Global Voices: Daily Digest—July 26, 2011

Republic of Congo: Is the New 'Made In Africa' Tablet Actually Chinese?
A new 'made in Africa' tablet computer from the Republic of Congo was announced in June 2011 to much fanfare. While technical innovation in Africa is worth celebrating, it's worth double-checking whether the new VMK tablet is actually designed, developed and engineered in Congo as advertised. read>>

China: Prominent 'Independent Candidate' Denounces Upcoming Elections
Nearly 100 people have now declared themselves
independent candidates in upcoming legislative
elections in China, but this week alone has seen one
of the more prominent would-be politicians announce
his withdrawal, and another accuse one city of trying to
keep voters away from polls. read>>

Should Singapore Nationalize its Transport System?
The petition of Singapore's private transport operators for a fare increase has sparked a debate on whether it's time to nationalize the country's transportation system. Bloggers react to the proposal to create a National Transport Corporation. read>>

Slovakia: Big Money in the Tube
A few weeks ago, the Slovak Performing and Mechanical Rights society (SOZA) - the country's music copyright organization - started billing web servers, typically for young music fans, which were embedding YouTube and Vimeo videos on their pages. Tibor Blazko reports on the Slovak netizens' reactions. read>>

Iran: Campaign to Free Last Two Jailed American Hikers
Sarah Shourd spent 410 days in solitary confinement in Tehran, Iran, before she was allowed to return to the United States in September 2010. She now calls on the world to speak up for her two friends, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, who are still in prison in Iran on charges of "espionage" since they were all three arrested while hiking in mountains near Iran's border in July 2009. read>>

More posts on Global Voices today...
Russia: Bloggers Find Street Shooter
Peru: Football, TV Ads, Mining and Social Networks

© Scoop Media