Stories from March, 2009
Ukraine: Relations With Russia and Romania
Steve Bandera of Kyiv Scoop writes: “While Russian strategists declare Ukraine “a failed state” on the verge of losing its sovereignty, some Romanian officials and media are suggesting that only part of Ukraine, with its capital in Lviv, can ever come under the alliance’s euroatlantic umbrella.”
Estonia: Lennart and Arnold Meri
Itching for Eestimaa writes: “One Meri cousin, Lennart, just had an airport named after him to coincide with the annual foreign policy conference that bears his name. […] The other Meri cousin, Arnold, spent his twilight years on trial for the deportation of the men, women, and children of Hiiumaa...
Poland: “Krakow's Lost River”
Polandian writes about “Krakow's lost river.”
Hungary: Ferenc Gyurcsány, Part I
“The rise and fall of Ferenc Gyurcsány, Part I” – at Hungarian Spectrum.
Pakistan: Stand Against Terrorism & Extremism
Hasan Mubarak at Lahore Metblog mentioned that Lahore keeps its resolve after the attacks on a police training school in the city: “We should not and will not tolerate ideologies of extremism, terrorism, inhumanity, and hatred. We are humans, and yes, proud Pakistanis; Muslims or otherwise – but sorry, we...
Bhutan: Banking Via SMS
Tshering Tobgay reports that SMS based mobile banking service has started in Bhutan: “The concept seems to be quite simple: you send instructions by SMS to the bank, and they respond with the required information by return SMS.”
Sri Lanka: Rain Water Harvesting Now Law
Navigating on Balance reports that a legislation is in the process of enactment to make rain water harvesting mandatory for new constructions making “Sri Lanka the only country in the world to have a public policy on rain water harvesting!”
Bolivia: The Grape Harvest Fair
Juan Angel Tapia of El Miroscopio [es] visits La Vendimia in the Calamuchita region of Tarija, Bolivia. This fair celebrates the important grape harvest used in the wine industry famous in this part of the country.
Palestine: Commemorating Land Day
March 30 is Land Day, on which Palestinians everywhere, but especially those within Israel, commemorate the day in 1976 when six unarmed Palestinian citizens of Israel were killed by the Israeli army and police during protests against land expropriation. The day has become a way to mark the struggle of the Palestinians to hold onto their land, when demonstrations take place as well as other events. Palestinian and pro-Palestinian bloggers around the world have observed the occasion.
Ecuador: Heading to the Polls Yet Again
In less than a month, approximately 10.5 million Ecuadorians will head to the polls yet again. After approval of the new Constitution last September, elections to select the president, members of the legislature and other local authorities are scheduled for April 26. The current president, Rafael Correa, has announced his intention to run, where he is favored to win.
Water: One Take International Video Contest
“Is access to clean, safe water for drinking a basic human right? Why? or Why not?”. That is the question One Take is asking for you to answer in your own language, recording it on a video no more than 2 minutes long, uploading it on their site and on DotSub and having it subtitled in at least 1 other language. Just this month, world leaders met in Istambul, Turkey at the World Water Forum to have this discussion, and although they aren't sure what the result will be, it is our chance to show what we believe about this issue, and make our voices heard.
Filipino loses Facebook account for using real name
The Facebook account of Antonio Piamonte from the Philippines was removed because Facebook thinks his first and last name on his profile isn't his real name.
Pakistan: Lahore Police Academy Attack
Today morning Pakistanis were shocked by the news of the attack on Manawan police training school in Lahore. Some 10-12 masked gunmen dressed as Policemen attacked from four sides when almost 700 trainees were performing their morning exercise in the camp. BBC reports that they succeeded in a siege of...
France, Americas, Africa: The “Y'a Bon” Awards
On March 17th 2009, a group called les Indivisibles [Fr] launched the “Y'a Bon Awards”, a dubious honour bestowed upon politicians, journalists, or any public officials who have contributed to the spreading of racism in France. The Awards have sprung from reactions to a century-long advertising campaign that has not sat well with most black people in France.
Palestine: Traditional Dress
Sameh Abo Wadih writes about the traditional Palestinian thobe [Ar].
Palestine: The Changing Face of Jerusalem
Ned, who lives in Ramallah, writes about the changes he has seen taking place in Jerusalem: “Israel is clearly trying to change the whole face of Jerusalem, making it more Jewish than it has ever been. In the process, thousands of Arabs are losing their right to live in the...
Puerto Rico: The Internet
Gil the Jenius thinks that “Puerto Rico has not embraced the power of the Internet to a significant degree.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Identifying the Problem
Blogging from Trinidad and Tobago, This Beach Called Life thinks that the biggest problem with UDECOTT “isn’t that the public thinks it is a corrupt organization…[it's] that the masses who screamed about the corruption with the Piarco Airport Terminal are now silent and indifferent about UDECOTT.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Shouter Baptist Liberation
triniscene.com pays tribute to the Shouter Baptists of Trinidad and Tobago, who today celebrate “the abolition of laws that prohibited the activities of the Shouter or Spiritual Baptist faith on March 30, 1951.”
Barbados: Animal Cruelty
Barbados Free Press republishes a letter from an “irate hiker” whose group discovered the body of a dog that was hanged from a tree: “The RSPCA was notified. Their response was ‘write a letter to the newspapers’. Where is the the ‘Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ in such a response?...
Jamaica: Going to Calabash
Jamaican Geoffrey Philp and Life, Unscripted, on the Rock are pleased to report that the Calabash International Literary Festival is back on.
