Stories about Disaster from April, 2008
Philippines: Bomb blasts
The Mindanao Examiner reports that two bombs exploded in southern Philippines. There were no reports of casualties
Southeast Asia: Rising price of rice
Rice is the staple food in Southeast Asia and in many parts of the world. Many people in Southeast Asia are worried over reports that rice is getting more expensive and supplies are dwindling. Bloggers discuss the impact of the rice crisis in the region.
Kuwait: A Ridiculous Mixture of Hail, Rain, Wind and Dust
Unusual for this time of the year, Kuwait was just hit by a 'semi-tornado,' which included "a ridiculous mixture of hail, rain, wind, dust, gusts" in the words of blogger Kuwaitism. Equipped with cells phones and digital cameras, the Kuwaiti blogopshere is full of stories reporting the unexpected weather which hit the country.
Myanmar: 54 dead after suffocating in a lorry
Watch a You Tube video which reports the death of 54 Myanmar migrants who suffocated in a lorry while being smuggled in southern Thailand.
Malaysia: Airport shoot-out
A Malaysian blogger wonders why the closed-circuit television cameras outside the Kuala Lumpur International Airport departure hall were not switched on during the shoot-out in the area.
India: Ties with Africa
Sepia Mutiny on the growing ties between India and Africa, and the first-ever India-Africa summit in New Delhi.
Haiti: Thoughts from Port au Prince
“Looters and destroyers do not represent this country any more than serial killers represent the United States”: The Livesay Haiti Weblog posts some thoughts by Ruth, a resident of Port au Prince.
Bangladesh: Hidden Hunger
Unheard Voices Blog quotes UNDP which hit the panic button for Bangladesh last month: Skyrocketing oil prices have driven up the cost of food worldwide, but their impact has been particularly dire in Bangladesh, where almost half of the 145 million people live on less than one dollar a day....
Egypt: Bloggers on the Frontline
Egyptian bloggers worked round the clock telling the world about a workers' revolt that shook their country, as thousands rioted at a textile mill in Al Mahalla, demanding better pay and protesting against increasing prices. They were also among the first casualties of the unrest, which left two people killed, scores injured and an undetermined number of activists, organisers and mere spectators behind bars. Their coverage came in the form of blog posts, YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, Flickr shots, Facebook messages and all other online tools they could get their hands on.
Egypt: A Wake Up Strike
Around 500 people were arrested in Egypt Sunday as police quashed a general strike, in protest against the increasing cost of living and calling for better wages. And just as word about the strike was spread via massive text-messaging, email, and popular social networking platform Facebook, bloggers and online activists kept the world abreast with arrests and developments on the ground minute by minute throughout the day. Eman AbdElRahman brings us the story.
Suriname, Guyana: Plane Crash Kills 19
Airline World says that 20 are feared dead in a plane crash in Suriname, while Guyana Providence Stadium links to a mainstream media report on the tragedy.
Bulgaria: Rethinking History – A National Holiday in Days of Tragedy
On Feb. 28, a fire on the train from Kardam to Sofia killed nine people. The majority of Bulgarians thought that a national mourning must be declared, but the authorities postponed it until after the celebration of Bulgaria's biggest national holiday on March 3. Yavor Mihaylov reviews and translates Bulgarian bloggers' reactions.
