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China: 7.8 scale earthquake felt across most of China · Global Voices
John Kennedy

Around two hours ago, an earthquake registering 7.8 on the Richter scale struck in southwestern China's Sichuan province, centered in Wenchuan county, and with tremors felt as far away as Beijing and Hong Kong.
Update, Tuesday 9am: QQ has been aggregating video shot by its users from many of the affected areas; many of these videos can be seen here. The video below comes from user Gary, taken in an unspecified location:
The earthquake was reportedly felt in Beijing, Tianjin, Chongqing, parts of Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Gansu, Henan, Ningxia and Jiangsu.
See below for updates by region.
From Chinese video-sharing website Tudou, user danta1990's footage taken in the Sichuan capital Chengdu:
Danwei has already compiled a number of updates from various sources, as has Shanghaiist, with information on user-shot video from Sichuan Chinese video portal websites were quick to get up on their front pages.
This clip on 56.com comes from user Little Fish in Wenchuan, Sichuan:And this from video sharing website Youku.com comes from user xiaoyu82528, showing the effect of the earthquake as felt as far away as Beijing:Twitter seems to be a top source of breaking details for the moment; Many are writing of difficulties connecting to those at the center of the quake zone over telephone, but the internet seems to still be functioning. Beijing-based tech guru Kaiser Kuo writes that the government Seismological Bureau website is currently inaccessible, presumably from high levels of traffic.
Users inwalkedbud and Lyrrael have been posting updates in English, reporting what they can. River Crab Goes Ashore has been collecting live updates on Chinese microblogging service provider Fanfou.
Inwalkedbud writes from Chengdu, quite near the center of the earthquake: “Doesn't seem to be much damage to buildings, but people are shaken up. Electricity/water/gas seems to be working still.”
Other areas have not been as fortunate; Chinese Twitter user Raine, based in Hubei, writes of possible destruction there:
同事刚电话回家，湖北的荆州、沙市的房子倒了一片，有灾情。
Also via Danwei is a note to keep following Summize.com, one Twitter search engine which supports Chinese characters, for steady updates; updates found via Summize and other places will be added here as they are found. Photos can be seen on Flickr via searches for ‘earthquake’ in English and Chinese and on Yupoo.com.
Anyone with more information regarding other areas around China that have been affected is invited to gives us a heads-up in the comments.
Microblog updates by region:
Sichuan
Photos of the devastation in Dujiangyu, one of the hardest-hit places known so far. Several portray dead bodies.
Monday 21:52  http://jiwai.de/IQ%E5%B0%8F%E5%AD%90/statuses/8802456
“English”语言的维基百科“List of earthquakes”词条中已经增加了此次四川大地震的内容,此外该语言已经新增了“2008 Sichuan Province earthquake”的词条。中文维基百科尚无相关内容更新。
Monday 22:40 http://jiwai.de/doggienest/statuses/8803411
往成都固定电话打通了
http://fanfou.com/statuses/g2QgIe8OWzM
Monday 22:25 http://ledao.in/blog.php?blog_id=156
汶川是去九寨沟的必经之路，那里山势陡峭，地表植被因过度开采受损，而岷江流经此地，造成水土流失严重，是个容易发生地质灾害的地方，这次惨了。
四川大学要求同学离开宿舍 通知4点余震开始
据说四川地区CDMA，小灵通可以打通
— shizhao (@shizhao) May 12, 2008
据说四川地区CDMA，小灵通可以打通
chengdu airport closed. flights heading there beijing redirectede to chongqing
— Bill Bishop (@niubi) May 12, 2008
chengdu airport closed. flights heading there beijing redirectede to chongqing
[地震] 河蟹上岸直播: 5月12日14时28分，四川汶川发生7.6级地震，新民网从成都双流国际机场获悉，由于受到地震影响，成都双流国际机场目前已经关闭。
— ufoe (@ufoe) May 12, 2008
Monday 5:30 pm: https://twitter.com/Aether/statuses/809193571
成都互联网通讯有能连上的了。
http://fanfou.com/statuses/l6XlCAxBJCI
绵阳花盆啥的都碎了，饮水机震倒说塌了好多房子，人都到河堤上去了
http://fanfou.com/statuses/aOdJ1I6y1YU
四川阿坝州理县县城1人死亡8人重伤 汶川县发生7.8级地震后，截止12日17时10分，阿坝州政府应急办了解到的情况是：汶川、理县、茂县交通、通讯全面中断，黑水、小金、金川、马尔康、松潘、九寨沟等县均有房屋倒塌、道路中断、山体滑坡、人员伤亡(其中茂县林业电台报告伤亡人员较多，
Beijing
中国南北网络断了吗？怎么啥都上不去了？
— Steven Lin | flypig (@flypig) May 12, 2008
中国南北网络断了吗？怎么啥都上不去了？
Earthquake. Evacuating Kerry Center.
— William Moss (@imagethief) May 12, 2008
@goldkorn I could actually see other buildings in Gemdale moving — could see their reflections in the glass moving.
— Kaiser Kuo (@KaiserKuo) May 12, 2008
@Scobleizer Lasted longer than 10 seconds — the swaying of my building anyway went on for 30-40 seconds.
— Kaiser Kuo (@KaiserKuo) May 12, 2008
@goldkorn obviously I can feel it at SOHO New Town.
— Tangos Chan (@Tangos) May 12, 2008
We r on 38 th flr in beijing cbd. Terrifying how much the bldg was swayed. Grabbed the kids and took the stairs down when swaying stopped
— Bill Bishop (@niubi) May 12, 2008
I was sitting outside at the coffee shop and had no idea re: quake, except for dog whimpering/jumping.
— Andrew Lih (@fuzheado) May 12, 2008
photo https://twitter.com/flypig/statuses/809135452
Shanghai
breathing normal again. feeling an earthquake on the 31st floor was not fun.
— ana campos (@nocas) May 12, 2008
CREEPY! while i'm typing, there's an aftershock hitting!
— Casper (@casperodj) May 12, 2008
[地震] 上海浦东，毫无震感
— Xiang Li (@leoshcn) May 12, 2008
Shaanxi
[地震] 汉中市地震局  0916-2626496
— 葡萄 (@yesky12) May 12, 2008
@nober 我也是。。只能和西安那边发短信，电话打不进去。。
— Mr. Mind (@QienKuen) May 12, 2008
只能和西安那边发短信，电话打不进去。。
Henan
Monday 21:39  http://jiwai.de/jiangyh/statuses/8802154
15时48分，河南省地震局通过手机短信、电视、广播等形式，向群众发布震情提示：“地震台网测定今天14：28四川汶川发生7.8级地震，震感波及我省，不会影响正常生活，请不要恐慌，本局正关…
http://fanfou.com/statuses/O8h2ttRuQJ8
郑州国家电网公司的大楼都疏散到空地了
Jiangxi
http://fanfou.com/statuses/7bjUhAwYzH8
Anhui
[地震] 我在安徽淮南,这里没有地震
— 戴书文 (@daishuwen) May 12, 2008
Guangdong
Monday 21:19  http://fanfou.com/statuses/LhifhcSKPXw
76年的唐山地震马上就被翻出。现在全国最忙碌最紧张最加班加点的部门不是地震局，不是救灾队，是中宣部
Zhejiang
杭州网络正常。公司大部分同事都跑到外面去了。
— Fenng (@Fenng) May 12, 2008
杭州网络正常。公司大部分同事都跑到外面去了。
http://fanfou.com/statuses/k0jIs0Mkmz8
浙江嘉兴、上海间发生5.7级地震 暂无人员伤亡
http://fanfou.com/statuses/nOwacdhRpdA
宁波世贸中心大楼倾斜3度！！！！！！！！！！！！
The World Trade Center in Ningbo has tilted 3 degrees!!!!!!!!
Chongqing
2 school damaged, 4 students dead in Chongqing (from zaobao) http://tinyurl.com/6g5ump
— Tangos Chan (@Tangos) May 12, 2008
重庆2小学倒塌，4学生死亡
— shizhao (@shizhao) May 12, 2008
重庆2小学倒塌，4学生死亡
Changsha
[地震] 长沙这边也有了，哎~~
— 大帝007 (@dadi007) May 12, 2008
Guangxi
http://fanfou.com/statuses/8lgMEGMOzUE
Hubei
Wuchang: http://twitter.com/lenvow/statuses/809197185
湖北多地有地震震感 武昌出现手机信号盲区


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China: Chengdu Earthquake · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A MAG 7.8 earthquake occurred in Chengdu today at 2:28pm or UTC 06:28:00. lyrrael, an American volunteer living in Chengdu reports the earthquake at twitter. Will also writes about his experience in his blog.

source: news-globalvoices

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

author: Oiwan Lam


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China: Earthquake in Sichuan · Global Voices
Preetam Rai

Beijing based Singapore blogger Alvin writes about the quake in Sichuan being felt in Beijing this afternoon. “Robina called me frantically that the building was swaying. she grabbed Sally and ran out. Sally is still panting from the excitement. all the people from our apartment building came downstairs. nearby office buildings were evacuated. “

author: Preetam Rai


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China: Quake damage rising; witness in affected cities   · Global Voices
Bob Chen

Death tolls: 22069 (official statistic,23pm,05.16). The number is estimated to rise up to 50000 in following days. The update in this post will be stopped. So hard to see the relentlessly rising number!
Further coverage on this quake might be put forward soon….Prayers.
Updated: The previously isolated towns in epicenter finally saw the first 1300 soldiers. But as the landslide cut off most the roads and high way, communication remains hard.
Situation of another 50 thousand people is yet unknown. In Peng-zhou, over 100 thousand people were estimated to be blocked up inside mountains. Troops are  getting through the hindrance.
Updated: 9219 （8.00 am, 05.13） deaths were reported in 8 provinces. But still, nothing is known from the 3 towns at the epicenter.
Bei-chuan county was much buried by the falling rocks. Part of it was devastated, kindergartens and schools suffering the most.
The landslide is still hiting the region.
A picture of Bei-chuan before the earthquake
Bei-chuan now, almost devastated
In a secondary school in Dujiangyan, where 900 students were reported to be buried, the collapsed teaching buildings  have killed over 60 students.
Their bodies were laid on the playground.  PRAY!
A list of casualty in every affected regions was being refreshed in portal websites.
Updated: 9219（8.00 am, 05.13） deaths were reported in 8 provinces, while the information in Wenchuan county (汶川县),the epicenter, is still unknown.  It has been isolated as the communication and roads were cut off. The place is where Han, Tibetans, Hui people lived together.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck China at 2:28 p.m. local time. The quake was centered at Wen-chuan county, Sichuan province, some 50 miles west-northwest to Chengdu, where 12 million people live. It was not only intense but massive as well, since across the country has felt its impact. Up till now 107 deaths have been reported, along with cases of injured and collapsed buildings.
The road to Wen-chuan has been paralyzed.
The casualty is feared to be still rising.
Updated: In the evening, 3000 to 5000 deaths were estimated in Beichuan county, contiguous to the epicenter.
After about an hour of the tremor, related news was released on scores of websites, including Xinhua Net, the official news agency.
Premier Wenjiabao has reached the disaster area to lead the rescue, saying that the situation is “particularly severe”. 5000 soldiers have been sent for rescue.
The range of the quake’s impact is huge. It could by no means be covered up as shortly after the seism occurred, from southern cities as far as Hong Kong and Haikou, to northern metropolises such as Beijing, or populated regions like Chongqing and Shanghai, tremor, shaking, and dizziness caused by wobbling were felt in varied degree.
Swarms of people went online to share their experiences during the quakes that lasted for over 10 seconds. A roundup is coming.
A netizen from Beijing reported:
木樨地有震感！我还以为是自己头晕呢，原来是发地震了！
I could feel the timber floor vibrating! I first thought I was just giddy. Then I realized it was an earthquake.
Another netizen in Tianjing commented
我单位在16层，震感很明显，持续了约2分钟。
I worked on the 16th floor, and the tremor was evident. It continued for about 2 minutes.
Beijing and Tianjing were 960 miles to the northeast of the epicenter, a fact from which people came to realize how severe the seism was. The picture below showed exactly the evacuated people outside the building of Xinhua Net, the official news agency in Beijing.
In tianya, a special thread was opened to collect the information from all over the country about the astounding minutes.
Briel told what he felt in Luoyang, Henan, middle China.
我在十楼上。。。突然发现自己在晃。灯在乱抖，然后外面有玻璃哗啦掉的声音。。
晃的好厉害啊！
现在好了。
I was on the 10th floor, and suddenly felt myself in shaking. The lamp was swaying and the crack of falling glass from outside was heard. So crazily shaking!
It’s better now.
There was no exception even in Ningbo, a coastal city on the east-south. NeverFly said:
摇的非常厉害啊
我在18楼，前后摇晃的感觉非常明显，感觉在坐船一样
而且人有明显的恶心头晕感
我出门问别人什么事
单位同事叫我跑下去
我们走到消防楼梯一看，全是人
走到楼下一看，写字楼的人基本都跑出来了
到现在还觉得有点头晕恶心呢
So terribly shaking!
I was on the 18th floor, and could feel strongly the house swaying to and fro, just like on a boat. I was so dizzy at the time. When running out to ask about what happened, my colleagues told me to go downstairs. People gathered on the staircases. And I saw all people in the office building were out there.
I am still feeling uncomfortable.
Feeling dizzy is what quite a lot of people initially felt when the quake coming. Most of them were amazed at the situation, having no idea what was happened. But soon the instinct forced them to act.
In a voting “do you feel the quake?” on Tianya.com, Chongqing, a city of over 30 million people, topped the list that most people felt the tremor there. The city was contiguous to Sichuna province.
In 163.com, someone from Chongqing told her hard time:
当时正睡午觉,货架上的货物哗哗掉,只见房子剧烈晃动,老公拉上我就跑,车都没敢去开~~~~
从来没想过,合川还会地震
I was taking a nap then, and heard the packages and sundries clamoring down, and the house shaking intensely. My husband dragged me away on foot immediately, without even trying to get in the car.
I have never thought the city would meet an earthquake.
In a Chongqing community, people in panic
yybz020123 told about Xi'an, a city in mid-China:
西安震感强烈，有十几秒，大地在抖，窗子，门，在响，现在院子里都是人，手机没型号
The city was rocking for over 10 seconds, the land trembling, so were the windows, doors rattling. Now people are gathering in the yard. But the cellphones are not able to work.
According to the updated news, 2300 telecommunication towers were disrupted by the quake, which added to the hardship of rescue.
Students getting rescued.
Shanghai was affected as well.
上海有震感，我们大楼晃了几分钟，头晕得厉害
The quake was felt here too. Our building wobbled for a few minutes, which made me dizzy.
Deep-adventure was in Guangzhou
广州感觉到了 我还以为我患了帕金逊
当时蹲在椅子上 全身不自觉左摇右摆 好可怕
7.8级 祈求不要有人员伤亡
今年有点烦
Guangzhou got it, too. I thought I had parkinsonism.
I was then crouching on my seat, involuntarily shaking left and right. So terrible!
7.8! Pray no one get hurt. Such a year!

author: Bob Chen


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Cuba, Trinidad & Tobago: Meeting With Castro?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Cuban blogger Babalu takes issue with an article in the Trinidad Express that alerts readers to an Obama-Castro meeting, should Obama become president.

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Cuba: Why?  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Both Uncommon Sense and Ninety miles away…in another country blog about José Manuel Caraballo Bravo's “rumination on the decided aversion to all things y on the part of the Havana ‘Commission'”.


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Czech Republic: Travel · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The Journeys of Captain Oddsocks posts a report on a bicycle trip “through the protected landscape area up to Litovel.” The Czech Daily Word writes about the oldest pharmacy in Central Europe; the Brno Dam and the Veveri Castle; and the panelaky buildings that many Czechs live in.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Dubai: Whales and Planktons  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian blogger Sha3teely is in Dubai for a few days and shares his feelings and some photographs in this post. “This trip simply showed me how much poor, unimportant, dispensable and small creature I am… it showed me how big is the world and how far are we. It showed me that there are whales and planktons… I am no more than a tiny plankton..” he writes.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Earthquake felt in Bangkok · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Bangkok Bugle thought the Earth moved when a strong earthquake hit China and other parts of Asia, including Thailand.

author: Mong Palatino


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Egypt: leading opposition website blocked · Global Voices
sami ben gharbia

According to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, the website of the leading Egyptian Movement for Change – Kefaya, has been blocked in Egypt since May 4 by the government-owned Internet service provider TE  Data, Egypt's largest ISP.

author: sami ben gharbia


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Estonia: Film Reviews · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

AnTyx reviews two films that explain “the nature of Estonia's independence.”


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Estonia: Garbage Clean-Up · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa writes about the Estonian garbage clean-up campaign.


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Estonia: Healthcare · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

AnTyx shares a personal story about Estonian healthcare.


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Estonia: Moscowcentric Coverage · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Itching for Eestimaa finds it “somewhat amusing that major news outlets, like The New York Times, [send] their Moscow correspondents to cover the situation in Tallinn“: “Wouldn't it make sense to send someone from Stockholm, considering most of Estonia's financial sector is seamlessly integrated with Scandinavia?”


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Ghana: Sleepless and wireless in Accra · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Bensah writes about Internet connectivity and UNCTAD conference in Accra, Ghana: “Glitches notwithstanding, throughout the UNCTAD conference proper, that is exactly *how* connected we were. This is not some kind of digital exuberance; this is the reality of the twenty-first century, where ubiquitous internet connectivity is instrumental in our homes, work and private lives.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Global Voices partners with NewsTrust  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Global Voices‘s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) team is partnering with NewsTrust, a leading site for reviewing quality journalism on the web, on a ‘news hunt’ starting today, May 12.
During the event, which continues until May 16, we invite the public to review our Middle East and North Africa coverage on NewsTrust special Middle East Page, as well as articles and content from the Council for Foreign Relations, a leading US think tank on global affairs, and Link TV, which broadcasts programmes that engage, educate and inspire viewers to become involved in world affairs.
This week's featured topic at NewsTrust is the Middle East, with a focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and our goal is to highlight quality journalism about this complex issue which impacts not just the Middle East, but the entire world. The timing of this partnership is particularly important as this week marks the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding, or what many Arabs refer to as ‘Al-Nakba, or ‘the catastrophe’ – which speaks of the depth of this entrenched conflict. Iraq and Lebanon are also facing new escalations in their security situations as the region continues to make headlines around the world.
The partnership is aimed at giving our readers and the rest of the online community a chance to judge our articles, which amplify the voices of bloggers and citizen journalists from the region, based on a point system devised by NewsTrust. Reviewers will be able to evaluate each article using core journalistic principles such as fairness, evidence, sourcing and context. For us at Global Voices this provides a great opportunity to showcase the work we do in showcasing the voices of bloggers in the Middle East on a larger scale.
To help us achieve this goal, we would like to invite you to register at the NewsTrust site and give us your opinion on our articles, as well as other articles which will be highlighted during this Middle East and North Africa week. To be able to quickly submit new stories on this topic, be sure to get the NewsTrust bookmarklet. Once registered, you can be a reviewer at NewsTrust for as long as you wish.
We look forward to your constructive criticism.


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Sri Lanka: Government Wins Eastern Polls · Global Voices
Nishadha Silva

The much hyped Eastern Provincial council elections were held last Saturday ( 10, May ) with the government winning 20 of the of the allocated 37 seats.United National Party won 15 seats and JVP and TDNA won 1 seat each.While the government hailed this as a major victory in the fight against terrorism the two major opposing parties and many independent observers complained about rigging and many incident of tampering. Blogger were divided in their opinions with some supporting it some criticizing the violations and some questioning the validity of Provincial councils.
Lanka Rising in his post The result of the election: the victory for democracy and defeat for separatist terrorism gives a very detailed analysis about the elections and the events leading up to it. There are few nice comments as well with some heated discussion :)
The long march of democracy in Eastern province started with the liberation of Mavillaru sluice gate from LTTE and restoring the supply of water for the innocent farmers in the area. It was a time when LTTE artillery were even targeting Tricomalee town and strategic Navy camp as a result of shameful CFA signed by UNP leader Ranil Wickramasingha and Prabakaran. The monks of JHU timely influenced the government to take speedy action at a time when new UPFA government seemed to be trapped with the CFA signed by previous UNP leadership. The success of Mavillaru operation not only prevented another attempt of LTTE to chase away Sinhala and Muslim farming community from Eastern province, but also mark the beginning or new democratic era in Eastern province.
Court Jester questions the validity and the use of provincial councils and also questions whether the government has truly liberated the Eastern Province in his post Provincial Council Elections and related issues.
I have long taken a dim view of these Provincial Councils: all they do is add another layer of unnecessary bureaucracy to an already inefficient administrative system. If anyone knows what value the provincial councils add to the public let me know.
The report goes on to state that “The LTTE had resorted to various terror acts to intimidate and keep voters away from polling booths”.
So the LTTE appears to be active again in the East. We are left to wonder if they re-infiltrated the cleared areas or whether they were actually cleared out as thoroughly as previously claimed.
Dennam Batey in his post Eastern Polls – Yet another ‘crucial’ (to whom it is crucial is questionable) election is over !!! criticize the usual post election statements where the winners take it all and the losers cry foul and points out that no party has yet to appoint an independent body to hold elections.
We can remember the days of UNP and CBK where hundreds and thousands of votes were rigged and laws were grossly ignored. Why cry only when you are in the opposition?
Deane's Dimension has a very different view of things in his post Terrorists and Government win in the rigged Eastern Polls where he states that terrorism is fine as long as the terrorists support the government.
See, it's often mistakenly thought there's a war against terror in Sri Lanka. Nonsense. Most Sri Lankans, the ruling party and particularly the president is fine with terrorrism as long as the terrorists are on ‘their’ side.

author: Nishadha Silva


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Guyana: Stop. Think. Change.   · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“If we want change, the first step towards it is to think”: The discovery of “a strange idea” leads Guyana-Gyal to be the change she wants to see.


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Haiti, USA: Food Riots and a Wedding · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haitian blogger kiskeácity is moved by former Village Voice writer Gary Dauphin's musings about Haiti and Haitianness and links to his latest piece on the food crisis “through the eyes and stories of various relatives who have traveled from Haiti to the US to attend (a) wedding…”


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India: Where there’s no water · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Memoirs of a Foreigner on visiting a slum in Delhi with no water.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Iran: An American artist in Tehran · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Homeyra writes that a solo exhibition by the Iran-based American artist Kristen Alvanson, will be held in Tehran on Friday, May 23. Her new work includes nomadic fabric chador (Persian veil) sculptures.

author: Fred Petrossian


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Iran: Bloggers’ stories in a book · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Rahgozarnameh says [Fa] that 32 stories and poems from Iranian literature/poetic blogs have been published in a book.


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Iran: Gay Life  · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Thanks to Pars Arts we can watch Arsham Parsi, founder of Iranian Queer Organization, talking about gay life in Iran.


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Iran: Hopeless people and success in 10 minutes · Global Voices
Fred Petrossian

Sagdoni writes  [Fa] that “people in Iran are very hopeless and the books such as “succes in 10 minutes” has become very popular.”


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Jamaica, USA: White House Dash  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Kadene Porter at Jamaica's Abeng News Magazine comments on the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination: “In her Darwininan dash for the White House, she (Clinton) may just plan to kick, claw, bite or scratch her way to victory.”


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Japan: Update on actions against Internet Censorship · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Shunichi Arai at Asiajin reports on the latest moves against Internet censorship in Japan.

author: Chris Salzberg


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Japan: Yushukan Museum  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Adamu blogs about his visit to a Shinto Shrine, Yasukuni Jinja, and Yushukan Museum. The Shrine is dedicated to Japan’s war dead while the museum displays the military history of modern Japan through World War II.


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Jordan: Alcohol Prices on the Increase · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Jordanian Moey  complains about the increase in alcohol prices in his country.


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Kuwait: Elections Getting Closer  · Global Voices
Abdullatif AlOmar

Kuwait is gearing up for another round of Parliamentary elections on Saturday (May 17), allowing women to cast votes and nominate themselves for the second time in the country's history.
Fifty seats are being contested in the elections, for the National Assembly (Majlis al-Umma). Kuwait's 1962 constitution calls for elections to the unicameral National Assembly every four years. Elections are held earlier if the Emir (Ruler) exercises his constitutional power to dissolve parliament. On May 21, 2006, the Emir dissolved the National Assembly through constitutional means and Kuwait held national elections on June 29, 2006. The voters selected the 50 members of the country's National Assembly and for the first time ever, women in this Arab country were able to vote. On March 19, the Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolved parliament again after constant clashes between the government and the elected MPs, and called for new elections on May 17.
Amer over at Hilaliya is blogging his ‘election tour,’ where he is going from one campaign headquarters to the other. In his latest post, he visits one of the candidates and writes:
A few nights ago I attended the campaign inauguration of a friend and former colleague of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2nd District candidate Abdullah Al-Yahya, whom I've always known to be a candid and fervent defender of the Kuwaiti democratic institution.
Amer also encourages fellow bloggers to write about the elections and says:
Now many Arabic-language blogs and some English-language blogs are already excelling at the election coverage with its smorgasbord of polemic side dishes, but many of you out there still have not taken a dip into the election lake. I urge the Kuwaiti Blogosphere – at least the ones who haven't touched on the upcoming elections to at least post one story about the upcoming elections, it could be a candidate profile, a television spot, an a campaign rally still, a humorous spoof…you decide.
Do your thing. The results might surprise you.
Meanwhile, Ducati [Ar] writes about how everything in his life now rotates around the elections, saying:
هاليومين صاير الجو انتخابي بحت
يعني احس قمنا نشرب انتخابات
ناكل انتخابات
نتنفس انتخابات
نقرا انتخابات
انام بالإنتخابات
اصحى على الإنتخابات
اقعد مع ابوي نسولف بالإنتخابات
اقعد مع امي مع يدتي نسولف بالإنتخابات
مع الدكتور مع رفيجي مع الي ينظف الشارع أيضا بالإنتخابات
حتى الإعلانات التجارية صارت ذات صبغه انتخابية
Those couple of days have been about the elections only. I feel that we are drinking elections, eating elections, breathing elections, reading about the elections, sleeping elections, waking up on the elections. I sit with my father for a chat and we talk about the elections. I sit with my mother and grandmother and we talk about the elections. I talk about the elections with my doctor too, with my friends and with the man who cleans the street. Even commercial advertisements are tainted with elections.
Last but not least, we stop with Aseel [Ar] over at the 5-Q8 blog, who sends a strong message to the women of Kuwait, urging them to use their votes wisely. She notes:

author: Abdullatif AlOmar


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Laos: Vietnam War bombs in ricefields · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

MirmurR is surprised to learn that some Lao farmers are not using some of the fields for their crops because they find more and more bombs dropped by the U.S. during the Vietnam War which can explode, injure or kill them.


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Malaysia: Sabah Fest Cultural Show · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

Life of a Borneo Gurl posts pictures of the Sabah Fest Cultural Show


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Mexico: Undocumented Immigrants Arrested Heading Back Home · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Undocumented Mexican immigrants heading south towards their home country are being arrested in a controversial law enforcement operation writes Daniel Hernandez of Intersections.

author: Eduardo Avila


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Moroccan Student in Lebanon Chronicles Life in the Middle of Political Crisis · Global Voices
Lydia Beyoud

Manal, a female Moroccan blogger studying at the American University of Beirut, has been drawing lots of attention to her blog Carpe Diem with her on going account of the rising crisis in Lebanon. Manal fills her readers in with a mix of trepidation, hope and on-the-street commentary, offering what is perhaps a rare glimpse at a foreign -though Arab- “on the ground” perspective of what's happening in Beirut. The following are extracts from several of her most recent posts:
In her most recent post dated Monday, May 12, 2008, she reacts to Sunday's relative calm following a recent ceasefire:
On ne sait pas vraiment si c’est fini pour de bon. Ici à l’université, on ne parle que de ça, de ce week-end cauchemardesque dont les souvenirs sonores résonnent encore dans nos petites têtes.
Pas de classes ce Lundi, la vie à l’université reprend petit à petit. Les débats continuent. Qu’est ce qui va se passer ? Les libanais parlent maintenant de haine ! ma voisine, jeune étudiante en nutrition, sunnite m’a dit qu’elle ne veut plus aller voir sa meilleure copine shiite qui habite le même bâtiment que nous. Elle m’a dit que cette copine a les photos de Hassan Nasrallah sur le mur de sa chambre et que si elle rentre chez elle, elle risque de les déchirer parce qu’elle ressent beaucoup de haine.
Ce matin, j’ai lu un reportage sur le monde intitulé : «  Les sunnites racontent leur humiliation ». Au moment où les leaders politiques insistent sur l’aspect purement politique du conflit, les gens dans la rue voient les choses d’une manière différente.
Comment les choses vont évoluer ? maintenant que la haine s’est installée, que tout le monde est tendu, que les sunnites se sentent humiliés et les shiites se délectent de leur victoire ! Il se passera quoi après ? et pourquoi les libanais devraient payer ce prix encore une fois ?
Ce n’est pas facile de vivre dans un pays qui compte plus de 18 sectes, une amie shiite m’a expliqué un jour pourquoi il y’a des ségrégations par quartier. Par exemple, pourquoi le quartier Hamra est à majorité sunnite, Dahiyeh est shiite, Achrafieyeh est à majorité chéritenne ? elle m’a dit que durant la guerre civile, plusieurs familles ont été assassinées par leurs voisins qui étaient d’une secte différente, pour cela, les différentes communautés ont préféré s’installer avec leur semblables pour se sentir en sécurité ! maintenant, les quartiers sont attaqués en fonction de cette répartition…Mais ce que je ne comprends pas, c’est que le fait que je sois sunnite ne veut pas dire que je soutiens le gouvernement, j’ai beaucoup d’amis sunnites qui sont avec l’opposition !
Bref, j’ai du mal à comprendre tout ça, mais j’ai vraiment peur pour ce pays. Les libanais ont assez souffert comme ça et ils n’ont pas du tout besoin d’une autre guerre ! God Bless this country.
No classes this Monday, student life is going back to normal little by little. Debates continue. What is going to happen? Now the Lebanese are speaking about hate! My neighbor, a young Sunni female nutrition student told me that she doesn't want to go see her best friend -who's Shiite- and who lives in the same building as us. She told me this friend of her has pictures of Hassan Nasrallah on her bedroom wall and that is she goes there, she might tear into them because she feels so much hatred.
This morning I read an article in Le Monde entitled: “Sunnis talk about their humiliation [fr]”. When political leaders are insisting on the purely political aspects of the conflict, people in the streets see things differently.
How are things going to evolve? Now that hatred has settled in, now that everyone is on guard, now that the Sunnis feel humiliated and the Shiites are celebrating their victory? What will come next? And why do the Lebanese have to pay this price yet again?
It's not easy living in a country that counts more than 18 religious groups; a Shiite friend explained to me one day why neighborhoods are segregated [by religion]. For example, why is the Hamra neighborhood mainly Sunni, Dahiyeh is Shiite, Achrafieyeh is primarily Christian? She told me that during the civil war, several families were murdered by their neighbors who were of different religions and, for this reason, the different communities preferred to live amongst themselves to feel more secure! Now the neighborhoods are being attacked according to these divisions…But what I don't understand is that just because I'm Sunni doesn't mean that I support the government, I have lots of Sunni friends who are with the opposition!
Anyway, I'm having a hard time understanding all this, but I really am afraid for this country. The Lebanese people have already suffered enough and they definitely don't need another war! God Bless this country.
In an earlier post entitled “A Glimmer of Hope [fr]”, Manal writes about coming out of her apartment to buy necessities and being confronted with the destruction all around her neighborhood:
On n’entend plus rien, pas de tirs, pas de chars. Les gens commencent à sortir de chez eux et la tension semble se dénouer petit à petit. Les jeunes armés du Hizbollah ne squattent plus les entrées de l’université et les choses ont l’air vraiment de se calmer.
À l’université, on commence déjà à parler d’examens et de devoirs à faire. Les super marchés ont ouverts et les rues du quartier Hamra semblent renaître de leurs cendres.
Je suis sortie ! Oui, je voulais acheter des trucs à manger. C’était triste de voir les vitres cassées, les voitures défigurées, il y’avait encore des armés dans la rue. Je me suis crue dans une scène de film, mais bon, le risque était calculé, ils ne tirent pas sur les civils.
J’ai vu des drapeaux couvrir les balcons, des drapeaux du parti socialiste progressiste je pense, je n’en suis pas sure.
Je pense que d’ici Lundi les choses rentreront dans l’ordre, et la vie au Liban reprendra son cours normal. Je pense que les Libanais sont assez sages pour ne pas foncer dans une autre guerre civile.
At the [American University of Beirut], people are already talking about exams and homework. The supermarkets are open and the streets in the Hamra neighborhood are being reborn from their ashes.
Yes, I did go out! I wanted to buy something to eat. It was sad to see the broken shop windows, the ruined cars, there were still armed men in the streets. I thought I was on a film set but oh well, the risk was calculated, they don't shoot civilians. I saw flags covering balconies, the flags belonging to the progressive socialist party, I think, but I'm not sure.
I think that come Monday things really will be back to normal and that life in Lebanon will go back to normal. I think the Lebanese are smart enough not to push themselves into another civil war.
On Thursday, May 8, 2008, Manal describes the tension felt by her fellow students during  bombings close to their school, as well as the dramatic rise in scarce commodities:
La panique dans la rue est très stressante, le regard des gens, les appels téléphoniques incessants, les portes de l’université fermées si tôt et puis surtout les tensions politiques, tout ça est très inquiétant !
Nous sommes séquestrés à l’intérieur de l’université, toutes les portes sont fermées et personne ne peut sortir ! Le son des bombes et des tirs à feu est à deux rues de là où on est et vous savez quoi, je n’arrive toujours pas à réaliser que je suis au Liban !!
La vie à l’université a repris son cours normal ce matin, bien que plus de la moitié des étudiants n’aient pas pu venir en cours ! Vers 16h, tous les yeux étaient figés pour écouter le discours du leader du Hizbollah, ses propos ont déclenché plus de violence et notre cours fut interrompu par les tirs à feu qu’on écoutait à proximité de notre faculté.
De retour à la cité, nous avons décidé d’aller acheter quelques boites de conserve et du pain au cas où la situation s’aggraverait ! Tous les supermarchés du quartier étaient fermés et les rues étaient presque  toutes désertes. Heureusement qu’une petite épicerie était ouverte, elle était pleine à craquer et devinez quoi : les prix ont doublé !
We're sequestered inside the university, all the doors are closed and no one can go out! The sound of bombs and gunfire is just two streets away and you no what, I still don't seem to realize that I'm in Lebanon!!
Life at the university went back to normal this morning, though more than half the students couldn't come to classes. Around 4 p.m. everyone's blood froze after listening to the leader of Hezbollah's speech, his remarks set off more violence and our class was interrupted by gunfire very close to our school building.
When we got back to the city, we decided to go buy a some canned food and bread in case the situation worsened! All the neighborhood supermarkets were closed and the streets were almost deserted. Luckily one small grocery store was open, but it was so full of people to the point of bursting and guess what -prices have doubled!
The next day, Friday May 9, 2008, Manal questions whether this most recent conflict will indeed spark off a second Lebanese civil war:
Un copain m’a appelé ce matin, sa voix tremblante ne m’a pas du tout rassurée…
Il m’a dit : ils sont à Hamra, le quartier où nous sommes, tu n’entends pas le son des tirs ?
Hier une personne a sorti sa mitraillette d’une fenêtre en face du bâtiment où j’habite et a tiré ! La situation devient vraiment sérieuse et jusqu’à maintenant, seules les ambassades du Koweït, de la Jordanie et de l’Arabie Saoudite ont réagi, nos collègues ont été transportés tôt le matin pour être évacués via la Syrie…
Après le speech de Saad Hariri hier, je m’étais rassurée un peu vu que son discours était très pacifique et il a proposé quelques solutions pour satisfaire l’opposition ; mais l’opposition a rejeté ses propos et ce fut comme un catalyseur pour les jeunes armés qui sillonnent les rues…
L’université Américaine de Beirut est située en plein quartier Hamra, qui est un quartier à majorité sunnite. J’habite personnellement dans la même rue de Fouad Sinioura qui est l’une des premières cibles de l’opposition !
L’université a fermé ses portes, chose qui est un peu alarmante vu que c’est une université qui ne ferme pas les jours de grève et continuait à bosser normalement même lors de la première guerre civile du Liban !!! Mon dieu, je viens de dire première !! J’espère que je ne suis pas entrain de vivre le début d’une deuxième…
Là j’entends les gens descendre leurs valises…tout le monde part, mais où ? personne ne sait !
After Saad Hariri's speech yesterday I felt a little bit reassured since his remarks were very peaceful and he proposed several solutions to satisfy the opposition; but the opposition rejected his proposals and it served as a catalyst for the young armed men roaming the streets…
The American University of Beirut is situated right in the middle of the Hamra neighborhood, a primarily sunni neighborhood. I personally live in the same street as Fouad Sinioura who's one of the opposition's first targets!
The university has closed its doors, which is a bit alarming considering that this is a university who never closes its doors during strikes and continued to go to work as usual even during the first Lebanese civil war!!! My god, I just said the first!! I hope that I'm not about to live through the start of a second…
Now I can hear people taking out their suitcases…everyone is leaving, but where to? No one knows!
Manal's blog has been closely followed by the Moroccan blogosphere, including comments wishing for her safety, preventative emergency advice, encouragements to continue with her blogging and remarks regarding the deterioration of national cohesion in Lebanon due to sectarian fighting.  Her daily chronicles attest to the sentiment that thousands within and beyond Lebanon's borders seem to be holding their breath, waiting to see what will come next.

author: Lydia Beyoud


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Pakistan, India: Voices of the oppressed · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Jahane Rumi from Pakistan on the literature of the oppressed in India.


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Pakistan: Quitting the Cabinet · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

The political situation in Pakistan takes a turn for the unpredictable. CHUP! on a member party of the coalition government quitting the cabinet.


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PangeaDay: an event lived worldwide · Global Voices
Juliana Rincón Parra

Pangea Day  took place Saturday, and people from different parts of the world got together to watch movies and be a part of the worldwide event where movies, speakers and music showed us a bit of life on the other side of the globe, uniting people from all walks of life to believe that we aren't as different as we would believe. It also included a mobile video contest, with an international lineup of winners.
From Kigali in Rwanda, one of the 5 main screening locations,  a slide-show of photographs from the event uploaded on OVI, the video and image platform used to promote PangeaDay content:From Haifa in Israel, another slide-show of the gathering to watch the event near the Caesarea Port:During the Event,the friends of Pangea website had live streaming feeds from different places in the world including US, Colombia, Italy, Japan, New Zealand. Other sites, like the Colombian Medellín PangeaDay [es] event had their own website where liveblogging, streaming video and photographs were posted during the event.
Nokia, a PangeaDay partner had the 2008 Nokia Mobile Filmmaking Awards Contest taking place along with the events, and the 5 finalists were flown into one of the 5 different screening locations. You can view the winning videos at this pangeaday OVI site.The finalists were: Rounds all around us by kayoom in India,  smile by goofylopez in Indonesia, amazing rainbows! Shot and Edited with my Nokia 93 by ruperthowe in the United Kingdom, The Game -South African Children having fun in a Video Games Room by ecachucho and Clouds Running by pierba in Italy.
The Grand Prize winner on the Pangea/Nokia OVI website is ecachucho with his video on South African children playing arcade games,  who won a trip to the Rwandan Gorilla Reserve, with a full crew to help the winner record his trip.A side draw organized between Nokia and Womworld, which results were announced by David Howell Studios, the creator of the winning video would receive a Nokia N82, a carrying case, tripod, memory card, headphones and speakers. This chosen video was Amazing Rainbows, and in his announcement he mentioned that the winner was chosen because they portrayed best the spirit of the mobile video: recording those once in a lifetime moments that could be gone and never repeat themselves.

author: Juliana Rincón Parra


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Paraguay: Independence Day in Seattle · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Ex-pat Muna Annahas writes about a Paraguayan independence day celebration in Seattle with a small group of her fellow Paraguayans. She writes, “Paraguay is that small that you alwasy find out that you are related to someone you just met.”


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Paraguay: More Communication From Lugo is Needed · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

There will be a period of four months between the time that president-elect Fernando Lugo was chosen as the next head of state and the time that he takes office. RESCATAR [es] thinks that Lugo should be providing more information to the people about his plan for the first months in office and what he has been doing since being elected.


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Philippines: Opposition sets up a blog · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

The Opposite of Apathy, the blog of young politicians from the opposition party in the Philippines.


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Russia: George Watts and Dmitry Medvedev · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Robert Mackey writes on the New York Times’ The Lede about “the ‘Voice of Russia Today'” – as well as the voice of president Dmitry Medvedev during the inauguration broadcast: “[…] George Watts, a Canadian-born announcer who emigrated to the Soviet Union in 1952 with his parents. Before the fall of communism, Mr. Watts worked for Radio Moscow’s Foreign Broadcasting Service and did some simultaneous-translation work, according to his official Russia Today biography, including serving as the English-language voice of Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev at official party congresses.”


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Saudi Arabia: Blog Anniversary  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Saudi blogger >Milyani [Ar] marks his blogs second anniversary by sharing some statistics: The average number of visits to his blog average 30,000 readers daily.


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Saudi Arabia: Just a Bag? · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Ibrahim from Saudi Arabia complains [Ar] that while companies mark their anniversaries with valuable prizes for their staff and customers, the company he works with was satisfied with giving their staff bags, made in China. They could have at least given them bags made in Italy, he writes.


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Saudi Arabia: Why Are There No Cinemas?  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

“Why are there no cinemas in Saudi Arabia?” asks Saudi blogger Hayfa [Ar], who offers us her ideas of a workable plan to make cineplexes and movie screenings compliant with her country's traditional and religious outlook.
She explains:
ما الذي يمنع وجود دور السينما في السعودية؟ للأسف عادةً يُطرح هذا السؤال في بداية النقاش لتأتي الإجابة لاحقاً متضمنة الأسباب، لكن دون إجابة مقنعة، حيث تضيع الفكرة الرئيسية ونكتفي فقط بمناقشة فكرة دور السينما بشكل عام قبل أن تصبح في السعودية. ما يخطئ به الكثيرين هو الاعتقاد الخاطئ حول فائدة السينما، فالكثيرون يعتبرونها “مجرّد” وسيلة ترفيهية، بينما هي أكثر من ذلك بكثير.. فالسينما وسيلة ثقافية قبل أن تصبح وسيلة إمتاع مثلها في ذلك مثل الكتب. ومايقدّم فيها لا يقلّ أهميّةً عن أي فنّ آخر. وليست الأفلام بالأمر الجديد علينا، فأسواق الفيديو لدينا خير شاهد على اطّلاعنا على هذا الفن، وإن كان هناك نوعٌ من الإحباط في الأفلام التي تزخر بها أسواقنا ذات الطابع الحركي والكوميدي الرخيص نظراً للاحتكار وسيطرة التجارة في هذه المسألة. الخشية تكون دائماً من المحتوى لا من دور العرض، هكذا يجب أن يكون المنطق.. فالأفكار والمشاهد تنقل بالمادّة، والسينما ليست إلا وعاء لهذه المادّة كالتلفاز تماماً وهذا الأخير ليس ممنوعاً في بلدنا. إذن لمَ التخوّف؟ ماذا لو كانت السينما بضوابط إسلامية؟ وأصبحت مواضيع الأفلام مراقبة؟.
في كل الدول تصنّف الأفلام تصنيفاً عمرياً، وهذه الطريقة تنظّم عرض الأفلام بشكل أكبر، وفي استطاعة الجهات الرقابية لدينا التحكّم بالتصنيفات العمرية بالطريقة التي تراها مناسبة. وليتم اقتطاع اللقطات غير مستحبّة كما هو حاصل الآن في شرائط الفيديو دون أن يخل هذا الاقتطاع بمسار الفيلم. ولتكن أوقات عرض الأفلام متناسبة مع أوقات الصلاة..
ولماذا لا نجد طريقة يتم فيها فصل سينما النساء والأطفال عن سينما الرجال؟ نحن لا نريد السينما لعرض ثقافة الآخر بقدر ما نريدها لإنتاج ثقافتنا الخاصة، فالسينما رسالة نستطيع توجيهها كيفما أردنا، وباستخدامنا لها سنضمن وصول صوتنا للعالم دون تشويه، كما هي آراؤهم حولنا.
What prevents the presence of cinema screening halls in Saudi Arabia? Unfortunately, this is the question poised at the beginning of every discussion for an answer which contains the reasons to follow – but the reasons are never convincing. The main idea is lost and we are content with discussing the idea of cinema halls in general before they become a reality in Saudi Arabia. What many people are misguided about is the wrong belief of the benefit of cinemas. A lot of people think that it is ‘merely’ a means of entertainment. In reality, it is more than that by a lot.. Cinema is, like books, a means of culture more than entertainment. What it presents is not lesser in importance than any other art. Films are not something new for us. The video market we have is a testimony that we are well versed in this art, even when this is a depressing reality as the videos in our market focus on action and cheap comedy because of the monopoly and commercial nature of this market. The worry is always from the content and not from the screening halls – this is how we should think logically. Thoughts come to the viewer because of the content (of those movies) and the cinema is a vehicle for this thought just as television is – and the latter is not banned in our country. What is the fear for then?
What if we presented a cinema with Islamic regulations, with the material censored? All countries categorise films based on age groups and this method regulates how films are screened in a better way. Censors can decide on the age groups suitable for each movie in the way they see suitable. They can cut the undesirable parts just as they do with video tapes and in a way which doesn't effect the proceedings of the film. And let the cinema showing timings not coincide with prayer timings.. Why can't we find a way to separate the women's and children's cinemas from the men's cinema? We don't want a cinema to showcase the culture of others, as much as we need it produce our own culture. Cinemas carry a message which we can project the way we want and by utilising it effectively, we can make the world listen to our voices without the stereotypes which mar our images in their eyes.


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Serbia: The Parliamentary Election · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

A comment to A Fistful of Euros‘ Serbian election post: “Nobody expected this result but I think the message here from a Serbian viewpoint is that the electorate didn’t buy the view that further EU integration means recognition of Kosovo by default.” BBC's Mark Mardell is following the election at Euroblog – here, here and here.  Eric Gordy is following the election at East Ethnia – here, here, here and here. Gray Falcon writes that “the only way the Democrats will have won this election is if they can somehow defeat the math that says they do not have a majority to form a government.” Greater Surbiton blogs on the Serbian Radical Party – and on the preliminary election results: “[…] This election represents a watershed; despite the recognition of Kosova, the danger of a Serbian backslide into popular extreme nationalism has been averted. […]”


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Serbia: Video Game’s Evil Serb Character · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Belgrade 2.0 writes on the Serbian main character of a video game: “killer, thug, wifebeater, childhater, beerdrinker weapons and trafficking expert and drugdealer.”


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South Korea: Mad Cow and Anti LMB · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Kotaji posted two video clips about the recent protest against the importation of U.S beef (Mad Cow) to South Korea and the issue is also directed against Lee Myung-bak's Free Trade Agreement with the U.S.

author: Oiwan Lam


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Soviet History: Music · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Wu Wei writes about “musical life in the Soviet Union.”


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Sri Lanka: Images from Burma · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Restrictions on media in Burma have meant that the world has to rely on the Burmese government broadcaster for information and visuals, explains Moving Images, Moving People.


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Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados: For Shame · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

West Indies Cricket Blog reports that “Caribbean novelist George Lamming believes the delayed appointment of Sir Frank Worrell as West Indies captain was one of the most shameful acts in West Indies cricket history.”


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Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana: Remembering Mittelholzer · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Before VS Naipaul or Samuel Selvon or Derek Walcott, there was Mittelholzer, who is regarded as one of the first professional novelists from the English-speaking Caribbean”: Trinidadian blogger Andre Bagoo observes the 43rd anniversary of the death of “this seminal Caribbean author”.


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Trinidad & Tobago: The Burden of Choice · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“In asserting women's right to choose, I wonder if we have not also lost the idea of child-bearing as a sacred responsibility, and have learned to see it as a burden which can be cast aside by ‘choice'?”: Trinidad and Tobago blogger Jeremy Taylor examines the issue of abortion.


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Turkmenistan: End of Cult? · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Maciula reports on president Berdymukhammedov’s efforts to undo his predecessor’s personality cult as the president of Turkmenistan removes the statue of his predecessor from the capital's central square.

author: Adil Nurmakov


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Ukraine: Victory Day in Kyiv · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Taras of Ukrainiana posts a photo and video report on Victory Day in Kyiv and writes about the three “dimensions” of Ukraine's involvement in WWII.


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Uruguay: Community Meeting for OLPC Information · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Fernando da Rosa was in Guichón, Uruguay where the community assembled to discuss the Ceibal Project [es], and which will be one of the sites to receive the OLPC laptops.  The meeting was to exchange information and to answer any questions from the excited public.


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Uzbekistan: Karimov Gets a Grip on GMK · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Nathan says that President Karimov has asserted greater control over the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Works (NGMK), the company that runs Uzbekistan’s largest gold and uranium mines.


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Uzbekistan: UN adds more Uzbeks to top terrorists list · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Libertad writes about new Uzbeks added to the UN consolidated list of suspects affiliated with Al Qaeda and Taliban.


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Uzbekistan: Unwanted Changes · Global Voices
Tolkun

After the disintegration of the USSR, the Soviet communist identity and ideology ceased to exist and the new countries confronted the vital problems of defining new identities and ideologies. Most of the ex-Soviet countries were quick to give up the past and embrace the new life with new national values and ideas. Uzbekistan was one of the few countries where a process of defining a new identity and setting up new national values went in a very rapid manner.
The changing cultural and political atmosphere was first reflected throughout Uzbekistan through renaming of squares, streets and parks from Soviet-type names into symbols of  either independence or national identity. All Soviet monuments were dismantled, being replaced with the heroes of Uzbek history. For the last two weeks, the Uzbek blogosphere discussed changes that were happenning in the post-Soviet period in Uzbekistan.
Provincialka at neweurasia says that Uzbekistan underwent serious changes that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and writes that the new Uzbek government headed by Islam Karimov included new holidays to country’s calendar and entirely changed the ones that used to be celebrated in Soviet times.
I look at the calendar and I'm really surprised to see the governments trying to change the history and eradicate the memory of the past… The Labor Day, May 1, that used to be widely celebrated [in Soviet times], is totally forgotten in the country. However, those citizens, who lived during the Soviet time, still remember this day…
The Victory Day, May 9, would not be celebrated if not those WWII veterans, who are still alive today. However, it is not celebrated as a Victory Day. A long time has passed since it was renamed to the Remembrance Day, a day to remember those fellow countrymen, who died due to the war and J.Stalin's repressions. Respecting the memory of those repressed and those who died on the battlefield, I would suggest to have two different days for remembering their souls [ru].
Musafirbek at neweurasia congratulates everyone with the Victory Day and says that “it does not matter how this day is called i different countries, what matters is that this victory is a result of a unity, friendship and heroism of different nations” [ru].
The new government is not only changing the holidays and streets names, but also removing old monuments. Dismantling of one of the most respected memories in Tashkent – the International Friendship monument – is one of such cases. It had been erected in memory of the Shamakhmudovs, who adopted 15 orphans in the WWII and became a symbol of generosity and humanism of the Uzbek people.
The article by Fergana.ru generated a lot of comments, where readers shared with each other their thoughts concerning the dismantling of the monument. Emigrant says:
Tell me, who needs such independence? Infrastructure of Tashkent is worsening from year to year… The Uzbek government seems to be gone mad, as it is destroying the memory and history of Uzbek nation. Politicians come and go, but memory lives forever [ru].
Another change that came to the country after the collapse of the Soviet Union is the change of the Uzbek alphabet from Cyrillic to Latin. The change brought a lot of inconveniences for Uzbek nation, as the old generation has difficulties in reading the Latin alphabet. While print media is remaining in Cyrillic, the sings, boards and ads in the streets are in Latin. The recent developments in the country show that now people are converting Russian into Latin alphabet! A blog RealUzbekistan is so far the first to raise this problem in media.
Also posted on neweurasia.

author: Tolkun


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Vietnam: Yahoo 360 Plus · Global Voices
Mong Palatino

SaigonNezumi.com notes that Yahoo 360 is one of the most popular blogging applications in Vietnam. In fact, Yahoo 360plus was launched just for the Vietnamese market


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Africa: African Fashion News · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ladybrille African Fashion News: “A weekly collection of fashion news relating to or about Africa. Some quick highlights from this week's news: a) Ghana prepares for its first ever fashion week with Coca-Cola Accra Fashion Week; b) South Africa forges fashion relationships with Asia, South Africa based Nigerian Designer Fred Eboka hopes to do a show in Nigeria and South Africa's Johannesburg's Fashion Capitol is almost complete!”


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Armenia: Royal Visit to Turkey · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Unzipped covers the Queen and Prince Philip's first visit to Turkey since 1971. As the official state visit has been taken as signifying the importance of Anglo-Turkish relations, the blog makes reference to concerns that it could also impact on the international campaign to have the 1915 massacre and deportation of Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire recognized as Genocide.

author: Onnik Krikorian


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Armenia: Sirusho Soundcheck · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

All Kinds of Everything comments on the soundcheck by Armenia's entry to the Eurovision Song Contest, Sirusho. Although reporting that her initial soundcheck was “absolutely dreadful,” the blogger says that it improved although the young singer still had problems with the high notes.


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Azerbaijan: Cleveland Cultural Garden · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Blogger Interrupted comments on the opening of an Azerbaijani cultural garden in Cleveland. The blogger wonders why with a 100-strong Azerbaijani community such an initiative was taken.


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Bahamas, Cuba: RSVP · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As an email exchange with the Cuban Ambassador gets heated, Rick Lowe at WeblogBahamas.com says: “I guess my hopes of returning to Cuba are now done.”

author: Janine Mendes-Franco


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Bangladesh: Democracy and Disasters · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Unheard Voices on the idea of democracy in managing disasters.


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Bermuda: Media Spend · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As the electronic media pool in Bermuda gets smaller, Politics.bm says: “I think it's safe to say that the most visited electronic medium for locals is The Royal Gazette‘s website.  I'm yet to see any Government ads there, which…reinforces what everyone knows but Government can't admit: it's about shutting down non-compliant media.”


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Bolivia: Plaza John Paul II in Oruro · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Hugo Miranda writes about and takes photos of the opening of the Plaza John Paul II in Oruro, Bolivia [es]. The public space is presented twenty years after the Pope visited the city.


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Caucasus: US Immigration · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Social Science in the Caucasus examines statistics released by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service on the number of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas issued to citizens from the three South Caucasus countries. According to that data, Armenia has the most number of visas issued with Georgia second and Azerbaijan third.


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China: Amnesty Video Controversy  · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The Angry Chinese blogger discusses the recent controversy on Amnesty International video on China human rights.


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China and Singapore: Media Rule · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Sunbin comments on Lee Kuan Yew's advice to China on western media rule concerning the recent Tibet riot.


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China: Earthquake Update · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Shanghaiist frequently provides updates on Chendgu's earthquake news.


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China: QQ Message on Primer · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

The China Primer Wen Jiabo has rushed to Sichuan to lead the earthquake relief. In the QQ, someone claimed to be near the Primer to a QQ group. In the messages (via kisshi), it said Wen asked the PLA to devote their lives for the disaster relief in tear [zh]. It is unclear whether it is a genuine account.


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Egypt: Sad Day for Syria  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Egyptian blogger Zeinobia reports that Syrian blogger Tariq has been sentenced to jail for three years for criticising security authorities.

author: Amira Al Hussaini


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Ethiopia: Ethiopians for Obama · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Teddy writes about Ethiopians supporting Barack Obama: “What started off with Maeza Siraj over a year ago when she created Ethiopians for Obama on barackobama.com has blossomed into thousands of Ethiopian-Americans working in multiple states to be a part of a historical moment.”


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Georgia: Needless Confrontation? · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

Penny for your Thoughts comments on the opinion that support for Georgia in its current conflict with Abkhazia risks bringing the United States into needless confrontation with Russia. The blog says that contrary to that view, there are strategic reasons why Washington should support Tbilisi in its continuing spats with Russia.


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Georgia: Political Advertising · Global Voices
Onnik Krikorian

My Caucasus Knot comments on the price of political advertising ahead of this month's parliamentary election in Georgia and compares the situation with that during elections in Armenia. Despite concerns with higher than normal rates for the pre-election campaign period in Armenia, the costs in Georgia are comparatively astronomical.


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Guatemala: Creative Commons Draft Licenses Enter Public Discussion · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

The draft for the Guatemalan Creative Commons licenses that will be adapted to Guatemalan law enters public discussion [es] writes Javier Aroche.


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Haiti, Trinidad & Tobago: Calypsoes for Obama · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Haitian blogger kiskeácity notices that “there appears to be yet another calypso anthem to Barack.”


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Hong Kong: Woman’s Webmagazine · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

A new woman webmagzine called Softcopy has been launched in Hong Kong.


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Hungary: Anti-Semitism and Foreign Media · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum and Pestiside.hu discuss foreign media coverage of anti-Semitism in Hungary.

author: Veronica Khokhlova


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Hungary: Attitudes Toward Competition · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Hungarian Spectrum writes about competitiveness, self-respect and self-confidence in Hungary.


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India: Bomb blasts in Jaipur · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

SAJA Forum links to news about the bomb blasts in Jaipur, India.


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India: In conversation with Pico Iyer · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Kamla Bhatt podcasts an interview with the author, Pico Iyer.


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Jamaica: Hot Hot Hot! · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Both Stunner's Afflictions and Montego Bay Day by Day say that temperatures are getting too hot to handle in Jamaica.


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Japan: Menu items on DoCoMo mobile phones up for bidding · Global Voices
Chris Salzberg

Blogger smashmedia comments [ja] on a CNET article [ja] explaining that mobile carrier DoCoMo is planning to change the ordering of certain “i-menu” items on mobile phones to reflect the size of monetary bids from companies, rather than reflect preferences of users.


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Kazakhstan: Kashagan to Be Two Years Late. Again · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

Adam reports that the consortium developing the giant Kashagan oil field in Kazakhstan's Caspian Sea shelf proposes to postpone the start of production to 2012-2013 from 2011.


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Kenya: AfriGadget Innovator Series · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Ntwiga interviews Simon Mwacharo, a Kenyan entrepreneur: “Simon owns and runs CraftSkills, a small business based in Nairobi, Kenya that focuses on designing and building self-sustaining renewable energy projects in places not accessible to the electric grid. Craftskills had to date undertaken challenging projects in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon and Rwanda among other places.”


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Korea: Youth hold Candlelight Vigils against US Beef Imports · Global Voices
Hyejin Kim

Since the beef trade between South Korea and the U.S. was recently negotiated after the new President Lee Myung Bak’s visit to the U.S., and the concern of mad cow disease from imported meats upset Korean society, those issues have caused complaints against the new President to balloon and mingle with other new policies. A portal site that started a signature-seeking campaign to impeach the president has received 1.2 million signatures on the 6th of May and the number has been rapidly increasing. In addition, candlelight vigils in downtown Seoul have been starting for two weeks. A noticeable part of the vigils this time is that the majority of people attending are teenagers and their active participation seems to shock the older generation.
The candlelight vigil this weekend is like a festival with entertainers’ participation and teenagers’ performances.
A netizen demonstrates in detail why people are mad and can’t help but to be against the government.
연일 광우병 때문에 시끄럽다. 정부는 과학적 근거없는 괴담이 떠돌고 있다며 믿을 수 없는 인터넷 소통과 그 배후에 반미 좌파가 있다며 이를 집중 공격하고 있고 조중동을 비롯한 거대 일간지는
대중들이 인터넷이라는 감성의 도구를 활용하여 마구잡이식 괴담을 퍼뜨리고 있다고 일침을 놓고 있다. 마치 무지몽매한 중생을 계몽하듯이. 그러나 분명 밝히고 싶은 것은 우리가 집중하고 울분하는 문제는 출처를 알 수 없는 괴담이 유발하는 공포가 아니라는 점이다. 가슴 깊은 곳에서 우러나는 분노와 한숨의 근원을 왜 좌파의 책동이라는 정략과 과학이란 명분을 내세워 덮어버리려 하는가? 정부는 우리가 무엇 때문에 분노하는지 직시하고 우리의 분노를 괴담으로 호도하지 말라.
1. 우리의 검역주권은 어디로 갔는가?
이번 협상으로 인해 미국에서 광우병이 발생해도 한국은 자의적으로 수입을 중단할 수 없게 되었다.
만보 양보해서 미국에서 문건 상 광우병 발병 회수가 단 세 건뿐이었으니 안심해도 좋다고 치자.
그렇다 하더라도 아직 그 정도와 심각성이 완전히 알려지지 않은 병에 대해서는 ‘만약'이라는 가정과 그런 일이 생길 수 있다는 ‘개연성’ 만으로도 자국민의 건강을 우선적으로 고려한 검역과 협상의 가이드라인을 정하는 것이 현재 대부분 나라들에서 하는 식품에 관한 협정 및 검역 권한이다.'미국 내 소에서 단 세 마리'라는 드러난 수치는 과학이고,국제 협정 상에서 다른 나라들이 누리는 식품에 관한 협정 및 검역 권한은 비과학이란 말인가.검역주권을 포기하고 나서 내세우는 변명치곤 너무 치졸하지 아니한가?
2. 미국인은 미국산 소고기를 먹으면서 두려워하지 않는데 왜 한국인만 호들갑스런 공포에 휩싸이는가? 오! 정말 좋으신 의견이시다.그러나 중요한 점은 미국내에서 식탁용으로 도축되는 소고기들은 20개월 이하의 소라는 점이다. 광우병 발병 소는 90%이상 30개월 이상의 소이다. 육류를 주식으로 하는 미국인들이 그나마 광우병에서 안전한 20개월 이하의 소를 먹으면서 굳이 공포에 떨 이유는 무엇인가?
이런 이유 때문에 작년까지의 한국 정부는30개월 이하의 원칙을 고수했던 것이다. 광우병으로부터 보호할 수 있는 최소한의 안전장치였기 때문에.
3. 미국에서 월령 표시를 하니까 30개월 이상 소고기는 안 사먹으면 된다?
오호~~ 미국의 월령표시방법이 이번 협상 과정에서 어떻게 바뀌셨는지는 왜 말씀 안 하시는가?
5월 6일 손석희의 시선집중(관심있으신 분은 꼭 다시듣기 해보시길 바란다)을 듣다 거품 물고 쓰러지는 줄 알았다. 그간의 미국 월령표시는 미국내 검역을 통해 이루어졌다. 다시 말하면 미국 공무원이 월령 표시를 했고 공무원의 월령표시는 미국이 법적으로 인정하는 것이므로 거짓으로 월령표시를 하거나 월령표시를 잘못했을 경우 그에 대한 책임을 미국측에 물을 수 있다. 그러나 새롭게 타결한 조항에서는 소의 월령표시를 민간 도축업자에게 맡긴다. 민간 도축업자이기 때문에 그가 개인적 이득을 취하기 위해 월령을 속여 수출해도 그것을 확인할 방법도, 확인한다 하더라도 미국측에 공적인 책임을 물을 방법이 없다. 오직 미국 도축업자가 상도덕을 지닌 윤리적 사업가이길 기도해야 한다.
4. 광우병 위험부위는 제거하고 먹으면 된다?
작년까지 정부는 30개월 이하 소라 하더라도 갈비뼈에서는 광우병 위험물질이 검출될 가능성이 있다는 개연성만으로３０개월 이하는 갈비뼈도 안 된다며 무조건 갈비뼈가 포함되면 수입 중단을 시켰다.
그러나 이제 갈비뼈 뿐만 아니라, 그동안 절대 안 된다고 했던 척수나 내장 같은 위험한 부위들이 다 들어오게 되었다. ２８개월 이하의 소의 척수，즉 척수신경에선 프리온이라는 광우병을 유발하는 물질이 발견됐다고 정부 보고서에도  정확하게 나와 있다. 그래서 그간의 정부는 3０개월 이하라도 등뼈나 내장 같은 위험부위는 절대 수입을 해서는 안 된다라고 주장을 했던 것이다. 그러나 이젠 등뼈가 포함된 T본 스테이크 수입을 눈앞에 두고 있다. 등뼈가 포한된 T본 스테이크마저 수입개시 180일 간만 월령표기를 하게 협상을 했단다. 더군다나 미국에서는 소의 사료로 쓰이는 내장까지 다 수입하기로 했단다.
다시 한번 말한다. 우리는 미국산 쇠고기 = 광우병 고기라는 등식을 세우고 미친소를 수입하려 한다고 분노하는 것이 아니다. 제발 그 똑똑한 머리와 찬란한 글발로 우리 분노의 본질을 호도하지 말라!!! 미국에서 광우병이 발병했던 게 현실이고, 미국에서 소를 사육할 때 동물성 사료를 사용하고 있는 것 또한 현실이다. 그렇다면 광우병 발병의 개연성을 미리 상정하고 이에 대해 국민을 보호할 수 있는 최소한의 장치는 마련하고 수입을 재개해야 할 것이 아닌가? 우리가 분노하는 것이 쇠고기 수입 자체가 아닌,
수입 협상에 임한 자세와 협상 조건에 대한 문제라는 것을 왜 모르는 척 하는가?[…]
A father talks about his daughter’s participation in the candlelight vigils and their connection.
제 딸은 고3입니다. 지난 번에는 친구들과 몰래 청계천에 갔었는데, 오늘은 떳떳하게 청계천에 간다고 두통의 문자가 왔습니다.[…] 더 이상 애기하지 않기로 했습니다.요즘 이런 문제로 집집이 아빠와 갈등을 겪는 자녀들이 많은가 봅니다.자녀들이 불을 지폈으니 해결되지 않으면 손에 공부도 잘 잡히지 않은가 봅니다.
자랑스럽기도 하고 안쓰럽기도 합니다.저역시 예전에 옳다 생각하고 선생님이나 누가 말려도 길이 길이 뛰어 다녔던 모습을 생각해 보니…….역사의 큰 진보 뒤에는 어린 젊은 학생들이 있었음을 새삼 느낍니다.저도 오늘 청계천 갑니다.딸하고 만나 같이 들어오려고 합니다.
I feel proud of them, but also feel sorry for them. I thought of my time when I also did what I thought right no matter what my teachers said…. I recognize that there have been always young students at the rear of the big progress of history. I am going to Cheongyecheon today and will come back with my daughter together.
It is quite interesting to observe that not a few netizens who participated demonstrations in the 1980s and 1990s talk about how they feel about active participations of teenagers this time.
촛불문화제를 언론을 통해서보고 직접가서 보면서 86년 민주화 항쟁때 생각이 계속 오버랩되네요~~! 저는 당시 고1, 제 형님은 고3이었습니다. 부산에서 학교를 다녔고 부모님은 부산진시장에서 작은 잡화점을 운영했어요~~! 당시 가장 격렬한 집회의 중심엔 늘 부산이 있었고 그중에도 오바브릿지(당시 부산사람들은 그렇게 불렀습니다. 지금 부산국제신문사 앞)는 정말 치열의 극치를 달렸습니다. 부산 서면쪽에서 운집한 신민들이 부산시청과 미국문화원이 있는 남포동과 대규모 광장이 있는 부산역으로 진출하는것을 막는 최후의 보루 역할을 했기 때문이지요~~!
처음에는 대학생들과 일부 시민들이 주축이 되어서 집회가 진행되었습니다. 늘 그 오버브릿지를 넘지 못하고 좌절되었습니다. 경찰들의 엄청난 최루탄 공격에 번번히 물러나고 시위 참가자들은 잔인하게 끌려가면서 집회가 끝나는 반복의 스토리였습니다. 그러던 집회가 단 하루만에 역적되었습니다. 당시 고등학생을 주축으로 하는 핵생 부대의 등장이었습니다. 당시는 교복 자율화 세대라 짧은 머리에 가방을 뒤로 묶은 학생들이 대거 오버브릿지로 몰려들었습니다. 그들의 순수한 열정이 그리고 뜨거운 가슴이 수업거부와 민주화를 외치며 오버브릿지로 행하게 했습니다. 그속엔 저도 저의 형님고 있었습니다. 당시엔 촛불대신 태극기와 돌맹이가 들여있었습니다.(지금 여러분이 들고 계신 촛불이 더욱 아름다운거 아시저..??) […]
한살 한살 나이를 먹어가면 가슴속의 열정도 머릿속의 이상과 꿈도 점점 차갑게 식어 가는것을 느낌니다. 그렇게 차갑게 식어버린 가슴과 머리를 다시 뜨겁게 만들수 있는것은 아직은 순수하고 뜨거운 여러분인거 같습니다. 86년 여러분들의 선배가 여러분들의 미래를 위해 당시 닫혀버린 어른들의 가슴에 문을 두드렸듯 오늘 여러분들이 이시대에 살고 있는 그때는 뜨거웠지만 식어 버린 선배들 일깨워 주세요~~! 그리고 그것이 20년뒤 여러분의 후배가 보다좋은 대한민국에서 살수 있는 토대를 만들어 줄껍니다. 학생 여러분 감사합니다. ^^;;
At first, college students and civilians led the demonstration. But we couldn’t cross the Overbridge all the time. We had to retreat because of aggressive tear bombs from the police. And demonstration participants were brutally arrested. But one day, there was a rebellion. Short hair cut students carrying their bags on the back dashed off to the Overbridge. Their pure passion and heart led them to refuse to attend classes and cry out for democratization and they headed to the Overbridge. My brother and I were there too. At that time, instead of candles, we had to carry the national flag and stones (but do you know the candles you carry now are much more beautiful?)[…]
As I’m getting older, passion in my heart and ideals and dreams in my mind got cooler. But it makes my cold heart and mind hotter again seeing you still have pure and hot hearts. Like we in 1986 knocked down the doors of adults who closed their minds, you guys do for us who already have cold minds in this period~~! And then I am sure that will be better Korea for younger people twenty years later. You students, thanks^^;;
It’s easy to find netizens with both fresh impressions and concerns about the young participants.
이번 촛불 집회를 보면서  많은 청소년들을 보게 됐습니다. 솔직히 첨에는  학생들이 뭘 알아서 나왔을까 하는게 저의 첫느낌이었습니다. 인터넷만 알고 남의 문제는 무시하고 즉흥적이면서, 부족한 인내심. 철저한 자기위주, 요즘 어른들이 만든 대중음악 컨텐츠의  희생량, 등등 (화내지 말구여.ㅡ,ㅡ)….
혹시 정부에서 여러분들을 저 같이 생각하지 않을까? 하는게 저 걱정입니다.
여러분에겐 인터넷이란 최고의 무기가 있습니다. 이번 미친소 파장을 단지 한번 지나가느 이슈라 생각마시고 이번 기회를 통해 못 접해봤던 여러가지 역사적사실.왜곡. 등을 당신에게 도움될수 있는 방향으로 많은 지식의 습득이 있었슴 좋겠습니다. 그래야 승부할만 하지 않겠습니까.? 여러분들의 노고에 감사할따름,,
What I’m worried is that the government might have the same feeling I had the first time.
You guys have the best weapon, the Internet. I hope that you can get a lot of knowledge that will help you, such as historical issues and distortion. I hope that you don’t take this issue of cow mad disease as a temporary one. Then we can challenge… I appreciate your efforts.
Photo From Pressian
A teenager netizen elaborates well on how youngsters feel about this issue and about the adults who chose the current government.
저는 부산의 고3학생입니다. 최근 중앙일보 1면 기사들을 보면 참..어이가 없더군요. 불시위에 가담한 것은 주로 중 고등학생이라며 치 철없는 아이들의 잠깐의 분노 따위로 취급하는 뉘앙스를 풍기더군요. 정부도 역시 중고등학생들이 아무것도 모르면서 그저 군중심리로 여론에 이끌려서 이유없는 반대를 하고 있다고 치부하고 있는데… 물론 저희는 아직 어리고 광우병에 대한 깊은 과학적 지식을 가진것도 아닙니다. 하지만 지금 뭔가 잘못 되가고 있다는 것은 알고 있습니다. 저는 정치시간에 대의정치란 국민이 선출한 대표가 국민의 뜻을 대변하여, 국민을 대신하여 정치하는 것이라 배웠습니다. 국민은 선거를 했고, 2MB를 선출했습니다.  그런데 지금 2MB가 국민의 의견을 대표하고 있습니까? 이게 바로 된 정치입니까? 제가 배우고 있는 정치가 맞냐는 말입니다. 저희는 정치가 이딴거라고 배우지 않았습니다. 이명박 대통령님. 당신은 당신 ‘소신'대로 행동해선 안됩니다. 국민의 ‘소신'대로 행동하셔야 합니다. 왜 학생들을 무시하는 건가요. 대한민국의 민주화 운동 역시 학생이 주가 되었습니다. 80년대의 학생들이 한것은 민주화 운동이고 우리가 하는 것을 한 때 장난입니까?
[이명박 정부가 미국산 쇠고기 수입을 반대하며 연일 수만명의 시민이 자발적으로 참여하고 있는 촛불문화제를 ‘불순한 세력의 정치적 의도에 따른 것'으로 폄훼해 논란이 예상된다. 특히 이명박 정부는 촛불문화제에 중고생들이 대거 참석한 것에 대해 “놀이문화가 부족해서”라는 ‘엉뚱한’ 해석을 내놔, 비판을 자초하고 있다는 지적이다.]
지금 저희가 시위하는 게 ‘놀이'로 보이십니까.어른들이 너무 원망스럽습니다. 2mb뽑은 어른들도 원망스럽지만 뽑을 사람 없다며 선거 안한 어른들도 원망스럽습니다.탄핵? 협상 무효화? 솔직히 가능성 정말 희박하다는 거, 알고 있긴 합니다.그래도 시위해야 합니다. 조금이라도 바꿔야 합니다.문화제라는 말 따윈 집어치워 버립시다. 우린 시위하는 겁니다.사법 처리 하신다구요. 정말 5공 다시 들어 서는 건가요? 전국민이 시위하면 전재산 29만원이신 그 분을 본받아 똑같이 행동하실 건가요. 우린 시위해야 합니다. 국민 의사 왜곡이 더 이상을 일어나지 않아야 합니다.대운하, 의료보험 민영화, 인터넷 종량제….여러분 아직 싸워야 할 것이 이렇게 많습니다. 이번만큼은 냄비근성, 버립시다.어른들이 뽑았잖습니까. 지금 이게 무슨 꼴입니까. 중고등학생들이 더 열심히 시위하고 운동하는게 맞는 형국입니까. 부끄럽지도 않으세요? “어짜피 안되는데.”  “말세로다” 하면서 한숨만 푹푹 쉬고 계시지 마시라구요. 더 나서주세요. 시위해 주세요. 포기하지 말아주세요. 이명박 대통령님. 하루에 3시간 주무신다면서요. 그러지마세요. 충분히 숙면을 취해주세요. ‘두 달만에 전국민시위’ 이런 신기록 말고 좀 좋은 신기록 좀 세워주세요.
[‘The Lee Myung Bak government criticized the candlelight vigils that several hundred thousands of people attend, for being from ‘the bad intention by impure groups.’ In particular, the government interpreted that the reason why middle and high school students attend these vigils so much is because they don’t have enough playing culture. These comments are expected to cause more criticisms.’]
Do you think the demonstrations we do now are just ‘play’? I feel bitter against adults. I not only feel the grudge against adults who selected 2MB, but also who didn’t participate in the election. Impeachment? Invalidation of the negotiation? I know it could be rare. But we should demonstrate. We should try to change something. Don’t call our candlelight vigils cultural activities. We’re doing strikes. You said that you will treat us according to the law. Was the fifth republic restored? If we keep doing this, are you going to treat us like a man who insists on having 290,000 won (US 300 dollars) as his whole property (the president of the fifth republic regime: editor)? We should let them misinterpret people’s opinions. Great canal, privatization of medical insurance, the meter-rate system of the internet… We still have so many things to fight. Please don’t forget so fast. Didn’t adults select him? What’s going on right now? Now middle and high school students have demonstrations. Aren’t you adults shamed? Please speak out. Don’t give up. President Lee Myung Bak, you said that you’re sleeping just three hours per day. Please don’t do that. Sleep enough. Please make good records, not like a new record, ‘demonstrations all over the country within two months of the new administration.’

author: Hyejin Kim


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Kuwait: The Elections and Phd Holders  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Purgatory, from Kuwait, notes that many of those running for seats in the May 17 parliamentary elections hold Phds and high degrees.


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Kyrgyzstan: A Slow Time · Global Voices
Elena Skochilo

The May month traditionally comes to Kyrgyzstan with the holiday days. 1st May is the Labor Day, 5th May is the Constitution’s Day and on 9th May Kyrgyzstan celebrates Victory’s day. These day the life of Kyrgyzstan is rather quiet and slow.
On 1st May, the Communist’s party held the short meeting at the Old Square in Bishkek. There were a lot of people who held the portraits of Lenin and the old soviet flags. It was really strange demonstration, because the communists also hung the scarecrow of the president of USA George Bush during the meeting.
Lj-user Lvenks even called [ru] this demonstration as “a parade of the insane”.
Esterinna told [ru]:
“I can’t believe my eyes. Is it possible that somewhere people are holding the portraits of Lenin?”
A member of the Communist’s party Sergei Kozhemjakin aka kojemyakin explained why they hung the scarecrow of the president of USA George Bush [ru].
“This scarecrow with the face of George Bush is a symbol of the main capitalistic power – USA. The Labor Day or the Day of the defence of the working-people is the best day to jeer at the capitalism, because the capitalism is the main enemy of the working-people”.
It looks as if the Constitution’s Day was celebrated by only officials, because no Kyrgyz bloggers told about this day.
But there was a start of the AFC Challenge Cup qualifies at 5th May also and this event was more interesting. Blogger Azzzik has made really good photos of the games.
Bekulia commented the game of Kyrgyzstan with Afghanistan [ru]:
“Photo really good reproduced the game’s aura. I feel if I looked this game myself. I am very sad for our guys; they really wanted to win the game”.
During the holiday week ex-prime-minister Felix Kulov were appointed the head of the directorate of the project about the development small and medium energy sources of Kyrgyzstan.
Politicized users of Diesel Forum responded to this news instantly.
Bekson told [ru]:
“This project should be one of the departments at the Ministry of the energetic. What for do the officials produce so much projects, agencies and directorates?”
Seraf thought [ru]:
“They will build the small hydroelectric power stations and will start to export the energy. But the prime cost will be more expensive and it won’t facilitate the deficiency of the electricity on the internal market. One good thing about this is the work places only”.
On the Victory’s Day a lot of bloggers posted the congratulations to the war veterans.
911 steroids said [ru]
“I think, this is the only holiday when we are getting closer and kinder. My congratulations for you, our dear war veterans!”
Also posted on neweurasia.

author: Elena Skochilo


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Kyrgyzstan: Re-writing History · Global Voices
Adil Nurmakov

The Azamat Report analyzes some individual attempts to rewrite history of Kyrgyzstan, and says that these attempts are mostly unsuccessful mainly because of Russia's growing influence.


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Latvia: Hockey · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Latvian Abroad writes about Latvian hockey and hockey fans – here and here.


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Latvia: “Salad-Washing” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Latvian Abroad writes on how Latvia's biggest supermarket chain “has shot itself in a foot.”


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Lebanon: Back to sectarianism · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“People are now being forced, many times against their will, back into their religiously dominated sectarian camps for protection. This has often heartbreaking personal consequences,” writes Manuela Paraipan about her experiences in the Lebanese conflict.

author: Moussa Bashir


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Lebanon: Biased media · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

Tantalus writes on titles and articles that are not objective in untrustworthy media.


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Lebanon: Conflict is beyond sectarianism · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“His [Nasrallah] words highlighted a deep political divide that goes beyond sectarianism, which pits those who see Lebanon as prey to a Western plot to dominate the region against those who see the chief plotters as Iran and Syria,” notes Burghol on the conflict in Lebanon.


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Lebanon: “Coup d’état”  · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“This seems to be shaping up to be a full-scale coup d'état by Hezbollah with the support of the army,” says the Human Province about the conflict in Lebanon.


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Lebanon: Entering a new phase · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“The short, but violent civil war of the past three days will be followed by a grander civil war that may take years … a civil war for hearts and minds. For it is only with the trust of the Lebanese people can Hizballah truly rule this country,” writes Antun on the inevitable demise of “March 14 Movement”.


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Lebanon: Kosher for an Israeli Attack  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Lebanon is now kosher for an Israeli attack, warns Lebanese blogger Antoun.


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Lebanon: The Lighter Side of War  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Breaking the silence, Moussa Bashir, from Lebanon, shares some jokes he has translated from Arabic on the current explosive political situation on the ground.


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Lebanon: “Unsung heroes” · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“Another, silent army has deployed, clad in bright green: the Sukleen cleaners. Many come from India, Bangladesh, or Sri lanka, and they are here, in the middle of this conflict, to clean the Beiruti's mess,” writes Rami Zurayk about the garbage collectors in Beirut.


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Lebanon: “We did not stage a coup” · Global Voices
Moussa Bashir

“If we wanted to stage a coup, you would have woken up this morning in prison, or in the middle of the sea. We do not want that. It is a political issue, with a political solution through early elections,” Jnoubiyeh quotes S. Hassan Nassrallah's comment directed to the Lebanese government.


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Lithuania: EU Politics · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lituanica writes about the EU-Russia relationship and “the first time Lithuania has dared to fight for its interests in the EU with such fervour.”


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Lithuania, Russia: May 9 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lituanica writes on Victory Day in Moscow – and in Vilnius, where “the two remaining Soviet statues in the centre of Vilnius were vandalised” on May 9.


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Lithuania, Spain: “Sevilnius” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Babel in Vilnius compares the Lithuanian capital with Seville.


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Morocco, Israel, and Palestine: A Unique History · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

Since the Nakba and Israel's claim of independence 60 years ago, Israel and Morocco have had an interesting relationship.  Prior to the creation of an Israeli state, Morocco had a large, if not thriving, Jewish population.  Within a decade of Israeli independence, however, a large percentage of Morocco's Jews emigrated to Israel.  Today, Morocco officially has one of the best relationships with Israel of any predominantly Muslim nation, in part due to King Hassan II's efforts to promote peace in the region.  Yet, under the surface of diplomatic relations, much of the population staunchly supports Palestine.  Here's what a few Moroccan bloggers have to say on this, the 60th anniversary of Israeli independence.
Hisham of Al Miraat/The Moroccan Mirror laments the Palestinian situation but sees hope:
Sixty years after the Nakba the picture in Palestine is depressing, to say the least. But over the last decade or so, we've witnessed a dynamic of renaissance and awakening amongst the justice and peace camp, and the breaking down of some important taboos which served so far, helping Israel get away with its crimes against not only the Palestinian people but also against justice and History.
Many signs of hope are appearing. The shield of omerta and intellectual terrorism is cracking. More and more people are speaking out, and the cosy protection offered by the Israel lobby is fading away little by little.
He later adds:
The general thrust these days is: “Oh, come on, it's all in the past, nobody's interested any more, it didn't work, everyone knows what the Americans and Israelis are like, but stop being naive, this is the world, there's nothing to be done about it and anyway **** it, who cares?” But let me put it this way-the dead are still looking at us, waiting for us to make justice.
You better keep hope and smile for Palestine!
The interior of a synagogue in Sefrou, Morocco
Abdelilah Boukili of Regular Comments Based on Issues Raised by BBC World Haveyoursay just wants Israel to behave fairly:
The Middle East needs the birth of a really peaceful policy for everyone to live in peace. While Israel is counting the years since it was born, others are counting the deaths it has inflicted on the Palestinians, making the two sides look like Tom and Jerry. They can’t feel at ease without playing cat and mouse, just for the fun of it or by being serious about it.
One thing is sure. Israel is now a fact. It’s a fait accompli whether its enemies like it or not. But still it has to show more resilience towards the Palestinians as it is now in a strong position. Capitalizing on their weaknesses to go ahead with its intransigent policies will just perpetuate the current conflict.
So let’s hope that in its next birthday, Israel will have grown into a state with internationally recognised borders and the Palestinians have their free state instead of continuing to feel as Israel’s collective prisoners.
In related news, A Moro in America comments on a tourism initiative between Morocco, Israel, and Spain:
A new joint tourist project by Israel, Morocco and Spain will trace the footsteps of the Rambam (Maimonedes), the 12th-century Torah scholar and philosopher.
Tzemach invited Moroccan Tourism Minister Muhammad Bushid on Monday to visit Israel to discuss cooperation and to examine the initiative to launch a regional tour based on the Rambam.
The initiative was first presented to the Moroccan Tourism Ministry during the Euromed, a convention of the tourism ministries of Europe and Mediterranean countries that was held in Paris in March. The ministries have expressed their willingness to assist in the project.
Creative Commons-licensed photo by Omer Simkha

author: Jillian C. York


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Palestine: Blogging for Palestine on May 15th · Global Voices
Jillian C. York

May 15, 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of the Nakba or commemoration of the displacement of Palestinians from what is now Israel. Of course, for Israelis the date signifies the 60th anniversary of their country's independence. And for bloggers, May 15 signifies Palestine Day.
za3tar, the organizer of the initiative, explained the purpose in a post saying:
Dear all,
May 15th of this year is the 60th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba –which marked the beginning of the modern age Palestinian plight and suffering. This date is remembered annually on local, regional, and global levels.
I am certain that many in the blogosphere will dedicate some posts to commemorate this tragic event. However, inspired by the success of the “Blog About Jordan Day” initiative, i would like to start a formal initiative to encourage everybody to dedicate one post on Thursday, May 15th, to talk about Palestine or the Palestinian Experience.
There are no restrictions on what you can write, or the language that you can use. Really, anything that talks about Palestine, or the Palestinians; in the past, present, or future; political, social, economical, or any other aspect is welcomed. The goal of this event will be to share thoughts, and raise awareness about the Palestinian situation. Hopefully, with everyone’s support, this will be such a spectacular event that it will catch the eye of the mainstream media (specially that the Palestinian situation is inadequately and incorrectly represented in most of the western media outlets).
bruised earth is encouraging fellow bloggers to take part:
With May 15th fast approaching – and with it the 60th Anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba – a wonderful initiative dubbed ‘Blog About Palestine Day’ will take place encouraging sites and bloggers to write something, anything having to do with Palestine and the Occupation. This is a great chance to get behind an online movement – and bruisedearth.org will of course be proud to take part.
Sugar Cubes will also be blogging that day, and suggests topics:
On the 15th of May, bloggers everywhere will unite through blogging to help raise awareness about the Palestinian cause and what happened (and is still happening) 60 years ago on the 15th of May, 1948.
Your post could be a picture, an article, a video, a poem or something you’d like to say
In addition to the blogging, a Facebook group has been created to document May 15.  The group informs readers:
You don't have to be a Palestinian or an Arab to participate. You could offer your views as a non-Palestinian on the issue. We just seek to get the word out and inform people about us.


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China: “Strolling” for the Environment · Global Voices
Kelly Proctor

Earlier this month, before an earthquake killed thousands, about 400 to 500 people in Chengdu, China took to the streets to protest the construction of a proposed petrochemical plant, calling their outing a “stroll” to get around applying for a permit to protest. The event was organized through cell phones, text messages and blogs, and mimics earlier events in Xiamen and Beijing. The New York Times had a story about environmental protests last week. Six people were arrested (Danwei provides more links).
Beijing-based lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan praised the “strolling” method of voicing opinions on his blog:
“散步”不是集会、游行、示威，“散步”是具有中國特色的维权方式，但愿有关部门能给市民一个表达意见的“散步”空间，更愿政府能够重视市民“散步”表达出来的意见。
“Stroll” is not an assembly or demonstration. It’s a unique way of practicing civil rights in China. I wish related government departments could allow the citizens a space for “strolling” and expressing their opinion, and more importantly, the government could respect citizens’ opinions expressed through the “strolls”.
China Digital Times has the full translation. They also report Liu's blog has encountered some censorship.
Many in southwestern China are reeling from Monday's earthquake. A new up-and-coming website called Fractor bills itself as a “simple, groundbreaking web application” that promises to connect well-meaning people with ways to help people affected by disasters world-wide.
Rich Brubaker on the blog Crossroads, which looks at corporate social responsibility in China, posts video links to the PBS series “Shifting Nature“, telling us about the casualties of lightning-speed economic growth in China. It has some pretty high-level interviews, including ones with Pan Yue, China's outspoken environmental leader with the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
And, lastly, a million and a half Chinese children have taken part in a painting contest, held by the United Nations Environment Programme. The painting by last year's grand prize winner, Charlie Sullivan from the UK, is below.

author: Kelly Proctor


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Peru: Scam Leads Readers to Believe of War With Chile · Global Voices
Eduardo Avila

Eduardo Villanueva of Casi Un Blog Mk II [es] writes about a phishing scam that attempts to lead readers to believe that Chile declared war on neighboring Peru.


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Poland: The Liban Quarry, Schindler, and Sendler · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Polandian visits the Liban Quarry and posts pictures: “In 1992 Steven Spielberg built a replica of the Nazi’s Płaszów Labor Camp for his movie Schindler’s List. The remains of this highly realistic set can still be seen today a short distance from the center of Krakow.” In the comments section, a note on Irena Sendler, who “saved more than twice as many Jews as Oskar Schindler.”


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Poland, UK: London Mayor · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

The beatroot writes about the Polish dimension of London mayoral election.


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Puerto Rico: E-Waste · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

Blogging from Puerto Rico, Dondequiera reports that the results from an e-waste recycling drive have been encouraging: “105,629 pounds (52.8 tons) of electronic waste was collected, or as we say in the industry a lot of reasons to go out and buy new computers.”


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Russia: May 9 · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

Lyndon of Scraps of Moscow posts two informative and insightful entries on the complex politics and other dimensions of May 9 in Russia – here and here.


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Serbia: “Defeat of the Bullying Strategy” · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

“The defeat of the bullying strategy” is, according to Cafe Turco, one of the outcomes of the Serbian election.


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Malawi: Several arrested over allegations to remove president · Global Voices
Victor Kaonga

It has been reported that several senior security and opposition political officials have been arrested in Malawi on allegations of coup plot. Malawian journalist and blogger Kondwani Munthali says that the politics in Malawi is undergoing interesting developments and political temperatures have reached a boiling point. Writing from Lilongwe where he is based, he says:
Finally arresting people like Retired General Joseph Chimbayo, Joseph Aironi, John Chikakwiya, Humphrey's Mvula and Kennedy Makwangwala will not solve the current political impasse. I am hesistant to add the military officials also in the cooler for Treason. Some of us saw the signs of times, long time ago, but we chose to ignore it.
Political temperatures have reached boiling point, but it is the man in Karonga who has no food. I was in Lilongwe Kumachenga, when the MCP legislator was screaming that he cannot go to Parliament. I was happy when Bingu called for the talks only to be dejected later when he went on a political rally to reveal what was going on secretly.
I don't know where Malawi is going to as of today, arrests and intimidation seem to be much more like Kamuzu era not a democratic regime people opted for 15 years ago. I hope my country will wake up to realisation that leadership is more
of a gift from God. Restraint and patience develop good leaders and not tempers. I hope in the next few years, posterity will prove many of us right in our decisions and be remembered as “great leaders” who brought impact
on our people than sheer politicking.
In his long post “Cry the Beloved Country,” he bemoans the political developments which he says do not help the rural poor in
Malawi. A week ago Munthali was arrested by the police on allegations that he was behind stories that speak ill of the president in online publications.

author: Victor Kaonga


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South Korea: Why Protest Against American Beef? · Global Voices
Oiwan Lam

Korea Beat translated a local report interviewing Korean students on the reason for their protest against the importation of American beef.


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Sri Lanka: Piracy and Alternatives · Global Voices
Neha Viswanathan

Nazly's Blog emphasizes the alternatives to piracy, reflecting on the news of raids against ‘software pirates’.

author: Neha Viswanathan


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Trinidad & Tobago: Maxi-ing Out · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

“Like politics, maxi travel has a morality of its own”: Ramblings and Reason provides a few tips on surviving travel by “maxi-taxi” in Trinidad and Tobago.


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Trinidad & Tobago: Principles of Business  · Global Voices
Janine Mendes-Franco

As Trinidadian blogger Gillian Goddard faces “a frontal attack from an entrepreneur” intending to start a similar business, she stands firm in the belief that “environmental healing and social justice are two of the largest markers of a truly successful business.”


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Uganda: Gagging the press · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Moses Sserwanga writes discusses the link between media freedom and democracy in Uganda: “At Daily Monitor, no less than 10 journalists including senior editors are at various stages of prosecution for alleged publication of false news, criminal libel and sedition. This is irrespective of the fact that all the highlighted offences are obsolete in a democratic society which Uganda purports to be and are in total contravention of the constitution.”

author: Ndesanjo Macha


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Ukraine, Russia: More May 9 Photos · Global Voices
Veronica Khokhlova

May 9 photos from St. Petersburg – at Russian Kafe; from Kyiv – at Moscow Through Brown Eyes and Greetings from Kyiv.


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Venezuela: Publishing House Provides Works Online · Global Voices
Laura Vidal

There is good news for those that are learning Spanish and for fans of literature in Spanish.  Thanks to an initiative from the Venezuelan Ministry of Culture, literary works from the publishing house Ayacucho Library [es] is now available online for free.  For some months now, bloggers and other literary enthusiasts have been able to access and download a wide array of Hispanic literary works available in .pdf format.  Bloggers are pleased with the selection and the fact that it is available for readers.
Departamento de Lengua [es] says:
La editorial venezolana Ayacucho posee uno de los catálogos más interesantes -tanto por la calidad de las obras editadas como por el número de las mismas- de literatura hispanoamericana del mundo. Desde las primitivas tradiciones indígenas hasta las grandes novelas del siglo XX, desde los escritos del Almirante Colón hasta los Comentarios del Inca Garcilazo.
Venezuelan publishing house Ayacucho has one of the most interesting lists –both for its literary quality of published works and for the number of works available– in Hispano-American literature around the world. From ancient indigenous traditions to the greatest novels of the 20th century; from writings by Admiral Columbus to the commentary of the Inca Garcilazo.
Actualidad Literatura [es] remembers how useful the paperback versions of these works were in his education:
A lo largo de los últimos 33 años Biblioteca Ayacucho ha publicado gran parte de los clásicos de la literatura hispanoamericana, y en ediciones de justificado prestigio. Mis profesores de literatura, por ejemplo, las reverenciaban, y yo he de decir que aprendí bastante con las que consulté.
During the last 33 years that Biblioteca Ayacucho has published a large part of the justifiably prestigious classics in Hispanic-American literature. My literature teachers, for example, revered them, and I must say I learned a lot with these books.
Papelón Con Limón [es] gives a list of the Works we can find in this library:
Doctrina del Libertador, de Simón Bolívar; La Vorágine, de José Eustasio Rivera; Cien tradiciones peruanas, de Ricardo Palma; Poesía, de Rubén Darío; Nuestra América, de José Martí; María, de Jorge Isaacs; Cuentos, de Horacio Quiroga.
Simon Bolivar’s doctrine, José Eustasio Rivera’s La Vorágine, Ricardo Palma’s Cien tradiciones peruanas, Rubén Darío’s poetry, José Martí’s Nuestra America, Jorge Isaacs’s María, Horacio Quiroga’s short stories.

author: Laura Vidal


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Zimbabwe: Destruction of property and food · Global Voices
Ndesanjo Macha

Post-election violence continues in Zimbabwe: “It is well known now that the homes and possessions of many people in the rural areas have been destroyed. These images were uploaded to our flickr account yesterday and show some of the destruction (for more, visit this set here).”