Global Voices Digest

Iraq: BlogIraq is Dead

I am sad to report the death of Ahmed the writer of the blog BlogIraq who was murdered in the Al-Mansour district of Baghdad. May he rest in peace. Also, waiting for war to come in Mosul. And find out which world leader one young Iraqi looks to as a role model for the country.

Japan: A surge of suicides

Over the past few weeks, the Japanese media have been extensively reporting suicide cases associated with the use of hydrogen sulfide gas, providing detailed description of ingredients and methods used. The recent media reporting has been so sensationalized that the Japan Suicide Prevention Association requested that media organizations be more careful with their reporting. The phenomenon has stirred up conversation among Japanese bloggers.

Caucasus: Eurovision Countdown

With the first of the semi-finals in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia, just days away, the countries of the South Caucasus are becoming increasingly excited about the international song contest and how their representatives will fair. What makes the situation all the more interesting is that this year will be the first time when all three republics will compete: Armenian, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

Blogger of the Week: Jillian York

Today’s Blogger of the Week celebrates the work of Jillian C York, our Morocco author, and a regular contributor to Voices without Votes. A freelance writer, blogger, and author of a guidebook to Morocco, Jillian currently lives in Boston, US, after spending two memorable years in Meknes, Morocco.

Syria: Crisis in Neighboring Lebanon

As the Lebanese leaders go to Doha, Qatar, to resume their “National Dialogue”, here is a roundup of what Syrian bloggers had to say on the latest crisis in Lebanon. The Syrian bloggers were as divided as their counterparts in Lebanon about who is to blame for this latest crisis, and what must be done to avoid such events in the future.

Japan: Earthquake aid starts healing process

The largest ever dispatch of aid to China from Japan took place last week when Japanese rescue teams were dispatched to Chongqing. Thanks expressed by Chinese in bulletin boards made it back to articles on the Japanese-language Internet and sparked hopeful reactions among many bloggers, some finding a common understanding in a shared history of earthquake disasters.

Roundups

Get the blog buzz from the world over in the Global Roundups, where today you can find Bahai religious leaders arrested in Iran, Burma…a wonderful place in the wrong hands, the Save Malacca Straits Project, and much much more!