Stories from 16 February 2007
China: Blood Money
Toadi from interlocals.net has translated a recent report from Huaxia Times(zh) on the operation of a blood collection station in Shanxi where blood plamas is extracted from rural pleasants like a factory to supply a pharmaceutical manufacturer in Beijing.
Russia: Interview With La Russophobe
Siberian Light runs an interview with La Russophobe.
Russia, Estonia: The Bronze Soldier, Again
Vilhelm Konnander writes about Tallinn's Bronze Soldier monument: “Why is it that a WW II-monument repeatedly sparks bilateral crises between Estonia and Russia?”
Russia: Registration
Sean's Russia Blog publishes a reader's comment on the torturous registration process in Russia.
Russia: Vladimir Vladimirovich™
Scraps of Moscow translates a recent Vladimir Vladimirovich™ episode: “Once upon a time, Vladimir Vladimirovich™ Putin was sitting in his Kremlin office and waxing his Presidential skis.”
Russia: Women
Copydude writes on “why Russian women don’t marry Russian men.”
Soviet Union: Soda Machines
Photos of the long-forgotten Soviet soda machines, at Russian Kafe.
Ukraine: Corruption
Ukrainian journalist Yuri Zushchik spent this Valentine's Day in the company of his wife and her close friend, Sveta, who is dating a “mid-level employee” of the National Bank of Ukraine. On his blog at Korrespondent.net news site, Zushchik shares (RUS) what Sveta has revealed about the origins of her...
The Arabist: Israel Sullying Middle Easterners’ Image in US
The Arabist highlights what it describes as the “latest Israel Lobby initiative to sully the image of Middle Easterners” in the US here.
Omar Al Sharif a Bully?
Egyptian-born actor Omar Al Sharif, 74, is a bully, writes Issandr El Amrani following news reports that Sharif, who starred in Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, punched a Guatemalan immigrant and called him a “stupid Mexican” in Beverly Hills.
Algeria: Snake Spell Found
Algerian blogger Lameen Souag reports that an ancient Semitic scribe containing a spell against snakes was finally deciphered. The spell was found in the Pyramids in Egypt.
China: Sexologist shuts up
Renowned Chinese sociologist Li Yinhe announced last week that she had been told in no uncertain terms, by people whose identity she declined to identify, to shut up. A longtime fixture of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Li is known mostly for her liberal attitudes towards a whole range...
Sri Lanka: Obama and Identity
Indi.ca has a post on identity in politics, now at centre-stage because of Obama in the US. “Obama is in many ways like myself, a product of the modern age of communications and international travel. By a different shuffle he could be Kenyan, Indonesian or any number of things, but...
India: A broom seller
Swajana profiles a man who sells brooms. “Once a family business has been started it will very likely be handed down from generation to generation. Our video here is about one such enterprising young man who sells brooms and mops – going from house to house – he uses his...
Nepal: Madheshi vs. Madhise
The politics of terminology and the other way round explained at Madhesh Blog. “From historical point of view, the identity “Madheshi” connects people living in Madhesh with their thousands years of history of living in Madhesh, whereas identity “Nepali” refers to their 200 years of history since the conquest of...
Bangladesh: In conversation with Raman Mundair
Black and Gray in conversation with Raman Mundair. “All these things are aspects of me and I have many aspects. I am also human, artist, British, Sikh, Indian etc. I find it difficult to reduce myself to one singular identity. My strength is in my multiple identities. Of course I...
India: A positive peace
Cuckoo's Call on building positive peace between the Hindu and Muslim communities. ‘Positive peace’ is rooted in shared recognition by Hindus and Muslims of the all-round destructiveness of the communal divide, and the need to act purposefully to address this. Positive peace goes beyond tolerance, to embrace ongoing dialogue, mutual...
Bahrain: Qaradawi's Advice to Women.
Islamic clergyman Yousif Al Qaradawi is urging women to refrain from masterbating in this link provided by Bahraini blogger Mahmood Al Yousif.
Armenia: Prosperous Armenia
CRD/TI Armenia Election Monitor 2007 reports on Gagik Tsarukian’s Prosperous Armenia part. Tsarukian's party is popular with the poor for its charity, which critics label vote buying.
Tajikistan: Water Pollution
At neweurasia, Gulru writes about water pollution in Tajikistan, saying that there Tajik citizens can be part of the solution.
Kuwait: Valentine Blues
Isolated Serenity, from Kuwait, has an interesting array of photographs, with goodies for her family and friends, here.
