Stories about Environment from January, 2010
MENA: Does Rain Bring Happiness or Misery?
Many bloggers and Twitter users from Egypt and different parts in MENA region reported rain and some dusty storms today. Depending on their circumstances, some welcomed the drops of rain with joy while others braced themselves for the storms, flooding and heartbreak.
Egypt: Rain in Luxor
Jane Akshar, a British expatriate living in Egypt, comments on having rain in Luxor for the first time since 2007.
Senegal offers free land to Haitian earthquake survivors
Senegalese president, Abdoulaye Wade, has been making headlines by offering free land to any Haitian earthquake survivors who wish to "return to their origins," according to a spokesperson. Online, the proposal has been received with almost universal ridicule.
Afghanistan: Slow progress on power supply
Nick Fielding says that providing electricity for the residents of Afghanistan is one of the best ways of undermining the Taliban insurgency. However, although reports indicate increase of energy supply in the country, that modest increase hides many problems.
Turkmenistan: New way out for the natural gas
Elina Galperin writes that Turkmenistan lainched a new Central Asia-China gas pipeline, and wonders if there is going to be enough gas for Nabucco and how will China affect Central Asian politics.
Japan: Remembering the Great Hanshin Earthquake
As images from Haiti circle the globe, people in another part of the world are remembering an earthquake which wreaked havoc in their own country. On January 17, 1995, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Kobe and surrounding areas. 15 years later, we today give voice to those who experienced the disaster.
Haiti: Predicted Disaster?
In his blog, Haitian writer Claude Ribbe writes a post [Fr] quoting a scientific article published in the mainstream Haitian newspaper “Le Matin” in October 2008, announcing the high probability of this major earthquake.
Haiti: Remembering Jacmel
“I couldn’t help remembering how Jacmel looked like at 4:50pm on a regular day. Normally, you have people sitting in their homes, walking in and out, working in their businesses, and so on”: how can they hear posts an update and photos from one of the hardest hit areas in...
Trinidad & Tobago: Remember the Tax?
“With Trinbagonians distracted with the upcoming Carnival, Beyonce and now Haiti, the new Property Tax seems all but forgotten”: KnowTnT.com posts a reminder.
Brunei: “Rainart” on Twitter
It's been raining hard in Brunei in the past few days. Maurina gathers the “rainart” twitter pictures uploaded by her friends.
Haiti: Destruction in Jacmel
“Prayers are needed all throughout Haiti. This is not over yet. We are still getting tremors constantly”: First-hand reports of the earthquake from Cody, a blogger in Jacmel, here and here, while Repeating Islands laments the “widespread destruction and loss of life in the beautiful coastal town.”
People Power Rises in Hong Kong
dm from Learning Cantonese has written a vivid depiction on the recent anti-express rail protest: “It's just like People's Park, Berkeley, in 1967! I feel old.”
Haiti: Experiences of the Earthquake
So far the casualty reports from Haiti's earthquake have focused on the terrifying statistics, but very few names had been attached to those numbers. Here is a look at some of the experiences that the survivors of this natural disaster are sharing online...
Kenya: During severe drought, a role model emerges
People, crops and animals throughout Kenya are suffering from a prolonged drought. One young woman's thoughts are to the future and how to better build her community.
Bangladesh: Cold Wave
Bangladesh is experiencing a cold wave which is bringing the temperature down to less then 10 degrees Celsius. Fahad at Finding Myself is thankful to God for being blessed with a home and warm blankets. He wonders what will happen to the street people who have nothing.
Haiti: We're Sorry
Regional bloggers reach out with compassion to their Haitian neighbours, while Repeating Islands notes that “in the past 500 years, a dozen major earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater have occurred in the Caribbean near Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the island of Hispaniola, shared by Haiti and...
Haiti: Earthquake!
The Caribbean blogosphere is busy tonight, discussing very sad news - an earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter Scale struck off the coast of Haiti, causing major damage and loss of life in the already besieged island nation.
Saudi Arabia: Honouring The Pakistani Hero Of The Jeddah Floods
At the end of November Saudi Arabia's second largest city, Jeddah, was hit by heavy floods, blamed on poor infrastructure and mismanagement of city works construction. Many lives were lost, and even more people would have died had it not been for acts of heroism such as that of Pakistani Farman Ali Khan.
Trinidad & Tobago: Taking a Hike
Aisha at MEP Caribbean takes a hike to Trinidad's Salybia waterfall.
Lebanon: Valet Parking
Armigatus presents several views on valet parking in Lebanon, encouraging people to walk instead of drive, in this post.
Guatemala: The Jocote de Corona Fruit in Comapa
Professor Luis Ernesto Grijalva created a blog [es] to showcase the municipality of Comapa in the Guatemalan Orient. In this entry, he shares information about the “Jocote de Corona,” which is small fruit collected as winter arrives.
