Stories from 1 May 2008
Iran:We need air
Weburger says[Fa] that a sand storm in Khuzestan province has created a lot of health problems for people on Thursday. The blogger adds government has refused to create a green belt in the area “because of security issues”.Weburger says we are human beings, we need air! Watch a photo of...
Brunei: Rubber industry
The Daily Brunei Resources note that many Bruneians have forgotten that it was coal, rubber and cutch which sustained their country a century ago.
Arabeyes: Looming Food Crisis
Inflation and rising food and oil prices are a reality around the world, and Arab bloggers are not only feeling the pinch, but writing about it too. Here is a snapshot of reactions from Lebanon, Syria, Kuwait and Egypt.
China: Reflection on patriotism
This torch relay around the world was sabotaged by those “patriotic” oversea Chinese. In the beginning when the torch was relayed in London and Paris, the people supporting Tibet tried to get the torch and stop the relay. At that time, those people did not have good excuse for what they did.[...] If we could keep calm, be composed, [...] and let the relay be what it should be -
Trinidad & Tobago: Life Lessons
“In our family, her ability to hang on to a penny is legend…we still tease her about that stuff but ironically, it is those very traits that with the spiraling inflation rate, we are now all falling back on”: Trinidadian blogger Coffeewallah writes a tribute to her grandmother.
Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana: Memories of McAndrew
Antilles, the blog of the Caribbean Review of Books, links to Allan Fenty sharing his memories of the late Wordsworth McAndrew in the current issue of the Guyana Review.
Trinidad & Tobago, Italy: A Night at the Opera
Trinidadian blogger Jeremy Taylor admits: “I don’t normally swell with nationalist pride, but I confess I was very touched to see and hear this young half-Trinidadian commanding the very stage where Tosca was first produced in 1900, and the Roman audience warming to her and giving her long generous applause.”
Kyrgyzstan: When Bakiev met Kulov
Elena tells readers about the meeting of Kyrgyzstan President Bakiev and opposition party “Ar-Namys” leader Felix Kulov, who had been a prime-minister right after the Tulip Revolution in 2005.
Turkmenistan: Eyeing the TAPI project
Maciula deliberates about the chances of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project realization.
Turkmenistan: Welcome Openings, Sad Closings
Patrick Frost says that Turkmenistan’s ‘opening up’ diplomatically from isolationist and totalitarian Niyazov era has been proven by the nation’s participation in the latest NATO Summit, EU Troika, and warming of relations with Turkey. But religious and personal freedoms still lag behind, he notes.
Cuba: An Atypical Economy
Blogging from Havana, Circles Robinson Online says: “Cuba’s economy is not easy to understand, especially for those that have never lived under a similar system where government plays a lead role.”
Jamaica: Dual Citizenship
Francis Wade says: “This entire episode regarding Parliamentarians and their dual citizenship has driven up a certain kind of Jamaican pride that I am ambivalent about.”
Jamaica: Remembering Reid
Litblogger Geoffrey Philp blogs about the “eminent Jamaican author, journalist, and historian” VS Reid, who he says “is usually credited, along with Trinidad and Tobago's V.S. Naipaul and St Lucian Derek Walcott, as shaping modern Caribbean writing.”
Guyana: Power of the Post
Guyana-Gyal couldn't post anything new until a new post appeared. Confused? She explains here.
Iran:”Victory of students”
Aflatoon-Irani writes [Fa] that director of Sahand University in northern city of Tabriz in Iran, finally accepted the most of students’ requests. The students had gone on hunger strike for several days. One of the requests was the end of “gender apartheid”.
Iran:Birds in Photos
Kosoof, a leading photo blogger from Iran, has published a couple of photos of birds in movement.Watch here and here.
Uzbekistan: EU to play nice with Karimov's regime
The Andijon events of May 2005, when several hundred of demonstrating civilians were reportedly shot dead by the Uzbek government troops, made the whole world tremble. The results did take long to come. The United States made several statements on severe human rights violations in Uzbekistan, for which later were...
Brazil: 14 years without Ayrton Senna
Thales Barreto [pt] reminds readers that 14 years ago today Ayrton Senna, a Brazilian racing driver and triple Formula One world champion, was dying in a fatal accident in at Imola. “Character, dedication, solidarity, energy, pride. I easily associate Senna's image with some of these words. He had a head...
Ecuador: A Weekend of Free Software Throughout the Country
Throughout Latin America, Free Software festivals were held where the general public could bring in their computers and receive installations of free software. In Ecuador, this event received special attention since the government has moved towards the installation of this software in computers of the public adminitration. Fourteen events were held throughout the country and bloggers were on hand to write about the organization, participation and results.
Armenia: Is Civil Society Taking Shape?
ԱՅՕ՝ ԱՅԴՊԵՍ ԸՍԻ wonders whether the recent presidential election in Armenia hasn't kick-started the development of a more effective civil society in the country. In particular it says that the amount of online activism that has emerged through blogs is unprecedented and says that it hopes a real pro-democracy movement...
Chile: political messages in online music video stir the population
Inform Yourself, a political critique Hip-hop song and video made from youtube videos and distributed on that same channel, has caused a stir in the Chilean community and unleashed a flood of comments, both in favor of the message it gives of informing yourself and not taking information on TV at face value, and others lashing against certain lyrics which tell people to go throw rocks at foreign company's windows as a way to protest.
