Stories from 28 January 2009
Russia: Blog as Mass Media Outlet
LJ user ottenki-serogo is the first Russian blogger to have officially registered his blog as a mass media outlet. Many readers are asking: “What for?” One of the 168 comments to the post (RUS) with a scanned copy of the registration certificate, by LJ user vlada_lad (RUS): “Good thing that...
Romania: Rural Life in the EU
Tessa Bunney, who photographed rural life in the Carpathians of Romania, wrote this about the implications of the EU accession for some of the subjects of her photos: “The Romanian government’s interpretation of EU policy has resulted in the banning of horse and carts and hand milking of cows. No...
Russia: Medvedev vs Putin's Espionage Law
RFE/RL's The Power Vertical reports that president Medvedev “has instructed his administration to re-work a controversial bill broadening the definition of treason and espionage to assure that it doesn't violate human rights.”
Ukraine: Medical Center for Street Children
Scenes from the Sidewalk posts pictures and writes about the only medical center in Kyiv “where street children can get medical attention without documents”: “Many At-Risk Children or street children do not have these documents and will be turned away at the door if they try to get medical attention....
Latvia: Economy Update
An update on the economic situation in Latvia – at Edward Hugh's Latvia Economy Watch.
Latvia: Flash Mob To Support Public Radio
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia writes that “employees of Latvia's public service radio (Latvijas Radio) have called for a flash-mob to gather near the parliament (Saeima) building for five minutes on Friday, January 30 to stand in complete silence to protest the “silencing” of the national radio service through budget...
Egypt: “Kleenex” Literature at the Cairo International Bookfair
With more than 15 new titles, Egyptian bloggers took the 2009 Cairo International Book Fair by storm. Conventional writers label bloggers' literature as “Kleenex” Literature. Marwa Rakha reviews reactions from the Egyptian blogosphere in this article.
Erin Brockovich wanted in Egypt
Egyptian Blogger sued for slander and looses. Zeinobia wrote about Tamer Mabrouk who blogs from Port Said and who published a report supported by photography showing how “Trust Chemical Industries” Company was polluting the Lake Manzala with its chemical wastes from their factory. Author of “El Hakika” blog has to pay L.E 2500 as a fine and L.E 40,000 compensation for the company !!
Pakistan: Lawyers And The President
Teeth Maestro discusses about the recent controversy regarding Pakistan president Zardari's remark on the lawyers’ protest.
Armenia: Open Letter Against Intolerance
Queering Yerevan posts an open letter in Armenian and English for its readers to sign in protest at growing intolerance and homophobia in the pro-government and pro-opposition media as well as from some representatives of civil society in the country. Meanwhile, Unzipped: Gay Armenia links to previous posts detailing the...
Armenia: No PACE Sanctions
Life in the Armenian Diaspora comments on yesterday's decision by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe not to suspend Armenia's voting rights in the influential body. The blog says that promises to amend two articles of the Criminal Code remind it of moves to change legislation in Turkey...
Sri Lanka: After The War
Darini Rajasingham Senanayake at Groundviews opines that the long ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka cannot be solved by military means alone. “It would require a political solution that ensures power-sharing with the minorities in the north and east. Otherwise the LTTE would very likely regroup and return to fight another...
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Young Bloggers Bridge Geopolitical Divides
Nearly 15 years after a ceasefire agreement put the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh on hold, a lasting peace remains elusive and few citizens of either country have the opportunity to meet or communicate with the other. That might all be set to change, however, with DOTCOM, a project funded by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and implemented by Project Harmony.
Bangladesh: The Current State Of Telecommunications
The Journey SEO discusses the current state of telecommunications in Bangladesh in a series of posts.
India: What does the fall of LTTE mean?
Sandeep R. comments: “the tough stand of Indian government against LTTE could worsen the terror situation that India is already facing.”
Bahamas: A Better Way
“The Bahamas is so very rich in culture that we could all be benefitting from it. But we’re not”: Nicolette Bethel explains why.
China: Name Change for the Minzu University of China
Highpeakspureearth discusses the cultural political implications in the recent change of English name of “the Central University of Nationalities” to “Minzu University of China” (MUC) (since November 20th, 2008).
Trinidad & Tobago: New Grassroots Effort
“As tens of thousands come together in Belem, Brazil for the…World Social Forum, we send early word of a parallel volunteer, grassroots effort coming out of the Caribbean to extend the debate over globalization and the global economic crisis into new realities of social justice, equity, sustainable development, and peace...
Trinidad & Tobago: Pelham and Pan
From Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Free Radio publishes another podcast, this time focusing on “veteran producer and steel orchestra arranger, Pelham Goddard” as he discusses the evolution of steel pan music.
Guyana: Going High-Tech
Guyana 360 maintains that the former First Lady is not the only one who has suffered “high-tech abuse” at the hands of the country's President.
Barbados: Journalists Concerned
The Barbados Association of Journalists writes in its blog that it is “concerned by the recent notices issued by the Labour Department requiring freelance media personnel to register with the Chief Labour Officer and pay fees of $550…this action is unprecedented in the history of our island and in our...
