Stories from Quick Reads from May, 2010
Pakistan: Attacks in Lahore at Ahmadi Mosques
Amardeep at Sepia Mutiny writes about the “terrible pair of attacks on Ahmadi mosques in Lahore, by gunman armed with grenades and automatic weapons”.
Zimbabwe: Outlawed newspaper coming back
Zimbabwe’s leading newspaper that was outlawed seven years ago, The Daily News, is coming back.
Eritrea: Exiled editor reunites with family
Mohammed Keita reports that the exiled Eritrea editor, Aaron Berhane, has reunited with his family.
Nepal: Financial Fraud
Muse Nepal discusses about Nepal's largest financial fraud, where Unity Life International is accused of swindling billions of Nepali rupees through illegal ponzi-scheme.
Russia: Blogger and Activist Arrested for Viral Video
Leonid Nikolaev (aka LJ-user nikolaevleo) the main actor in the recent viral video against cars using emergency vehicle lighting had been arrested, lj-user halfaman reported. The blogger suggests the arrest is provoked by the video Leonid took part in.
Lebanon: Elections Vs Football
What's overshadowing the Lebanese municipal elections? Free Thinking Lebanon blames football for stealing its thunder.
Bahrain: Abu Dhabi's Gold ATMs
Gold dispensing machines? Ammaro, from Bahrain, discusses Abu Dhabi's new flashy Gold ATMs in this post.
Jordan: A Day with a Grave Digger
From Jordan, Karabeeb (Ar) interviews a grave digger – and discusses his profession.
MENA: 15m Facebook Users
As of May 2010, Facebook has 15 million users from the Middle East and North Africa (excluding Iran, Israel and Turkey), reports Spot On. Seventy per cent of the users are in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar: The Al Jazeera Initiative for Internet Freedom Launched
Qatar-based Al Jazeera Network has announced The Al Jazeera Initiative for Internet Freedom. For more information, click here.
Mauritania: Spotlight on Tunisian Cyberactivism
Mauritanian blogger Nasser Weddady sheds light on cyberactivism in Tunisia with this insightful post, dedicated to the memory of Tunisian dissident and internet activist Zouhair Yahyahoui.
Bahrain: Blocking of Sites Gains Momentum
Bahraini Mahmood Al Yousif comments on the blocking of sites around the world – and the excuses given for that.
Maldives: Divehi Language Or Islamic Studies
We Show The Facts. You Know The Rest blog discusses the plan of the Maldives government to make study of Dhivehi language and Islamic studies as optional in A Level.
Bhutan: Such Is Life
Jeans at Kuzu-Bhutan Weblog shares an anecdote of life in Bhutan's capital Thimphu.
Zimbabwe: Police raid house of Director of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe
After the arrest of two employees of the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) on the 21st May 2010, the police have gone further to search the house of Chesterfield Samba, the Director of GALZ, Sokwanele reports.
Kenya: No need for unnecessary ICT regulations
Erik discusses ICT regulations in Kenya: “Maybe, instead of adding unnecessary regulations, governments should look to truly and strongly punishing unfair and dirty practices that are already on the books.”
Sri Lanka: Unique Perspectives On The End Of War
Sanjana Hattotuwa at ICT for Peacebuilding (ICT4Peace) informs that GroundViews, the Sri Lankan citizen media platform, has published a special edition on the end of the war against LTTE.
Trinidad & Tobago: Offering Advice
Raymond Ramcharitar has some advice for the People's National Movement, the political party that now moves from government into opposition.
India: Controlling Export Of Cotton
Offstumped blog criticizes the recent decisions of the incumbent Indian government to control export of Cotton using steps like ban on export to a license based red tape system.
St. Lucia: Gun Violence
Sun, Rain, Or… is saddened by the recent spate of gun violence in St. Lucia, the “up close and personal shootings…”
Jamaica: Resetting the Clock
“Jamaica's bizarre socio-economic clock cannot turn back but it can be reset”: Living in Barbados suggest the current situation “may be the spur to find ways to start dealing with that process.”
