Global Voices Online

Lyn Jeffery in Virtual China reports on China Market research's finding in Chinese blogsphere: “CMR estimates that 80% of Chinese online urban youth 18-25 (50 million people) are actively blogging OR participating in BBS. “

Zhao mu puts together a bunch of descriptions used by some mainstream newspapers reports to show the indifference and cruelity of news language (zh). For example, to describe the suicidal act of desperate worker with the term “highrise jumping show”, to describe car accident hitting the victim's head as “winning the first (head) prize”.

Last week Danwei's Joel Martinsen translated an article from the New Century Weekly by Sun Yafei titled America through Chinese eyes - a columnist living abroad reports on ugly Americans. The post has attracted many comments, including Sun Yafei's own. Jeremy Goldkorn in Danwei puts Sun's invitation for debate, tell me what's wrong with China, in a separate thread to further the discussion.

Zhen Jin yan writes about how AIDS orphans (whose parents were diseased by AIDS) in China were rejected by social institutes, such as hospital and orphanage (zh), even though the government's has officially annouced to give special care to these orphans.

ESWN translates a forum post on a new mother leapt to her death 15 days after delivering a baby girl.

Guyana-Gyal contemplates migration and familly ties: “Them countries that got the best of my family…them countries just don't know how they lucky.”

Ben Paarmann reports on Uzbekistan's fairly high rank on the Happy Planet Index. He notes that Uzbekistan's score (as well as those of neighboring Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) are not a result of government policies though.

Yulia rounds up the week in the Russian-language section of the Kyrgyz blogosphere.

Olesya translates a post about NGOs in Uzbekistan in which the author argues that the country's NGOs should not be surprised to find themselves in their current situation because of mistakes they made in the past that have weakened them relative to the government.

Denise writes about the omnipresence of Heydar Aliev, the former president of Azerbaijan whose name and image can be found all over the place.

Tom Terry files a report from the circus in Mongolia complete with photos.

Collectif Haiti de Provence points to a Le Nouvelliste article thanking (Fr) Haitian-American hip hop star Wyclef for his representation of Haiti at the World Cup closing ceremony: “Wyclef Jean did everything to associate Haiti to his performance. The Haitian flag served as a bandana that covered his head (…) He even removed his jacket and screamed: “Haiti, Haiti.”(…) Thank you Wyclef Jean! (… ) We are proud of you!”

Don Ray took pictures of a pony ride in front of a supermarket in David, Panama which was set up for El Día del Niño or “Children's Day.”

Marc Cooper, lamenting the lack of coverage on the death of Nicaraguan political veteran and presidential candidate Herty Lewites, starts a heated discussion on the American left's general lack of interest in the country. Russel takes Marc's challenge and offers six links about Nicaragua in the “lefty press” from the last five years. Inmer says that Lewites was trying to establish a new left in Nicaragua (ES) and that he “centered his presidential campaign on the promise of ending the strongman system of governance.”

Boli-Nica once again measure the online support behind Lopez Obrador and Calderon and includes a hilarious parody Barney parody.

Ricardo Carreón gives a historical view of Mexico's electoral process and explains why the country deserves better. León Felipe Sánchez, noting the surge in demand for a full recount, worries that the peaceful civil resistance could soon turn violent (ES). Finally, Wave Making makes some interesting Mexican Reflexions from Abroad: “At a macro level, reading the situation of the country, the injustice, the nepotism, it's just so tiring. Not that it isn't tiring when you are living in Mexico but you get numb about it.”

Voyage en Cote d'Ivoire posts (Fr) festive pictures of the anniversary of Paris' Ivoirian church.

Samudaya.org covers Arundhati Roy speaking on democracy. “Asking what was the right thing to do in a democracy, in which an armed dissent is crushed by military power and unarmed dissent simply ridiculed and brushed aside, Roy confessed her depleting faith in democracy itself.”

Sadiq Alam roundsup spiritual blogging from around the world.

imperfect world 2006 on doing business with a freedom fighter. “Basically he was saying that a freedom fighter loves his country and would therefore never defraud or cheat anyone. A kind of shorthand for declaring one’s personal integrity.”

Blogger and Ziguinchor mayor Robert Sagna reflects on the recent conference on migration that took place in Rabat, Morocco (Fr): “Faced with the ample phenomenon of migration, Europe and France (…) are shivering. The paradox is that it is that very Europe that provokes immigration. If immigration hopefuls were sure not to find work in host countries, they would not try their luck.”

LSZ Blog celebrated International Procrastination Day (yesterday July 16) by… procrastinating. He wrote (Fr): “I was thinking of writing a great article on procrastination but today is Sunday, not a good day to write an informative article on the subject. Maybe tomorrow…”

Valesdir.net points to an article announcing (Fr) that New Caledonia produces the best Coca-Cola in the world.

Caribbean Free Radio releases its 44th podcast, which comprises a series of interviews with the members of Trinidadian rapso band 3canal about the theatrical production “Caribeana Imperia”, which is now playing in Washington DC.

Nedaye Emrouz says there are only 25 blogs in Zahedan and all of them are run by university students. The blogger adds that in reality only 9 of these blogs are active (Persian). Nedaye Emrouz writes articles in Zahedan magazines about the importance of blogs and informs his countrymen that internet is not only about chat. It seems the bloggers in this city come together time to time.

Singapore's heritage blogger Lam Chun See remembers the golden days of a 76 year old cinema hall. The unused cinema might end up like other cinemas in Singapore - developers tearing them down to build shopping complex or hotels.

Razeno reports about his conservations with people in Tabriz about the cartoon affair. The blogger says all people whom he talked, considered the cartoon just a pretext to revolt. They said they do not want to be separated from Iran and they want to be respected like other places such as Meshad, Isfahan and Rafsanjan (Persian). The blogger adds during the riots Farsi speaking population stayed at home and there were rumours that Lebanese Hezbollah have been sent by government to repress the demonstration.

Ali Mazroi, blogger & former reformist deputy in Parliament, writes that conservatives ( fundamentalists) accused him and several former managers from reformist side, of the most important financial scandal in Iranian stock market history. The blogger calls such an accusation false and he adds absolutists (conservatives) are afraid of reformists even when they are in their homes (Persian). The blogger says he is waiting to see a proof about this accusation.

Angelo Embuldeniya at worldwidehelp blog is

Eastern & Central Europe