Stories from 17 May 2007
Is Chad Ending its Official Use of Child Soldiers?
Prisma International writes that the Chadian government plans to discharge all child soldiers [Fr] currently serving in its army. A UNICEF investigation counted 400 children between the ages of eight and eleven among the ranks of Chad's armed forces.
Jamaica: Power of Poetry
“…I rejoice because Clifton reminds me always of why writing poetry is important and why it is good to believe this.” Geoffrey Philp quotes Kwame Dawes’ meditation on James Dickey, Lucille Clifton, and the power and grace of poetry.
Jordan: Arab Media Watchdog
Jordanian blogger Lina links to a news article which says that journalists from five Arab countries are to launch a media watchdog group in reaction to what they call increased restrictions on press workers in the region. According to the article, 20 reporters from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Morocco and...
Togo: Julie Akofka Akoussah, Diva of Togolese Music
Julie Akofka Akoussah, the “Diva” of Togolese music, said, “Music is in my blood. It allows me to communicate the joy that animates me to all of those whose hearts are suffering and who have lost their smile.” [Fr] She passed away in late April and will be buried this...
Egypt: Citizens and Residents
Egyptian blogger Nora Younis focuses on the meanings of being a citizen as opposed to being a resident in Egypt in the aftermath of an attack on Coptic homes in the village of Bahma. “I tell you if we let the discriminative and politicised security apparatus grib all our causes...
Bahrain: Inciting Hatred
“Inciting hatred” is becoming a fashionable charge in Bahrain, explains blogger Mahmood Al Yousif. “Soon, Bahrain’s streets, villages and towns will once again live several days of a perfumed atmosphere. The wafts of tear-gas and the sounds of rubber bullets will be infused in decrepit narrow streets, while that effervescent...
Algeria: On Explosions and Elections
As Algerians head apathetically to the polls, in the sixth bout of elections held in the country since 1992, another attack rocks a major Algerian city; Constantine in the country's rugged east. The attack was comprised of two blasts, ten minutes apart detonated by way of remote controlled mobile phones....
St. Lucia: Confusing Road Signs
Living in the Caribbean posts video of some grammatically confusing St. Lucian road signs.
Puerto Rico: Leadership
“What happens when you have managers that will not extract opinions from employees AND employees that are so deferential they will not offer them”: El Gringoqueno thinks he has identified the simple problem with Puerto Rico.
Trinidad & Tobago: Naipaul's Rules for Writing
Want to improve your writing? Antilles features “V.S. Naipaul's Rules for Beginners”.
Morocco's first English-language newspaper
The View from Fez was the bearer of good news this morning, informing us that Morocco has finally released its first English-language print newspaper. Although international papers are available in Morocco, and Magharebia.com and Maghreb Arabe Presse provide anglophones with news on the internet, there's nothing better than settling into...
Tanzania: bloggers association logo
One of these logos will probably become the official logo of the Tanzania Bloggers Association (Jumuiya ya Wanablogu Tanzania – Jumuwata).
Africa: my dad reached over and slapped me across the face…
Dear Seun: “What happened next shocked me, my dad reached over and slapped me across the face. “Liar”, he shouted. “Am I raising a prostitute and a liar? You know what the bible says about these things. So if you don'thave a boyfriend, who were you saying i love you...
Korean sex trafficking: past and present
Korean sex trafficking: past and present. A blogger wonders why the past is a bigger deal than the present in Korea, linking to a news article, “Enslavement of women persists despite new law.”
North-South Korean Train
“Give me a train ticket for Pyongyang” Koreans express their joy for the North-South Korean train through internet cartoons and gatherings. See the moment the train finally operated today from Munsan in South Korea to Kaesong in North Korea. Against the festive mood, families of people who have been abducted...
Sudan: identity crisis
Sudanese Thinker writes about identity crisis in Sudan: “After 9/11, I believe things changed for most Northern Sudanese though. Many in America where happy to be identified as African and not Arab. They wanted nothing to do with being Arab. All of a sudden it became a burden. My brother...
China: Internet politics
Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translates an interview with Yu Guoming, a vice-dean of the Renmin University School of Journalism and head of that university's Public Opinion Research Institute, on Internet and politics, published at Globe magazine.
South Africa/Sudan: peacekeeper and bloggers returns home
A South African peacekeeper and blogger returns home from Darfur, Sudan: “Driving from the airport in Johannesburg to Pretoria. What a sweet feeling to be back home. After three days of demobilisation we were allowed to go to our homes. Even though I was happy to arrive home I am...
China: Genocide Olympics
Imagethief analyses whether the “genocide Olympics” campaign against China's stance in Darfur would be working or not.
Philippines: Campaigning Thoughts
Mong Palatino shares the good and not so good of his campaigning experience in the recent elections in Philippines.
Uganda:
Observations about the Ugandan blogosphere from the makers of Ugandan Blogumentary: “[Blogren] the term was invented and introduced by the Ugandan blogger the 27th comrade on February 6. 2007 to respond to his fellow citizens (please correct us if we’re wrong). What the blogrens have in common is their love...
