Stories about LANGUAGES from July, 2008
Russia: Medvedev to Fight Corruption
LJ user yangel reports (RUS) that president Medvedev has confirmed his plan to fight corruption, which signifies the start of a campaign to rid Russia of this malaise.
Russia: USAID Russian Style
LJ user epopov ru comments on (RUS) an article in today's Kommersant, claiming that Russia is to set up its own foreign aid agency, modelled on American USAID.
Russia: Change in Migration Policies
LJ user Kontury comments on (RUS) a government initiative to liberalise labour immigration by increasing quotas from CIS countries.
Israel: Olmert to Resign Following Kadima Primary
Ehud Olmert said yesterday that he will not stand for the Kadima primary in September. According to Al Jazeera English, Olmert said: “I have decided I won't run in the Kadima movement primaries, nor do I intend to intervene in the elections.” Bloggers had a strong reaction to Olmert's resignation.
Mozambique: Quality debate about politics
Elísio Macamo [pt], a sociologist from Mozambique, writes up an article to try to answer a question put by a reader: “How do we re-introduce quality debate about politics in our society?”
Brazil: Live blogging the local elections debate
Nova Corja [pt] will be live blogging the second debate for the local elections in Porto Alegre, Brazil. “The concept is the same: surpassing policy analysis in the posts with a stack of beer (the only way to bear it) broadcast live through our Ustream, directly from New Corja Corp's...
Angola: Goodbye to Kinaxixe Market in Luanda
Anabela Quelhas [pt] is extremely sad to have witnessed Luanda's Kinaxixe Market being demolished. She lists 10 reasons was this 50's market was an important building for Angolan architecture and people, concluding: “Once more, cultural asset is outweighed by the language of money and speculation”. A modern shopping center is...
China: VPN to beat Olympic internet censorship
Via PandaPassport‘s Rick Martin on Facebook: “For anyone inside China, this is a great way to be able to view whatever content you like. Just a quick software install and you're ready to go…give it a try.
Saudi Arabia: Is Divorce an Easy Word?
With divorce rates soaring to an all new high in Saudi Arabia, Saudi blogger 3abira Sabeel [Ar] asks: “Has divorce become such an easy word?” Amira Al Hussaini translates 3abira's post from Arabic, which discusses how different today's women are from their grandmothers and why young women and men find it easy to dissolve their unions.
Brazil: Gilberto Gil leaves the Culture Cabinet
Many blogs have been reporting that Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil has left the cabinet, which he had headed since 2003. He plans to give priority to his musical career.
Lebanon: Israel Lies about Killing Children
“Quntar says the child was killed in a crossfire by the sea. I don't believe him and I don't defend him, but neither do I believe the version of the Israeli army; it has always killed children and lied,” writes Lebanese journalist Jihad Al Khazen, on his personal blog Khazen...
Lebanon: Syria and Israel
“How much groveling (toward Israel) can advocates and propagandists for the Syrian regime do in one week? The answer is: plenty. And please: tell the Syrian regime not to speak on behalf of all Arabs when they promise peace and normalization with Israel. And remember that Sadat had promised them...
Lebanon: On Hizbullah and Hamas
“Hizbullah is effective in fighting Israel and ineffective in fighting its domestic rivals. Hamas is ineffective in fighting Israel but effective in fighting its domestic rivals,” notes The Angry Arab News Service.
Brazil: The 200 top blogs
Mundo Tecno [pt] published a list of the 200 most popular Brazilian blogs according to the Blogblogs ranking. Meio Bit [pt] is the top one.
Barbados: Setting Standards
As the government is granted a US$5 million International Development Bank loan to upgrade the national standards system, Barbados Free Press continues its call for standards to be adopted with regard to public accountability and transparency.
Dominica, U.S.A.: Politics & People
Chris at Dominica Weekly has “taken a strong interest in the US Presidential Election”, which leads him to consider the state of politics in his own country: “Perhaps the most effective thing we can do is speak our truth to power, speak up for what we need, and demand certain...
Cape Verde: Blog for Education
Today is the African Woman Day and to mark the date a new blog has been launched in Cape Verde: Blog pela Educação [Blog for Education, pt], where a group of bloggers aim to collect and spread information regarding the country's mentality of banning pregnant girls from schools – and...
Cuba, Venezuela, U.S.A.: Empty Dialogue?
Cuban bloggers Babalu and Ninety miles away…in another country focus on U.S. Republican senator Arlen Specter's upcoming Latin American trip, during which he hopes to meet with both Raul Castro and Hugo Chavez: “The Cuban government has made clear that the only thing it is interested in is the unilateral...
Barbados, Canada: Caribana Fever
“Wha happen Crop Over music from Crop-Over this year cant reach here? Dem waiting on steam boat to bring the tunes? Man this is internet era, download man download”: Barbadian diaspora blogger Jdid explains why he is not one to catch “Caribana Feva”.
Guyana: Death Announcement Ban?
Living Guyana reports that the President plans to ban the broadcast of death announcements because they “are too negative and make people unhappy”, yet MediaCritic notes: “There is still no proper strategy to fight the rampant exploding crime in Guyana.” GT…Keep It Real chimes in: “Presi trying to jack up...
Armenia: Agra Hadig
Martuni or Bust reports on the tradition of agra hadig which celebrates the appearance of a baby's first tooth. A large collection of objects is also placed in front of the child, and whichever one he or she chooses is said to determine their later profession.
