Stories about English from June, 2010
Japan: Voice tweets override election rule
Akky Akimoto from Asiajin points out that incumbent upper house member Kenzo Fujisue tried to avoid the violation of upper house election rule in Japan by posting url of voice tweets instead of text tweets.
Philippines: Dancing Prisoners’ Tribute to Michael Jackson
And they've done it again. Convicted criminals from Cebu Province in the Philippines danced to the tunes of the late Michael Jackson in a tribute performance marking the first death anniversary of the famous music icon.
Singapore: No to caning
Spotlight on Singapore is against the punishment of caning. Recently, a foreigner who was found guilty of vandalizing a train in Singapore was sentenced to 5 months in jail and three strokes of the cane.
Thailand: Bangkok back to normal?
Don Gilliland observes that “the comforting rhythm of daily life in Bangkok has returned to normal this month.” Protesters were able to paralyze many parts of the city for two months this year
Lao44 website
Lao44 or Coalition for Lao Information, Communication and Knowledge is the largest repository of documents in Lao language. The number 44 in Lao44 refers to Article 44 in the Constitution which says that Lao citizens have the right and freedom of speech, press and assembly.
Thailand: Red Shirt leader to run for parliamentary seat
Korkaew Pikulthong, detained Red Shirt leader in Thailand, is running for a parliamentary seat. The Red Shirts are anti-government protesters who paralyzed several parts of Bangkok for two months this year
Thailand: First country to block 100,000 websites
Twitter user leosia congratulates Thailand for being the first country in history to block more than 100,000 websites.
Russia: New Initiatives Indicate Government's Fear of the New Media
Alexey Sidorenko writes about the Russian government's attempts to control cyberspace - and its apparent fear of the new media.
Russia, US: “Burger Diplomacy”
Vadim Nikitin wonders if the Medvedev-Obama meeting is a sign that “[…] the Russian President, for so long considered a mere window dressing to Prime Ministerial rule, might stick around longer than Putin might like?” Robert Amsterdam writes that “burger diplomacy” is “[…] an apt epithet for a relationship that...
Hungary: Museum Night in Budapest
The Uncataloged Museum writes about this year's Museum Night in Budapest.
Serbia: Mufti Zukorlic vs Blic
Belgraded writes about the conflict between the mufti of the Serbian Islamic community and the Blic newspaper.
Ukraine: Gorbachev and Chernobyl
Window on Eurasia writes about Mikhail Gorbachev's order to hold the May Day demonstration in Kyiv shorly after the Chernobyl catastrophe.
Ukraine: Kyiv Farmers’ Markets
Photos of berries, fruit and vegetables sold at Kyiv farmers’ markets this summer – at The Pickle Project, here and here.
Maldives: Much Ado About Airport Privatization
Hassan Ziyau questions Maldivian media's role on the recent controversy about airport privatization in Maldives.
Pakistan: What Is Blasphemy?
“What is Blasphemy?” This question has been drawn in numerous discussions after the the recent banning of certain websites in Pakistan. Shaista Kazmi & Azhar Aslam at Teeth Maestro has details.
Sri Lanka: Constitutional Reform
Sumanasiri Liyanage at Groundviews discusses the expectations and the realities regarding constitutional reform in Sri Lanka.
Azerbaijan: Zhiguli
Sheki, Azerbaijan honors the Zhiguli, a Soviet era car, with a post remembering it as part of history.
Mauritius: 30 Prisoners escape from jail
“Around 30 prisoners have escaped from the GRNW jail in Mauritius this evening. The prisoners attacked the jail officers at around 18.30 hrs today and fled as members of the public watched the scene with an utmost astonishment,” Island Crisis reports.
South Africa: Rethinking customary law
Pierre de Vos discusses South African customary law: “When I studied law at Stellenbosch University, we did not study a single aspect of customary law. It was as if customary law (and the millions of people who lived in terms of it) did not exist.”
Seychelles: Visiting Vallée de Mai
I Love Seychelles writes about Vallée de Mai in Seychelles. Vallée de Mai is a nature reserve, which is on the UNESCO world heritage list.
Cape Verde: My life in Cachaço
Steven blogs about his life as a volunteer in Cape Verde: “Cape Verdeans bathe regularly, sometimes twice a day, and fully half of each bath is devoted to cleaning the feet. Baths are generally taken outside, while wearing underwear.”
