Stories from 19 May 2008
Bahamas: Give Praise
“This morning I woke up feeling as though there was a thick gummy layer of gelatine over my head — something too thick and yielding to ever push through — and I began to think about my father’s song, ‘Praise'”: Nicolette Bethel yearns for Bahamians to experience freedom from tyranny...
Jordan: Hackers Eyes on Palestinian Blogs
It's funny how every time I write about Palestine, I get a slew of hack attempts ranging from the most primitive to the most complicated scary ones. I won't get into much details, but I've been noticing a huge amount of unnatural activity,” writes Jordanian blogger Qwaider.
Migratory birds in Bahrain
The birdwatcher blog Bahrain Obs posts photos and observes “The number of birds and species passing at Badaan Farm has slowed to a crawl – a few surprises in what's been turning up but nothing really exceptional.”
Palestine: One State Solution
From Jordan, Ali Dahmash writes: “I’m one of a few who believe in a One state solution since either side can't get rid of the other. As crazy as it may seems, but a two state solution is simply impossible and all that effort put on unrealistic Peace process is...
Jordan: Families not able to Eat
Joladies from Jordan writes about a poor woman, she met at a hospital, who told her nine children haven't eaten meat since last year. She comments: “When we watch all the money that is flowing round Jordan it just seems so awful that families are not able to eat.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Masquerade
“There is so much to do in Trinidad and Tobago, not just to make it a “developed” nation…but to keep it civilised, to protect what is left of its humanist traditions. And so little of the work is being done: crassness, violence, corruption and neglect are slowly but surely eating...
Egypt: Thoughts about Palestine
Egyptian Arima shares her thoughts about Palestine in this post.
Cuba: International Day vs. Homophobia
“It'd be churlish to criticise Ms Castro's work on behalf of one of the most marginalised minorities in Cuba. But her ability to essentially whitewash the atrocious treatment of Cuban homosexuals over the past 50 years…is, well, breath-taking”: Child of the Revolution blogs about recent celebrations in Havana to mark...
Saudi Arabia: Flogging for Professor
“A Saudi University professor is facing flogging and imprisonment for breaking the law. He was caught having a cup of coffee with a lady who was not related to him in a coffee shop. He is actually facing an eight month prison sentence and 150 lashes!” explains Saudi blogger Rasha.
Iraq: Apology for Iraqi Children?
Iraqi blogger Imad Khadduri wonders now that a US general apologised for desecrating a copy of the Quran, the holy book of Muslims, will the US apologise to Iraqi children for occupying their country?
Jamaica: Calabash Time
“A book-lover’s paradise, Calabash is a boutique festival if there ever was one. Hordes of would-be writers rub shoulders with would-be readers and actual writers at different stages of their careers”: Annie Paul blogs about the Calabash Literary Festival happening in Jamaica.
Jamaica, Cuba: Dual Citizenship
“”What would Daryl Vaz do if he had to visit Cuba on state business?” That simple question forces Francis Wade to reconsider his views on dual citizenship and political position in Jamaica.
China:国殇; survival stories in QUAKE
No pen could suffice to write out all those happened and happening in where the quake struck. But undeniable, numerous common people created one after another legends of life,survival and sacrifice on this unprecedented crisis, transcending even the most formidable disaster. They are record-worthy. In memory of this trauma of China.
China and Taiwan: Cement Board Partition
In the Sichuan earthquake, many new school buildings had fallen apart. Thousands of school kids lost their lives. Hsueh, a taiwanese blogger, explained in details, the danger of cement board partition in modern construction [zh].
Argentina: Ñoquis on the 29th of the Month
Argentina's Travel Guide provides a bit of background history of why Argentines eat ñoquis on the 29th of every month.
Argentina: Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo Nominated for Nobel Prize
The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an Argentine organization, were recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize writes Victoria Tischik of Grito Argentino [es].
Argentina: Protest of Demolishment
Basta de Demoler [es] (Enough with the Demolishment) posts video of the recent gathering in protest of an illegal and clandestine destruction of a historic building with colorful mural in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Paraguay: Marginalized Sectors Drawing Attention to Demands
As the start of Paraguayan president-elect Fernando Lugo's government approaches, many marginalized sectors of society are making their demands heard. RESCATAR [es] writes that there are “positive social tensions”, as some groups such as the landless movements are occupying lands in order to draw attention to their demands.
Kazakhstan: New Religion Law Criticized
KZBlog reports that as Kazakh Parliament debates a new religion law, Forum 18 reports on religious leaders’ complaints that the atmosphere in Kazakhstan is not as tolerant as the government often claims.
Central Asia: A Gas/Oil Party
Patrick Frost reviews the experts’ reactions on Russia’s March 11 deal with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to buy their gas at world prices, which may signal a weakening Russian position in the region and rising regional cooperation between the Central Asian states.
Afghanistan: Children's Beggary
SunLeaf tells a story of a kid, whose experience is an eye-opening yet bittersweet account of ‘what it takes’ to survive as a street working child in Afghanistan.
