Stories from 3 July 2009
Facebook conquers Southeast Asia
Bernard Leong observes that Facebook is almost the dominant social networking platform in Southeast Asia. It has overtaken Friendster in Malaysia and is getting more members in other countries in the region.
Malaysia: University admissions process
Rajan Rishyakaran has written an article critiquing the Malaysian university admissions process.
Cambodia: Khmer Gold
Mongkol visited the National Museum and was able to view the recently donated rare Angkorian gold and jewelry which have never been seen before in Cambodia.
Palestine: Dehumanized In Gaza
Gazan blogger Lina says: “This is something I’ve been feeling so significantly the past week. It’s the feeling of being dehumanized or the feeling that life is not meant for us, the Palestinians.” She then lists all the things that have made her feel this way.
Bahrain: Congratulations, India
Gay Bahraini blogger Shams Al-Ma7aba congratulates India on decriminalising homosexuality [Ar].
Belarus: President Pardons Emanuel Zeltser
On June 30, a U.S. Congress delegation visited Minsk to meet with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko. During this meeting, members of the U.S. delegation asked the president to pardon Emanuel Zeltser, an American lawyer who, in August 2008, was "sentenced to three years in prison on charges of 'attempted industrial espionage' and the use of fake documents." Lukashenko said he could do it and signed the pardon later that day.
DRC: Goma's Makeover for Independence Day
June 30th marked the 49th anniversary of the Democratic Republic of Congo's independence from Belgium. This year, the official festivities took place in Goma. Bloggers react to this historic anniversary, celebrated in a city that not long ago was a war zone.
Morocco: An Alternative to Iran?
A recent article in the Washington Post has caused quite a stir amongst Moroccan bloggers, as well as on Twitter and in forums. The article, which suggests Morocco as a model for democracy coexisting with Islam to be used in Iran, has been criticized for going too easy on the Moroccan regime, as well as for projecting Western values onto both countries, writes Jillian York.
India: Court Ruling Decriminalizes Gay Sex
On Thursday, 2nd of July the Delhi high court ruled that treating consensual gay sex as a crime was discriminatory and therefore a violation of fundamental rights protected by India's constitution. We hear the opinions of some Indian bloggers in this post.
Guatemala: For Some Artists, Picasso was Wrong
Some Guatemalan artists are out to prove that Pablo Picasso's quote "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers" is incorrect. For many, computers and the internet are the answers to a lack of spaces and galleries for relatively unknown artists who want to showcase their work to a larger and global audience.
India: Question To The Minister Of Railways
Roger Alexander questions the the Minister of railways of India, who presented this year's budget in the parliament today: “why has the cash surpluses of the Railways depleted so rapidly in such a short span of time?”
Japan: Aokigahara and Suicide
Matt Holland at Feedbackward on Aokigahara, and Meaningful Suicide in Japan – “The ubiquitous and accessible nature of trains in Japan make them a logical and effective choice for those attempting suicide, but it is Aokigahara, the forest situated at the base of iconic Mount Fuji that hosts the most...
Bhutan: Ordinary People Are Losing Homes
Passu Diary discusses how the works of the hydro-electric power project at Punatshangchhu (Punakha) River in bhutan has made an impact on the local lives. There are no homes available for rent for the low income ordinary people and the blogger urges “we want our homes back. Please don’t buy...
The Uyghurs: Persecuted Muslim Minority in NorthWest China
Today we take a look at the situation faced by the Uyghur people, a Muslim minority in the Xinjiang region of China, where their culture is being obliterated by the central Chinese government, first because they were deemed separatists and now, after the September 11 attacks to the USA, also as terrorists.
Nepal: Most Of The Maoist Guerillas Will Not Be Merged With Army
Rajneesh Bhandari took an interview of the Prime Minister of Nepal Madhav Kumar Nepal, who said that “Maoist combatants will also be merged in new security organs and only some percentage of Maoist combatants will be integrated in the Nepal Army.”
Iran: Desert in photos
Darvish, a leading Iranian green blogger, shares Yann Arthus-Bertrand's photos on desert. The blogger calls the photographer an artist who sees the beauty of desert.
Trinidad & Tobago: Now What?
As the Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General refuses to resign, diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch asks: “So what does a vote of no confidence mean, if you can’t get rid of the person in question?”
Haiti: Mourning Met With Violence
Repeating Islands reports that “Haitian police say the demonstrator found slain after the clash with U.N. peacekeepers during the funeral procession for Father Gérard Jean-Juste was killed by a bullet”, while a guest writer at Wadner Pierre's blog calls the situation “an example of a global security apparatus deployed to...
Barbados: Charges Withdrawn
Barbados Free Press thinks that the Director of Public Prosecution's withdrawal of bribery and perverting the course of justice charges against a police officer “stinks to high heaven.”
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: The Right Information
Lullabies, Fairy Tales and other Self-Delusions is concerned that while there is a lot of information available on St. Vincent's new airport, “the proposed Constitution…is not getting much official play. What’s more important RIGHT NOW? Educating us about an airport, or educating us about something that will change the way...
Trinidad & Tobago: Taking Courage
Survivein’ Trinidad gets to thinking about the bravery of murder victim Camille Daniel-Nottingham: “It must have taken IMMENSE courage for her to drive her car onto that police compound even while being held at gunpoint.”
