Stories from Quick Reads from May, 2010
Bangladesh: The Reason For The Facebook Ban
Shada Kalo discusses about the recent ban on Facebook in Bangladesh – and how it gave a kid a ton of publicity.
Russia: Bloggers Cover Moscow Gay Pride Parade
LJ-user Zyalt published [RUS] pictures from Moscow gay pride parade [EN] that took place despite it the ban by Moscow authorities. The event organizers had to change its location several times. Other pictures of the parade, which was just a few minutes long, can be found here, here and here.
Russian “Little Blue Buckets” Movement Reaches Ukraine
Ukraine-based feminist organization “FEMEN” [EN] conducted an action [ENG] in support of the Russian online movement “Little Blue Buckets” [ENG] and against the “unification of Russia and Ukraine under Kremlin patronage.” Activists with their breasts painted in blue tried to rally near the building of the Russian embassy in Kiev,...
Georgia: Online local election mapping
Transparency International Georgia, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, the Georgian Young Lawyers Association, the National Democratic Institute and the Caucasus Resource Research Center have set up an online mapping system for monitoring today's local election in the former Soviet republic. The vote is considered particularly important as...
Angola: Similarities between Cabinda and East Timor
Orlando Castro discloses [pt] the similarities between the Angolan enclave of Cabinda and the recent history of East Timor, criticizing the positions of the Portuguese and Timorese leaders for failing to recognize the self determination of a province that produces 70% of domestic oil.
Zimbabwe: Is it a crime to be white in Zimbabwe?
Chris Kabwato discusses the question of race in Zimbabwe's politics: “In Zimbabwe there is a person who cannot be sworn in as a minister of state, not because of any crime he committed, but he is simply the wrong colour. He is white.”
Ghana: Ghana National Media Commission has failed
Donald argues that Ghana National Media Commission has failed to do its work: “Is the Natonal Media Commission really doing their work for real?”
Africa: A blog to promote African literature
ImageNation is a blog by Ghanaian blogger Nana Fredua-Agyeman promoting literature in Africa.
Nigeria: Exclusive interview with Nigerian soul artist
KenyaChristian blog has an exclusive interview with Nigerian soul artist Nneka Egbuna.
France: Questions and Controversy about ICC
EU-LOGOS blog explains why France was questioned by an Amnesty International report about its implementation in internal criminal law of the 1998 International Criminal Court status (fr). An impending bill seems to require a condition of the “usual country of residence” to be France for legal proceedings to take place.
Philippines: Destroying another landmark
Torn and Frayed in Manila blogs about the impending destruction of another historical landmark in Manila – Sta Ana Racetrack.
Vietnam: Eating “Op la” in Saigon
Eating Asia blogs about Saigon's op la dish (fried eggs cooked with various sausages).
Vietnam: Report on online censorship
Viet Tan has published a comprehensive report about online censorship and cyberattacks in Vietnam.
Mexico: 165 Mexicans Die Each Day Due to Smoking
The blog Vivir México [es] notes that 165 Mexicans die each day due to smoking-related illnesses and reflects on that statistic as the World Day Without Tobacco is upcoming on May 31.
Guatemala: Cleaning Up the Ash from Pacaya Volcano
Gustavo Reyes posts this Twitpic of workers cleaning the ash from the Pacaya volcano eruption in Guatemala.
France : A Legal Review of the Burqa Ban Bill
A lawyers blog Mieux connaître vos droits en Europe ponders the legal aspects of the French burqa ban bill (fr). Earlier, the blog also posted the main points of the bill and a survey of reactions from officials (fr).
Brazil: Rapper assaulted by Police Peacemaker Unit
MC Fiell, who recently launched a booklet about police approach at ‘favela‘ (slum) Santa Marta, was the target of a violent assault by members of the Police Peacemaker Unit (UPP). In his blog [pt], he describes the event and claims having been beaten when he tried to dialogue besides being...
Caucasus: Eurovision Semi-final roundup
Unzipped: Gay Armenia offers its opinion on last night's semi-final in this year's Eurovision Song Festival, and especially the entries from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The blog, which has become a mainstay for covering the competition in the Caucasus region, also regularly tweets on it at @unzippedblog.
Bahrain: On German Freedom
Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif attended a 10-day programme organised by the German Federal Foreign Office. His conclusion: “Germany is not that free after all!”
Pakistan: Minorities At Peril
“The thirty years of state sponsored “true” Islam is showing its colors. In Pakistan all the minorities are constantly harassed and state’s protection has often proved completely ineffective when a serious attack occurs,” comments Raza Habib Raja at Pak Tea House while discussing the attacks on the religious sites of...
India: Second Class Rail Travel
Lazy Pineapple at Desicritics shares how second class rail travel in India is like.
