Stories from 15 April 2008
India: Postcards and Sugar
An accidental brush with a postcard from 1940 sends Windy Skies on a quest for sugar and other memories.
Sri Lanka: On insurgency
Deshapalana on the LTTE relying on foreign money to sustain their activities.
Nepal: Maoists in power
As a former rebel party comes to power in Nepal, United We Blog! reports that there is an urgent need to end Maoist intimidation.
Argentina: Economist Blogs and Economy Policy
Economy blogs in Argentina have made a recent splash due to the interest in recent events involving protests and road blockades due to the economic policies of the govenment. Much of this has resulted in the need for better information about the conflict between the countryside and the government, which, according to many, was poorly covered by the media and which was plagued by generalizations.
Saudi Arabia: Aspects of Life
American Bedu, who lives in Saudi Arabia, writes: “You know you have lived in Saudi Arabia when: … Your idea of housework is leaving a list for the housekeeper; You think black is appropriate daytime wear; You wear a jacket inside and take it off when you go out.” Follow...
UAE: Broadcasters of Tomorrow New Milestone
Sharjah-based Broadcasters of Tomorrow celebrate their 250,000th visitor to the site.
Israel: Teenage Girls Usage of Mobile Phones for Dating
Playing with fire? That is what some Palestinian teenage girls do when they accept mobile phones from boyfriends, and have to hide them away from their parents and families, according to a new study, which Gilad Lotan writes about today.
Syria: 60 years after Deir Yasin
“As Israel prepares to celebrate its sixtieth anniversary, and as Palestinians reach sixty years of dispossession, we must honor the memory of those who perished in the savage butchery that was the Deir Yasin massacre of April 9, 1948,” writes Rime Allaf, who commemorates the 60th anniversary of the massacre.
Syria: Carter meeting Mashaal
Joshua Landis brings us media reports about a planned meeting between former US president Jimmy Carter and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, in Damascus, during Carter's Middle East tour later this month.
Bahamas: Collective Responsibility
“We have real problems in the Bahamas. For us to play like we don’t see our own flesh and blood out there hurting is just turning a blind eye to what is happening and we shall all experience the results later on”: Craig Butler believes that Bahamians must take responsibility...
Trinidad & Tobago: Rags or Riches?
“It really sucks being average in this country. I would say middle class but that carries with it certain assumptions about owning property, having savings and enjoying a particular lifestyle – things that don’t necessarily hold for the middle economic rung in this country”: Ramblings and Reason explains.
Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago: OECS Invite
Barbados Underground reports that St. Lucia's Prime Minister has invited Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago to join the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States and says: “We find the invitation to be interesting because the OECS is the only political union which has achieved some of level success in our region.”
Myanmar: Vote NO to Junta's Referendum
Freedom From Fear notifies that the Embassy of Myanmar in Singapore is accepting ballots from 25th to 29th and Moethee Zun urges to vote “NO” to the junta's one-sided referendum.
Barbados: Talking to the People
Barbados’ Prime Minister breaks the standard “Address to the Nation” mold, instead holding a “press conference” on radio and television – Living in Barbados asks: “A new approach to democracy? At first blush, yes.” Pull! Push! adds: “This is quite simply amazing (maybe even dangerous?). It marks a radical and...
Jamaica: Guineps
“Oh what a delightful little fruit! Who can resist its lure? I love the smell, the taste, the colour, the feel of them inside my mouth”: Montego Bay Day By Day blogs about Guineps.
Kosovo: The Army Challenge
Balkan Baby writes about the challenges of creating Kosovo's new army: “It is hard, in fact impossible, to imagine any of North Mitrovica’s angry and bitter Serb residents, those who attacked UN forces recently and killed a Ukrainian policeman, signing up to join a re-branded KLA.”
Sri Lanka: Our Lady of Madhu and the Bishop
Sri Lankan government forces are closing in on Madhu area in Mannar district and it is said that this capture will be very beneficial for the morale of the troops and the government. In the event of army advancing, the Bishop of Mannar Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph has moved the...
Kyrgyzstan: Parliament Ratifies Border and Resorts Agreement
Elena writes about the ratification of agreements between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan regarding transfer of resorts and location of national borders.
Turkmenistan: Hacker Rich Country
Lunaric reports on the activities of Turkmen hackers on sites in Russia and Kazakhstan.
Turkmenistan: Tragedy on the border
Maciula writes about cases of human rights violations on the Turkmen-Uzbek and Turkmen-Kazakh borders.
Kazakhstan: Alleged Newspaper Attack
Zhanna_Zhukova reports on an alleged attack in which shots were fired through the windows of the Taszharghan newspaper in Almaty.
