· December, 2008

Stories about Migration & Immigration from December, 2008

Morocco: “We Are All Gaza”

  31 December 2008

Rabat is 2,393 miles away from Gaza as the crow flies, but that doesn't stop Moroccans from feeling a strong sense of solidarity with Palestinians. As Israel's attacks against Gaza continue to worsen, Morocco's bloggers continue to speak out.

Syria: More on the Israeli Massacre in Palestine

  30 December 2008

Diana Ghazzawi, a Gazan blogger who is now based in North America, shares with us her worries that she might not meet her relatives in Gaza one day, if they don't get lucky from the strategic Israeli shelling on the Gazans: This is not about politics. It's not about specifics...

Syria: Myths about Israeli Attacks in Palestine

  30 December 2008

Our coverage of Syrian bloggers reacting on the ongoing Israeli war in Palestine continues. Israel is still proceeding the attacks in Palestine for the forth day causing 385 civilian deaths and leaving 1700 injured. Yaman Salahi, a Syrian blogger based in the US, has posted a note on his Facebook...

Cuba, U.S.A.: Lifting Limits?

  29 December 2008

Uncommon Sense links to an article which suggests that US President-Elect Barack Obama seems prepared to lift limits “on how often Cuban Americans can visit family members on the island and on how much money they can send them”, a move which the blogger says would end “one of the...

Turkey: Apology Shakes Apologia over Armenian Genocide

  28 December 2008

Challenging 90 years of institutionalized denial of the massacre and deportation of the Ottoman Empire's indigenous Armenian community during WWI, tens of thousands of Turkish intellectuals, academics, writers, journalists and dissidents have apologized online for the "Great Catastrophe."

Morocco: Obama to Speak?

  25 December 2008

Algerian-American blogger The Moor Next Door has reported on a campaign set up by Moroccans to encourage President-Elect Barack Obama to make his first speech abroad in Morocco. The blogger states: This clever Moroccan site — Obama to Speak in Morocco — is marketing that country as the best candidate...

Armenia-Turkey: Apology Row

  22 December 2008

Talk Turkey is unimpressed by various online petitions established to apologize or not apologize for the massacre and deportation of Armenians living in the then Ottoman Empire. Known to most as the Armenian Genocide, the blog says it instead favors a joint Armenian-Turkish commission to investigate the circumstances of the...

Uruguay: Holiday Phone Calls Saturate Lines

  22 December 2008

The Christmas holidays in Uruguay often saturate phone lines due to the increase in the number of phone calls made to friends and family both home and abroad. Chino of Tan Conectados [es] writes that the telephone company Ancel plans to double the number of lines available.

Japan, Brazil: A centenary of Japanese Immigration to Brazil.

  20 December 2008

In June 1908, the Japanese ship Kasato Maru docked in the Port of Santos after a 52-day voyage, bringing the first Japanese families to Brazil. A hundred years later and after a hard period of adaptation, Japanese and Japanese-Brazilians reflect on the history and cultural heritage of this cross ocean cultural mix.

Cameroon: Concern for freedom

  18 December 2008

Though Cameroon is not the focus of world attention, some recent blog posts question the reality of freedom in this African country. On his blog [fr], Édouard Tamba worries about freedom in his country: Le 8 novembre dernier, le sous-préfet de Yaoundé II débarque au Palais des congrès avec l’intention...

Costa Rica: Call for Collaborative Christmas Video

  17 December 2008

Costa Rican online humour collective nosedecirlaerre.com which translates into "I can´t pronounce the R" has set out a call for participation from Costa Ricans and those familiar with their culture to create a collaborative video for Christmas. The campaign is called Uniting Ticos for Christmas and the requirements are quite simple: dancing in the Costa Rican style of "swing criollo" the popular end of the year song Jugo de Piña and saying something in Costa Rican slang, on video.

Western Sahara: Cubarawis

  17 December 2008

Many saharaui children, thanks to international cooperation with Cuba, travel each year to study until they graduate from university. Then, they return to work for their Western Sahara. The Caribbean is completely different from the desert, not only because of geography, but also because of the nature of the people themselves. Cubans have rhythm in their veins and are dancing all the time. Beduins are sober, quiet and reflective. However, in the end, the exchange is worthy in both ways, as Renata Avila explains.