Stories from 6 August 2009
Russia, Georgia: “A Year After”
Scraps of Moscow re-posts and links to a few items on last year's Russian-Georgian war that appeared elsewhere.
Dominican Republic: Doctors on Strike
Doctors from the Dominican public health system have been on strike calling for a salary increase. However, the protest leave many wondering whether this is adversely affecting low-income families.
Maldives: Against ‘Condomization’
Dr Mauroof Hussain slams the public display of condom ads in Maldives and opines: “‘condomization’ of the society is not the solution for AIDS. Rather, promoting decency, family values and observing the limits set by our Creator is the only solution.”
East Timor: A Film about Peace 10 years after the Referendum
Visual artist David Palazón has recently released online the trailer from his experimental documentary Hanesan Maibe Ketak-Ketak | Same same but Different, filmed at the end of 2008 in East Timor. The film focuses on peace building activities and opinions around the country while showcasing Nobel Peace Laureate Jose Ramos-Horta....
Sri Lanka: Ravana Waterfall
Kirigalpoththa highlights the legendary Ravana Ella (waterfall) of Sri Lanka: “according to the great epic ‘Ramayana’ the mythical King Ravana of Lanka kidnapped Princess Sitha of India and kept her hidden somewhere close to this waterfall.”
Bhutan: Burglary on the Rise In Thimphu
Passu Diary is concerned about the increase of burglary incidents in Bhutanese capital Thimphu and the inaction of police.
India: Manipur Erupts Over A Murder
The Indian state of Manipur is reeling after pictures of Chingkham Sanjit, an unarmed 27-year old, being shot and killed by the police surfaced earlier this week. Indian Twitter users react to this incident.
China: Made up data on the wealth of senior cadres’ children
ESWN translated a report from people.net which traces how the data on “91% of rich people are children of senior government cadres” had been made up and passed along.
Cuba: The “Maleconazo”
Cuba's Generation Y takes a walk in the area “where, fifteen years ago, the social outbreak known as the ‘Maleconazo’ happened”, observing that “people’s faces seem less convinced, than they were then, that we’re nearing the end.”
United Kingdom: Asylum seekers telling their stories
More and more refugee organizations are using online social media and asylum seekers' own words in their advocacy work and outreach to donors.
Haiti: Honduras Parallels
Wadner Pierre posts an article by Haiti Liberte which examines the “uncanny similarity between the June 28, 2009 coup d'état against Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and that of February 29, 2004 against Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.”
Suriname: On Art
Paramaribo SPAN posts an interview with Surinamese artist Kurt Nahar.
Trinidad & Tobago: LGBT Rights
“Just a few years ago, the courts in Trinidad & Tobago were not a place GLBT people looked to with much hope of justice on matters of sexual orientation”: gspottt suggests that things may be changing.
Jamaica: Falmouth Pier
Snailwriter is convinced that the construction of a cruise ship pier in Falmouth, Jamaica will not only “bring very small economic benefits…by way of short term, low level jobs. It is very likely that an authentic place of history will be part Disneyfied, wholly faked, and this old town constructed...
Kazakhstan: Economics and blogs
Megakhuimyak talks about the models of social behavior of the Kazakhstani citizens… [ru]: People of the Third World countries specifically like to spend their money to show off, especially, when wedding parties are concerned. A couple has just married, but tens of thousands of dollars are already spent. Then they...
East Timor: Ricegate scandal
Responding to a looming food and rice shortage last year, East Timor Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao awarded 17 companies with contracts to import rice. These contracts are now being questioned by the opposition after Radio Australia News exposed that one of the companies is partly owned by the Prime Minister’s daughter.
Iran: Momeni, leading political activist, under Torture
Several Iranian news sites and blogs such as Jomhour reported [fa] that Abdullah Momeni, a leading political activist, has been tortured in Tehran's prison. According to the same source, his wife said that Momeni can not walk and talk anymore.
Palestine: Hebron Full Of Tension
In the West Bank, the blogger at Minnesoterblog posts photos of Hebron, saying: “Hebron’s mix of hard-line ideological settlers (mostly of American and French origin) that live in and control the old city give it a tense atmosphere.”
China: Han's prejudices and discriminations towards Uyghur
The July 5 Xinjiang riot has passed over a month and the majority of Chinese netizens are still blaming the West and Rebiya Kadeer for promoting Xinjiang separatist movements. Nevertheless, there are some whispering voices popping up here and there in the Chinese Internet, like this one sentence comment at...
Singapore Minister's “incorrect” remarks on Myanmar
Singapore's Foreign Minister has been criticized for issuing “incorrect” statements about Myanmar. The Minister has answered his critics by posting a reply on Facebook.
Korea: Clinton’s Visit to North Korea
A surprising news. All of a sudden, Clinton visited North Korea and like 007 he took two female American journalists who were held in North Korea back home. About this sudden news, there is not so much public news regarding it in the Korean media nor in bloggers’ opinions. Here...
