Stories about South Asia from August, 2012
Pakistan: Fighting Stereotypes and Celebrating with India on Independence Day
Pakistan's mainstream and social media is usually fraught with issues ranging from terrorism and sectarianism to economic and power crisis. However, there comes a day, once every year, when even the most cynical tend to let go of their skepticism and dwell in a rather romantic notion of hope. That day is August 14, the day Pakistan got its independence from British Raj.
Sri Lanka: Noose Tightens Around Online Freedom of Expression
"This new regulation could potentially and very quickly embrace personal blogs, micro-blogs (Twitter), Facebook (pages and groups) .. anyone, anywhere in Sri Lanka is now liable for prosecution at the sole discretion of (the) government."
Nepal: Saving Migrant Workers In The Gulf
In reaction to the recent ban on Nepali female workers to the Gulf, Guffadi thinks that it is just a symbolic ban while the real culprits, the manpower agencies, roam free.
Bangladesh: The Yard & The Manimals
Atik Ullah Sayeed posts a photo essay on the Shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh: Traveling In The Ganges River
Bangladesh Unlocked provides a fascinating account on a journey from North in Rajshahi towards South in the Nijhum Dwip via boat on the Ganges river. The blogger comments: “travelling here also provides an experience for a tourist that is not only exciting but also very satisfying.”
Bangladesh: Ugly and Deadly Billboards in Dhaka
Dhaka skylines are covered with commercial billboards. These not only block the view of the sky but during string winds and storms they are prone to collapse and harm pedestrians. So far 15 people have died in billboard related accidents.
Sri Lanka: Buddhist Priest Robs Statue From Hindu Temple
D. B. S. Jeyaraj informs that a mob led by a Buddhist Priest had forcefully taken away a statue of Pillaiyar, the Elephant faced deity, from a Hindu temple in Panamai on the Eastern coastal district of Amparai in Sri Lanka.
Nepal: Gaijatra Gay Pride Festival In Pokhara
Lex Limbu posts photos of the 3rd International Gaijatra Gay Pride Festival, which took place in the lake city of Pokhara on Friday, 3rd of August, 2012.
Pakistan: A Tribute To Mango
Owais Mughal at Light Within posts a tribute to Mango, which is the national fruit of Pakistan.
Bangladesh: Citizenship Rights for Myanmar's Rohingya?
Myanmar's Rohingya are stateless, not wanted by any country. The Rakhine Nationalities Development Party in Myanmar is calling for the segregation of Rohingya Muslims from ethnic Arakanese and the Bangladesh government recently ordered three international charities to halt aid to Rohingya refugees living in camps to stop their influx from Myanmar.
Bhutan: Trending On Twitter For Helping India
Last week, power grids across Northern India collapsed and neighboring Bhutan's hydroelectricity was used to run the Delhi Metro. Indian Twitterati were bemused by this fact and reacted on Twitter so much that ‘Bhutan’ ended up in the top ten trending hashtags on Twitter, reports Boaz Shmueli.
Bangladesh, USA: 5000 Miles Bicycle Ride For Climate Awareness
Two activists from Bangladesh are riding on a tandem bike to collect and measure the amount of plastic and other waste they come across during their 5000 miles journey from Seattle to New York.
Sri Lanka: The Need for a National Water Resources Policy
Ranil Senanayake at Groundviews exerts that the water rich Sri Lanka urgently needs a National Water Resources Policy to preserve the quantity and quality of the water resources.
Bangladesh: Save Sundarbans’ Bengal Tigers
Global Tiger Day is observed in 13 countries on the 29th of July each year. This year the slogan in Bangladesh was 'Save Sundarbans Tiger Landscape'. Protests were also made against construction of a coal based power plant project near the forests which will endanger the tigers and other wildlife.
Global: ‘International Relations’ Out of the Classroom Onto the Web
"IR has a new dimension and is no longer the subject of a few for discussion." - Former IR Student. "Blogging is not an end in itself or a replacement for real research." - IR Professor
Macedonia: Decades-Old International Poetry Festival in Focus
Portugese filmmaker André Soares published a short video documentary about the Struga Poetry Evenings, an international poetry festival held in Macedonia since 1962.
Pakistan: Engineer Claims to Invent Water-Fuelled Engine
A Pakistani engineer claims that he can run a car on a water-fuelled engine. Pakistan is currently going through a severe power crisis, so the proud inventor Agha Waqar Ahmad is the talk of the town in mainstream and social media, with some praising the innovation, and others making fun of it.
Global: BRICS vs. NATO – Battlefield of Ideas on Interventions
China’s and Russia’s recent decision to veto the United Nations Security Council resolution against Syria -has reignited the debate over the relationship between 'new' powers Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - the BRICS - with 'old' powers - NATO - in international interventions.
Create UNAOC 2012: Apps and Games for Intercultural Dialogue
The recently launched Create UNAOC 2012 competition is an opportunity for developers across the world to produce innovative apps and mobile games to promote intercultural dialogue, in a bid to avoid global conflicts and tension. Find out how to submit your idea.
Bangladesh: High Hopes for Bangla Supported Mobiles
In Bangladesh use of SMS is very low because most imported handsets do not support the Bangla language. To deliver the benefits that mobile technology can bring, development of Bangla language support for mobile phone is essential.
UK: Empty Seats at London 2012?
As the games enter their 5th day, Olympic fans are struggling to find tickets to the various venues in London. Many were shocked to see empty seats during the early days; forcing the London Organising Committee of the Olympics & Paralympics (LOCOG) to defend themselves.
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