Stories about Environment from February, 2009
China: Worst Drought in 50 years
A worst drought in 50 years, affecting more than 12 provinces and more than 9.3m hectares, in northern China has hit 43% of the country's wheat crop. The Office of State Control and Drought Relief Headquarters warned that 3.7 million people and 1.85 million livestock had lost access to drinking...
Australian wildfires and web tools
With devastation so widespread, and the threat of Australian bushfire continuing, citizen journalists have had a hard time getting near the scenes. Yet, the internet is full of pertinent information for those living in affected areas about the continuing spread of fires and those outside who want to stay tuned.
Australia: Bushfires devastate Victoria
It is being called Australia’s worst natural disaster. Bushfires have devastated the South East. The worst impact is in Victoria with more than 100 confirmed deaths and more than 750 houses incinerated. Whole towns such as Marysville have been wiped out, destroying their communities.
Ukraine: $5 Billion Loan From Russia
Ukrainiana writes about Yulia Tymoshenko's decision to borrow $5 billion from Russia.
Russia-EU: Relations at a low
Russlandblog comments on [GER] deteriorating relations between Brussels and Moscow following Russia's war with Georgia and its gas crisis with Ukraine.
Russia, EU: Barroso's Criticism of Russia
George Iulian Jiglau writes this about Jose Manuel Barroso's criticism of Russia's human right record at Th!nk About It: “Do you risk the energetic safety of several EU member states for the sake of presenting yourself as the defender of human rights? Shouldn’t this kind of ‘concerns’ be left in...
Cambodia: Report accuses elite of theft
Global Witness, a non-governmental organization based in London released a report which warns that Cambodia risks descending into a kleptocracy, alleging that large sums of monies paid to the government are benefiting the ruling elite instead of the people of Cambodia
What does Krill Fishing and Sandalwood Harvesting Have in Common?
At first glance, there is no way Krill and Sandalwood could have anything in common: one is a sea animal and the other is a land plant. If you examine the plight of both species of biodiversity, then there are some similarities. World renowned Kenyan conservationist, Dr Richard Leakey, who...
Jordan: Water, Honour Crimes, Jordan Web Award, and Corporate Social Responsibilty
In this week's round up of Jordanian blogs, bloggers are discussing water scarcity, honour crime, the Jordan web awards and corporate responsibility, reports Mohammad Azraq, from Amman.
Brunei: More rain, flashfloods and landslides
The recent downpour in Brunei caught many by surprise. It caused a power outage, flashfloods and landslides. Many of the rural areas have been cut off due to rising flood waters.
DRC: Volcanic eruption may be imminent
Local radio are reporting that Nyamulagira volcano, near Goma, is showing intense activity, suggeting that an eruption may be imminent.
Antarctica: More Blogs from the Coldest Place on Earth
The frigid surroundings of Antarctica may be the last place one would find bloggers. However, there have been a handful of Latin Americans who have become interested in sharing their experiences traveling or working on this desolate continent. Juan Arellano continues with part 2 in a 2-part series.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Common Ground?
The Common Ground News Blog comments on a Global Voices Online post detailing a new cross-border online project between American, Armenian and Azerbaijani youth. The blog of the Search for Common Ground international NGO notes that the number one concern of youth in the two estranged South Caucasus neighbors is...
Malaysia: War on Dengue and Chikungunya
The Malaysian government has launched a dengue awareness campaign in response to the rising number of dengue cases. Aside from dengue, there is another virus which is spreading in several Malaysian states: Chikungunya.
Armenia: Environmental Destruction
Vladimir Azriyan, an Armenian participant in DOTCOM, comments on visiting a photo exhibition in Yerevan on environmental destruction. The teenage blogger particularly decries the destruction of Armenia's forests while another DOTCOM blogger, 15-year-old Nare, says that all of the Armenian participants attended.
Haiti: Baie d'Orange
“Living in Haiti brings me face to face with the most urgent and painful result of our environmental crisis: the death of children and the elderly in a village where environmental degradation has led to poverty and starvation”: Konbit Pou Ayiti takes a trip to Baie d’Orange.
Kuwait: UAE Snow is “Real”
From Kuwait, Loft965 posts a video featuring the recent snowfall near Ras Al Khaymah, UAE and remarks: “And it's not fake!”
Lebanon: Cedar Island – A Controversial Construction
From disbelief to bewilderment to outweighing its environment disaster against its economic impact, the proposed Cedar Island project is taking the Lebanese blogosphere by storm. Moussa Bashir reports on the debate.
Romania, Ukraine: Serpent Island Ruling
Antal Dániel of Central Europe Activ writes about the ruling in the Romanian-Ukrainian dispute over the Serpent Island.
Paraguay: Loofah and Plastic makes a home
Loofah gourd (luffa cylindrica) by Laura512 Paraguayan innovator Elsa Zaldívar has won the 2008 Rolex Award for Enterprise thanks to her project which consists of not only training women heads of households about processing the luffa cylindrica gourd to make bath scrubbies and sandals, but also in mixing the leftovers...
Trinidad & Tobago: Opportunities in the Recession
“Then there are those who are strangely calm as the storm approaches. Who are these weirdos smiling in the face of [economic] adversity?”: Alien in the Caribbean tells us.
