Stories from 29 December 2008
Palestine: Bloggers in Gaza describe the fear
Against all odds, there are still blog posts coming out of Gaza, and bloggers are vividly describing the fear they are filled with in the face of ongoing Israeli attacks.
Ghana: Waiting for a President
On December 7, Ghanaians came to the polls to elect a President, but a runoff was necessary. While waiting for the results of that second round that took place yesterday, Ethan Zuckerman reviews what is being said on Twitter and in the blogosphere.
Bangladesh: Landslide Victory For Awami League Led Grand Alliance
E-Bangladesh reports that its a landslide victory for the Awami League-led-Grand Alliance in today's national election.
Kenya: Banks should embrace money transfer service M-pesa
Bankelele explains why he thinks Kenyan banks should embrace M-Pesa, the popular money transfer service offered by the mobile phone provider Safaricom: “Banks need to change and embrace M-Pesa as it is able to do some things they can't or won't do”.
Syria: Bloggers Infuriated by Israeli Massacre in Palestine
"Many Syrian bloggers feel depressed and paralyzed over what's happening in Gaza now" writes Razan Ghazzawi as she brings us more reactions from the Arabic-language Syrian blogosphere in our continuing coverage about the current Israeli airstrike campaign in the Gaza Strip.
Azerbaijan: Pilaf
Sheki, Azerbaijan sends its readers seasons greetings and takes a look at plov (pilaf) and the various ways in which it is cooked throughout the regions of the South Caucasus country. The dish, with rice or cracked wheat as its base, is also served in honor of respected guests and...
Cuba: Waiting for Cable
The submarine cable linking Cuba and Venezuela has “a vague completion date” of 2011, but Generation Y is clear about “what this projected umbilical cord should bring us.”
Bahamas: Students & Drugs
“In the Bahamas, the average age for male and female students who peddle and smoke weed/drugs is age 13 and 14, respectively”: Adrian Gibson at Weblog Bahamas says that “the illicit drug plague has ripped our social fabric and will unremittingly haunt the history of our island chain for many...
Haiti: Restavek
“In the truest definition of the word it means ‘one who stays with'”: Tara at The Livesay Haiti Weblog says that the Restavek system “might be one of the most frustrating ones of all for me to accept. The fact that children are used for labor and for the benefit...
Trinidad & Tobago, Cuba: City of Contradictions
Trinidadian blogger Tattoo spends Christmas in Havana and comes away with the impression that “the revolution has not achieved a new equilibrium. Instead, it has re-appropriated the inequalities inherent in any capitalist society and ensured that those in power are the haves as opposed to the have nots. And this...
Cuba, U.S.A.: Lifting Limits?
Uncommon Sense links to an article which suggests that US President-Elect Barack Obama seems prepared to lift limits “on how often Cuban Americans can visit family members on the island and on how much money they can send them”, a move which the blogger says would end “one of the...
Jamaica: Blogging in Times of War
The Israeli strikes on Gaza cause Jamaican Annie Paul to remember Nobel Prize-winning German author Günter Grass’ “heartfelt rumination on war and the role of writers in times of war”, saying: “While Grass did not explicitly mention bloggers (perhaps in 2006 they were not as omnipresent as they are today)...
Guyana: Best Books
Litblogger Signifyin’ Guyana lists her picks for best Caribbean books of 2008.
Senegal: Domestic workers’ exploitation
Faty Dieng at Dakar Bondy Blog [Fr] denounces about the working conditions of domestic workers in Senegal, some of them as young as 16, which she describes “a form of slavery and exploitation in disguise”.
The Current State of the India-Iran Pipeline
The New Horizon writes on the recent state of the ‘India-Iran Pipeline through Pakistan’ on the wake of the Mumbai attacks. The Acorn thinks: “It’s a bad idea to interlock India’s energy supplies with Pakistan”.
Bangladesh: A campaign of words
Internationally acclaimed photo journalist Shahidul Alam takes a look at the last minute election campaigns in Bangladesh and comments on the election promises: “The saying in Bangla ‘kothar upor tax nai’ ‘there is no tax on words’ could not have been more apt.” Check the post for photographs and videos...
Bangladesh: Liveblogging the Election
Unheard Voice blog is live blogging the results of the Bangladesh national election held today. Farhan at Unheard Voice is sending live dispatches from Sylhet.
Nigeria: Victoriana in African costumes
Saharan Vibe features the works of British-Nigerian textile artist Yinka Sonibare who had garnered international recognition with his Victorian historical figures dressed in Dutch wax African print costumes. The post includes numerous photos of his works.
China: Young activist against eating cats
Fauna from ChinaSMACK picks up the story about a girl leading a campaign against eating cats in Guangdong. The blogger also translates comments from local forum.
China: Guarantee happiness
Joel Martinsen from DANWEI translated a local report on the government manipulation of a happiness survey in a local town so as to achieve the state targets for improving the people's well-being.
Palestine: French Blogger Weighs In On Gaza
French blogger Jeremie Berrebi writing from Israel, posted yesterday a long blog post "Gaza/Israel : Why it is starting again" with his analysis on the Gaza attacks seen from Israel.
