Stories about Development from February, 2009
Video: Community Radios Fill the Information Gap
In a highly globalized and digitalized world, sometimes we may forget that in many regions of the world, not even electricity is available, and the possibility of using internet as an alternative information source is still a distant dream. It is in locations like Guatemala, Chad and India that community radio rises as the alternative for native communities to speak about their concerns, hear news and stories, receive information and all this in their native languages.
India: Environmental Scholars On a Very Cool Mission
About two weeks ago, I read in Tom Friedman's column in the New York Times about two young scholars from the U.S who were on a very impressive mission in...
Egyptians on the verge of insanity
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Egyptians are struggling to maintain their sanity, faith, and stability. Marwa Rakha presents the following selection from Egyptian blogs which discuss dreams, suicide, unemployment and the gruesome murder of a woman and her children - at the hands of her husband.
Azerbaijan: Historic district under threat
In Mutatione Fortitudo decries the destruction of an historic part of the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, to make way for construction of a new boulevard.
Africa: Blogging About Startups, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
If your main source of news and information about Africa is the mainstream media, then you are less likely to know about groundbreaking innovation and entrepreneurship that is taking place on the continent. Thanks to citizen journalists who regularly blog about startups and entrepreneurship in Africa. In this short post, we are listing major blogs, which review, analyse, and promote startups, entrepreneurship and innovation on the African continent. Some of them are only focused on startups while others cover different topics as well.
Zambia: When Will Zambians Be Proud To Be Zambians?
According to Mingell, blogging at Lusaka Times, Zambians are not proud of being Zambians. Why? Read his post to find out the reasons.
Iraq: At the Zoo
Iraqi Dentist shares his experiences in Baghdad – including a visit to the zoo, along with photographs – in this post.
Barbados: Hotel Construction Stopped
Barbados Free Press and Gallimaufry report that construction has stopped on the Four Seasons Hotel project, which does not auger well for the island's economy.
Aruba: Putting on the Ritz-Carlton?
The Ritz-Carlton hotel chain is apparently in Aruba to stay, causing Lost in Smallness to exclaim: “Does the government realize that this will put extra pressure on our infrastructure? Oh...
Caribbean: Economic Effects
Keith in Trinidad says that “it is troubling that we seem so oblivious to the meltdown that's occurring” in Martinique and Guadeloupe, while Living Guyana cites the many examples of...
Jamaica, Spain: Considering the Environment
As the King and Queen of Spain visit Jamaica, Snailwriter is concerned about what an alliance between the two countries could mean for the environment: “‘Spanish hotels have become part...
Poland: Warsaw's New Bridge
20 east writes about the beginning of the construction of a new bridge in Warsaw, whose expected completion date is “a few months before Euro 2012.”
Yemen: A Visit to Tarim
Yemeni blogger Omar Bawsawad takes us on a visit to Tarim, once the cultural and academic centre of Hadhramout and the Arab peninsula but which is neglected today.
Saudi Arabia: Introducing Yanbu
American Bedu, who lives in Saudi Arabia, takes us on a tour of Yanbu, an industrial and port city located in Medinah province about 350 kilometers north of Jeddah.
Cuba: Revolution.com
Generation Y is “more alarmed than comforted” by “hopes for broad access to the internet” in Cuba, but notes: “A true revolution.com takes place parallel and contrary to the rationing...
South Africa: Senegal shares China's Africa love-spell
Listen to the voices of residents of the neighborhood in Dakar, Senegal where the Chinese would be constructing a national theatre. The residents are not pleased with the construction.
East Timor: Suai Media Space Challenges the Digital Divide
In this second post of a series to celebrate the 9th anniversary of the arrival of the Internet in East Timor, Sara Moreira interviews Australian documentary-maker Jen Hughes - founder of Suai Media Space, whose main objective is to make the voices of Suai youth heard all over the world - and discusses the fight to minimize the digital divide even without broadband connection in Suai.
Egypt's Leading Women
Egyptian women, like many other women, have great potential once they unleash their power. Eva habil, Passant Refaat, and Radwa Saad El Din are three women who took the lead in three different fields. Marwa Rakha has more in this round up from Egypt's blogs.
China: On privatization of rural land
For those not quite interested in fireworks and dumplings, the Spring Festival mainly becomes a yearly pretext for reflecting upon the condition of Chinese peasants and the state of China’s...
Trinidad & Tobago: Transitioning
“We have created a rich and wonderful culture that is unique to Trinidad and Tobago…but sometimes I wonder if we are just waiting for the bottom to drop out”: Trin...
Africa: Internet Revolution Is Here!
GlobalAdvances blog looks at the future of the Internet on the African continent noting that, “Bandwith to Africa is expected to grow dramatically as the continent is gaining internet connectivity...
