Stories from 18 April 2008
China: One world, one dream, and one multi-front protest
The Chinese global anti-Carrefour boycott was supposed to begin on May 1, but with tempers flaring over CNN commentator Jack Cafferty's on-air remarks this past week, and a number of other recent incidents, people in a few cities across China decided to get a head start. So too did the Chinese hackers who had been planning a coordinated denial-of-service attack on CNN.com set for April 19.
East Timor: Ramos Horta is back home in the anniversary of massacre in Dili
Ângela Carrascalão [pt] is pondering about justice: “The day that Ramos Horta returned to his country coincides with the 9th anniversary of the massacre in Dili. In my brother Manuel's...
Haiti, Congo, and the politics of hunger
Two francophone bloggers respond to the crisis over rising food prices, but rather than blame their proximate cause–subsidies for biofuels in rich countries–they criticize the politics and the politicians who left their countries this vulnerable to begin with. They write that the riots of these last few weeks and the riots to come, like the crisis itself, are symptomatic of deeper problems that cannot be solved by the simple magic of foreign aid.
Angola: A glossary of Angolan terms
Casa de Luanda [Luanda House, pt] has been compiling a glossary of Angolan expressions. “Check out the A to D, E to L and M to Z. sections. As soon...
Bahrain: Blogging for the environment
In recent months Bahrain's bloggers have been turning more and more to environmental issues, and one group of bloggers have even started a campaign to raise awareness about the environmental damage caused by plastic bags.
South Africa: Mbeki, No Crisis in Zimbabwe?
South African Bloggers are up in arms regarding the recent events in Zimbabwe as well as President Thabo Mbeki's statement recently that “There is no crisis in Zimbabwe”. This is a round-up of a few rants on the Zimbabwe situation and its affect on South Africans.
AIDS – A Taboo in the Arab World
AIDS, the deadly acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is a taboo word in the Arab world. But the scary word has managed to crop up in many blog posts this week - from Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Bahrain and Yemen.
Controversial Malaysian politician now a blogger
Dr. Chua Soi Lek, a former Malaysian politician who figured in a DVD sex scandal early this year is now blogging. In one of his posts he asks: “Should we...
Philippines: Medical scandal
This Woman's Views is horrified that doctors in a Philippine hospital were caught laughing hysterically in an operating room while removing a can of cologne spray inside a patient’s bottom
Thailand: Olympic torch in Bangkok
As the Olympic Torch is coming to Bangkok, Camille's Samui Weather warns that any foreigner “caught protesting or rather disrupting the relay will be punished in a complete over the...
Vietnam: Early rainy season
antidote to burnout explains why there will be an early start on the rainy season this year in Vietnam, and possibly in the Southeast Asian region as well
Vietnam: Morning activities
Virtual Doug observes that the Vietnamese get up early in the morning and that they like to spend their morning hours in different ways.
Indonesian politicians must blog
Jakartass notes that the ruling party in Indonesia has decreed that candidates for posts will be required to set up blogs.
Rare books on Southeast Asian histories burned
Andy's Cambodia sadly writes that his colleague, Kent Davis, lost a collection of 2,000 antique books, many of which are rare Southeast Asian histories dating back to the 1830s
Thailand and Myanmar's army leaders compared
Rule of Lords insists that Thailand’s army leaders are not better than Burma’s.
Russia, China: Ethnic Tension in Vladivostok
Window on Eurasia writes about issues surrounding the recent clash between Chinese and Russian students in Vladivostok.
Russia: “Gensek Putin”; Politkovskaya Case Update
Sean's Russia Blog writes about “Gensek Putin” (48 comments) – and posts an update on the investigation of Anna Politkovskaya's murder.
Ukraine, Russia: The Presidents’ Dads
Some sources claim that Victor Yushchenko's father – “a POW in Auschwitz during WW2″ – was actually “a ‘polizei’ of Nazi concentration camps and an informer to the Nazis.” Other...
Puerto Rico: Shutting Down?
“Shutdown Day is a Global Internet Experiment whose purpose is to get people to think about how their lives have changed with the increasing use of the home computer, and...
Cuba: Exit Permits On The Way Out
The Cuban Triangle links to a report that says “the requirement that Cubans obtain an exit permit (tarjeta blanca) from their own government before traveling abroad, will soon disappear for...
Barbados: Rising Food Prices
Bajan Global Report takes a look at how rising food prices are affecting various Caribbean territories.
