11 March 2009

Stories from 11 March 2009

Iran: No Cake for Iranian Women on their Day

Although the Iranian government does not recognize the International Women's Day and has banned women activists from organizing gatherings and demonstrations to commemorate the day for the previous 30 years, Iranian bloggers and women activists remembered the 8th of March, honouring women in Iran and the rest of the world.

Egypt: The Influential Role of Women in History

Egyptian blogger Lasto Adri [Ar] posts excerpts from a book entitled The Modern Women's Movement: The Story of Arab Women in the Land of Egypt, where she highlights the influential and integral role played by women in their communities in history and how that changed in 222BC.

Pakistan: Sharif Brothers Under House Arrest

  11 March 2009

Open Pakistan reports quoting GEO TV that “Pakistani authorities on Wednesday decided to put Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif and his borther Shahbaz Sharif under house arrest to prevent a planned long march by the opposition party workers and lawyers to Islamabad.” CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan reported...

Dominican Republic: Upset at World Baseball Classic by Dutch Team

  11 March 2009

The 2nd edition of the World Baseball Classic tournament is underway and features Major League baseball players representing traditional baseball powers like the the Dominican Republic whose roster was filled with professional All-Star talent. The tournament also features countries with less tradition playing this sport, such as the Netherlands, who pulled off two improbable victories over the Dominican team eliminating them from the competition.

Nepal: The Rights Of The Minorities

  11 March 2009

Paramendra Bhagat supports the ongoing movement of the Tharu indigenous people in Nepal for their rights. He goes further to add: “I look forward to the Dalits, Muslims and women of the Terai similarly rising up, similarly waking up to claim their due share at the table.”

Pakistan: Live Coverage Of The Long March

  11 March 2009

A section of the Pakistani Lawyers and political activists have finished all their preparations for a scheduled Long March and sit in protest starting tomorrow to reinstate the deposed judges. Tensions are running high in Pakistan because the opposition leader Nawaz Sharif's party (PML-N) is participating in the protests and the government has started crack down on activists and imposed ban on protests. Pakistani citizen journalists have started to cover the events as they unfold using live blogs, live picture updates, email/SMS and Twitter messages.

Senegal: This Is Dakar

  11 March 2009

Ugandan blogger's impressions of Dakar, Senegal: I went out today to check out Dakar. Very beautiful place with a little bit of everything. European kind of narrow streets, arabic influenced building and all the African traditional things. I can't forget the Chinese cheap products that have flooded all of Africa...

Madagascar: Is military rule next?

  11 March 2009

News of a mutiny at one of Antananarivo's most important barracks stunned Madagascar yesterday. The mutiny has since spread to other barracks and Madagascar's Defence Minister, Vice-Admiral Mamy Ranaivoniarivo, has resigned. Is Madagascar coming under military rule?

Morocco: Travel Guilt

“Maybe people need to travel for the rewards of cultural exchange, new experiences and not for the bragging rights?” notes The View from Fez in a post discussing “travel guilt” during this economic crisis.

Africa: Two Africas In America

  11 March 2009

A Tanzanian film-maker in the United States, Josiah Kibira, is working on a new documentary titled “TWO AFRICAS IN AMERICA”…One African, One American, which will examine the relationship between Africans and African Americans in the United States.