Ticker: Beruit’s lost treasures, Roman ruins knocked down for development

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[Story Ticker] August 04 update

Afternoon, bloggers.

Our story ticker updates again today with a story that may prick the conscience of those interested in preserving history.

Here’s the full pitch from Kit on our main Global for me website:

• Beruit’s lost treasures by Austin Mackell

LEBANON – In downtown Beirut and further across the Middle East a desecration is occurring. Rebuilding in Lebanon by a construction company has uncovered a series of Roman ruins along the way. We’ve seen them…

So what happens once they find them? They knock ‘em down and build on top.

How has this been allowed to happen? Is there a blatant abuse of political power going on? Is the building company connected with other ongoing projects in archaeologically significant areas like Baghdad, Ammam and Agaba, what further treasures has the region lost? Critics are incensed.

Who is behind this? Are there murkier dealings going on?

Global for me correspondent Austin Mackell is ready to investigate. Having seen the ruins first hand, spoken to critics and looked into the history of the company and deals involved, he believes there is a story to be told. Help him here at Global for me by pledging to make a donation for this story, now. Read the page.

This story was suggested by Austin himself. If you’re interested in helping make this story come to light, here’s what you can do:

• First, spread the word.

Global for me is crowdsourced – in other words, we need your support. Help build a crowd that will support and help produce this story. E-mail, tweet or call your friends that you know would be interested – get the story out.

• Second, Suggest & Fund.

Global for me is crowdfunded, meaning that the money that produces the stories comes from interested users like you. Donations can range from pennies to pounds or euros or dollars, it’s all about supporting the journalist for their work.

• Third, get the word out.

We’re not kidding. We need you to spread the fire on each of our suggested stories so they may come to light. For more info about how this works and what we’re trying to do, visit our FAQ and Mission & Challenge pages.

• Fourth, be apart of the process.

Send us your feedback. E-mail us. Comment on the blog. Tweet us. Send us a smoke signal on Facebook. Let us know what you want from the story, when you want it, and how. We’re working alongside you.

Also, if you may notice, our story ticker page has updated with little thermometers that look something like this:

This little thing is a Fund-o-Meter, you may have seen the likes of it before. It’s a new indicator of how much has already been donated to a story, and how close the story is to production.

We’re growing, but we still need help. That is what crowdsourcing and crowd funding is about. Many thanks to those that have e-mailed, commented and supported us thus far. It’s appreciated more than you know.

Thanks for your support,

Kim

–GFM Team

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E-mail your story ideas to  

Join our discussions on Twitter. @GFMEditor

• Read our Global for me mission and challenge. Make the news work for you.

• Check our story ticker daily for updates.

• Help out by suggesting or funding a story.

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Ticker: child kidnapping, bombs in Philippines, Lebanese-Israeli border and 16 new ministers for Bulgaria

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[Story Ticker] July 29 update

Afternoon again, bloggers.

Our story ticker has been updated today with 4 new additions.

For newcomers, Global for me is a crowdsourced, crowdfunded journalism project by Global Radio News. Our mission is connecting you, the user, to the reporter behind the news desk.

Read our mission as well as challenge to the journalism industry for more information, and feel free to contact us with questions.

Also, the ticker has been condensed into one, singular post that will be updated daily. Have a look, we hope we’ve made it easier for you.

Onto the stories…

• Child sacrifice and kidnapping in Uganda by Duncan Woodside

KINSHASHA, Congo – The abduction of children in Uganda has surged by nearly 40% compared to figures for 2006. The country has long been bedevilled by kidnapping, with the notorious Lord’s Resistance Army specialising in the enslavement of children as soldiers. But the latest rise in abductions – to an annual rate of more than three hundred – is not due to the rebels, who have been largely exiled to neighbouring Congo; instead, it seems that the rising popularity of ‘child sacrifice’ is to blame. Read on.

• Despite peace pledges, bombs in southern Philippines by Simon Roughneen

Singapore – Government and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines both signed ceasefires over the weekend, renewing hopes that a stalled peace deal could be implemented, giving autonomy to Muslim regions in the largely Catholic country’s south, after three decades of on-off fighting and multiple kidnaps of foreigners. Read on.

• The Lebanese-Israeli border by Austin Mackell

TEHRAN, Iran – Tensions are escalating along the Lebanese border with Israel. A new Israeli outpost on the border has apparently upset both Hezbollah and the Lebanese army and reports suggest that they have come very close to engaging with Israeli’s near the outpost. Read on.

• New PM Borisov has picked 16 ministers for the next Bulgarian government by Jordan Jordanovich

SOFIA, Bulgaria – Boyko Borisov, leader of the GERB party and the future Prime Minister of Bulgaria, has announced the names of the Ministers for the new Bulgarian government. At a special ceremony at the Bulgarian Presidency, Borisov handed back to President Georgi Parvanov the mandate to appoint a new cabinet. The new Bulgarian government consists of 15 Ministers. Including former senior World Bank economist Simeon Djankov as the new Minister of Finance. Read on.

All of these have been added to our growing ticker. Check it daily to see updates.

If you’re interested in suggesting or funding a story, see our Suggest and Fund page.

Happy reading,

Kim

–GFM Team

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E-mail your story ideas to  

Join our discussions on Twitter. @GFMEditor

• Read our Global for me challenge. Make the news work for you.

• Interested in helping make this stories come to light? Hop over to the Suggest and Fund page.