Stories about LANGUAGES from December, 2007
Bahrain: Bhutto – Martyr of Freedom
Bahraini blogger Hayat (Ar) describes assassinated former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as the ‘martyr of freedom.’
Egypt: Arabic Books
Egyptian blogger Eman recommends reading the following Arabic books.
Lusosphere: Wishes and hopes for 2008
The new year is inevitably soon arriving and the Lusosphere is booming with posts about traditions, resolutions, wishes, and reflections. Here is a short roundup of Portuguese speaking blogs from Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Mozambique and Portugal - although countries far apart, they share the language and hopes for a better future.
China: Guangxi Nailhouse
Zhaumu blogged photos of a most spectacular nail house in Guangxi.
China: Ant Farmers’ Open Letter to Hu Jintao
Zoula has reposted Luliang Ant Farmers’ Open Letter the State president Hu Jintao (zh). The farm said that local government had to be responsible for the bankruptcy of Yilishen and they demanded for throughout investigation on the issue and the return of guarantee fund.
Hong Kong: Top News in 2007 Blogosphere
As the year end is approaching, local blogger sidekick has her picks of "Top News in Hong Kong 2007 Blogosphere". She also calls for more comments and suggestions for the year end round up. Below is a translation of her selection:
Egypt: Murad and the Freedom of Speech
Judge Murad lost his case and the court ruled in favour of freedom of speech. The Administrative Judicial Court issued a sentence in Case No. 15575 / 61, which was brought by Judge Abdul Fattah Murad calling for banning the 51 websites on the Internet in Egypt. You can read...
Bahrain: Reactions after the riots and arrests
In another special roundup, we have the reactions of Bahrain's bloggers to the events of the last few weeks, when rioting took place after the death of a demonstrator during a commemoration of 'Martyrs' Day', and many were subsequently arrested.
Peru: Controversy in the Vote for Best Blog 2007
Peruanista [es] objects to the vote for “Best Peruvian blog of 2007″ held at the blog Utero de Marita [es], saying that there is a huge difference between best blog and the most popular blog, among other reasons.
Mexico: Giant Crack in Ice Rink
A huge crack appeared in the middle of the ice rink that was set up in the zócalo of Mexico City. Isopixel [es] has the latest photo.
Peru: Traveling and Photography
Luis Yupanqui Mesías of Peru Viajero [es] recounts some of the sites that he visited and photographed in 2007 and thanks his readers for accompanying him along the way.
Angola: Welcome to a new blogger
Soba L [pt] is a new blogger from Luanda, Angola, who likes examining carefully daily events. In his first posts, he analyzes the actual situation of the RAP music in Angola, the consequences of the civil war, and the recent summit Africa-Europe.
Ethiopia: Queen of Sheba, Now Available in French
Francophone music blog Roots and Culture interviews Samuel Malher, a religious scholar from Strasbourg who has written the first unabridged French translation of the Kebra Negast, a sacred Ethiopian text. It describes the heritage of the Ethiopian monarchs, who trace their lineage to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and how the Ethiopians became God's new chosen people when the Ark of the Covenant was taken from Israel to Ethiopia.
Ethiopia: French Translation of the Kebra Nagast
Roots and Culture interviews [FR] Samuel Mahler, who recently translated the Kebra Nagast, a sacred text of many Ethiopian Christians and Rastafarians, into French.
Japan: Web visionary Umeda Mochio
While famous in Japan as a web visionary, Silicon Valley resident Umeda Mochio, president of Muse Associates, co-founder of Pacifica Fund and board member of the Japanese bookmarking and diary service Hatena, is little-known overseas. His recent book "Web Shinkaron" ("Theory of Web Evolution") sold 370,000 copies and become a national besteller in Japan. Umeda was recently interviewed by the Japanese magazine Central Review (Chuo koron), portions of which are introduced and translated in this post.
Cuba: The Divorce Rate
Regalado [es] writes about the divorce rate in Cuba, in which it is reported that 6 out of every 10 marriages end in divorce
Egypt: Bidding Farewell to Bhutto
Egyptian bloggers couldn't stop themselves from writing about the assassination of one of the bravest women in the Muslim world, and may be the whole world. Carmen – Diasporic Discontents – wrote about her own experience when she met Bhutto [En]. I met Benazir Bhutto when I was in grad...
China: Official Olympics channel's unveiling ceremony crashed
How did a couple's marital issues become today's top sports story? She's a prominent Beijing television broadcaster, he's one of Chinese sports news' top official faces for the Olympics; she just crashed his high-profile unveiling of China's new Olympics channel, and someone's put the video online.
Madagascar: Zoma market photographs
Harinjaka posts photos from Zoma market in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Morocco recalls ambassador from Senegal
Blog politique au Senegal writes [FR] about the King of Morocco's decision to recall his ambassador from Senegal in a spat over Western Sahara: “It must have been a nasty blow to [the king's] ego when a socialist ex-minister dared refuse to adopt the Moroccan line on the fate of...
Burkina Faso and the Hajj
QuophyBlogeur writes about the perils of Burkinabe muslims [FR] making the pilgrimage to Mecca: “Fortunately Allah is merciful enough to tolerate the late arrival of poor pilgrims at the mercy of an organization practically on the verge of chaos.”
