1 June 2009

Stories from 1 June 2009

Nepal: A fresh start?

  1 June 2009

After weeks of wrangling among political parties in Nepal, veteran Communist leader and former general secretary of Nepal communist party (United Marxist and Leninist) (CPN UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal was "selected" as Nepal's prime minister. Mr. Nepal's job, especially at this point, brings a heavy baggage of problems-some of which could potentially torpedo his government.

A Pakistani Actor In Star Trek

  1 June 2009

A Pakistani shines in Hollywood – CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan discusses “the casting of Pakistani actor Faran Tahir as Captain Robau in the recent box office hit Star Trek.”

Pakistan: The Garage School

  1 June 2009

All Things Pakistan introduces Shabina Mustafa's The Garage School. “She is waging a struggle against the forces of anarchy with her deep love and caring for the children of domestic workers from her neighborhood. And she is winning.”

Haiti, D.R.: Tensions Erupt

  1 June 2009

“Tensions along the Haitian-Dominican border often revolve around environmental issues,” writes Repeating Islands, adding: “This was once again the scenario…as violence erupted in northwestern Dominican Republic after authorities destroyed plots planted with fruits and vegetables by Haitians on Dominican protected land.”

Jamaica: Calabash & the Maroons

  1 June 2009

Litblogger Geoffrey Philp recounts his experience at Jamaica's recently-concluded Calabash Literary Festival, while Trinidadian Sharon Millar offers some insight into the Maroons of Jamaica.

Cuba, U.S.A.: Don't Shoot the Messenger

  1 June 2009

“This is not the first time I’ve heard that MSN Messenger is blocked for Cuban users,” writes Generation Y, revealing: “Now the prohibition comes from the other side, precisely on the part of those who built a program that helps us escape government control.”

Jamaica: Justice System

  1 June 2009

Jamaica Salt is “interested in looking at the whole system of justice in Jamaica – or rather the lack of it.”

Global Lullabies: The Arrorró Project

  1 June 2009

Artist Gabriela Golder from Argentina has taken it upon herself to discover, record and collect lullabies from all over the world, and to find connections among them in the Arrorró project. Rising Voices director David Sasaki wrote about the project on the 80+1 website, where he interviewed Gabriela on camera, and got authors and editors for Global Voices involved by inspiring many to record themselves singing the lullabies they remembered from their childhood.

Togo: Democratic culture

  1 June 2009

revedafrique, during a trip home to his village in Togo, was disappointed by the democratic spirit of the youth: “Some still believe, for example, that criticizing the government's policies can land you in prison” [Fr]