22 February 2009

Stories from 22 February 2009

Maghreb: UN Western Sahara Envoy Holds Talks with Polisario

  22 February 2009

Yesterday, Christopher Ross, the UN Special Envoy to the disputed Western Sahara, arrived in Algeria to hold talks with the Polisario Front, according to AFP. Jillian York rounds up blogger reactions from the Maghreb region on this latest development.

Egypt: Bloggers React to Cairo bombings

  22 February 2009

A French tourist was killed and around 20 people were injured when a bomb exploded outside the Al Hussein Mosque in Cairo's popular tourist area Khan Al Khalili. And as the world was coming to grips with what was happening on the ground, Egypt's bloggers were quick at work, exchanging updates, information, analysis and concerns.

Zimbabwe: Marechera's Love Sonnets

  22 February 2009

EShuneutics discusses Marechera's Love Sonnets. Dambudzo was a Zimbabwean writer and poet, “Poem III in the Amelia Sonnets, is titled “Her hand my eyes closes”. The closing of the eyes...

Kenya: Google SMS Search In Kenya

  22 February 2009

Kenyans using Safaricom services can now use Google SMS Search, “Google SMS Search provides access to information through a mobile phone without needing to access the Internet. You simply create...

South Asian Rock Music Festival

  22 February 2009

Salik Shah of Kathmandu Speaks! Are you listening? attended the second South Asian Bands festival at Purana Qila in New Delhi and shares his reactions.

Japan: Agriculture the latest trend among celebrities

  22 February 2009

The Japanese economy is facing one of the worse slowdowns in its modern history, with a GDP that has declined at a rate of 12,7%. Nonetheless, TV programs and lifestyle magazines are doing their best to inspire hope among their viewers and readers that not everything is lost. Recently, a new trend has been spreading among Japanese celebrities: farm work.

Peru: Portrayal of Andean Life in Llosa's Movies

  22 February 2009

The recent film "The Milk of Sorrow" by Peruvian director Claudia Llosa was recently awarded with the Golden Bear at an international film festival in Berlin. Even though the film has yet to open in Peru, debate has started whether or not Llosa's portrayal of Andean life is accurate or in some cases racist towards the indigenous communities that figure prominently in her movies.

Chile: NGO for Victims of Delinquency Brings Together Citizens

  22 February 2009

The NGO Víctimas de la Delincuencia [es] (Victims of Delinquency) was created in Chile's capital city of Santiago in 2006 to protect, guide and inform the victims of violence in this city. On their website, citizens have been marking episodes of violence (muggings, assault, robbery, rape and abuse) on a map, uploading videos and testimony of when and how they were victimized. The organization's goal is enable the changing of laws in Chile, which so far, according to Víctimas de la Delincuencia, tend to benefit delinquents instead of their victims.

Madagascar: A Resolution to the political crisis?

  22 February 2009

In Madagascar, bloggers react to a recent meeting where rivals President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina agreed to a political truce, paving the way for further negotiations. Weeks of public protests and violent crackdowns have left dozens dead.