22 January 2009

Stories from 22 January 2009

China: Obama, can you?

  22 January 2009

Obama has been sworn in as the first African American president, with a popular support peaking at its high.  His inauguration summoned as many as two million people, and his address occasionally interrupted by thunder-like claps and acclaims. The rhythmic incanting “O-ba-ma!” oftentimes burst out of the packed and vital...

Egypt: Blogger Facing Lawsuit

  22 January 2009

“I spoke before about the Egyptian citizen Journalism blog from Port Said “El Hakika”. Its owner and blogger Tamer Mabrook was facing the first civil lawsuit against a blogger for defaming a corporation,” writes Zeinobia, from Egypt.

Russia: Migration Issues

  22 January 2009

Window on Russia writes about a Ryazan Tajik activist's appeal to the Russian media to stop “fanning the flames of ethnic hatred against migrants” and the launch of the Migration-007 magazine, whose goal would be to “'change the stereotypes and myths’ that Russians have about migrants and that migrants have...

The Egyptian Bloggers Bookfair

  22 January 2009

With more than 15 new titles, Egyptian bloggers take the 2009 Cairo International Book Fair by storm. Marwa Rakha reports how bloggers are planning to organise group visits to make the most out of the annual show.

Saudi Arabia: Thoughts on the inauguration

  22 January 2009

Saudi blogger Hala, who currently lives in the United States, has posted her thoughts on Obama's inauguration: “For those of us who think it’s possible to see democracy in our part of the world, check the emphasis on holding government officials accountable, can we have such a system in our...

Nepal: Bollywood Movie Banned Over Buddha Birthplace Row

  22 January 2009

A Bollywood movie titled ‘Chandni Chowk To China’ was banned in Nepal because a narrator in a scene suggested that the Buddha was born in India instead of Nepal. Badmas comments: “Such false information to the world through bollywood movie has made Nepalese people think, ‘Enough Is Enough’.”

Philippines: The root cause of the flooding

  22 January 2009

In the Philippines, media reports have cited weeks of heavy rain brought by a cold front as the immediate cause of the massive flooding and landslides. Some Filipino bloggers have started asking more questions. What was the root cause of the flooding? What is really happening? Here are some efforts of Filipino bloggers to make sense of the disaster.

Armenia: Homophobic Media

  22 January 2009

Despite the country's recent endorsement of a UN declaration against discrimination on sexual orientation, Unzipped: Gay Armenia continues to expose the prevalent homophobia in Armenian society. Following recent discriminatory and alarmist comments from a leading member of civil society, the blog notes that one newspaper has discovered there are lesbians...

Pakistan: Taliban ban music in buses

  22 January 2009

Deadpan thoughts reports that after banning shopping for women in the troubled North of Pakistan, the Taliban threatened to ban all music and videos shown in public buses in their held territories.

Nigeria: Nigeria's Football Online Community

  22 January 2009

711football.com is a football platform where Nigerian football fans meet to discuss and share views on football. Launched in June 2008, the site is gradually becoming Nigeria’s hottest destination for football news and entertainment from all over the world including the Nigerian Premier league.