Stories from 6 March 2009
Iraq: What is the White House thinking?
“As Iraqis enjoy a slow return to normality, they remain wary of others in the region who are busy making their plans for a post-withdrawal Iraq. I'm not sure the White House is thinking about the same,” remarks Iraq Pundit.
Israel: Gaza Aid in Exchange for Shalit
“A proposal has been made in the U.S. Congress to link the 900 million dollars of aid pledged to Gaza to the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit, who has been held in an undisclosed location without access to the International Red Cross, in contravention of International Law, for nearly...
Palestine: Viva Palestina arrives in Egypt
Kalash reports on the progress and politics surrounding a 100-vehicle convey from the UK – Viva Palestina – that is slowly edging its way towards Gaza, which is now in Egypt.
Palestine: Objecting the ‘t-word’
Writing at KABOBfest, Carlos argues for the non-biased application of the term ‘terrorist’ following the bulldozer attack in Israel. “Would Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post use the ‘t-word’ to describe Israelis who use the same type of machinery to destroy dozens of homes in East Jerusalem?” he asks.
Israel: Saudi Woman Driver Arrested
Aussie Dave from Israel reports that a woman in Saudi Arabia has been arrested for .. driving a car. “I will resist making any women driver jokes since I don’t want to obfuscate my disgust over the horrendous treatment of women in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim or Arab countries,”...
Jordan: Adopting a Palestinian Child
Jordanian blogger Ali Dahmash has ‘adopted’ a Palestinian child who lost his father in the recent war on Gaza. Read more about why he did that in this post.
Iran:Heshmat Saran,a political prisoner died
Several Iranian blogs including Eshterak reported[fa] that Amir Heshmat Saran,a political prisoner died in the city of Karaj.The blogger adds he was beaten up by security guards and did not receive necessary medical care.
Iran:”Basij Blogs just an illusion”
Mohammad Masih, in weblogshahr writes [fa] that the news about launching 10,000 Basij blogs by Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ weekly magazine, is just an illusion. He adds that many Hezbollah (Islamist) bloggers have been active for years without having links to official organizations.
Guinea-Bissau: Mixed feelings after double killing
The speaker of Guinea-Bissau's parliament has been sworn in as interim leader after the President Joao Bernardo Vieira and the army chief Batista Tagme Na Waie were assassinated. A presidential election must be organized within two months. The army has withdrawn from the streets, and bloggers have reported that life in the city has begun to return to normal, although many people remain very scared.
Liberia: Getting another chance at education
Emily writes about Liberian youth getting another chance at education, “A vocational training school nestled in the mountains in Yekepa and ravaged during Liberia’s civil war is being restored to its former self. This March, 100 students ages 13 to 25 will come to live here and learn to be...
Nigeria: Lessons For MPs On ICTs
Recent happenings at the National Assembly [in Nigeria] indicated that Legislators in the country need some lessons in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for a sustainable development, writes blogger Remmy Nweke.
Nigeria: V Monologues 2009: The Nigerian Story
Ore reports that Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) presents V Monologues: The Nigerian Story, a play based on interviews from 150 women from all over the country.
Egyptian -and Muslim- Girls between a Rock and a Hard Place
Egyptian women are trapped between who they are and who they are expected to be; they are required to live up to the expectations of their parents, families, colleagues, and later on, their husbands and children. In their attempt to meet those expectations, some of them feel that they lose touch with who they really are and the great things they can really do.
Africa: Using New Media To Fight For Essential Medicines
Stop Stock-Outs is a campaign that intends to use new media to fight for essential medicines in Africa. The campaign has just launched a multimedia website.
Barbados: Foolish Games?
The Rihanna/Chris Brown reconciliation rumours are leaving “a really bad taste” in the mouths of Barbadian bloggers.
Liberia: Good governance through strengthened media
The Liberia Media Center, in collaboration with the Canada-based Journalists for Human Rights, has launched a multi year media development project under the theme: Good Governance through Strengthened Media in Liberia.
Trinidad & Tobago: Fact Checking
As some mainstream media broadcast a story about children being found in containers at the port of Port of Spain, which allegedly turned out to be a rumour, 5am at Mango Media Caribbean says: “Without journalists, democracies don't function and in our new social media world the role of an...
Sierra Leone: Giving women and girls sense of hope
Amie Kandeh, the IRC’s gender-based violence prevention coordinator in Sierra Leone, talks about how her team works to give thousands of women and girls back their sense of hope, belonging and self-respect.
Haiti: A Necessary Practice?
My Life, an Open Book… says that the Haitian practice of Restavec is “not ALL bad”, but warns that despite the success stories, “we cannot ignore the fact that there are people who take advantage of the reality of poverty in this country by taking advantage of these needy children.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Welcoming President Obama
President Obama has confirmed his attendance at the upcoming Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad and Tobago, prompting This Beach Called Life to write him a letter of welcome and The Secret Blog of Patrick “Patos” Manning to write a creative post on “Mr. Obama’s late RSVP”.
Barbados: Tourists Attacked
As news breaks of Canadian tourists being attacked on a popular beach, Barbados Free Press says: “Bajans are sorry this happened…we want to see those preventative measures taken for the safety of all who visit and who live in our country.”
