Global Voices Online

Richael Li finally bought up to 50% of Hong Kong Economic Journal. Following ESWN's earlier post analysizing media conditions in Hong Kong, duke of Aberdeen shares with ESWN's optimism that bloggers can take up the intellectual tradition in publication (zh).

Kong-chan comments that most of the owners of Hong Kong newspapers are educated people, the issue at stake is not “who” runs the newspapers but whether they consider newspapers as a pure business (zh).

Learnedfriend wrote a citizen report in inmediahk.net comparing the two demonstrations he had attended and helped organized in the past few days (zh). One was a series of anti-war protests against the killing of innocents in Lebanon; one was an action outside Japanese Consulate, demanding compensation for the comfort women during WWII. The anti-war protests were better organized and many local people joined in; the latter protest was more an ac hoc action, with little mobilization and public annoucnment. However, the media attention given to the WWII action was four times more than the anti-war protests (with mainstream T.V news report team). He wondered why?

JP in Japundit shows some pictures of rocks on the torii: a custom in making wishes by tossing rocks.

Nareg of Life in Armenia wants to know what is up with the sudden appearance of large, flat-panel screens in various locations around Yerevan.

Ataman Rakim writes briefly about Said Abdullo Nuri, the leader of Tajikistan's Islamic Rennaissance Party who recently passed away.

Nessuna carries a fictional story composed out of many elements of truth about virginity and attitudes towards sex. Onnik Krikorian and Ani have related posts.

As the partial recount of disputed votes gets underway, Ana Maria Salazar says that Sympathizers of the Coalition for the Good of All, blocked major banks across Mexico City. Ceci Connolly describes two articles on the violent birth of a baby and the death of a middle-aged man sleeping among Obrador supporters on Reforma Boulevard as “the entire life cycle.” Bianca J. Ulloa says that 100 Obrador sympathizers marched to the capital airport to block vehicular access (ES). Karin's description of la Reforma jibes with the earlier description by Ricardo Carreon: “Seriously - WHAT A JOKE! The whole road was shut down because they had giant tents (think, outdoor banquet types) covering the whole road, and also a few tents for people to sleep in. But there were, like, NO PEOPLE!!!?!?!? Where the hell were they all? The city has been in chaos because the this road has been closed, and there is not even anyone there chanting or holding signs or anything. I was througoughly disappointed.” Jose Sanchez Zolliker says that Obrador's supporters can learn from those protesting in front of the Secretaría de Hacienda (ES): “they didn't block traffic, nor throw trash, nor impede the passage of any person … they simply protested and made their voice heard; they exercised their rights. Mark in Mexico has an update on the recount and says that not much has changed. The partial recount should be completed by Sunday at the latest.

Francis Wade wonders if the widespread acceptance and practise of corporal punishment in Jamaica might be linked to the country's high crime rate.

Trinidadian bloggers Jeremy Taylor and Seldo offer their two cents' on today's thwarted airport bomb plot in England.