Stories from 7 August 2006
Ukraine: Naftogaz
LEvko of Foreign Notes writes about Naftogaz, the “black hole” of Ukrainian politics, and the current and former regime's involvement with it.
The Balkans: Karadzic Associate Arrested
Balkan Ghost of Finding Karadzic writes about the arrest of “Karadzic main moneyman and protector” and examines “a couple important points in the Karadzic hunt.”
Poland: The Government and the Mass Media
The beatroot writes about the current government's relations with the Polish mass media: “It’s unprecedented in the western world that a government has no friends at all in the MSM.”
Poland: Helena Wolinska
The beatroot writes about the UK's refusal to extradite Helena Wolinska, a 79-year-old Stalinist prosecutor, to Poland.
Russia: “Gulagland”
Sean's Russia Blog writes about Vorkuta mayor's plans “to turn a former prison camp into a “reality” holiday camp for tourists looking to spice up their vacation with the experience of Soviet camp life.”
Romania: Saturday Morning Cacophony
Romerican writes about the cacophony of a Saturday morning in Romania – and posts some pictures. A reader awards this post with “the Golden Electric Whistle Award for making [her] snort chocolate milk from laughing so hard.”
Palestine: Rafah's Remains after “Summer Rains”
The military withdrew from Rafah yesterday, early morning and returned yesterday night and are now present at the airport and the outskirts of Rafah. The destruction that they have left behind since last Thursday, August 3rd, consists of 13 killed, including three children one of which was a three day-old...
Morocco: Moroccan Jews accuse Peretz as war criminal
Three Moroccan Jews in have asked a Moroccan court to charge Israel’s defense minister with war crimes. The three Jews, all known as leading leftists in Morocco, said Amir Peretz, Israel’s Moroccan-born defense minister, is still subject to Moroccan law, Samir said.
Israel: Fleeing toward Jerusalem
During the last intifada, those of us in Jerusalem had the dubious “honor” of being in the middle of the conflict. Buses and cafes were blowing up, and Israelis in other areas were often too afraid to come to the capital. Now the situation is reversed, and people from the...
Iraq: Chavez is an Arab patriot
LadyBird says that Hugo Chavez proved to be more Arab patriot than all the Arab presidents combined together. She posts links to his interview with Al Jazeera.
Pakistan: Why is Amitabh Bachchan wishing us?
Amitabh Bachchan, an icon in the Indian Film Industry is seen in a Pakistani Advert promising a surprise for Pakistan on August 14th, which of course is the Pakistani Independence Day. Some bloggers don't quite like the idea of someone as Indian as Bachchan posing for an advert, while others...
Egypt: Photographer caught doctoring Lebanon pics
The really stupid thing about the freelance photographer for Reuters who doctored his pictures is that his stupidity will discredit the thousands of real pictures out there that show what an ugly war this has been. And while the pro-Israel blogosphere probably rejoices, it doesn’t change that between 600 and...
Lebanon: Our Arabness Is Not Conditional
Doha couldn't help himself but cry with my Lebanese Prime Minister Seniora, as he cried too. As he addressed the emergency Arab Foreign Ministers meeting in Beirut, he choked on the words: “Our Arabness is not conditional. It is not by force, but a choice.“
Bahrain: Google Earth Blocked in Bahrain
Bahrain Ministry of Information has instructed the Internet Exchange to block Google Earth. “Possibly because through Google Earth, the whole world, let alone the Bahraini users, can zoom in and have a good look at palaces and islands which a normal Bahraini wouldn’t even dream of one day coming close...
Algeria: Paying Foreign Debt
Nouri Lumendifi says that one of the best things about this recent boom in oil prices has been that countries with lots of foreign debt, like Algeria, have been able to pay of their debts to the world's wealthier countries.
Palestine: A Cultural Boycott of Israel
Palestinian filmmakers, artists and cultural workers are leading a call for a cultural boycott of Israel. In light of the recent escalation of Israeli attacks against Lebanon and the Palestinians in Gaza, Palestinian artists are initiating a mass movement to isolate Israel. It is aimed at giving Israel the same...
Russia: Chick(en)s Tortured
Copydude writes about chicks, chickens, KFC, PETA, Kremlin and the CIA.
Sexism gone corporate
I do think there is an ‘unofficial’ glass ceiling for female officers. The whole upper echelon of Brunei society is dominated by males. Could it be that since it is these same people who determine who gets the top jobs, the disparity exists? MedLeo Has sexism in the country gone...
Iran: Remember Mohammadi
FM Sokhan, writer & blogger has published Akbar Mohammadi's, activist student who died in prison recently, parents’ letter about the multiple signs of torture on their son's body. The blogger has changed his/her blog name into “we don't forget Akbar Mohammadi” for one week [Fa].
Iran: Reformist journalists won election!
Iran paparazzi reports that reformist journalist won Association of Journalists’ election. The blogger says it is possible that Ministry of Labour does not accept this election and conservative journalists who lost the election, will launch a new Association of Journalists [Fa].
Bishop bloggers of the Philippines
The Philippines is the only Catholic-dominated nation in Asia. Aside from delivering sermons from the pulpit or issuing pastoral letters, the clergy reaches out to its faithful through the cyberspace.
