Stories from 2 April 2009
China: Reform the International Monetary System
Sun bin comments on the reform proposal on the International Monetary System put forward by the head of China Central bank Zhou Xiao Chuan: China can go ahead with this solution alone while persuading G20/IMF/WB to follow suit.
Taiwan: Police Hassle Political Blogger Meeting
Michael Turton from the View from Taiwan translated a local report on police interruption of a Democratic Progressive Party affiliated blogger Meeting.
Hong Kong and the Philippines: The War at Home
Chan Hau-man re-posts Chip Tsao's controversial article “The War at Home” at inmediahk.net and invited readers to judge the article. Her opinion is that the article was a satire.
Russia: Lenin Statue Bombed in St. Petersburg
What one saw in the April 1 post by LJ user drugoi looked like an April Fool's Day joke at first - a Photoshop prank, most likely: a photo of a statue of Vladimir Lenin in St. Petersburg, the Bolshevik leader's back to the Finland Train Station, with a huge hole torn in the lower part of his bronze overcoat. But the photo was taken by AP's Dmitry Lovetsky, and there were more available, from other sources, taken from different vantage points, so it must have been for real. And it was.
Bahrain: Ban On Alcohol Sought
Bahrain has always been known as one of the most liberal and tolerant of the Gulf states, but in recent years the country's political environment has become increasingly religious, with many members of parliament demanding amongst other things a ban on alcohol. Reacting to this as well as other legislation being introduced, some of Bahrain's bloggers have expressed their disbelief and anger.
Bahrain: Audience Guidelines
After attending a classical music concert Bahraini blogger Hasan has decided to let people know just how they should behave if they go to one.
Qatar: Understanding Qatari Men
The Gulf state of Qatar has a population of approximately one million people, the majority of whom are not Qatari citizens. It seems that many who have come to work in Qatar have the perception that Qataris are aloof; some recent blog posts aim to dispel the myth that it is difficult to get to know Qatari men in particular.
