Stories from Quick Reads from April, 2006
Mongolia: Spring in the Gobi
Luke Distelhorst visited the Gobi and writes about conservation of argali sheep.
India: Kaavya Tales
The issue of author Kaavya Viswanathan plagiarising has prompted quite a few posts in the Indian Blogosphere. Among others Flotsam, India Uncut, Falstaff and Sepia Mutiny have a say.
Armenia: Prkutyun
Zarchka writes about visiting an exhibition of the Prkutyun NGO, an organization that provides services to disabled children. Onnik Krikorian went as well and has his own post as well.
Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan fiction
Tiny Little Fractures reads The Kite Runner and compares the book to Monsoon Dream, contextualizing the gaps in contemporary Sri Lankan fiction.
Chernobyl: First Victims
Oleksa of My Reflections writes about Chernobyl and its first victims: “However, it is the plight of the 14 firefighters that made the greatest impression on me. They arrived on the station mere minutes after the blast and had to extinguish fire with their bare hands, almost literally, throwing the...
Bangladesh: Understanding Musharraf
Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying links to an interview with President Musharraf of Pakistan and provides commentary on the side.
Sri Lankan: Who was it?
Nittewa on figuring out whose bodies were found in Avissawella and Mulleriyawa, and some ideas on who they couldn't have been.
Barbados: National Heroes Day
Campfyah commemorates Barbados’ National Heroes Day with a quiz on some photos of the heroes themselves.
Russia: Protes in Ufa Ignored by Media
As a discussion of media ownership and censorship in Russia is taking place at Russia Blog, Daut of Ufa Blog writes about a recent protest rally in Bashkortostan's capital that no local media have covered and no one seems to be aware of: “A demonstration in America will probably also...
Belarus: BBC Responds to Blogger
BBC responds to David McDuff of A Step At A Time regarding the possibility of broadcasts in the Belarusian language in Belarus – in addition to broadcasts in Russian, Ukrainian and English: “The problem surrounding delivery of the product into the region remains the key stumbling block. The World Service...
Belarus: Rumors On Belarus-Russia Relations
TOL's Belarus Blog considers rumors of “the future in Belarus-Russia relations,” one of which is that Kremlin would like to get rid of Aleksandr Lukashenko in order to incorporate Belarus into the Russian Federation.
Poland, Russia: Katyn Massacre
In 1940, the Soviets executed some 22,000 Polish officers; the victims’ families have now brought charges against Russia and are demanding full disclosure of the truth about the tragedy. Vilhelm Konnander examines the issue.
Belarus, Ukraine: Chernobyl Meaning
Vilhelm Konnander explains the meaning of Chernobyl for Belarus 20 years later. Tim Newman of White Sun of the Desert disagrees with Sean Guillory's take on the lessons of Chernobyl: “To use Chernobyl as a reason to abandon nuclear power is like using the Titanic as a reason to discontinue...
Egypt: Lesson to be learned
Today Zeinobia talks about important Egyptian term that you may have heard or read it while reading the modern Egyptian political history or even while following the news of the clash between the Judges and the regime nowadays. The term is “The Judges Massacre”!
Jordan: Customer Service
Speaking her mind about the ‘customer service’ in the Arab world, Khalidah says: “We see large companies with hundreds of employees and fancy titles, their organization charts can fill a whole wall, each manager has managers and those report yet to more directors, those directors report to boards and boards...
Palestine: Confused!
Lucy Widaad has a serious question for you: “Can you guys help me make a list of things we can do here in Palestine to help progress the peace process… How can we demonstrate that we do not want occupation any longer without resorting to violence?”
United Arab Emirates: Democracy or no democracy?
Keefieboy is afraid that the real danger that democracy poses to the Middle East right now is that the ‘wrong’ people will win. Because the moderate voices of the moderate candidates will not be heard. Because the indigenous population of the Middle East is so pissed off with the way...
Saudi Arabia: No chance for woman's rights
Woman's rights in the Arab/Islamic world is hitting the Middle East news again. Justice and marriage are the last two compromised systems in favor of men, Sabbah said. In fact, he sees that the new Fatwa, which allows marriage after the woman forfeit her rights, is sort of legalization of...
Hong Kong: Incentives for local musicians
This week on n8ma's Xanga site: “news of a new orchestral fellowship for string-playing graduates of the Central, Shanghai, and Hong Kong Conservatories that will help curb the mass emigration of Chinese musicians to more promising and lucrative employment in American orchestras.“
China: Blog closed for birth
Last week Chinese blogger Bing Feng abruptly closed down his blog. Today he says why.
