Stories from February, 2007
Nepal: On funding terrorism
Madhesh Blog on funding terrorism in Nepal. “Several donor agencies who invested their time to investigate the use of their funds have found them not being used for the intended targets. For example, many grants for poverty reduction and micro-credits have not reached to the targeted grassroots, and many other...
Nepal: Weapons and the UN
Accounting for weapons in Nepal is rather controversial. Nepali Netbook explains – “Moreover, according to Prachanda, many of their weapons were destroyed in fire and swept away by river during the conflict. (Translation: if everyone’s so interested in exact numbers, why does no one ask Girija Prasad Koirala about the...
Venezuela: Una tarde con campanas / Juan Carlos Méndez Guédez
Guillermo Parra translates an excerpt from Juan Carlos Méndez Guédez's novel “Una tarde con campanas.” Explains Parra, “the book is narrated by a boy whose family migrates to Madrid after a military government comes to power in Venezuela. Una tarde con campanas was a finalist for the Premio de Novela...
Venezuela, Brazil: Chavez Versus O Globo
Daniel Duquenal posts and narrates two video clips from a Chavez press conference in Caracas in which he criticizes Brazilian media conglomerate O Globo for its opposition to Lula in Brazil's last presidential elections. In the second clip, Chavez focuses on O Globo's reporter, accusing him of not understanding Venezuela.
Sri Lanka: Inheriting Colombo
The Lolly DJ writes a fabulously touching piece on inheriting Colombo from a grandpa who came to Sri Lanka 65 years back.” In 1942, my grandfather, Arthur, was en-route to Singapore, when the impregnable city fell. The soldiers who were there became the stuff of myth, imprisoned and emaciated under...
Uruguay: Negotiating Outside of Mercosur
About Lula's recent decision to let Uruguay negotiate outside of South America's Mercosur trade block Gaby writes “It's a bit pathetic that we have to go by asking permission to do things, when is something that doesn't happen the other way around, but that's the way it is (let's face...
Bangladesh: Pseudo Innovation in Dhaka
Unheard Voices points to a an article in Himal on military and governance. “As Dhaka’s military-backed interim government gets on with its anti-corruption agenda amid cautious cheers from the public, Bangladeshis at home and abroad are arguing over what kind of government system can both be functional and deliver for...
Iraq: US Allies No Longer Allies
The US allies are no longer its allies, rats are leaving the sinking ship and Canada is no longer in the flock. If you want to understand what I mean read what Iraqi blogger Ladybird has to say here.
Guyana: Letter to Opportunity
Guyana-Gyal writes a letter to Opportunity.
Peru: Thunder in Lima
Waldo of El Mundo de los Pendrejos creates a storm in the comment section when he writes [ES] “I'm in Lima in the early morning and I've heard thunder, supposedly it's spread from Carabaillo to Huachipa.” His readers nod excitedly at a weather phenomenon that almost never visits Peru and,...
Haiti: Carnaval photos
Haitianalysis.com posts some lovely photos of the 2007 Carnaval in Haiti by Wadner Pierre.
Jamaica: Top ten books
Jamaican novelist Marlon James posts a list of his top ten books.
Jamaica: An evening with a dub poet
Geoffrey Philp posts a podcast of the proceedings from the premiere of a documentary on the life of the Jamaican dub poet Malachi Smith.
Trinidad & Tobago: Young and black in Babylondon
London-based Trinidadian Sinistra posts part two of her “Young and Black in Babylondon” series: ‘“So, what do you speak in the Caribbean? African?”’
Egypt: What If Anna Nicole Smith was Egyptian?
Freedom for Egyptians wonders what if Anna Nicole Smith was Egyptian! “This woman was into the playboy world of fame, however there was no one single story judging her based on morality, religion or ethics…There are three men who are claiming to be the daughter’s father. This means that the...
Egypt: Nawal Al Saadawi Show
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia accuses Egyptian feminist and writer Dr Nawal Al Saadawi of coming up with an annual gimmick to ensure her name remains in the news. “(I)n 2004 she wanted to be a president ,in 2006 she came and her daughter with the new idea that people to be...
Egypt: Mossad Spy Update
Egyptian blogger Zeinobia continues to follow news on an Egyptian-Canadian accused of spying for the Mossad here. “He wasn't spying for Israel despite the fact that he went to the Israeli Embassy , knew the three other wanted Mossad officers and considered them as friends and was going to Israel...
St. Kitts, Antigua: What is luxury?
Simone at Something Extra looks at the web sites of two luxury hotels in St. Kitts and Antigua, in an effort to determine “what defines luxury“.
Barbados: Draft energy plan analysed
Keith R at The Temas Blog analyses of Barbados’ draft national energy plan with a particular emphasis on its “environmental implications”.
Barbados: Tony Cozier interviewed
Robert Frische of cricketwukup.com interviews Barbadian Tony Cozier, the dean of West Indian cricket commentators, who talks about the West Indies’ chances in the upcoming Cricket World Cup, Barbados's refurbished cricket ground, the life of a cricket correspondent and more.
Egypt: BBC World Lost September 11 Tapes
Egypt-based blogger Tom Gara is confused as to how BBC World has lost tapes of its coverage of the September 11 attacks on the US. Gara reports that a BBC World editor wrote: “We no longer have the original tapes of our 9/11 coverage (for reasons of cock-up, not conspiracy)....
