Stories from 30 June 2009
Myanmar: U2 Shows Support for Aung San Su Kyi
The Irish rock band U2 had urged its fans to show support for Aung San Su Kyi by wearing masks of her, which can be downloaded from their website.
‘Buy Indonesia’ campaign
A campaign was launched encouraging Indonesian consumers and companies to patronize locally-made products and services.
Indonesia: Candidates seek support of bloggers
Indonesian candidates are seeking the support of popular bloggers in order to win more votes.
Indonesia: Vice President Debate
Indonesia conducted a debate among vice president hopefuls. My Busy Brain thinks the candidates were all colorul. Listen to the audio podcast of the debate.
Malaysia: RM1 million payment as tourism ambassador
SK Thew reacts to a report about the RM1 million given to former Ferrari Formula One team boss Jean Todt to spend over two years as Malaysia’s Tourism ambassador.
Paraguay: The Possibility of a New Bullet Train
There is speculation that a new bullet train could be built linking the Paraguayan capital city of Asunción with the Brazilian city of Paranaguá and which uses the energy from the Itaipú dam. Carlos Rodríguez of Rescatar [es] thinks that it could be beneficial for the region.
Peru: Interview with Peruvian Books
Juan Arellano of Globalizado [es] interviews the creator of the website Peruvian Books [es], which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. The site shares information about new books from Peruvian authors and upcoming literature conferences.
Saudi Arabia: Michael Jackson v. Elvis Presley
When Saudi blogger and journalist Yasser Al Ghaslan heard about Michael Jackson's death, he immediately remembered when he heard that Elvis Presley had died.
South Africa: To vuvuzela or not to vuvuzela?
Discussions about the popular instrument called the vuvuzela blown by South African football fans have dominated the blogosphere since the beginning of Confederations Cup 2009 in South Africa, which ended last week. Journalists, TV viewers, coaches and some foreign players called for a ban of the instrument during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The debate is as loud as the instrument itself.
Palestine: Harsh Treatment By Egyptian Border Authorities
Lebanese activist Natalie Abou Shakra, who has been in the Gaza Strip for seven months, is now being prevented from entering Egypt by the Egyptian authorities. Witnessing the treatment of Palestinians at the border she says: “They have been taught to accept this treatment. But, as activists, it is our...
Bahrain: Comparing Government Efficiency In Bahrain And Japan
Bahraini blogger Yagoob is studying in Japan, and he compares the experience of receiving financial aid from the Bahraini and Japanese governments: “Nagoya is a city with a population of 2.2 million people, four times more people than Bahrain, and yet they are sure of every single piece of information...
Pakistan: The Real Problem
Talkhaba points to the water shortage problem in some provinces of Pakistan and criticizes the bickering between the political parties representing provinces, who blamed each other.
Bahrain: The Failure Of Education
Mahmood responds to a recently issued official report about the standards of education in Bahrain: “Education in this country is a joke, generally. Things will not change unless the decrepit primary and secondary system is gutted.”
Sri Lanka: No To Beef
Sri Lankan blog Scourge comments on a poster that advocates how cruel it is to slaughter a cow and for that we should refrain from eating beef: “how you can be so concerned about cows and not at all concerned about a human life!”
Sri Lanka: Post War Politics
Dayan Jayatilleka at Groundviews discusses about the politics of the post war Sri Lanka.
Russia: Another journalist death
Eternal Remont reports that the editor of a Rostov-on-Don newspaper has died from injuries of a beating last month, supposedly provoked by his paper's reporting.
Egyptian Blogger Wael Abbas: Detained at Cairo Airport
Upon his arrival from Sweden at the Cairo Airport, blogger Wael Abbas tweets the details of his detention at Cairo Airport. The Arabist reported saying: Egyptian mega-blogger Wael Abbas is being detained at Cairo Airport after his passport was confiscated last night. This is the first time this has happened to...
Trinidad & Tobago: Memory Lane
Diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch remembers the simple pleasures of growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, saying: “Times have changed.”
Puerto Rico: For Shame!
Litter mars one of Gil the Jenius‘ favorite Puerto Rican beaches, causing him to comment: “Every piece of garbage–every one of the thousands of pieces of garbage–indicts Us with its clear message of unconcern, of consumerism, of brainlessness, of herd mentality, of disdain, short-sightedness and sheer incompetence.”
Haiti, U.S.A.: Danticat Cops Guillén Prize
Repeating Islands reports that Haitian-born author Edwidge Danticat has won the 2009 Caribbean Philosophical Association’s Nicolás Guillén Prize.
Jamaica: Hangings to Resume
Upon hearing news that the Jamaican government intends to resume hangings, Iriegal is both sad and fearful that the decision is the right one.
