Stories from 3 August 2009
Venezuela: The Proposed Media Crimes Law
The Venezuelan Attorney General presented a bill that would "regulate" freedom of expression and prosecute individuals in the media who are causing a panic or disturbing the peace.
Ghana: Maker Faire Africa blog
Visit the blog of Maker Faire Africa, which is taking place August 14-16 in Accra, Ghana.
Zambia: Do you know about Zambikes?
Nii posts a video of Zambikes in Zambias. The mission of Zambikes is: To provide high quality bicycles and educational training to underprivileged and service based Zambians.
Bhutan: Ban on Meat Sales, Again
The Bhutanese Parliament voted to uphold the ban on sale of meat during auspicious months after a few months of lifting the previous ban. Tongyal opines that: “the public cannot gain much from this decision. Those who want to eat will find a way to get hold of it, no...
Pakistan: Celebration of Independence Day Via Twitter
Pakfactor informs about: “a GO GREEN campaign on twitter urging Pakistanis to turn their Display pictures green by using Flag in them. [..] It has also been suggested to use hash tag #Pakistan in every tweet by Pakistanis to make it to top of trending topics by 14th of August...
Pakistan: A Simple Misunderstanding At Gojra
Communal violence in Gojra, Paksitan took the life of eight Christians including four women and one child. Hamid Abbasi at Chowrangi calls it a shame and wonders how a *simple misunderstanding* could bring the whole city on the verge of a civil war.
Pakistan: Justice Served?
On the 31st of July, Friday, a Pakistan court ruled that the previous president of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf's actions on 3rd of November, 2007, i.e. declaring an emergency and sending the entire supreme court first home and then under house arrest, are unconstitutional and illegal.
Iran: Anti riot police in Tehran
Lettersoftheliv tweeted that Vanak Square in Tehran is full of anti riot police. Dominiquerde also tweeted that the police attacked protesters in Sai Parc in Tehran where people chanted slogans against Ahmadinejad's government. Iran's Supreme Leader endorsed the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for the second term.
Iran: Faces of the Protest Movement's Victims
Here is a site where the photos and names of the protest movement's victims got published. In last 3 months, Iranian security forces arrested hundreds of people who protested against 12th of June presidential election and killed at least 20 protesters.
Bahamas, Puerto Rico: Education Failing?
Rick Lowe at Weblog Bahamas and Puerto Rico's Gil the Jenius both take a look at the challenges facing education in their respective countries.
Trinidad & Tobago: Do The Right Thing
“Are our leaders more focused on pappyshowing for an international audience than doing the right thing by us here at home?”: Trinidad and Tobago's gspottt contends that “on the question of sexual orientation and human rights, that certainly seems to be the case.”
Caucasus: An interview with Bart Woord
International Federation of Liberal Youth (IFLRY) Secretary General Bart Woord took time out to speak to Global Voices Online about the role new media can play in the region and the case of Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli, two video bloggers recently detained in Baku on what many consider to be politically motivated charges.
India: Communal Hypocrisy
Prerna at I love life… so I explore writes about the tradition of being selective when renting houses in India and opines that the use of minority card against it when convenient “is not going to benefit the cause of the people who are being discriminated”.
Bermuda: The End of Cricket?
“I…wonder now if this is the beginning of the end of the West Indies as a cricket nation”: Bermuda's BeachLime.com shares his thoughts on the impasse between the West Indies Cricket Board and the Players’ Association.
Jamaica: Positive Samples
Girl With a Purpose confirms that “the five Jamaican athletes whose ‘A’ urine samples tested positive, have now heard that their ‘B’ samples have also tested positive for methylxanthine…if found guilty, they may be banned from the World Championships.”
Guyana: Choosing Gladness
“I should care. Some body try to burn down the Ministry of Health. Stories blaze across we newspapers like fierce red warnings of trouble coming…”: Despite the bad news, Guyana-Gyal thinks it best to “take in some glad mood”.
Aruba: Quiet Election Season
“Could it be that the recession has hit the political parties and they're less inclined to print up flags and such? Are people still undecided and have therefore refrained from putting a sticker on their cars?”: Arubagirl notices that all is quiet on the election front.
Bangladesh: Dr. Yunus Meets Madiba
Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus met Nobel Laureate and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela (Madiba) at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg. Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam was fortunate to capture the moments from up close. Read all about it in his blog.
Hong Kong: A 10-dollar coin to pledge against political harassment
During the protests over the demolition of Queen's Pier in 2007, two of the preservation activists Ho Loy and Chu Hoi-dick filed a judicial review (30-7-2007) against the secretary for home affair's administrative decision on not declaring Queen's Pier as historical monument according to the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance Cap.53....
Kyrgyzstan: Presidential Elections Are Over
Tolkun Umaraliev says the opposition candidates claim the election in Kyrgyzstan to be illegal. There is a confusion among media, both local and foreign, that candidates Nazaraliev and Atambaev have withdrawn their candidacies. However, both Nazaraliev and Atambaev have several times stated that according to the law on elections, they...
Egypt: The Original Inhabitants of Egypt
Egyptian blogger Baheyya reviews Bilal Fadl’s latest book – The Original Inhabitants of Egypt: Stories about the Genius of the Place, the Idiocy of the Rulers, and the Indifference of the People (2009).
