29 May 2007

Stories from 29 May 2007

Pakistan: Begum Nawazish Ali

  29 May 2007

The Pakistani Spectator on a delightful talk show where a man presents himself as a woman named Begum Nawazish Ali. “One thing is clear and established that the program “Late Night Show with Begum Nawazish Ali” broadcast by AAJ channel, is in striking contrast with the Pakistani values, but its...

Nepal: On “newness”

  29 May 2007

Nepali Network has a post on the notion of “newness” and its perception. “Usha Bista has become an apt metaphor for the tentativeness of our trudge toward a new Nepal. A member of the Loktantrik [Democratic] Everest Expedition 2007, Bista was part of a much-hyped endeavor to show the rest...

Bangladesh: Religion and Spirituality

  29 May 2007

Sadiq M Alam on religion and spirituality. “One can become cold blooded murderer even in the name of religion, in the name of God and justifying unthinkable crime even holding a holy book of religion. What is interesting is that Spirituality without religiousness again becomes selfish, an escape route for...

Sierra Leone: State Led Prostitution, Diamond Tales, And More

  29 May 2007

After three years of peace following eleven years of civil war, Sierra Leone is engaged in concerted efforts to attract investors. The efforts, which are led by the the government of Sierra Leone and the the Department of International Development in the UK, involve a campaign, Sierra Leone: Back in Business. Sierra Leone, like many other African countries, is guilty of "state led prostitution" in its attempts to bring investors back into the country, argues Sweet Sierra Leone.

Corruption in Senegal

  29 May 2007

Le Blog Politique du Senegal posts data on the incidence of corruption in Senegal and reminds us that the definition of corruption differs around the world; in Senegal, the practice of exchanging gifts is deeply rooted in traditional culture.

Bahrain: Police Excessive Use of Force

“I’m not sure what the Ministry of the Interior wants to achieve by its continuous excessive use of force. If this is their idea of instilling love for the country, they failed; if it is their intention to protect public and private property, they failed, their habitual use of tear...

Palestine: South African Views on Israel

Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah links to an article about “Ronnie Kasrils – South Africa Minister of Intelligence – testimony and experience upon his visit to Israel and Occupied Palestine; published by an internationally recognized Jewish South African in a major South African paper (Mail&Guardian).”

Jordan: The Other 3% in Syria

From Jordan, Naseem Al Tarawnah writes: ‘The BBC Reported: “The interior ministry said he (Syrian President Bashar al-Assad) won the backing of more than 97% of Syria’s 12 million voters in Sunday’s referendum.” Question: If Bashar Al-Assad was running unopposed, who were the other 3% voting for?’

Egypt: From Here and There

Egypt-based blogger Issandr El Amrani selects a few essential readings here, where he links to articles of interest to his readers including one about how some Iraqi refugees are turning to the sex trade in Syria and the uproar an agreement to send 120,000 Egyptian housemaids to Saudi Arabia has...

Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela: Media & Politics

  29 May 2007

“When media become political players themselves, they lose their credibility, and they betray the people who rely on them for truthful, accurate information.” Jeremy Taylor weighs in on the controversy surrounding the closure of RCTV in Venezuela.

Jamaica: Requests for Proposal

  29 May 2007

“Only recently have I come to understand why my stomach churns and I politely demur, when I am told that several companies will be bidding on a solution”: Jamaican Francis Wade reveals why he runs away from Requests For Proposal.

Kuwait: What Kuwaitis Did This Week?

It's been yet another busy week for Kuwaiti bloggers who give us a break down of their day to day activities. While one contemplates why he should register to attend a film festival, others are visiting relatives and friends, ordering lunches in, comparing hypermarket prices and scrutinising Google Earth for places they didn't know existed in their country. Abdullatif Al Omar has more.

Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Caribbean Customer Relations

  29 May 2007

“We all like to belong, most of us like to be acknowledged, and if we're paying you for a product or service, we most definitely like to be kept in the loop,” writes Karel Mc Intosh as she examines customer relationship management in the Caribbean.