Stories from 22 June 2007
Pakistan: Islam and Salman Rushdie
Metroblogging Lahore tells us why the knighthood for Salman Rushdie is wrong.
India: Kuki Zomi Conflict in 1997
Zoram.org reflects on the Kuki-Zomi conflict in Manipur, a decade after.
Nepal: Waiting for Monsoon
Feringhee wonders where the monsoon is and has photographs from Buddhist India and Kathmandu.
India: Walk the Night
Blank Noise Project has photographs from an event “Walk the Night” in Bangalore – protesting against street sexual harassment.
Students protest for public universities in Brazil
Students from the most important university in Brazil, the University of São Paulo, occupied the office of the head of the institution on May 3rd to protest against new policies announced by the governor of São Paulo's state, that threatened the autonomy of the state's public universities. São Paulo State...
Iran: Gonu's victims, Palestine's crisis, and a stoning suspended
About two weeks ago, Gonu, a tropical storm, hit Oman and the Sistan and Balouchestan province in Iran. Iranian bloggers report that victims in this impoverished province have not received enough government help, and that lots of people are deprived of food, water, and health care. They criticize the government's...
U.S. Concerned About Armenia’s Ties With Iran
“Iran is planning massive investments into the economies of Georgia and Armenia. We’re talkingof 1 billion dollars for Tbilissi and a analogous offer to Yerevan. For your consideration: the total amount of Russian investments in Georgia in 2006 did not exceed 30 million dollars, as to Armenia, after arrangements made...
Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine: “Mashreq is imploding”
Watching events in Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine (Fr), Stroobia writes, “Mashreq is imploding” (Fr).
D.R. Congo: Who profits from underdevelopment?
“A half-century of mistakes and political instability has pulled the rug out from under one of the potentially richest countries on the planet,” Du Cabiau à Kinshasa writes of D.R. Congo. Du Cabiau à Kinshasa blames 30 years of Mobutu and those who benefit from underdevelopment (Fr), namely state monopolies...
Tahitians can dance!
See photographs of over seventy Tahitian dancers performing in costumes fashioned from pandanus leaves.
Tahitian dance
Fenua blog has photographs of a traditional Tahitian dance performance (Fr).
HIV-positive women abandoned by their husbands
Reaseau sida Afrique writes about HIV-positive women who have been abandoned [Fr] by their husbands or families, and are left to raise their children on their own.
French Guiana: Noni and turtles in season
In French Guiana, it's the season for noni and for turtles. Cafe Creole has pictures (Fr).
Bahrain: Are Taxes Un-Islamic?
Money matters feature high in the posts of Bahraini bloggers this week, writes Ayesha Saldanha. Other issues being tackled include: Are taxes un-Islamic? Is culture and art appreciated in Bahrain? And how hot does it really get in the Middle East in Summer?
Jordan: Picture Post
Jordanian Sabri Hakeem gives us a preview of this picture he took for imagazine.
Qatar: All Alone in Doha
LotusGem will be all alone in Doha, Qatar, this summer when the family leaves on holiday to Jordan. Any good books to recommend?
Palestine: Olive Trees Dilemma
Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah reports that residents of the West Bank settlement outpost of Adei Ad uprooted 300 olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers about a week ago and replanted about half of them in the outpost.
Morocco: On Hip Hop Music
Moroccan hip hip music is here to stay, according to The View from Fez.
Lebanon: 239 Killed by Unexploded Ordnance
“Since the war ended on the 13th of August 2006 until the 7th of June 2007, 239 people have been injured or killed by unexploded ordnance, the vast majority by cluster bombs,” notes Lebanese blogger m.
Jordan: DAM Rocks Amman
In their first concert in an Arab country, Palestinian hip hop trio DAM, rocked Amman last night as part of the Fete De La Musique (Music Day) series of concerts that took place across the city, writes Jordanian blogger Naseem Tarawnah.
Israel: Oh Really!!!?
Israeli blogger Yisrael Medad says: “Oh, really!!!?” in response to Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas‘ comment: “There is no dialogue with these murderous terrorists.”