Stories from 9 January 2009
Azerbaijan: Hypothetical U.S. Armed Forces Support
J. Gary's Windows Live Space details a hypothetical military operation in which U.S. armed forces support Azerbaijan in restoring sovereignty over part of its territory captured by a mythical enemy, “Ahuristan.” The blog by U.S. Major Gary Casey provides a background to the kind of training officers undergo in preparation...
Korea: Marriage is reality
In order to avoid political issues for once, I found an interesting post and comments from other netizens. It’s about Love, Marriage, and Reality. What do you think? “결혼은 현실이다”라고 말하는 여자.. 몇달 전에 선을 봐서 조건이 좋은 여자 만났습니다. 외모도 이쁘고.. 학벌도 좋고.. 직업도 괜찮고.. 무남독녀 외동딸에.. 집안에 재산도...
Japan: “What are you up to now?” has become a taboo question
The world recession has hit Japan just as it has hit other parts of the world, and many are worried about their future. In an entry that attracted a great deal of sympathy from readers, blogger koheko reflects on the impact of the slowdown on human relationships with friends and colleagues, to the point where the simple question, "What are you up to?" has become taboo.
Costa Rica: 6.2 Earthquake leaves nationals and tourists stranded
A 6.2 Earthquake that was felt throughout Costa Rica, with the epicenter in Vara Blanca only 35 Km. away from the capital city of San José. In the Central Valley, damages consist of cracks and damaged goods fallen from shelves, however, the situation near the epicenter is devastating, as mountainsides collapsed and landslides caused flooding. It has yet to be estimated how many possible victims, although 3 deaths have been confirmed.
Bolivia: Reduction of Gas Sales to Brazil
The Brazilian government has reduced the volume of gas purchased from Bolivia Mario Durán of Palabras Libres [es] thinks that this may cause the government to dip into the international reserves.
Tajikistan: Emotional Return For Haj Pilgrims
Daniel writes about the return of Haj pilgrims to the airport of Dushanbe, capital city of Tajikistan, noting that hundreds of police officers lined the airport's arrival terminal perimeter, taming an anxious crowd.
Kazakhstan: Tourism Industry Problems
KZBlog writes about his experience visiting a skiing resort near Almaty, the former capital city of Kazakhstan, and concludes that there is a lot of great tourism potential, but no investment and the people with the energy and desire to improve things.
Honduras: Higher Minimum Wage
The minimum monthly wage in Honduras was raised on January 1 by President Manuel Zelaya. Thelma Mejía of Honduras Daily News writes that many businesses are unable to keep up with the higher wage.
Costa Rica: Map Indicating Damaged Areas by Recent Earthquake
A 6.2 Richter scale earthquake has hit Costa Rica. Jaguar del Platanar [es] posts a Google mashup map indicating sites that have suffered damage.
Madagascar: Series of “Prison Breaks” as Life Imitates Television
In Madagascar, 40 inmates are still at large after successful escape attempts from three prisons around the country, all within in 48 hours.
Egypt: Call to Help Gaza Patients Keep in Touch with Loved Ones
Egyptian Mostafa Hussein urges his readers to help Palestinian patients injured in the Gaza War and being treated in Egyptian hospitals by transferring mobile credit to their phones – to help them keep in touch with family back home.
Egypt: A Bloody Day in Gaza
Egyptian Zeinobia comments on the war on Gaza in this post describing January 6 as the bloodiest day in the conflict, with 150 dead and 400 injuries.
Israel: Tales from Gaza
From Israel, Lisa Goldman shares her views on the war in Gaza in this post.
India: L. K. Advani, The Blogger
Soumyadip at Cutting the Chai reports that a veteran & powerful Indian politician has started to blog: “BJP's prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani is attempting to reach out to the electorate via his newly set up blog on his website.”
Brazil: “We counted 4,525 homicides in 2008″
PEBodyCount [pt] blog has counted 4,525 homicides in 2008 in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. In 2007 there were 4,592 and in 2006, 4,638. “We still have more than 4,500 murders (a year). It is a baseline that puts our state among the most violent places in the world.” 59...