Stories from 14 November 2007
Brazil: Updates from the Internet Governance Forum
IGFWatch brings the latest updates from the third day of the Internet Governance Forum, where he heard Mr H Chengquing (from the Internet Society of China) explaining that “the view that government should keep the hands off the Internet is wrong”; a sure indication, if you didn't know already, that...
Brazil: A river in its last years
“I took this picture of Madeira River a few hours ago, when the airplane flew over Porto Velho city (RO). This landscape will have disappeared in a few years, to make room for a huge dam that will feed two hydroelectric plants.” Altino Machado also reports [pt] on the FestCine...
Armenia: Donor Fatigue
Raising concerns about corruption, Nazarian says he is unsure whether to donate to the annual telethon held in the Diaspora to raise funds for Armenia.
Israel: University Fees Should be Tripled
Israeli blogger Stephanie links to another blog post by Zabaj, which discusses the Israeli education system and why university tuition fees should be tripled.
Libya: No Sick Days for Mothers
Mothers are not allowed to be sick, writes Khadeja Teri from Libya. Find out why in this post.
Qatar: Al Jazeera Office Attacked
Al Jazeera's Qatar headquarters is under virtual attack! Find out how here.
Egypt: Fatwa to Protect Police
The Arabist, from Egypt, draws our attention to a rather convenient fatwa (religious edict) being used to protect police in this post.
Jordan: Privatisation of Parliament
Jordanian Batir Wardam writes a sharp satirical post on what is required from candidates to guarantee a seat in the Jordanian parliament.
Abu Dhabi: Ferrari Theme Park
Abu Dhabi will soon have its own Ferrari theme park, writes Palestinian blogger Haitham Sabbah.
Russia: Bloggers Expose a Pharmaceutical Scam
Thousands of Russian bloggers have united to combat a pharmaceutical scam that tried to persuade Russian pensioners to spend around half of their annual pension on a course of 'anti-arthritis' drugs that were actually little more than vitamin pills. In the course of their campaign, bloggers have not only publicised the scam nationwide, they've forced the notoriously unresponsive Russian government to act.
Azerbaijan: Terror Plot Reality Check
Asking Tough Questions in Tough Places is skeptical about the way last month's foiled attempt to stage terrorist attacks on government offices and diplomatic missions in Baku, capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was reported.
Georgia: Total Censorship
Resistance Georgia comments on reports that News International owned Imedia TV has had its license revoked following last week's clashes between opposition supporters and police in downtown Tbilisi. The blog concludes that the move “is one of the most painful blows to democracy in Georgia.”
Argentina: Viewpoints on Botnia Paper Mill Conflict
In Grito Argentino [es], Daniel Marquez and Daniel de Michele write about the Botnia paper mill conflict between Uruguay and Argentina.
Argentina: Side Effects of Paper Mill Controversy
De Todo Un Poco [es] writes about the paper mill controversy brewing between Argentina and Uruguay and its side effects, where he writes, “today it is very common to find a Uruguayan talk poorly about Argentines, which is something that wouldn't have been so common four years ago.“
Bolivia: Libraries for El Alto's Youth
After public backlash against bars in El Alto, which was accused of corrupting the city's youth, Vilma Colque of Cultura en Bibliotecas [es] proposes that culture in the form of libraries be alternatives for the youth to pass their time in a positive manner.
Bolivia: Unfinished Road Projects in El Alto
Dora Romero of Las Ideas Son Primero [es] writes about road projects that are left unfinished in El Alto, Bolivia. This criticism is directed at the mayor because it causes great inconveniences for the citizens, especially when it rains.
Pakistan: High School Kids Protest
A student protest in Islamabad voicing opinion against the emergency imposed in Pakistan [YouTube Link]. The high school kids got lathi-charged (Baton Charge) right after the footage finished according to Chapati Mystery.
Argentina: Documenting Recoleta Cemetery
Robert Wright and Marcelo Metayar recently launched a blog called AfterLife, which documents and tell the stories behind the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentina and is geared towards English-speaking visitors.
India: An interview with Wafa Sultan
Cuckoo's Call has the transcript of an interview with Arab-American psychologist, Wafa Sultan, shown on Al Jazeera TV, where she talks of being a secular human being and the idea of “clash of civilizations”.
Pakistan: Arresting Imran Khan
Metroblogging Lahore has an account of the arrest of Imran Khan at the University of Punjab.
Pakistan: Medal of Freedom
Support for people opposing Musharraf comes in various ways. All Things Pakistan on Harvard Law School's decision to award (former) Chief Justice Iftikar Chaudhary with the Medal of Freedom.
