Stories from Quick Reads from July, 2009
Japan: Housing statistics
Joe Jone from Mutantfrog reads into the newly released housing statistics.
Cuba: Political Prisoners
Cuban diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense reports that while one former political prisoner has started a blog, another Cuban human rights activist “faces up to 8 years in prison if convicted of trumped-up charges of assault and receiving stolen property.”
Chinese NGOs: reading political signs in the fate of Gongmeng
David Bandurski from China Media Project translated an article written by Qian Gang which comments on the recent crack down of Gongmeng, a corporate registered citizen rights NGO, by the Beijing government.
Barbados: Corruption Legislation Needed
“It doesn’t matter how many tens of millions of dollars are missing at the end of a major project, no one ever goes to jail”: Barbados Free Press suggests that part of the problem is that “Barbados lacks the laws and the codified standards necessary to prosecute public officials for...
Trinidad & Tobago: Media Meekness
B.C. Pires recalls a radio show he used to host in the context of falling journalistic standards in Trinidad and Tobago: “From that thin end of the wedge we have reached this stage, where the Prime Minister can make the most foolish statements completely unchallenged – and the Media Association...
Trinidad & Tobago, Curacao: Sweet Tooth
Lifespan of a Chennette blogs about traditional sweets from Curacao: “It was a reminder that even if names were different, and languages, the people and food of the Caribbean do share so much!”
Jamaica: Capturing Pellew
Concerned about plans by private owners to develop Pellew Island, Snailwriter has a plan: “The Tainos ‘owned’ Jamaica until the men in Columbus’s ships took it…I figure I have as much right to do some capturing as anyone. So I’m gonna invade Pellew Island…I know my invasion will be symbolic...
India: The Future Of Ajmal Kasab
Golden Boy at Desicritics tells why India should not hang Ajmal Kasab, the apprehended “foot-soldier in the Mumbai Terror Attacks”.
Sri Lanka: English Language Standards
Niranjan Dias Bandaranayake at Groundviews discusses about the deteriorating standards of English teaching in Sri Lanka.
Pakistan: Breaking Western Stereotypes
Pakfactor writes about a documentary called “Made In Pakistan”, which “documents the lives of four ordinary Pakistani citizens during military rule in an effort to break Western stereotypes about the country.”
Armenia: Kim Kardashian, national identity and peace
Ianyan continues its regular feature compiling mention of Armenia and Armenians on the Internet. In its latest column, the blog comments on reference to celebrity socialite Kim Karashian and fashion, national identity, breaking down ethnic divides, and more…
Armenia: Homophoia and intolerance
Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on a round table held in Yerevan on homophobia and intolerance in society. The blog says that Armenia cannot afford to allow xenophobia, homophobia and intolerance towards others to go unchecked.
Russia: Vasily Krima, aka the “Volgograd Obama”
Sean's Russia Blog writes about Vasily Krima, “the first Afro-Russian to run for public office” – here and here.
Moldova: Election Updates
Notes on Moldova's repeat election – at Scraps of Moscow, Eternal Remont and Robert Amsterdam's Blog.
Egypt: Fox News Creative Chaos
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia reacts to a mistake on Fox News, where Egypt is placed on a map instead of Iraq. Our Morocco author Jillian C York makes a similar observation here.
Russia: Putin on Solzhenitsyn
Eternal Remont writes about PM Vladimir Putin's recent interaction with Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's widow.
The Balkans: Mladic Update
Foreign Policy Association's War Crimes blog posts an update on Ratko Mladic.
Russia: Unsold iPhones
Profy writes about the situation with iPhone sales in Russia.
Ukraine: Q&A with Hryhoriy Nemyrya
EurActiv.com visits Kyiv and talks to Hryhoriy Nemyrya, Ukraine’s vice PM, in charge of relations with Europe: questions are here, Nemyrya's responses – here, a shorter summary – here.
Russia: Activists Appeal To Iranian Opposition
On July 26, LJ user dobrokhotov wrote (RUS) about a rally in front of the Iranian embassy in Moscow, organized by the Russian democratic youth movement “We” in support of Iran's opposition: “[…] The main thing is we'd like the Iranian opposition to go on chanting ‘margbar putin’ – but,...
Mexico: Free Events Around the City
Gratis Hasta Puñaladas [es] is a new blog dedicated to sharing information about events and activities around the city that are free.
