Stories from 28 December 2007
Israel: Journalists Face Possible Jail Time for Visits to Enemy States
Three Israeli journalists who visited Lebanon and Syria are facing possible jail time for visiting nations that the government terms “enemy states.” Lisa Goldman, Ron Ben-Yishai, and Tsur Shezaf have been investigated and will spend a maximum of four years in jail if found guilty. Here's the reaction from Israel's English speaking blogs.
Burkina Faso and the Hajj
QuophyBlogeur writes about the perils of Burkinabe muslims [FR] making the pilgrimage to Mecca: “Fortunately Allah is merciful enough to tolerate the late arrival of poor pilgrims at the mercy of an organization practically on the verge of chaos.”
Burkina Faso Soon a Biofuel Producer
Last month, Burkina Faso and the French company AgroEd signed a framework agreement for developing a biofuels industry. Netizens express their skepticism about whether Burkina can become a competitive producer of biofuels, and whether ordinary people, in particular the farmers, will benefit.
Puerto Rico: Prayer for Bhutto
“What a great lost to the world is the assassination of this heroic woman who sought only to bring peace to her people”: The Voice of the Taino People calls for “a minute of prayer” in memory of Benazir Bhutto.
Congratulations New, Rising Voices
The Rising Voices citizen media outreach initiative will start out 2008 with five new and innovative projects based in Kenya, Madagascar, Uruguay, Jamaica, and Iran.
Korea: Three Singers and Military Service
How much can military service change your life? There were three singers in Korea. The first singer, Yoo Seung Joon, who grew up in the U.S., but still kept the Korean citizenship, debuted in Korea in 1997. With a sweet voice and fit body, he got attention instantly and has...
Francophone Morocco on Eid Mubarak Said
Last week, Morocco celebrated Aid el-Kebir (“Big Eid”), a festival commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and God's mercy in sparing him. Family members visit each other over the largest meals they can afford, exchange gifts (often clothing), give alms (zakat, one of the five Pillars of Islam)...
Myanmar: Video Showing September Violence
Agam's Gecko points to a new video clip that has emerged from Myanmar. “As if the world needed anymore evidence that the brutal Burmese regime has got to go now, but here is some more anyway. I've been told it's been given to CNN — but it only surfaced this...
Ghana: Akuffo Addo and the ruling party
Novisi writes about the recent nomination of the presidential candidate for the ruling party in Ghana: “self-so-called stalwarts of democracy of our country Ghana, the NPP, have just obtained or found or taken or norminated or acclaimed or chosen or whatever it is that they have done, to have Nana...
Ghana: The Opposition and Election 2008
Sarpong writes about Ghana election 2008: “Prez Kufuor faces his last term in office which expires next year.The CPP elected their presidential candidate, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, along other executives. Now, Dr. Nduom made some remarkable statements when he was declared winner ahead of Prof. Badu Akosah.”
Morocco: Shock at Benazir Bhutto's Death
Following yesterday's news of Benazir Bhutto's assassination, Moroccan bloggers react to the tragedy. Jillian York and Lydia Beyoud sum up a spate of reactions from the Anglophone and Francophone blogoma.
Ghana: Christmas with Ofori Amponsah
Ghana Music blog on Christmas celebration in Ghana: The mother of all the events took place at the National Theatre on Monday December 24, where thousands of Ghanaian and foreign music lovers came to take part in perhaps the biggest show in town, dubbed “Ghana Rocks With Ofori Amponsah and...
Kenya: Kenya elections in photos
Afromusing posts photos from the Rift Valley of Kenya elections: “Here are some shots i took yesterday at a few polling stations around Eldoret.It was so hot, but people braved the heat and queued in order to vote. By and large it went smoothly in some stations, though in the...
Kenya: Parliamentary votes in 64 constituencies
Mzalendo posts results of parliamentary votes following the Kenya 2007 election yesterday: “Mzalendo now has the results for 64 Constituencies.”
Kenya: Kenya election update
Kenya 2007 election update from Kenya Imagine: “I have a racking headache this morning. Yesterday was a tough, nay, gruelling day. Yeah, and so much so. It was Election Day; the most competitive, much anticipated issue-based election since independence. I was among the last people at the polling station having...
Iran:Extremist forces and the assassination of Bhutto
Pouya says[Fa] that extremist and fundamentalist forces are the real “winners” of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.Iranian blogger adds the fundamentalists need chaos in society to push their agenda.
Uganda: Is Uganda mentally, intellectually and creatively broke?
An interview with a Kampala City Council official has blogger Tumwijuke wondering if Uganda is “mentally, intellectually and creatively broke.”
Angola: Looking forward to 2008 elections
Orlando Castro [pt] comments on the announcement of elections for the Angolan parliament taking place in September 2008. “Angola has (almost) everything to show and to prove that it can be, indeed, an example to Africa and hence to the world”.
Brazil: A visit to Pakistan
On Benazir Bhutto's death, Leonardo Sakamoto [pt] leaves the factual news to the newspapers and publishes links to his personal accounts of Pakistan, a country which he visited to see projects that fight against slavery. In his travel blog, he talks about people, politics and religion. “You will see how...
Trinidad & Tobago: Permaculture
Sharon Millar at My Chutney Garden interviews Johnny Stollmeyer – “a conceptual artist/deep ecologist working on issues of sustainability.”
Jamaica: Qualified Unemployment?
Francis Wade republishes a letter to the editor by a returning Jamaican national who can't get a job in order to make a point about why educated Jamaicans remain abroad.
