちそうにない層からも「CGJ」（志位、グッド・ジョブ＝よくやった）などの書き込みで激励や賛同が寄せられるなどの大きな反響がかえってきたことが、赤旗しんぶんだけでなく、毎日新聞でも紹介されていました。
teruyastar explains the attraction of the speech:
共産党の志井書記長が、データをあれこれ用意してたたみかけるように
総理を追い詰めていくわけｗ
なんか、圧倒的な裁判みてるようで、それもニコニココメント付きだから
これが意外に50分軽く見れちゃってさｗ
これってすごくない？
What was so amazing was that Nico Nico Douga had made politics interesting for its users. teruyastar comments:
ここで「天気予報でさえ面白くするニコニコ動画」ですよ。
Not everyone was quite as upbeat about the newfound interest among young people in the JCP. Responding to the latest news, one blogger expressed skepticism:
一部の意見はわからんでもないが、国家の衰退が進めばそんなことを言ってられないほど国がめちゃくちゃになるんだが。
根本的に市場主義が熟成して、技術もある日本人にはわかりづらいことなのかもしれない。だが、共産主義だけは支持できない。何があってもその一部であっても自分は支持できない。共産主義が成立する仕組みを学べば、どうなるかはもう答えは出てる。
ただ一つだけわかるのは、日本は奴隷に近い状態になってる点。派遣などピンハネしてる連中がリッチな生活を送れることが本当の正しい道だとは思えない。ただ競争社会の中で、仕方のない面もあるが、今は労働者保護があまりに薄すぎる。明日からの漁師のストではないが、行動するのは良いことだと思う。
antonin delves into the history of the JCP, observing that communism calls for a revolution establishing a country of the workers, and noting that:
ただ、現在の日本共産党にそういう革命を起こすだけの力があるのかというと、明らかにそれはない。もちろん「闘争」好きなメンバーは今も活動的な日常を送っているので、独特の危ない臭いは漂う。けれども、社会に適合できなくて平日の昼間からテレビで国会中継などを見ていると、あらゆる議員の中で志位さんの言っていることが一番まともに見えるのは確かなのだ。
人気のあった小泉さんなどは、6時のニュースヘッドラインでは非常に面白いことを言うのだけれども、それはほんの数秒の表現の魔術師だからであって、十分に時間をかけた国会討論では共産党の示すデータに対して貧弱な議論しかできなかった。
Finally, riotejo suggests that it is not the idea of communism at all that is the attraction of the JCP among young people:
共産主義思想に共鳴する、ということではないのかもしれない。
ただ、今の社会に対して、若者が抗っていることの意思表示だ。
日本共産党や志位委員長に対する、インターネットを中心としての若者の支持は、ある種、もっともな現象であり、同じ世代の者として、こういったムーブメントが起こることが、例えジョークまじりのものであったとしても、この日本では、むしろ、遅すぎるように感じるのだ。

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Mainichi’s “Foreign Staff” · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

In the latest step in a long and drawn out controversy, Mainichi newspaper has issued a 3-page official apology in response to the harsh backlash from Japanese people concerning its English-language WaiWai column. Written by editor Ryann Connell, WaiWai featured highly-embellished translations of articles from Japan's weekly tabloids, the majority of which were fabrications. People in Japan, particularly Internet users, have reacted by creating websites and campaigns [ja] targeting Mainichi for spreading false information about Japan, some of which went as far as to be incorporated as fact [ja] in a report on human trafficking by the Organization of American States (OAS).
Blogger polimediauk (Ginko Kobayashi/小林恭子) at “British Media Watch” (小林恭子の英国メディア・ウオッチ) wrote a long post on Mainichi's apology, in which, among other things, she questions the way that foreign and Japanese staff of Mainichi Daily News (the English-language Mainichi site) have been separated and treated differently:
それと、「外国人スタッフが」という言葉が何度も出てくる。これが非常に日本的な感じがする。何故、英文毎日の外国人スタッフと日本人スタッフを分けるのか、という問題だ。どちらも英文毎日の「スタッフ」ではないのだろうか。仕事内容や雇用体系が若干違っていても、同じ仲間ではないのか。直接は書かれていないのだけれども、「外国人＝日本の知識が少ない」、「日本人＝事情を良く分かっている人」という分け方をしているのだろうか。どうも差別に聞こえてしまう。どちらも「プロ」として仕事をまかされていたのではないのだろうか。それとも、外国人スタッフは１つ下の存在だったのか？国籍はどうであれ、日本に関しての記事を書く・編集するには十分な知識と力量があるからこそ、雇われていたのではなかったのか？「外からやってきた人」が起こした問題、と片付けたがっているような感じがする。
[Via shinyai's Twitter feed and yuco.tumblr.com]


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Japan: Why Expats Don’t Speak Japanese? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Dann0 listed out 10 reasons on why expats in Japan don't speak Japanese.


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Kazakhstan: Astana Anniversary · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, has become such ten years ago, moved from the country's largest city Almaty. It is believed to be a pet city for the president of Kazakhstan, who is often called in the pro-governmental media (which heavily dominate on the information field) as an “architect” of this new booming construction spot, magnetic for the world's most renowned actual architects. Not surprisingly, the Astana Day is celebrated on the president's birthday in an apparent attempt of the authorities to create a mild personality cult – not direct, but through a city, which was recently almost renamed in Nursultan at the MPs’ initiative.
Bloggers discuss how the celebration passed. They were so widely advertised and loads of public finance was spent on the tenth anniversary of the capital, that most of the citizens – and bloggers – sighed with relieve when the whole fuss was over. A big noise was caused by a publicized Concept of celebration, adopted by the city administration, which included a strange passage saying that one of the goals of the whole festivities is “sacralization of Astana” – and a week before the Day X, the parliament made July 6th a state holiday!
Stupid holiday. Mobile networks are overloaded, people don't work, traffic jams are all over the city, rattling fireworks at 11 p.m., crowds of drunk people, crazed policemen, beggars are convoyed out of the public view. A feast in time of plague…
mymiyden from Astana is complaining [rus].  And here is the video of the fireworks from banzay-kz. Geomart watched the festival on TV, and has sad feelings as well [rus]:
How much money was spent on this filth. Organizers had to make everything properly.  It's a shame, many artists [who came to perform on the celebration's concerts] now look so cheap.
ia-robot comments on Whitney Houston's performance in Astana and on the level of organization [rus]:
I felt so bad about her, she was obviously mad about how it was set up. She was wearing a beatiful dress and high heels, almost horror-stricken balancing on the mirror-like slippery stage. The microphone was buzzing… And when [Russian singer] Anita Tsoi was on the stage, the electricity blacked out! Instead of making series of lame concerts, they should have done one, but properly.
Cross-posted on neweurasia

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Kazakhstan: Mega Media Holding · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam reports on creation of a new Kazakhstan media holding company, made up of state-owned and – of course – pro-government outlets.


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Kazakhstan: Mittal’s Business Still at Risk · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam Kesher reflects on the recent developments around Arcelor Mittal’s enterprise in Kazakhstan against the background of evolving resource nationalism trends in Kazakhstan and consolidation of major industries in hands of the state.


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Kazakhstan: New Scandal, Bribes and Politics · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Roberts Report reviews the new scandal evolving around Kazakhstan following the Sunday Times article, alleging that KazmunaiGas paid $2 million for vice-president Cheney’s visit to Astana in 2005.


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Kazakhstan: Olympics Blogwatch · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

On the eve of the Beijing Olympiad, the Kazakhstani bloggers discuss what chances their country has to performs decently in summer sports.
The composition of Russian olympic team is public for a long time already, including in the Internet. But it is still not knownwho will go there from Kazakhstan! I searched for this information, but in vain. The website of the National Olympic Cimmittee is totally quiet. How shall I believe in the bright future of the Kazakhstani sports now? If people don't know who goes from your country, it is hard to expect mass public support.
says grunge-amir [rus]. Later on, a scarce information came up – 132 Kazakh sportsmen representing 22 sports will defend the country's honor in Beijing. Officials declared a very ambitious goal of winning 10-11 medals. Meanwhile, even in the conditions of such information blochade, bloggers try to make forecasts and don't lose patriotic feelings:
Most part of the delegationis a ballast, those playing in team sports, in which Kazakhstan is pretty weak. Handball and volleyball can be discounted — that's 26 persons out. The exotics like table-tennis and kayak-paddling can be disregarded as well. We don't have obvious candidates for the gold medals, except for Ilya Ilyin, a weight-lifter. Several silver and bronze medals can be derived from boxers, wrestlers, rhythmic gymnastics and judo. So, the result will be, most likely, the same as in previous time, the 40th place. Although I'd be glad to be mistaken.
writes epolet and adds: “The Chinese will outrun everybody in any case!” [rus].
Cross-posted on neweurasia.net


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Kazakhstan: The Rise of Kazakh Military · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam tells that new types of ammunition, designed in Israel, but made in Kazakhstan, comply with the world trends in the sphere of design of high-precision weaponry.


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Kazkahstan: Pipeline Blast · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Patrick Frost reprots that a 20-mile section of a natural gas pipeline, which travels from western Kazakhstan into Russian territory, was shut down late yesterday after an explosion damaged the line.


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Kenya: School fires · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

In Ritch's World is alarmed by the recent “spate of mysterious fires” in Kenyan schools. He says: “Most of these schools do not have warning systems that would help to deal with fires before the worst comes to the worst. Neither do they have fire fighting equipment”.

author: Elia Varela Serra


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Kuwait: Beware of Thieves  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Kuwaiti blogger Frankom [Ar] warns travellers from thieves in this post.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Kyrgyzstan: Schoolchildren Partake in Festival of National Cultures · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Elena tells that pupils-winners of school olympiads from Kyrgyzstan took part in the festival of national cultures in Moscow, Russia.


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“La Chinafrique”: A book review · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Théophile Kouamouo [Fr] reviews in his blog the book La Chinafrique: Pékin à la conquête du continent noir by Serge Michel and Michel Beuret, about the Chinese presence in Africa. He says: “The Chinese aren't angels sent by the God of South-South cooperation and they are as racist, if not more than the Westerners living in Africa […] but they aren't demons either”.


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Malawi: Introduction of female condoms · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Stories on Malawi reports the introduction of female condoms in the Malawian market.


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Malawi: Slow bureaucracy at the road traffic office · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Victor Kaonga describes his two-day bureaucratic “adventure” at the road traffic office in Lilongwe, in Malawi.


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Mongolia: State of Emergency Aftermath · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Guido Verboom reflects on the popular protests during the parliamentary elections in Mongolia.


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Oman: A Day at the Supermarket · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Omani blogger Muscati takes us on his weekly shopping expedition to the supermarket!


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India: All about the Theatre! · Global Voices
JJ Rajendran

A bunch of IT professionals, with a hectic weekday schedule, are keeping themselves busy even during the weekends. They have been smitten by the theatre bug. ‘Rebelz’ as they are otherwise known, formed this group with just one purpose in mind. To provide quality English language plays in Chennai, and also of course to have fun.
Vinodh, one of the core members, just can’t disengage himself from this passion he shares with his bunch.
He writes:
“Come weekends and we’re at our efficient best in rehearsals. Memorizing dialogues, working out the sound ideas, imagining our costumes, and rehearsing our scenes. Pages and pages of lines to memorize in the weekends for the folks who type lines and lines of codes during weekdays. Coffee and colas keep us awake between shots. Playing pranks on each other keeps us all charged up, after all we are in the serious business of making people laugh.”
The countdown for their next production “Once upon a time in Arabia” has begun and they are working overtime for this magical journey to be staged on July 26 and 27, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.  If you happen to be in Chennai, if you’d like to catch the show you can get your tickets at ticketsnew.
Deepa, from Bangalore is calling the recent play she watched, ‘The women in me’, as ‘An intense and absorbing play’. The play is about a man whose wife is dead and he is deeply troubled by that and has lost his emotional balance. Based on the concept – ‘There is a woman in every man and vice versa’. Reviewing the play on Metblogs, Deepa is astounded by the use of Shadow to portray a particular scene and the rapid-fire delivery of dialogue in following sequences.
“The play disturbed me and made me think hard; I am very impressed that such a young man is able to delve so deeply into the male and female psyche and bring out the nuances of how men do not even understand when they are raping their own wives…”
Tanya Behera reviews a play titled ‘Lucknow 76′ organized by Alliance Française de Bangalore, at her blog Remainconnected.
“The plot of the play was based on politics and history, shifting between two time frames of 1876 and 1976 looking at Lucknow city through the eyes of the common man. 1876 was a milestone for the Britishers, as that was the year, when Queen Victoria took over the command from the East India Company. 1976 was also significant in history because during that time, the once proud democracy, India was under the clutches of tin pot dictator, Indira Gandhi who had declared a state of Emergency as the Prime Minister of the nation.”
She goes on to give more information on why the play was named after ‘Lucknow’, not ‘Delhi’, ‘Bombay’ or ‘Calcutta’.
“But then why ‘Lucknow’ and why not ‘Delhi’ or ‘Bombay’ or ‘Calcutta’ or ‘Madras’ or ‘Bangalore'? Because the director and playwright of the play, Abhishek Majumdar (AM) had spent some part of his childhood in this city. During AM's visits to Lucknow, his grand uncle, a scholar of history and geology had inundated his mind with tales and chronicles about the city from an old bungalow.”
Geetali Tare, writing for HimVani under the post ‘The Shimla tragedy: Missing theatre, missing drama’ wants the following for Shimla:
Unlike films, plays are not a passive, one-way, pre-packaged experience. In plays, as in films, there are rehearsals. But once the show gets going, a theatre artiste does not have the opportunity to give another ‘take’ – to make another attempt at mouthing a dialogue: what has been said, has been said. Audience reactions affect acting as it happens. The warmth in the tone of a speaker travels directly to the viewer; a glimmer of a tear in the performer’s eye immediately causes the spectator to respond. A skilled actor, through the blend of voice, tone, gestures and outfits succeeds in creating a world and transporting his audience to it. The actor’s energy expands and fills up the space which is also occupied by the viewer; the energy flows from one to the other. The viewer feels the despair of Mahatma Gandhi at Pyarelal’s delinquency; he feels Zulfi’s longing for Amrita; he laughs with Dhanjisha Batliwala & quibbles with Madhukar Kulkarni.
Kay Kay, Naseruddin Shah, Dinesh Thakur, Aul Kulkarni, Shabana Azmi, Boman Irani, Mehrbanoo Mody Kotwal, Rahul Da Cunha, Feroze Khan, Sanjana Kapoor, Shernaaz Patel, Rajit Kapoor, Jayati Bhatia: they allow you to enter their world and experience, in the span of two hours, many highs and lows, rapture and anguish, a whole world of moods and happenings.
I want this in Shimla. I want this for Shimla.
The Mumbai Theatre Guide is a dedicated site for reviews and different theatre related events happening in the city of Mumbai.
Links to this post were contributed by Ramya & Sandhya.

author: JJ Rajendran


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Pakistan: Violent Investors · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

A persistent decline in share prices causes investors to turn violent at the Karachi Stock Exchange. More at CHUP!

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Pakistan: Water Conservation · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Pakistaniat on the issue of water conservation in the cities of Pakistan.


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Saudi Arabia: Segregation on the blogroll? · Global Voices
Ayesha Saldanha

It is well known that segregation of the sexes in Saudi Arabia exists in everyday life – but what about online? Can the names of male and female bloggers exist together on a blogroll? One Saudi blogger is amused at the thought.
Entropy.MAX, a female blogger, paints the picture:
فيحصل ما لا يحمد عقباه من المنكرات. عليه فقد قام بعض الإخوة مشكورين بفصل الروابط ووضعها في موقعين منفصلين لا يوصل بينهما نهر ولا بحرين، حماية لأخلاق المدونين و صيانة لشرف بنات المسلمين. إلا أنه لايزال بعض المدونين واللذين نشك في إصابة قلوبهم والعياذ بالله بمرض الليبرالية اللعين، لا يزالون يخلطون المواقع في قائمة واحدة غير آبهين بما قد يجره هذا الفعل من الويلات على مجتمع المدونين والمدونات، غير مبالين بخصوصية السعوديين ولا بطبيعة مجتمع المتنطعين، و بعد ذلك يطلعون علينا مستغربين من رغبتنا في وضع ضوابط للتدوين!!
This may result in unexpected consequences. This is why a number of bloggers have separated the blogrolls and posted them in separate blogs, with no connections between them, in a bid to protect the morals of bloggers and maintain the chastity of Muslim girls. However, there are a few bloggers, who have been infected with the wretched liberal streak, who still mix up the sexes and have one blogroll. Those are inconsiderate to the dire side effects on society of male and female bloggers and have no consideration for the special characteristics of the Saudi blogosphere. And after all this, they are surprised that we need a code of conduct for blogging!!

author: Ayesha Saldanha


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South Korea:  Dokdo Demonstrations  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

CINA collects local reports and photos on demonstrations against the Japanese textbook territorial claim over Dokdo islets.


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Sri Lanka: Licenses for Mobile Phones · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

LirneAsia on the welcome delay in introducing individual licenses for using mobile phones in Sri Lanka.


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Syria: Nudity and Moral Decay  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

How much nudity on television can be considered as art, and how much of it contributes to moral decay? Syrian blogger Emad [Ar] tries to answer this question in the following post:
بحجة الفن اصبحنا نرى التعري  على شاشاتنا العربيه دون ان نستطيع التكلم لأنه عند السؤال عن المشاهد (الساخنه)التي نراها يبررها اصحابها بأنها معالجه للواقع المؤلم او انها شرح لما يدور في مجتمعاتنا
لكن التسميه الحقيقيه لها هي (انحلال اخلاقي وتعري فاضح) وبعد ذلك تصبح بطلة الفيلم او المسلسل سيدة مجتمع وقدوه للكثير من الفتيات وعند حديثها في اي مقابله نرى كل الاحترام والتقدير من المشاهدين الكرام لجهودها المبذوله في سبيل الفن
وفي المقابلات والسهرات التلفزيونيه التي نشاهدها نرى بأن الفنانه الفلانيه  تاخذ دور السيده الفاضله في المجتمع الفاضل وتبدأ بالتكلم عن الاخلاقيات والاصول والاتيكيت وكأنها (الامرأه المثاليه)
والمؤسف في الامر هو انه عند مشاهدة هكذا افلام وخصوصا من قبل الفئه الاكبر في مجتمعاتنا وهي الفئه (المكبوته والمنغلقه) نرى ان معظم الفتيات ينظرون الى العالم الخارجي من خلال ما يشاهدونه في هذا المسلسل او ذاك الفيلم مما يسبب الكثير من الانحلال الاخلاقي عند اعطاء الحريه لهذا النوع من الفتيات اللواتي يحسبن انهن بهذه الطريقه وهذه التصرفات سيكونون ……….سيدات المجتمع
Using art as an excuse, we now see nudity on Arabic television screens without being able to object against the ‘steaming’ scenes which we watch and its producers describe as ‘dealing with the harsh realities and describing what's really happening in our societies.’
The real description of what we watch on television is unethical behaviour and disgraceful nudity. After that, the heroine in the movie or soap opera becomes a lady of society and a role model for many girls, who appears on television interviews and enjoys the respect and appreciation of viewers for the efforts she exerts to promote art. In such interviews, she embodies the role of a respectable lady of society, and talks about ethics, etiquette and family origins, as is she were the model woman.
What is unfortunate in this is that the large majority of people who watch such programmes as those who are downtrodden and live in closed societies. This is why you see a lot of girls viewing the outside world through what they see in this soap opera or that movie. This causes a lot of moral decay, especially when such girls, who think that behaving in this manner will enable them to become ladies of society, are given their freedom.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Line Up  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Trinidadian Andre Bagoo notices that he spends much of his life in a line: “This is the fate of a society dominated by industrial forces, forces that literally turn us into little cogs in a process that sees us as no more than just subjects; subjects who must be made to line up for life.”


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Trinidad & Tobago: Practice Makes Perfect  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Life is a practice rushing at you, overwhelming you, tumbling you to your core.  Who is throwing you your lifeline?”  Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, Attillah Springer asks some searching questions.


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Armenia: Bloggers Attend Presidential Press Conference · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Real Armenia reports that two local bloggers, Akanumatata_Ser [RU] and Pigh [RU], were allowed to attend a presidential press conference to ask questions collected online. The blog says congratulates the two bloggers and says that bloggers might now be considered equal to local journalists.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Bahamas: Condom Culture · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“The Bahamas has been negatively impacted by the scourge of the HIV/AIDS virus and other STDs via unprotected sex, with a growing number of teenagers being among the infected”: Adrian Gibson at WeblogBahamas makes a case for having condoms available in schools.


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Bahamas: Cultural Pride · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“If you’re in doubt about Bahamians’ lack of pride in our culture, you shoulda been there”: Nicolette Bethel was as Ronnie Butler's farewell concert and writes an homage to the “entertainment maestro”.


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Bangladesh: Corporate culture and employees’ privacy · Global Voices
Rezwan

A Bangladeshi writer works in a bank for her living and also writes in the Bangla blogging platform Bandh Bhanger Awaaj under a pseudonym Megh (cloud). After a futile monthly meeting in her bank she vents her anger in a recent blog post [bn].
Her words will shed a light to the ever demanding corporate culture in Bangladesh which is taking toll on the private lives of the employees. Here is a translation of some excerpts from her post:
“The monthly meetings usually start after 9-10 hours of office work and it is like the women's menstruation period. Some months it bleeds a little more and some months less; the meeting's duration varies like this…..
I have been listening to this for the last five year: we have to increase our clients, we have to increase the deposits, increase the quality of service. How many people are in Dhaka? How many from them can be ushered under the Bank's umbrella? It annoys me.
One stupid suggests we should organize a rally to introduce our Bank to newer communities. We should walk in the streets one to two hours after the office hours to develop public relations and increase clients. I usually can come home after six pm. Why don't I sleep with clients or my colleagues as they are my family now! (They tell) I should not forget that I am a banker even when I am buying small things like socks. I have to befriend the seller. Job is life, job is death.
……..
In one branch of the bank two female employees of the same department got pregnant almost at the same time. The branch manager scolded them and accused that they have done this intentionally so that he will not be able to run this branch smoothly. I think they can introduce a rule of submitting a roaster at the start of an year scheduling when female employees will have sex and become pregnant. I feel like vomiting hearing about targets now and then.
………
My mind is distracted today. This job has taken everything from my life, sound sleep, time to love, time to think, everything. I am unable to find any alternative. I could not write any short story last two years. Many plots play in my mind but as I come home very tired I can't put them on paper. I am forgetting to sing. I feel I will never be a singer. Someday I will forget how to write too.
I am becoming normal then… ha ha ha..I will go to office everyday, come home, have sex, have babies, will be busy with children's school, will always be at husband's disposal.
I piss on everything.”

author: Rezwan


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Bangladesh: Young kids and Cellphones · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bangladesh Corporate Blog on a mobile phone company targeting young children as future users.


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Barbados, Cuba, U.S.A.: The Times Rejects Mc Cain  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Caribbean blogs are irate over The New York Times‘ rejection of John Mc Cain's rebuttal to Barack Obama's recent editorial on Iraq: Babalu Blog: “Who the hell gave them the power to think they speak on behalf of my best interests?” Barbados Free Press: “As much as we support Obama, we support free speech and the democratic process even more. Shame on The New York Times.”


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Brazil: Electoral censorship at work · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Pedro Dória [pt] reports that a contestant in the local elections for Porto Alegre, Brazil, was forced to close down her Orkut account and suspend her videos on YouTube. “They are being censored: they can't express themselves using all the resources allowed by the Internet allows. They can not use the Web to communicate in complete freedom with their supporters”. Read more about elections regulations in Brazil.

author: Paula Góes


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China: A 50 Cent Party Case Study · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

ESWN notices a 50 cent action in the the Weng'an Incident.


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China and U.S: Holdings of U.S Securities · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

AhQ notices the big share in Chinese holdings of U.S securities especially after the recent financial crisis. The blogger comments that: no wonder Bush has to bow to the Chinese government.


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China: Another Friend Missing at MSN · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Mo Zhi xu missed another friend, Du Dao-bin, at his MSN list before the Olympics. Du has to stay in prison for 2 years and 5 months because of his online writings.


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China: Beijing 2008 Olympics WordPress theme · Global Voices
John Kennedy

For all you Thai-reading sports fan blogheads out there, do check out the 2008 Olympics WordPress theme. The cruel irony being, of course, that WordPress has been blocked in China for years.

author: John Kennedy


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China: Don’t even think about asking · Global Voices
John Kennedy

It's The World Meets China and not the other way around, if one is to believe that anyone will the ‘Eight Don't Asks’ will be taken seriously when Olympics fans show up next month. ‘Income, age, love life, health’ and see Tim Johnson's post at China Rises for the rest.


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China: Insulting Olympics · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Anti-CNN starts to monitor overseas organizations which produce images that insult the Beijing Olympics. A spotted case is the Sweden youth red cross.


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China: No “Go China!” banners at the Olympics · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Those attending the Olympics this year will be subject to the standard rules: no outside food or drinks, no sporting of commercial logos of any kind…but among all those is one rule which seems to have struck a nerve among many netizens, as evidenced by it having become the featured headline on many portal websites today: no “Go China!” banners will be allowed inside any Olympic venues.
Given the spectacles that took place during the Hong Kong and Shenzhen (and later) legs of the torch relay earlier this summer, a rule like will probably go a long way to prevent any heated or violent outbursts during the Games. At least, it's definitely creating a lot of heated discussion, and a lot of netizens are wondering: “Why?”
The simple answer is that no banners more than 2 meters in length and 1 meter in width are allowed at the Olympics. Chinese MySpace user Jiuduo is one of many netizens that have reposted the official prepared statement that's been circulating with the story today, presented as a conversation between an unnamed Xinhua reporter and an unnamed Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee spokesperson. Here's the question about the ban on “Go China!” banners:
记者：为何禁止携带诸如“中国加油”这样的横幅或标语牌？
北京奥组委：本届奥运会在北京举办，我们是主场，志愿者知道大家写的是“中国加油”，不是什么不好的话，但是其他200多个国家的观众写的文字我们都能看懂吗？让不让进？我们想象一下，在上届雅典奥运会或者下届伦敦奥运会，如果别人由于不认识中文而不让我们带着准备好的横幅进去，我们会是什么样的心情？
另外，奥运五环象征着五大洲的团结以及全世界运动员以公正、坦率的比赛和友好的精神在奥林匹克运动会上相见，奥运会的比赛精神是公平、公正的竞赛精神。我们要使奥运会超越一切意识形态，无论是中国、日本、美国，还是法国，所有人都能像奥运五环一样，大家开心地在一起享受盛事，增进彼此了解。如果现场出现各种各样的横幅一定会破坏这样的氛围，所以国际奥委会几十年来一直坚持制定这项规则。
BOGOC: This Olympic Games is being held in Beijing, and we are the hosts. Volunteers know that everyone will be writing “Go China!”, which isn't so bad in itself, but will we be able to read the signs written by the attendees from the other 200+ countries? Do we still let them in or not? If we think for a second, of the previous Olympic Games in Athens or the next Games in London, if they were to stop us from bringing in the banners we'd prepared because they can't read Chinese, how would we be feeling?
Also, the five Olympic rings represent the unity of the five continents, as well as the meeting of athletes from around the world for fair and open competitions at the Olympic Games in a friendly spirit; the spirit of Olympic Games competitions is a fair and just competitive spirit. We want the Olympic Games to transcend all political ideology, be it China, Japan, America or France, so that all people can be just like the Olympic rings, and everybody can enjoy the celebration together, happily, advancing understanding of one another. The appearance of all sorts of banners at the venues would surely ruin this kind of atmosphere, which is why for the past several decades the International Olympic Games Organizing Committee has consistently insisted on implementing this rule.
Or does the potential for UV-intensive displays of Chinese patriotism have nothing to do with this? From the comments section of Jiuduo's post:
为什么？那可以带其他国家“Ｘ国加油”的横幅吗？在自己家里不可以带真有点笑话了．
我带一长1.9，宽0.9的旗子进去成不？害怕就说害怕，别那么多冠冕堂皇的话。你说怕藏独举口号，没人说你怂，何必呢。


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China: Official Olympic Security English handbook · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Matthew at Waiguoren Critic of South China notes the lack of lessons on breaking up fights or calming people down before they begin in the official Police Olympic Security English Handbook, but with dialogue like this, a nightly stand-up routine at Olympic Village is an approach Chinese police should probably be considering:
“Police: Why didn't you call the police at once?  Foreigner: I was very angry. How could I stand such an insult? I hit him on the head with a bottle.”


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China: Search for the Kunming bus bombers · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Following the bus explosions in Kunming yesterday, a report from a local news website there on the armed police roadside ID checks has been made a feature story on Netease's news page, photos included:
While there isn't space for comments on the original Kunming-based Cailong China story, the number found on the Netease version is growing quickly:
网易内蒙古赤峰网友 ip：222.74.*.*：
2008-07-22 15:57:04 发表
抓住他们，杀无赦
网易河北唐山网友 ip：121.20.*.*：
2008-07-22 15:58:03 发表
板凳？
网易陕西西安网友 ip：125.76.*.*：
2008-07-22 16:08:25 发表
这些家伙太可恶了
一定要严查，解决打击这些社会败类
向遇难的同胞默哀！
网易山东菏泽网友 ip：219.146.*.*：
2008-07-22 16:28:31 发表
不顾百姓安危搞恐怖事件的极端分子讲会受到全世界人民的惩罚。
支持的顶起
Danwei and Shanghaiist have as usual been on top of the news. Shanghaiist links to a GoKunming post which looks at the possibility that there were actually three explosions yesterday; a commenter at Danwei puts forward a rumor that there as many as five. Also in the comments on Danwei's post is active China expat blog commenter Spelunker, who notes the wording of an SMS text message which Kunming police have already confirmed was sent out prior to the first blast:
Evidently somebody in Kunming sent the following text message warning around 5:30 am before the bombings:
“蝼蚁总动员……希望收到此短信的市民，不要在明天早上乘坐54、64、及84路工（公）交车……”
The Guardian translates it into English as:
“The general mobilisation of ants… (I) hope citizens receiving this message will not take bus lines 54, 64 and 84 tomorrow morning,”
Speculation so far on motive for the attack seems to have painted a group of disgruntled rubber farmers not far from Kunming as the top suspects, so how do…ants figure in? Ants??


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China: Bus-bomb attack creates panic and indignation · Global Voices
Bob Chen

In kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province, two bus-bomb attacks happened within an hour, shocking the city on the morning of 21, July. Both the buses are No. 54, and the explosions took place exactly at the same road, though one at 7:05, the other 7:40 am. Totally 2 were dead, more than 10 left injured.
A 35-year-old woman killed on the spot was said to be on the way home for her kid’s birthday.
Police have confirmed the incidents were deliberately made, though cause unknown. Timed-bomb may be used on the attacks, according to the police.
The attacks inevitably created panics among Chinese, not only because the Olympics is drawing close, but also that it adds to the recent series of unrests across the country a new episode. The stun it brings about was concluded as the name of blogger Wang Xuguang’s post:
恐怖主义离我们有多远？
How far away is terrorism from us?
From Zhangjiajie blast, Weng’an conflict, Shanghai police-killings, to the very near tragedy that two villagers got killed by riot police, the nerves of Chinese were kept highly strained. However, though more or less unsettled mentally, people have not been so much panic as in this time that the shadow of death falls on innocent citizens.
On the previous stretch of conflicts, since the spearheads were pointed towards the authority that treated people unfairly, blogshpere and words of mouth more or less identified with the “trouble-makers”, most of them suppressed commons. Even when 6 Shanghai police were stabbed dead, not a small number of people side and bear compassion with the murderer Yang Jia.
However, people’s mind dramatically turned over this time, as the attacks were directed to innocent and uninformed people.
hndashu said:
The strongest condemnation of terrorism aimed at common citizens.
强烈谴责针对平民的恐怖袭击罪行
老树根007 said:
炸老百姓的真是混蛋！
What bastards those bombed people!
And more netizens thought they should have a more suitable group of people to bomb.
wjszhangm suggested:
看不起这帮废物，有种你去炸贪官啊？！脑C,和底层的草根过不去算个P本事
Shame on these craps! You should bomb the corrupted officials if you dare! Idiots, what the hell do you think you are to be hostile against grassroots!
Words of anger were poured out:
xpts0102
妈的，这般畜生，这么多贪官污吏不去炸，这么多土匪不去炸，炸无辜百姓算什么。
F***k such jerks, that bombed the innocent and leave so many officials that take, so many outlaws that plunder out of target.
岁在甲午 said:
炸贪官还能落个好名声，炸老百姓简直就是畜生。
A good reputation you get to bomb a corrupted official, but only a beast you are to kill common people.
More details about the detonation is yet unknown, but the quick response of police win applauds. Information were available very soon after the event and no restriction of interview were met by journalists, including those from Hong Kong.
However, the cause and purpose of the explosion is still a mystery. And that some citizens got alert text-message before the attack incurred a lot more suspects and guesses, so that people on the internet united to launch the flesh search engine, trying to search out the murderer. Netizens commented that the campaign would be the most meaningful use of the flesh engine.
Also, the anti-terrorism tide has rushed to Free-Tibetters, who were also the suspects.
对于藏独，疆独，回独等KB分子，除了必要的审讯要舌头，其余的应该就地枪毙
For the terrorists of Free-Tibet, Xingjiang-independence and Hui-indenpence, except the necessary trial, they should be shot right away.
A time of unrest might be coming. What or who is to blame?

author: Bob Chen


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Cuba: Cyber-Citizens?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Never having become citizens in the real world, it is hard for us to behave as citizens on the web”: Yoani Sanchez at Generation Y shares her thoughts about the virtual Cuba.


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Dominican Republic: Tires as Toys · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Children in the Dominican Republic can be seen playing with tires for a lack of other toys. Reynaldo Brito of Imagenes Dominicanas [es] writes about his experiences in the Herrera neighborhood.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Guyana: Dangerous Times · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As news breaks about a reported shootout between Guyana's law enforcement and two of the country's most wanted criminals, Living Guyana examines the impact of such dangerous times on the national psyche: “These criminals may act as enablers for a guilt complex, common to many, that demands we work hard, go to church…lest the monster under the bed comes a calling.”


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Hong Kong: Election Video · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ip Iam Chong from inmediahk.net criticizes the video produced by the democratic party for the coming Legislative council election.


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Idols East Africa · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Wanjiku Unlimited, who has been closely following the Idols East Africa competition, describes the last three contestants left on the show.


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Iran: Eight Women and One man face stoning death · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Several Iranian blogs such as Einiproxy write[Fa] that at least eight women and one man are reported to have been sentenced to death by stoning in Iran.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iranian bloggers react to Israel-Hezbollah deal · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

While the Iranian government rejoiced at the release of Lebanese prisoners from Israel, bloggers were quick to ask about the fate of Iranians captured in Lebanon.
Mohmmad Ali Abtahi, a former Iranian Vice President and blogger, says that everybody who knows about world politics and is a little bit honest, will acknowledge Hezbollah's and Sayed Hasan Nasrallah’s  great victories in last two years. Abtahi adds:
Western media claims that Nasrallah is under the influence of Iranian officials, who are in the charge of country’s [Lebanon] foreign affairs. I guess these are empty words because if our diplomacy could act for Iran’s interests as did Hezbollah for its own interests, Iran could achieve great victories. With such victories that Sayed Hasan got, we just could wish he would Iran’s diplomacy’s adviser.
Furogh2007 says that Iran's national (state) media celebrated this exchange between Hezbollah and Israel. The blogger adds:
“There are several Iranian security agents have been taken as hostages in south Lebanon but the Iranian Government refuses negotiation. Why is the Iranian Government rejoicing about the exchange of prisoners in Lebanon but refuses such an act to save Iranian citizens.”
Tobi begs to differ[Fa] and says:
Iranian officials are wrong when they say this exchange was a humiliating defeat for Israel. Israel showed it considers their dead people with great value.


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Jamaica, U.S.A.: Getting Connected  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“I remember learning not to try to hold on to people after moving to the U.S. After all, the chances were good that I would never see them again.  In Jamaica, the opposite is true”: Francis Wade blogs about the feeling of connectivity he enjoys in Jamaica.


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Japan and South Korea: Busan or Takeshima · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Ampontan looks into the Japan and South Korea relation and summarizes it into two paradigms: Busan or Takeshima (or Dukto).


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Kenya: Rioting in schools · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Ory Okolloh at Kenyan Pundit analyzes the reports of increasing levels of violence and riots in Kenyan high schools.


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Lithuania: Citizenship Law · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Lituanica comments on the problems surrounding the adoption of a new Lithuanian citizenship law.

author: Vilhelm Konnander


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Malaysia: Sex, lies, murder, and politics · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Malaysian politics are sizzling with sex intrigues, murder accusations, scandalous lies and intra-party squabbles.
A few months ago a government minister resigned after admitting he was the person caught in a videotape having sex with a young woman in a hotel. The video was uploaded on the Internet.
Early this month opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was accused of sodomy by his 23-year-old aide. The victim alleged he was sexually assaulted by Anwar up to eight times in various luxury hotels in Paris and Hong Kong. This is the second time the former deputy premier was accused of sodomy. The first case was filed ten years ago and led to Anwar’s imprisonment – although he was later cleared of those charges.
Anwar was briefly arrested before being set free. The details of his arrest were reported by Anwar himself.
Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad believes in the credibility of the new charge against Anwar. Dr. Mahathir writes in his blog:
“Yet can it be that the present Government is so stupid and unimaginative as to use the same ‘ploy’, especially after it was so happy over the release of Anwar? Surely it could come up with another story which would be more credible if it is deliberately plotting or conspiring against Anwar. The probability is that the story is the same because it is genuine.
“Is the present complainant a copycat? Hardly likely. Few would care to make public such a very shameful thing as being sodomised.”
But aside from getting sympathies abroad, Anwar has many supporters in the internet. There are also bloggers who are disappointed that Malaysia is getting worldwide attention through the sodomy case. Mental Jog writes:
“It is really embarrassing to me to see that such news made world headlines. I mean the sodomy charge news. Sodomy in many countries is not illegal. And to me sodomy is something private/personal between 2 persons, why should it be wrong? If we made world headlines such as ‘Anwar arrested for corruption of 1 billion’ or ‘Anwar arrested for being a US spy’ – these are not so bad but for sodomy? Gee, we will be made a laughing stock in the world!”
Anwar has a bombshell of his own. He organized a press conference at which a private investigator revealed that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak had sex with a 28-year-old Mongolian model who was brutally murdered in 2006. The model was shot twice in the head and her body was blown up with plastic explosives. Najib denied having an affair with the woman.
Najib’s close associate was accused of abetting the murder. A prominent Malaysian blogger also wrote that Najib’s wife was present when the Mongolian model was murdered. The blogger was subsequently charged with sedition and criminal defamation.
It is apparent that all of these accusations and counter accusations are politically motivated. Najib insists Anwar used a desperate tactic to divert the people’s attention from his sodomy case. On his part, Anwar believes the sodomy charge was part of a government maneuver to defeat the plan of the opposition to seize power this year.
Before the sex scandals, Malaysia was already facing a political crisis. Last March the opposition managed to secure one-third of the parliamentary seats. Five states were put under their control. Some member parties of the ruling coalition threatened to withdraw support for the prime minister.
Before the sex scandals, Malaysians were talking about the country’s faltering economy. Fuel subsidies were removed, which led to higher oil prices. Big protests were held in different parts of the country. Many people, including the frustrated sections of the middle class, began to question the economic policies of the government which they blamed for the rising cost of living in Malaysia.
Today Malaysians are more interested in the sodomy case and other sex scandals involving influential persons. The economic crisis is still a major issue, but sex and murder will always tickle the people’s imagination. Even non-political bloggers are expressing their views about the issue.
The political crisis in Malaysia’s leadership has angered many young Malaysians, especially bloggers. The Other Malaysia points out that other issues are being ignored:
“Whether in or out of jail, Anwar has resumed his status as martyr and public hero. While this may work in the favour of Anwar and other politicians in the country, other serious issues like economic and institutional reform have been sidelined once again. But this time it is not just Anwar and his reputation that is on trial, but also that of Malaysia and Malaysia's legal and judicial systems as well.”
Lilian is fed up with the lies spewed by politicians:
“Is Anwar making up tales like a recalcitrant, moronic kid or is the Government trying to shove shits into us? I am really sick of this news because the whole world is probably laughing silly at how stupid our people are because we do not even know if Saiful had enjoyed his rendezvous as a willing partner or was he being tied down?
“We think it is not funny anymore. We are like a lawless country now. No justice, no fairness, no law, no rules, no authorities.”
Mahaguru58 warns that:
“If someone like Anwar can be made into political mincemeat by these conspirators, what guarantee is there for the safety and wellbeing of any ordinary Ahmad, Ah Seng or Samy?
“We can't afford to be mere spectators of this killing field of a politician called Anwar Ibrahim but be ready to voice out against blatant abuses of justice and due process of the law. If it can happen to Anwar, it can happen to just anybody here in Malaysia.”
MageP's Lab explains the political and economic problems of Malaysia:
“Malaysia itself is like a drama where new chapters unfolded and there is never a single day without fresh conspiracy theories and accusations, worse, for a certain political advantage, every single soul in this country is inconvenienced. Prior to that, Malaysia stocks fell to a 16-month low, our Ringgit slumped the most in two weeks, investors left the domestic scene in a lurch and many more explosive allegations never cease to plunge the country into crisis mode.”
Straight Talk exclaims, “Stop it!” and he adds:
“Is there law and order in the country? Is there transparency in our justice system? Is there a credibility gap or wedge between the people and the government? Can we correct our battered public image?
“Governments around the world are focused on fighting inflation, social-economic challenges and other challenges including job creation but ours is busy with political assassinations and contestations.
“We have had enough of all these nonsense. I have said that we demand all parties involved to come out clean on everything. It is disappointing to note that politicians, who wanted our mandate to rule, after getting the mandate are neglecting their responsibility.”

author: Mong Palatino


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Mourning A Sexually Harassed Egypt · Global Voices
Marwa Rakha

Two-thirds of Egyptian men harass women showed a survey reported by Reuters. The survey of more than 2,000 Egyptian men and women and 109 foreign women said
Dina Ayoub a 26 year old female blogger residing in Canada wrote a post titled Epidemic of Sexual Harassment in Egypt in response to that report declaring that
That's exactly what it is. An epidemic. One that's been festering and spreading for years upon years, and only gets worse. I wonder if a cure will emerge some day for this sickening behavior.
Dina believes the 83% is a false figure and that more Egyptian women have had at least one sexual harassment experience; they are just living in denial
I think the 17% of women who have reported not being harassed on the streets either live under a rock & never come out, or are too ashamed to admit to it, or maybe think that saying it never happened will make it true. Or perhaps they just don't want to worsen Egypt's reputation. Or maybe they blame themselves for it, just like society does, so they don't really consider it harassment.
The infuriated blogger envies the 98% of foreign women who admitted to being harassed on Egyptian streets because
they probably get harassed LESS than Egyptian women do. Why? Because the guys who harass them are cowards. The tourist police actually cares about what the tourists think or else they won't come back to the country and spend some more money, so they handle their complaints seriously – unlike the normal police which just adds insult to injury. So they are afraid. I used to go to Khan El Khalili a lot, and I would see Egyptian women get harassed, myself included, but never a foreign woman. NEVER. So if 98% of them have been harassed, my guess is on the streets elsewhere not at a touristic place.
Dina – now living in Vancouver – remembers what every Egyptian woman identifies with saying
There's this look in an Egyptian man's eyes that makes me want to poke his eyes out, mutilate his body parts, and then kill him. A psychotic, undressing, invasive and violating look. A look so disgusting that it makes me shiver in my own skin, and wish that the earth would just swallow me up to cover me from it. A look so filthy, that you can see the virtual assault on you in his sleazy eyes. I hate that look so much.
How men and women responded in the survey will not help Egypt or Egyptian women
The worst part of it, is that people think it's the woman's fault. That is just sad. That's exactly the same thought path of psychotic rapists who think “she asked for it”. It's sick, perverted, twisted, uncivilized, and just plain stupid. And this has nothing to do with religion, as a matter of fact. It's just a sick culture.
Dina goes from her own analysis to Islam and how it is being used and abused by people who are – at best – ignorant
In Islam, a woman is supposed to dress modestly, cover her body, not wear tight or revealing clothes. BUT, and this is a very big BUT, a man is also supposed to not look at the women, to be polite in looking. Not be invasive. Somehow society has forgotten about this latter part, or more like… chosen to ignore it, just as it has chosen to ignore many of women's’ rights, and all they can do is blame the woman. Same old story, always blame the woman.
Then you find a woman walking in hijab (veil), fully covered, nothing tight, nothing revealing.. and she still gets harassed. You find a 60 year old veiled woman that gets into a cab and gets harassed. You find a 12 year old girl being harassed. Even a women in niqab (head to toe veil) is not immune to such behavior. These are all things I've witnessed myself or heard of from people I know well, so they are nothing out of the ordinary, just the daily bullshit an Egyptian woman has to live with.
When Dina used to live in Cairo, she felt more comfortable in the company of a male chaperone
I used to hate walking in Egypt. I really did. I always dreaded going somewhere, and limited my walking to the very minimum. If I were to go out in public, I'd make damn sure I have a male friend with me, and with that I'd avoid the comments and physical harassment, but not the petrifying stares. I couldn't just go shopping in peace. Walk to the women's hairdresser a couple of blocks away, even cross the street I live on without dreading a harassment.
Now mind you, I am nothing spectacular. I'm no beauty queen, on the contrary, I'm on the lower side of that scale. And I wear a hijab (veil). And I'm not physically provocative. But that doesn't matter. We're just pieces of meat walking around some hungry dogs.
Stretching her post a bit further, Dina talked about rape and how women take the fall for that kind of abuse too
In Egypt, if a woman goes to a man's house and gets raped, she has no rights. Seriously. That is just sad. So if one day you go over to your friend's house for a nice dinner with a lot of other friends, and for your shitty luck something happens and you are there alone with someone sick, that's it. You are pretty much screwed. Not that women would report it anyway in Egypt, many of them just don't report it at all, because in Egypt a woman's reputation is everything. Something I despise to my very core. But you don't even have the option to, because “it's your own damn fault, you're a whore for going to a man's house”.
Are all Egyptian men cheap predators? Are they all sick stalkers? Do they all want to grab a piece of meat?
Now, I'm not claiming all men in Egypt are bad. I know very honorable men who would never hurt a fly, let alone a woman. Men who are noble, who abide by their beliefs, respect women and endless other great qualities. But sadly, they are not the majority. They are rare pearls that I've had the honor & privilege of finding in my life. I wish Egypt could fill up on the likes of those men.
When it comes to a cure, Dina hangs on to education … not the kind of education that we currently have
Many an educated man in Egypt have the narrowest and most retarded of minds. Education of Rights. They should add a new course to all schooling systems from year 1. Perhaps if people understood one's right to be treated with respect, and freedom, some of the harassment would cease. But that's just the optimist in me. We are light years away from that.
At the end of her post, Dina wrote a disclaimer owning her ideas and opinions and, like me, admitting that the only purpose of this post is to make Egypt a better place.
1- This is how I personally feel about these issues. You are free to agree or disagree, and perhaps your life experiences show you otherwise – but please respect my right to an opinion of my own on the matter.
2- This article means no disrespect to Egypt, my home, and my love. This frustration and embitterment comes out of the love for Egypt and wanting it to be a better place for all people, women and men.

author: Marwa Rakha


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Nepal: Women and Democracy · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Anbika's DiGi Home questions how the democratic setup in Nepal can be called inclusive without women playing a crucial role.


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Russia: Romani Theatre · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

TOL's Romantic posts a piece on the history of Romani theatre in Russia.


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Russia: Discussion of US Captive Nations Resolution · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Russia Blog recounts a conference at the Russian diplomatic academy (MGIMO) about the 50th anniversary of the US Captive Nations Resolution.


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Russia, UK: TNK-BP Battle · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

The Oil and the Glory reflects upon the currently strained relations between Russia and Britain, with the battle over TNK-BP and Russian nationalisation of energy resources as a background. Tim Newman of White Sun of the Desert reflects further on the issue of what will happen if BP is actually ousted from its Russian investment.


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Russia: The Concept of Real Sovereignty · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow comments on a recent book by Russian foreign policy expert Andrei Kokoshin as well as on the concept of real sovereignty currently in vogue in the Russian foreign policy establishment.


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Serbia: Local Bloggers Discuss the Arrest of Radovan Karadžić · Global Voices
Sinisa Boljanovic

(An audio version of this post read by Vera Serkovic is also available. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to access the audio player)
Just a few days after the 13th anniversary of the massacre in Srebrenica, in which over 7,000 people, most of them Muslim civilians, were killed, Radovan Karadzic, former president of Republika Srpska, is arrested.
On the night of July 21-22, many major world media outlets and almost all the media from Serbia immediately issued reports of the arrest.
Many bloggers from the Serbian blogosphere were surprised by the news. Below are the first reactions from some of them.
On his blog, Co of SLIKE I DOGADJAJI wrote (SRP):
While I was prepering a report about my visit to Portland, I ran into the news that Radovan Karadzic has been arrested. I simply could not believe that it was true, but the news is published on all web sites.
[…]
Hugh Griffiths, a B92 blogger, wrote this in English:
Many of us never thought we would see this day come, that the unholy trinity of  the secret police, the criminals and the priests who protected you would ensure an enduring freedom until your dying day. But luckily for us, even pessimists are wrong, at least some of the time. […]
Blogger Dynhysbys of A K U L T U R A expressed his satisfaction (SRP) with the news of Radovan Karadzic's arrest:
[…] I am glad because this government is ready and has an intention to face the problems that are still pulling Serbia into the hell of the 90's. […]
Misha of the Doctor blog criticized the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), but wrote that even though he didn't believe in its justice, he loved Serbia more than Radovan Karadzic:
[…] No matter how bad the reputation of the Tribunal in the Hague is because of the acquittals of the cutthroats such as [Ramus Haradinaji] and [Naser Oric], and no matter how innocent Radovan Karadzic was (God will help him to prove it?), Serbia is always on the first place for me. […]
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author: Sinisa Boljanovic


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Russia: Should Internet Be Subjected to Mass Media Laws? · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Russian Cyberspace accounts for continued discussions in Russia on whether to define the Internet as mass media and thus subject it to the same legislative framework as traditional mass media.


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Sri Lanka: Ceasefire and SAARC · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The SAARC summit in Sri Lanka appears to have some unlikely consequences. Going Global on LTTE announcing a ceasefire during the summit.


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Sri Lanka: Property rights and International summits · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Deane's Dimension on the Sri Lankan government deciding to demolish the homes of  people living in ‘unauthorized dwellings’ to spruce up the city for the SAARC summit.


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Sudan: UN peacekeeper attacked, Iran opposes ICC action · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

John Boonstra at The UN Dispatch reports that a security officer working with the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping mission in Darfur (UNAMID) has been assaulted by Sudanese Government military personnel. He also reports that Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vocally defended his Sudanese counterpart, Omar al-Bashir.


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The Balkans, Russia: Radovan Karadžić · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

According to reports, former Bosnian Serb leader and one of the world’s most wanted  fugitives Radovan Karadžić has been arrested in Serbia on Monday night.
Below are some of the initial reactions from bloggers.
Eric Gordy of East Ethnia:
The arrest of Karadžić is of course a huge event, leaving just two major suspects (only one of whom is worth the trouble) still to be captured and tried.
[…]
The Tribunal had better not mess this one up because there are not many chances left. […]
Pengovsky of Sleeping With Pengovsky:
[…] The arrest was confirmed by the office of the President of Serbia Boris Tadić, without giving details. I imagine this is a high-risk game for Serbian leadership as Karadžić and general Ratko Mladić (who remains at large) have quite a following in Serbia and Republic of Srbska in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Hopefuly Serbian President Boris Tadić will fare better than the late Zoran Djindjić.
Perhaprs, just perhaps, the wars of Yugoslavia will finally be brought to an end. […]
[…]
[From the comments section, another note by Pengovsky]
After the first couple of hours looking for reactions, caution seems to prevail. Noone wants to get his/her hopes too high too soon.
Douglas Muir of A Fistful of Euros:
[…] On a personal note: for years my wife has said that Karadzic was living “down the street” from us back in the early 2000s. At that time, we were living in the street Golsfortieva (that’s Serbian for “Galsworthy”) in the neighborhood of Vracar in central Belgrade. She picked this up from talking with the neighbors, and for five years it’s been a running joke in our house. “Right down the street from us!” “Right, sure, yes, dear. Whatever, okay.”
Well, at least one source is claiming that the arrest was made in… the neighborhood of Vracar, in central Belgrade. Headline: Blogger’s Wife ‘Very Satisfied’ By Arrest.
Anyway. A day or two may pass without much news, as under Serbian law the accused has the right to challenge certain aspects of his arrest — most notably, whether or not he’s really the person in question.
Still: great news, if true.
Balkan Ghost of Finding Karadzic:
[…] The world is a better place today than it was yesterday. Those of us interested in international criminal justice sometimes grow weary at the unfairness and impunity that are often the end results of the worst misconduct in the world by some of the worst people in the world.
But not today. Radovan Karadzic now will begin the process that will see him face the charges listed in his indictment of instigating genocide and intentionally killing thousands of Muslims in Bosnia between 1992 and 1995.
Sarah Franco of Cafe Turco:
[…] I have just returned from Belgrade, and there was indeed hope in the air. Something was changing. It’s easy to say so now, of course, but those who know me personally know that was my feeling. But as I was leaving, Jelena and I were talking about the possibility that Mladic could soon be arrested, but none of us thought that Karadzic would ever be arrested. It is an irony that it took SPS to get to power for this to happen, but it makes sense. They are cynicals, not true believers, and they will over-run any obstacle to their goals. Now Mladic and Karadic were the obstacles… Too bad for them.
[…]
At this very moment I am on the phone with one of my friend from Belgrade. She is watching the news on TV and I am waiting for the latest developments. My friends are receiving SMS messages from all around, people are incredibly happy, and now I need to go to sleep because tomorrow there is plenty of work wayting for me, but how can one sleep with such excitement?
Shaina of Bosnia Vault:
[…] Rhetorical question: I wonder how long until the obligatory “free Radovan” website pops up?
No doubt it will contain the good doctor's poetry. […]
Some Russian bloggers seem to be working on that already.
Moscow-based LJ user grenzlos (Arthur Medvedev) has posted two poems by Karadžić, translated into Russian.
And LJ user log2stas wrote this (RUS):
[…] No matter how much of a war criminal he was in the European Union's view, he was fighting for his country… The Serbian leadership [is cynical].
In general, it's an interesting history lesson. Lenin, who killed millions of Russians, is resting by the Kremlin wall and the country is holding military parades next to his mausoleum.
Peter the Great, who turned the peasants into drunkards, drew the country into debt, built a useless port city on human bones – he is a major state figure.
Stalin, who sent tens of millions of Russians to the concentration camps, is the idol of internet dwellers.
President Bush, a war criminal, organizer of torture cells, guilty of using the banned chemical weapons during the storming of Fallujah – he'll be quietly fishing during his retirement.
None of them spent time in jail, nor has been punished in any way for what they've done.
And Radovan Karadžić will appear in court and they'll try him… because he was defending his country.
On the other hand, Jesus has also been crucified. […]
Screenshot of the Interpol web site. The mugshot on this post is from the same source.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Ukraine: Customs Problems · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Eternal Remont indignantly comments on the problems of dealing with Ukrainian customs.


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Zimbabwe: Fear and indifference · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

A beautiful gift shares his impressions on the situation Zimbabwe after his recent visit to see his family: “I have heard a lot say western media […] exaggerate about the situation in Zimbabwe. On the contrary I now am convinced that western media understate the gravity of the situation in Zimbabwe”.

author: Elia Varela Serra


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Zimbabwe: Open letter from Tsvangirai on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

This is Zimbabwe posted an open letter from the President of the leader of the opposition Morgan Tsvangirai on yesterday's signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.


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Serbia: African Bloggers’ Reactions to Karadžić’s Arrest · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

After news broke on Monday night that former Bosnian Serb leader and one of the world’s most wanted persons Radovan Karadžić had been arrested, astonished bloggers in the Balkans and all around the world started reacting to the story. And because of the recent request by the International Criminal Court's (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo to indict Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, some bloggers have been making comparisons between the two cases.
For instance Greater Surbiton, a blog focusing on the Balkans, commented:
The Bashir indictment is to be celebrated, because whether or not it results in the tyrant ever facing justice, it represents a nail in his political coffin; a push sending him further along the road already trodden by Milosevic and Karadzic. His international isolation will increase; what is left of his legitimacy will decrease; it will be more difficult for other states to collaborate with him; and if he survives his eventual overthrow, the successor regime will have to collaborate with the ICC in bringing him to trial, which will be a catalyst to its own democratic reform – just as enforced collaboration with the ICTY catalysed democratic reform in Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia.
Similarly, bloggers from Africa have been drawing parallels between Karadžić's indictment and arrest, and the potential coming ones for African dictators such as Omar al-Bashir in Sudan or Rober Mugabe in Zimbabwe (coincidentally, Sokwanele informs that yesterday Enough and Impunity Watch released a paper on the “Legal options available in holding accountable President Robert Mugabe for possible international crimes”).
Faustine Barraza, a blogger from Tanzania, commented:
It now appears that Karadzic will have his day in court […]
It is a good lessons to African dictators that the World is watching and that one day, they might be called to account for what they did. I hope Al-Bashir and Mugabe are paying attention.
Musengeshi Katata of the blog focusing on the DR Congo Forum Réalisance [Fr] also warns other dictators:
Il n'y a pas meilleur avertissement pour Omar el Béchir, le prochain candidat de la Cour Internationale de Justice. Ainsi qu'à tous ceux qui croient qu'ils peuvent, sans tenir compte de nos valeurs, de notre éthique et morale humaine, nous servir impunément leurs bassesses quelques soient les fonctions qu'ils exercent, leur nationalité, leur confession, la couleur de leur peau. And justice for all.
There is no better warning for Omar al-Bashir, the next candidate for the International Criminal Court. As well as for all those that believe they can, without taking into consideration our human values, ethics and morality, impose their vileness with impunity no matter their position, their nationality, their religion, their skin color. And justice for all.
Black River Eagle from the blog Jewels in the Jungle on African issues, participating in the debate at the portal African Loft, wondered:
Let’s see if Serbia extradites this European war criminal to Den Haag (The Hague) or demand that he be tried in their own national courts. This could have a negative impact on the pending indictment and trial of Omar al-Bashir at the ICC if the Serbs insist on doing the latter.
[…]
Because he is a Muslim, a serving head-of-state of an African country he should escape international justice? In the name of peace for Darfur and a negotiated political settlement that will hold up over time? Give me break. Karadzic specialized in the slaughter and mass rape of thousands of Muslims in the heart of Europe, and the sucker is going down I guarantee you.
A few other Africans have given their opinion regarding Karadžić's arrest on the BBC World Have your say blog, on yesterday's post about his arrest. Below is a selection of them.
Arnaud Ntirenganya Emmanuel, a Rwandan in Cameroon:
As a victim of Rwandan genocide the arrest of Radovan Karadzic is not enough at all, this man is supposed to tried quickly and pay for suffer and misery he caused. His arrest can only help to heal the wounds if he is treated exactly the same as his victims. For me I will have peace of mind when all perpetrators of Rwandan genocide are hanged.
Kelvin Kamayoyo:
The issue of sitting presidents hidding in the principle of sovereignity must not be their defence and lead to prolonged suffering of the innocent citizens as in the case of Zimbabwe, Sudan-Darfur. Omar al Bashir must be indicted as soon as possible and spped up the trials of the alleged cases before him as doing so it will enable to hasten the quenching of the civil war in Darfur.
George Wills Bangirana:
This is very interesting news for all citizens of the world but more so for us in Africa who live the brutality of our leaders past and present.
It beats my understanding how these once “mighty” people who hold political office unleash all kinds of mayhem on the very people they are supposed to protect without as much as a flinch and then when their turn in the cooler comes up, they live like rats-Saddam Style- or cry out to the very people they were brutalising for mercy and help. it only confirms one thing that No condition in the world is permanent and leaders better beware. Your turn may be not very far away.
Julie Kampala:
Though the arrest of Karadzic will not ressurect the dead that he killed. It will deter other dictators or dictatorships like Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Bashir of Sudan and the Burman government.


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Angola: Media shut up? · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Eugénio Costa Almeida [pt] wonders why  Angonotícias [pt] website has not had any updates for a while and links display the message FORBIDDEN – erro 403. “Angonotícias may have many faults, and it is actually good because it means that you can not please absolutely every one, but shutting it up on the eve of the elections is at least strange, very strange!”


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Bangladesh: Election Commission · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices has a scathing post on the Bangladesh Election Commission.


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Barbados: Honest Politicians?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“There is a need for present day politicians to reclaim the trust of the people”: Barbados Underground wonders whether “it might be ‘moral character’ we need – in politics – even more than Integrity Legislation.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Brazil: São Paulo 360° · Global Voices
Paula Góes

Would you like to have a look at São Paulo without going there? Paulo Bicarato [pt] tips about the website BR360, Brazilian      panoramas and virtual reality.


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Cambodia: Traveling Along The Coastline · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Caroline Finlay shares pictures from her three-day motorbike trip along the Cambodian coastline.

author: Preetam Rai


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Chile: Media Produced by Residents of Colón Oriente · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Chilenos Todos [es] writes about the action taken by residents of the neighborhood Colón Oriente in Santiago, Chile.  They published a newsletter called “La Chicharra” that seeks to combat disinformation about this poor area through the use of interviews, testimonials and news.


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China: Fuwatron Toy · Global Voices
John Kennedy

We've seen vampire Fuwas, life-size Fuwa robots, Fuwa-inspired soft porn, grannies dressed like Fuwas, even a supposed Fuwa curse and, now, a ripoff of the Transformers franchise. h/t @bokane. update: @chinkerfly brings us many more.


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China: Housing For Ten Thousand · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Buxi reports a collective campaign organized by Zoutao called “Housing For Ten Thousand – Group Buying Activity” in Shenzhen.

author: Oiwan Lam


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China:  Mine Accident · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Dedric Lam form Shanghaiist reports on the mine accident in Guangxi.


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China: More on the Olympic ‘sealing’ of internet data centers · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Following up on the massive IDC server room lockdown, veteran Shanghai blogger Wang Jianshuo has also posted on the new Olympic regulation. For a better idea of how it felt the last time something like this happened, read his post from last year, ‘Yes. I am very frustrated.‘


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China: Olympic heads · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Tianya user akcadia1618 has posted a series of photos of different Olympics-inspired hairdos people have taken to. Responses below the post are…mixed.


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China: Olympic protest zones · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Jeremy Goldkorn at Danwei.org translates the news that the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games has designated three special demonstration zones for protesters who show up at the Games.


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China: Vulgar Websites · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Eric from DANWEI pointed out that the Internet society in China has recently classified six websites and forums as vulgar. The society is now responsible for getting complaints from netizens.


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China: Will Yao help China win basketball gold? · Global Voices
John Kennedy

No doubt many eyes will be on Yao Ming during the Olympics, but will China's men's basketball team be able to take the gold? More on that at sometimes sports blogger the black China hand in The Luanda Shiver


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Colombia: Continued Support for Suso · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Catalina Restrepo of Cosas del Alma [es] updates readers on the continued efforts by members of the ConVerGentes blogging community in Medellín, Colombia in support of Suso, a local resident who had been living in poor conditions.


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Croatia: Reactions to the Karadžić Arrest · Global Voices
El Hud

While not having suffered as severely as the Bosniaks at the hands of Radovan Karadžić, opinions amongst Croatians were varied, although most were pleased with his arrest and looked forward to the day when he will face trial. Here are some opinions from the Croatian blogosphere:
Tinolovka writes (HRV):
Sacrificed victims cannot return to life and it is difficult to bring a fair and appropriate judgment that would finally find satisfaction of all the evil that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is hard to find consolation for Srebrenica, but this is a good start, only now they should not stop until all ultimately responsible stand before justice.
Tonique DeWeen writes (HRV) about his disbelief of Karadžić living in plain sight in Belgrade, yet not being found:
Such a scenario would not have even come up in Hollywood: a wanted war criminal hiding in the capital city under the false identity of an alternative medicine doctor who published papers in journals and appeared on TV, and nobody alive recognizes him?
Angel&Wolf takes steps (HRV) beyond cautious optimism to take a more pessimistic stance:
…I have an uncomfortable feeling that this is no longer important. The arrest of Radovan is a matter that will pass after a week and once again we shall all continue to enjoy what was the legacy of Radovan…
Žuta Minuta (“Yellow Minute”) recalls (HRV) life in Sarajevo during the war and her feelings the day Karadžić's capture was announced:
…the memory of my first true fear of war. It was a 1992. With my mother, brother and I we dwelt in the Sarajevo settlement of Dobrinja. […] So Radovan Karadzic did not celebrate Vidovdan [St. Vitus Day] in Dobrinja. In fact, perhaps he did, sometime later, but no one recognized him. I do not know in which moment I slept, but today the whole day I feel good and rested. Honestly, I lost faith that they would ever catch Radovan Karadzic, so I was delighted.

author: El Hud


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Cuba, U.S.A.: Sharpton Calls for Prisoners’ Release  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“When it comes to Cuban political prisoners, any publicity is good publicity”: Uncommon Sense and Balablu Blog draw attention to Reverend Al Sharpton's “call for the release of Cuba's prisoners of conscience.”


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Gabon: On President Bongo’s wealth · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Jeremy Weate at Naijablog posted an article on Gabonese President Omar Bongo's taste for luxury.


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Russia: Ethnic German Diaspora · Global Voices
Vilhelm Konnander

Otto's Random Thoughts discusses the question of belonging for the ethnic German diaspora in Russia against the background of regular displacement and forced movement.


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Ghana: Advantage age to win elections · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Ghana Web at African Path writes about Emmanuel Ansah Antwi, Ghanaian presidential candidate of the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP). Reportedly, he said that “just as late President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah used his youthful exuberance to win independence, he (Antwi) would also use his comparatively young age of 43 to win the December 2008 election to bring economic emancipation to the country”.


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Global Voices Summit 2008: Photos and Thanks · Global Voices
Solana Larsen

Anyone who arrived in Budapest thinking the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit was going to be an ordinary conference, will have been seriously surprised. The media accolades and heart felt blog posts after the Summit have kept piling in on our RSS readers.
No one is more thankful than we are to everyone who traveled from far and wide to join us and share their stories. We've compiled choice quotes, links, and photos as a thank you to everyone who participated.
The Summit is over, but at least we'll always have the memories. And the videos. Thanks to Sami Ben Gharbia, our Video Archive has been updated with edited, high-resolution videos of the entire public event.
We're especially thankful to our Summit Sponsors for supporting the work of Global Voices and so many online activists around the world with this event. We hope to see everyone again next year!

author: Solana Larsen


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Guyana: Disturbing Legislation  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Living Guyana draws attention to “a worrying piece of legislation that was sneaked into Parliament” that would give great power to the Director of Public Prosecutions.


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India: Co-eds and Convents · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Bohemian Rhapsody on the the value of getting educated at a co-ed over a convent school.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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India: On the Death Penalty · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Law and Other Things on the Indian Supreme Court redefining the death penalty and life sentence.


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India: A Trust Vote, and a Nuclear Deal · Global Voices
JJ Rajendran

It’s not time yet, for the ruling party to gloat over their sensational yet marginal victory over the ‘Indo –US Nuclear Deal Issue’ which has long haunted their very existence. But they have emerged as the winners nonetheless.  Lok Sabha TV drew eyeballs off the internet to engage many Indians and gave news stations a run for their money.
‘It’s my trust vote and I’ll shout if I want’ – Mahima Kaul titles her post at her blog ‘The life and times’ , introducing us to the scene at the lower house in the Parliament of India. She writes:
They came from everywhere; wheelchairs and stretchers – jail. And the anticipation of drama delivered! From the moment a crore of rupees was placed in the House by three BJP MPs – everything changed. Read on to see how the BJP's staged drama did not hold a trust vote down.
Phoenix recaps the political setup on his blog ‘Public diary…” , under the post, ‘The Great Indian Drama: What's the big DEAL about?’
The Left withdrew support as the UPA refused to back out of the 1-2-3 agreement with the US and thus began the numbers game…. If anything, Left leaving was slightly relieving as it brought hopes that maybe, if the Govt survived, some reforms would go ahead without the political compulsions that Left's persistent threats gave rise to. Afterall, the last four years India has hardly seen an Opposition, with the NDA mostly asleep, and the Govt had to keep fighting tooth n nail within itself thanks to the communist parties.
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When the political scene heated up with BJP finally seeming to wake up a little…
There was money up for grabs just to vote against the N-deal. And Nita tells you why, in her post – ‘Between the horse traders and traitors who is left’ on her blog, ‘A wide angle view of India’ .
There is so much corruption amongst politicians that some of our MP’s make petty money (Rs 30,000/- and above) from just raising questions in parliament and the BJP has such MP’s too.
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The fact is that India is number one when it comes to money in Swiss bank accounts and we have no way of knowing who doesn’t have an account there. While people from all walks of life probably have accounts there, I am sure our politicians lead the pack. People who are there to make our country prosper are looting it!!
Also giving us estimates on the total amount India is said to have in the Swiss banks, “India with $1456 billion or $1.4 trillion has more money in Swiss banks than rest of the world COMBINED.”  But she is disgusted:
As for the live proceedings of the Nuclear Deal Debate in the Lok Sabha on television (just before the Trust vote) that reality show should have got an “A” certificate. If children see this how do you think they will behave in class…! But this time there was no violence…throwing of chairs and pushing and shoving, all of which I have seen on live TV in parliament. I guess we should be grateful.
In conclusion to it all, Yossarin has few things to tell the Prime minister of India, against the speech Manmohan Singh was said to have had ready, but did not deliver. Yossarin writes in the blog ‘Offstumped’ in the post, ‘Manmohan Confidence Vote – A Pyrrhic Victory’ :
You were right to pursue the strategic intent of getting India out of the nuclear winter it has been in. But sir you did not convince any political formation to express confidence on the merits of your record. You did not convince a significant number of individual members cutting across party lines to express confidence on the voice of their conscience.  Rooted in questionable abstentions this is a pyrrhic victory and it is beginning of the end of your Ultimate Perverse Alliance that saw you accidentally occupy this august office.
You can find the Prime Minister’s speech here .  Who are the real winners? – the question is answered here . Neha, our South Asian Blogsphere Editor for GVO, comments here .
The following video which is from a major TV news channel, shows the chaos in the Parliament when some of the members alleged bribery and started waving big piles of cash around.

author: JJ Rajendran


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Indian investment in Africa, in the shadows of China  · Global Voices
Elia Varela Serra

Benin Mwangi at the Cheetah Index writes about Indian investment in Africa, which “in the West we don't hear that much about […] because so much of this growth has taken place in the shadow of China's advances”.


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Iran: Iran before and after revolution in photos · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

In Potin‘s blog we can discover Iran before and after revolution in 50 different photos.


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Iran: Nuclear crisis · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Farideh Farhi, Iranian-Ameircan academic and blogger, analysed the recent nuclear negotiation between Iran and six world powers in Geneva.


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Israel: Favorite Quotes from UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman · Global Voices
Maya Norton

“The Palestinians’ real tragedy is that they have not been able to produce a Nelson Mandela. Every single day, Muslims are killed by Muslims. You do not see a single Muslim leader get up and say, ‘Enough is enough.’ It’s nearly as if we live in a world where if Christians kill Muslims, it’s a crusade. If Jews kill Muslims, it’s a massacre. And when Muslims kill Muslims, it’s the Weather Channel. Nobody cares.”
Read these and other quotes from Dan Gillerman, outgoing Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, on Elder of Ziyon.

author: Maya Norton


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Israel: Homemade Plane Flies from Israel to US · Global Voices
Maya Norton

Sure, we all have dreams of flying, but Israeli Yair Gil is making his personal ambition a reality. Isrealli reports that Gil took off from Israel in his one-man homemade plane on July 7th for a three-week flight to the US. He is due to arrive in Osh Kosh, Wisconsin on July 28th.