· June, 2007

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Stories about Weblog from June, 2007

CIA facility in Tunisia?

From his prison cell in Bizerte (65km north of Tunis), The Tunisian prisoner Ramzi Bettibi managed to smuggle a very alarming letter that found its way on to the Internet...

Written by sami ben gharbia
26 June 2007

Turkey is Typing…Favorite Posts of the Week

Today's Turkey is Typing takes us through my list of favorite postings this week: from prostitution as a cause of the holocaust, a curse or two, culturicide, bureaucracy and carpet cleaning, a new edition of the guide to Turkish blogs....and a startling omission about what someone would do for love of a 'smoking hot' bod.

Written by Deborah Ann Dilley
26 June 2007

Morocco: GV Author Addresses Youth Conference

Morocco author Jillian York addressed a youth conference, organised by DABA, in conjunction with the National Democratic Institute's Morocco branch. The three-day event, which aimed at reevaluating political involvement in Morocco in the run-up to the 2007 legislative elections, also focused on building the capacity of young opinion leaders in citizen journalism skills, with an online emphasis in order to increase dialogue about issues of concern to youth.

Written by Jillian C. York
25 June 2007

Lebanon: Almost Non-Political Questions

What are we eating? Why are our banks flourishing? Who are those clearing cluster bombs? How will Brazil help in recycling Lebanese wastes? Where are some of the children who were caught in the crossfire? What about some music? These are some of the questions answered in this week’s selections from the Lebanese blogosphere.

Written by Moussa Bashir
25 June 2007

Bolivia: The Coldest Night of the Year

Bonfires and food are a big part of the celebration of San Juan, which takes place on the eve of June 24 and is considered to be the coldest night of the winter. In Bolivia, the contamination created by these fires draw criticisms from city officials and other residents. However, some Bolivian bloggers think that care for the environment should be a year-round affair. Others chose to celebrate the holiday with hot dogs and a blogger meet-up.

Written by Eduardo Avila
25 June 2007

Russia: Moscow's Top Secret and Other Exaggerations

According to a recent survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Moscow is “the world’s most expensive city for expatriates for the second consecutive year.” To Moscow locals, however, Mercer’s findings may look a bit like an exaggeration - and one blogger explains why. Another blogger happens to cross paths with Vladimir Putin's motorcade in Moscow, getting a glimpse (and a few furtive photos) of the exaggerated security measures taken to secure the president's passage through the city.

Written by Veronica Khokhlova
24 June 2007

Japan: Anti-freeze Toothpaste and Toxic Thomas

Last week, reports emerged that two Japanese companies were recalling thousands of Chinese toothpaste products sold to hotels across the country after the health ministry reported finding that they contained chemicals used in anti-freeze. At the same time, Sony announced that it was recalling 43,000 “Thomas the Tank Engine” wooden toys, which were found to be covered in paint with excessive levels of lead. Bloggers in Japan reacted with anger and disbelief.

Written by Chris Salzberg
24 June 2007

Cambodia: Blogs sharply criticize donor meetings

Hun Sen promised to purge his government of corrupt officials, pleaded for more aid, and was granted his wish, without question, by the international donor community. The decision comes directly after a slew of charges against the Cambodian government, which includes evidence of illegal logging and severe human rights violations.

Written by Geoffrey Cain
24 June 2007

Palestine: A Classic Case of Divide and Rule?

With so much happening on the ground, this week many of the blogs by Palestinians, and those focused on Palestinian issues, have kept their attention on the ongoing events in Gaza. Ayesha Saldanha reviews what Palestinian and other bloggers had to say about the civil war in Gaza, the World Refugee Day and conversations over picking thyme.

Written by Ayesha Saldanha
23 June 2007

Kuwait: Give Women More Rights

As usual, this week's Kuwait round up by Abdullatif Al Omar addresses a number of issues including the disappearance of people in summer, Kuwait's unwritten traffic code, the attack of a Kuwaiti diplomat in Iran and the plight of mothers who cannot be considered as legal guardians for their children - simply because they are women.

Written by Abdullatif AlOmar
23 June 2007

China: Nailhouse 2: Residents fight back

Unlike the Chongqing Nailhouse which was demolished earlier this year, some residents of an entire nailbuilding in eastern China came to an impasse with police this past week; blogger photos and accounts from the scene suggest they won't be leaving without a fight.

Written by John Kennedy
23 June 2007

Oman: Blogging Back on Track

Are Omani bloggers are dying breed? What kind of service do you expect when you buy an expensive washing machine? And have you heard the latest song written after the deadly tropical cyclone Gonu hit Omani shores? These are just some of the topics discussed in Riyadh Al Balushi's latest coverage of Omani blogs.

Written by Riyadh Al Balushi
23 June 2007

Korea: Military Service

Military service in Korea: Is there any topic more sensitive? And draft dodger? And even a public figure? That spells death in society. Several years ago, a popular male singer...

Written by Hyejin Kim
23 June 2007

Japan: Reactions to the Nova Suspension

Nova, the largest English language school operator in Japan and well-known for its fuzzy pink mascot, is in dire straights, having been ordered last week to suspend part of its operations for six months after it was found to have deceived its students and violated consumer protection laws. Bloggers in Japan offer their reactions.

Written by Hanako Tokita
23 June 2007
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