10 January 2009

Stories from 10 January 2009

Egypt: Civil disobedience and protests over Gaza

  10 January 2009

Since the beginning of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on December 27, and Egyptian street has been boiling with angry calls to open up the Gaza border and demanding the government to put more pressure to reach an immediate ceasefire. Lasto Adri brings us the latest on the protests from the Egyptian blogosphere.

China: Antismut campaign sweeps internet. But any untold purpose?

  10 January 2009

An internet cleansing movement, or antismut campaign launched by the Chinese authority, is sweeping across the internet in recent days, targeting vulgar and obscene content. However, people doubt, it might foreshadow a larger campaign against all the critiques not in the government's favor.

Côte d'Ivoire: Former combattants’ life today

  10 January 2009

Yoro has been writing about former rebel combattants in Côte d'Ivoire at Chronique Ivoirienne [Fr], with photos of Camille Millerand. In one article, he describes the life of 10 female former combattants who fought during the 5 years of wars in Côte d'Ivoire since 2003, and who are now demobilised...

Cameroon: Little Bright Fuh passes away

  10 January 2009

The Bright Fuh Supporters blog reports that Bright Fuh, a four year old Cameroonian boy suffering from a rare orbital tumor passed away on January 8th. George Esunge Fominyen reposted in his blog a comment left at the Friends of Bright Fuh online forum pointing at the defficiencies of Cameroonian...

Georgia: U.S. Strategic Partnership Charter

  10 January 2009

Dateline Tbilisi reports that the outgoing Bush administration in Washington has signed a strategic partnership charter with Georgia which supports its territorial integrity and aspirations towards NATO membership. Although non-binding, the blog notes that the charter reportedly marks a shift towards direct military assistance for the South Caucasus republic and...

Azerbaijan: IDPs

  10 January 2009

“sIDe-tALKs” Azerbaijan visits Azeri refugees and IDPs displaced by the war with Armenia over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh in the early 1990s. The blog posts photographs of the visit and says that while attempts to integrate refugees and IDPs into Azerbaijani society have gained momentum, much more remains...

Malaysia: Campaign to boycott US goods

  10 January 2009

As a form of protest against Washington’s support for Israel, some Malaysians are boycotting U.S. products. Opinion in the Malaysian blogosphere is divided over the campaign.

Mapping the blogosphere in Brunei

  10 January 2009

More than half of Brunei's population are internet users. More and more young Bruneians are setting up their own blogs. Aside from establishing a community of bloggers, a web portal provides a comprehensive list of Brunei blogs.

Sri Lanka: Endangered Media

  10 January 2009

Indi.ca asserts that the Sri Lankan Media needs security and “at some point journalists may have to just learn how to defend themselves“.

Pakistan: Low Intensity Blasts in Lahore

  10 January 2009

Skb at Lahore Metblogs reports: “During last two hours, Lahore experienced four blasts near Alflah building on Mall Road and the recent, fifth blast is just heard near Tamaseel Theatre on Ferozpur Road.”

Japan: The future of Toyota

  10 January 2009

Michi Kaifu at Tech Mom from Silicon Valley responds to news that Toyota “crown prince” Akio Toyoda is to take the company's president position in June this year. Reflecting on the future of the car maker and on rumors in the Japanese blogosphere, Kaifu writes, “if you still have some...