Stories about English from March, 2008
Iraq: Security Situation in Basra
Iraq the Model discusses the security situation in Basra.
Jordan: Paris’ Lame Attempt in Turkey
Moey, from Jordan, posts this video of Paris Hilton attempting to belly dance in Turkey.
Middle East and North Africa: Client Number Nine
Eliot Spitzer's fall from grace grabbed the headlines as soon as newsmen caught wind of the scandal. Bloggers followed closely on their heel, including those from the Middle East and North Africa, whose attention was turned to the humiliation his wife must have suffered from and indignation of having her to stand by him as he announced his resignation.
Morocco: Journalist Fined $857,000 for Slander
“Rachid Nini, a popular Moroccan columnist and director of the daily Arabophone newspaper Almassae, was fined by a court in Rabat about $857000 for alleged defamation and slander of 4 prosecutors in the northern town of Ksar Kbir, said Almassae newspaper. The amount of the fine is exorbitant and unprecedented...
Morocco: Growing Sense of Civic Activism
A Moro in America draws our attention to the “growing sense of civic activism in Morocco” as more people continue to videotape and expose corrupt officers and guards, who are notorious for taking bribes on Moroccan rural roads.
Libya: Wedding Blues
“Libyan weddings are BORING. They are all the same – the same food is served, the same music is played, the brides all look the same. BORING… sigh,” writes Khadija Teri, who had to attend two ceremonies.
Libya: What makes you love Libya?
Libyan A. Adam posts a photograph of a palm tree in the desert and asks: “this is Libya just like a palm tree in the desert. just one question for libyan people like me, what makes u love Libya???”
Egypt: General Strike on April 6
Activists are calling for a general strike in Egypt in April 6, to protest against the rising costs of living. This blog (Ar) posts a series of banners to announce the strike.
Yemen: Morning with Seagulls
Yemeni Omar Barsawad spends his morning with the seagulls and shares his experience in this post – with pictures!
Bahamas: Carifesta Confirmed
Nicolette Bethel reports that the Bahamas will host the regional Carifesta XI festival after all…
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Court Date
As the Prime Minister of St. Vincent & the Grenadines is scheduled to appear in court on charges of alleged assault, Abeni says: “Hopefully, we will learn whether this is the witchhunt of witchhunts. Meantime, views in the court of public opinion remain as divided as ever.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Politics & Sport
Notes from Port of Spain makes his case for leaving politics out of the upcoming China Olympics: “Once you establish the principle that global sports meetings can be boycotted on political grounds, there's no end to it – no country on earth is 100 per cent virtuous.”
Seychelles: A political party with a blog
A political party with a blog in Seychelles: “The SNP is the main opposition party in the Seychelles.”
Cuba, Venezuela: Safety of Journalists
Both Uncommon Sense and Child of the Revolution share their opinions on the President of the Cuban Union of Journalists telling a conference “of left-wing ‘media workers’ in Caracas that there is ‘absolute respect’ for the personal safety of journalists under the Castro regime.”
Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago: Liming
“While the term might have its origins in Trinidad, the pass time (and don't tell me it should be pastime) is truly Caribbean”: Living in Barbados is in the mood for a good lime.
Barbados: Rent vs. Buy
“I think it’s a relatively recent thing in Barbados for grown children to leave home and live on their own in a rented apartment/house,” writes Gallimaufry, as she links to an article “that busts the myths about renting vs. buying.”
Jamaica, Cuba: Poetry in Motion
Jamaican Geoffrey Philp blogs about MiPOesias Magazine's newly released issue, which he says “showcases the work of poets of Cuban descent who live in the U.S…no matter the subject, these poems blend the romance and sorrows of the past with a crisp view of daily life.”
Blogger's opinion about “Nsima” angers Malawians
A recent post on Malawi's staple food nsima has raised debate on how much freedom one can have in expressing themselves in blogs. The reactions by mostly Malawian readers have demonstrated that some restraint, responsibility and sensitivity is needed especially if one is writing about something that others may consider very dear to them.
Armenia: Eurovision Betting Odds
Heckler Spray takes an albeit irreverent look at Armenia's entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Nevertheless, the blog says that the song by local singer Sirusho is one of the favorites to win the competition usually ridiculed in Europe but taken very seriously indeed by new competitors from the...
Armenia: Brandy Shootout
Halfway down the Danube hosts a shootout to determine whether Wisconsin's Korbel brandy is better than one of its Armenian counterparts. Its hard to tell which won through in the end, but at least the blogger enjoyed both and doesn't appear too inebriated.
Guyana: Baccoo
Guyana-Gyal says that “bandits is the new baccoo” – one of the most feared creatures in Guyanese folklore.
