Global Voices Online

Eugénio Costa Almeida [pt] breaks the news that the deal to standardize the Portuguese language in all countries was ratified in the Portuguese Parliament and within six years new spelling rules may be adopted. “Everyone has thought about “getting into the habit” but the most important thing was forgotten: children who will begin studying.”

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.

Scraps of Moscow writes about “Putinisms” (and “Bushisms”).

Leopolis reports on Donald Tusk's visit to Ukraine: “The biggest development of the trip was the signing of a cross-border visa agreement for small-time Ukrainian traders living 50 kilometres from the border.”

Musings discusses the recent controversy in the state of Maharastra, India - where the issue of insider-outsider has brought up interesting questions of identity and economic contribution.

Signifyin' Guyana posts “the angels warn”, a poem by Guyanese writer Balwant Bhagwandin, and notes, “The recent history-making violence in Lusignan makes the warning prophetic and urgent.”

Does it seem that Jamaicans like to stare at strangers? Moving Back to Jamaica explains why that might be.

A leading Barbados newspaper runs an editorial on “The Blogging Phenomenon”; Living in Barbados offers an analysis of the coverage.