Stories from 6 July 2009
Maldives: Not Happy With The National Anthem
Abdullah Waheed writes: “many Maldivians, particularly of the younger generation, appear to be having second thoughts on our current National Anthem.”
Afghanistan, Nepal: Similarities
Anup Kaphle wrote about his experience in Afghanistan in a post titled Helmand: A Nepalese View at The Atlantic. He compared the war torn nation with his homeland Nepal and found many similarities.
Russia: Bride against pride?
LJ user Alex Nemtsev reports about [RUS] bride parades in Kursk and other Russian cities, arguably as a nicer alternative to LGBT pride parades.
Bahrain, Oman: The Lives Of Migrant Workers
Migrant workers, the majority from South Asia, form a large part of the population in the countries of the Gulf. In this post we hear the experience of two individuals who have come to the Gulf to work.
Nicaragua: The Passing of Alexis Argüello
From Nicaragua, Juan Ortega pays tribute to Alexis Argüello, a former boxing champion and politician [es], who recently passed away. Even though Ortega was too young to remember watching Argüello's marches, he recalls hearing his grandmother speak very highly of the boxer.
Cote d'Ivoire: Paul Sika's technicolor dreamscape
Glenna Gordon interviews Paul Sika from Ivory Coast about his work: “I first came across Paul Sika's photos on the blog Africa is a Country and was immediately transfixed by how he transformed scenes that seemed so familiar to me into something brilliantly technicolor and radiant. I emailed him last...
Russia-Germany: Resurrection of Berlin wall painting
IZO reports on the resurrection of Dmitri Vrubel's renowned Berlin wall painting of the kiss between Brezhnev and Honecker.
Africa: Some thoughts on African film
Sci-Cultura writes about African film: “Anyone who’s read the recent posts on this blog will know that I am enthralled, intrigued and besotted by the use of film as a medium to convey stories. This year has been good for raising the awareness of Kenya in the world of film....
Ghana: Bloggers Discuss Business Process Outsourcing
Few know that A.T.Kearney rated Ghana as sub-Saharan Africa's number one Business Process Outsourcing destination in 2005 and, as of June 2009, the nation’s achievements in this field look set to continue. Several bloggers reported on an agreement signed in early June between two leading ICT organisations that will provide unprecedented opportunities for ICT students, create thousands of jobs, and underpin the growth of this nascent industry.
Senegal: The evolution of Senegalese women in film
AFWMNCIN discusses the evolution of Senegalese women in the film industry: “Throughout the 1970s and 1980s Safi Faye was the lone woman filmmaker in Senegal. New faces were visible in the 1990s with the emergence of Adrienne Diop, Mariam Kane Selly, Rokhaya Diop, Aissaou Laba Touré and Kady Sylla; all...
Russia: A champion of social networking?
LJ user Russian-Cyberspace.org comments on Russians becoming increasingly skilled at social networking on the Internet at the same time as the country is experiencing an increasing divide between citizens’ level of access to the Internet.
Kenya: Could the Hague be God's answer to Kenyans?
Kumekucha wonders if the Hague could be the answer to the cry of Kenyans: “That said, I hope that the ICC can get its act together and start coming after all world leaders who commit atrocities against their people. Starting with Bush and Rumsfeld, Mugabe and henchmen and on to...
Russia: Interview with Andrei Illarionov
Robert Amsterdam posts the first episode in a series of interviews with Russia's former economics presidential adviser and opposition politician, Andrei Illarionov.
Lithuania: 1000 years as a nation
Lituanica recounts the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Lithuania's first mention in historical sources.
Czech Republic: World's first triple hybrid bus
The Reference Frame tells about the first ever serially manufactured triple hybrid bus, made in the Czech city of Pilsen – otherwise famous for its beer.
Kenya: Kenya Revenue Authority, Wake Up!
Thinker's Room discusses redundant procedures required by the Kenya Revenue Authority: “Countless man hours are wasted by taxpayers, accountants all around Kenya and KRA employees to collect data that they already bloody have. Mind numbing repetitive manual work at unnecessary cost to the taxpayer.”
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch
The Zimbabwe Inclusive Government Watch run by Sokwanele shows breaches by parties in the government. The breaches are recorded by daily monitoring of media reports. The counts therefore have to be viewed in the context of a repressive media environment, and as an indicator of total breaches rather than a...
Palestine: Three Weddings – And A Bad Memory
Transplanted to Palestine is an American married to a Palestinian in Ramallah, and she describes various Palestinian weddings she has attended – including her own.
Kenya: Kenya against Ireland in Intercontinental Cup
Kenya Cricket writes about Kenya's Intercontinental Cup match against Ireland: “Ireland yesterday (Sun) seized six points through a first innings lead of 73 after Kenya's last four wickets added 92 to their Saturday overnight score of 239 for 6, thereby avoiding the follow-on. Vice-captain Jimmy Kamande batted sensibly to make...
Bahrain: Creative Dreams
Hasan Hujairi writes eloquently about the fears and dreams of an amateur musician/writer in Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia: Enjoying The Outdoor Life In Aramco
Natasha Burge has just moved: “The dogs are SO happy with their daily two hour walks on the miles and miles of hiking trails here, through grassy fields surrounded by trees and flowers.” Where is she? Saudi Arabia!
