Stories from 13 June 2007
Japan: The Disappearing Pension Accounts
For the past few weeks, pressure has been intensifying against the Japanese government over its apparent mismanagement of over 50 million public pension accounts belonging to millions of Japanese citizens. While the government has attempted to deflect attacks by issuing flyers pinning the blame on a former member of the opposition, many Japanese bloggers are not buying it.
Lebanon: Bomb Explosion Targets MP
“A powerful blast ripped through Beirut’s seaside, between the Long Beach and Sporting Club swimming facilities in Beirut's Manara district. Five dead so far and ten injured,” reports Moussa Bashir, from Beirut. “Nothing, nothing at all, justifies such acts of terror…Lord have mercy…. we in Lebanon are in dire need...
Transgenders and Children
A transgendered person who is a famous entertainer and her partner in Korea were rejected in their application to adopt a child after their marriage. Don’t they have the right to have a family? Or are they not an “ordinary” family? There are two opinions. [ko]
The proportion of Christians in Korea
The proportion of Christians in Korea is quite different by province. A blogger researched this issue and shows his findings through graphs. [ko]
Two Girls
People commemorate two girls who were killed by an American army vehicle on the way to their friends’ birthday party five years ago. Many bloggers recall their deaths.[ko]
Personal loan companies of suspicious repute
Since entertainers who appeared in advertisements for personal loan companies of suspicious repute were blamed in public and some of them canceled the advertisement in order to keep their image or apologized in public, a famous actor appeared even with his wife, and said that he is not ashamed. Bloggers...
Trinidad & Tobago: Road Carnage
Now is Wow reprints a Letter to the Editor that she wrote out of concern about irresponsible driving practices on Trinidad and Tobago's roads, while Trinidad and Tobago News Blog agrees that the carnage on the streets is not normal.
Jamaica: Blog Novel
Jamaican Geoffrey Philp has just finished a novel inspired by the blogosphere – and his agent thinks its “the first of its kind in fiction”.
Guyana: International Image
Living Guyana quotes an Associated Press report to make a point about how Guyana is being perceived by the international community following the foiled JFK terror plot.
Morocco: Hajj or Vodka
Moroccan Laila Lalami posts a clipping of a news article on a Hajj lottery, placed next to a Vodka ad. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol.
Iraq: Mounting Refugee Crisis
What brings Iraqis to Syria, asks Alive in Baghdad, which highlights the Iraqi refugee crisis. “There are at least 4.2 million Iraqis displaced from their homes, with 2.2 million now believed to be outside Iraq. The UN has now warned the number should be expected to rise to 5 million...
Cuba: Human Rights
Both Uncommon Sense and Child of the Revolution blog about the latest report to the United Nations on the human rights situation in Cuba.
Lebanon: Four Categories of People
There are four categories of individuals in this world. There are those who are of type Sheep A, the second category are Sheep B, the third is Sheep C and the last type is Wolf, explains Lebanese blogger Liliane.
Kuwait: Would You Eat Off the Floor?
Kuwait blogger Fonzy posts the following question: Would you eat off the floor? Contrary to popular belief, he says a study shows that bacteria only attacks food a minute after it drops to the ground.
Bahamas: OTEC Facility in the Offing?
Could the Bahamas be the ideal location for an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion facility? Bahama Pundit explores the possibilities.
The Great Walls
Walls are continuing to spring up around the world, writes guest blogger Sokari on Sabbah's Blog, who discusses new and old walls which separate Iran from Pakistan, India from Pakistan, Palestine from Israel, Morocco from the Polisario front, the Spanish enclaves from the rest of Morocco and certain neighbourhoods of...
Trinidad & Tobago: Indigenous People – Political Mileage?
The CAC Review can tell that it is election season in Trinidad and Tobago: “It is at times like these the indigenous people are often fondly called to mind…”
Israel: Gazans Call for Help
Israeli blogger Yael K notes that Gazans are seeking refuge from Israel to escape the in fighting between Hamas and Fatah in Palestine.
Israel: Election Results
Desert Peace from Israel gives us his two cents on the results of the Israeli elections. “Also Israel has, since an hour ago, a new President. Shimon Peres, a man who never was elected to any government position in his 50 year old political career was finally elected to a...
Iraq: Battered Women
The plight of Iraqi women comes to life in this link provided by Salam Adil in the Iraq Blog Count.
Egypt: US Threatens to Cut Back Aid
The US is threatening to cut military aid to Egypt by $200m, but blogger Issandr El Amrani thinks it is unlikely. “I was in Washington a few weeks ago and interviewed several Egypt-watchers there — including administration officials — who did not think this would happen,” he notes.