28 September 2009

Stories from 28 September 2009

Trinidad & Tobago: The Price of Progress is High

  28 September 2009

“As if the stink of the uselessness of the building weren’t enough…here comes talk that toxic fumes from the Performing Arts Academy are making people in the neighbouring buildings fall sick. Yes, this is progress at its best”: Trinidadian Attillah Springer says the whole thing “is a tragic kind of...

India: The State Of Democracy

  28 September 2009

Arundhati Roy at Huffington Post comments on the state of democracy in India: “The hoary institutions of Indian democracy — the judiciary, the police, the ‘free’ press, and, of course, elections — far from working as a system of checks and balances, quite often do the opposite. They provide each...

Maldives: Renewing Ties With Israel

  28 September 2009

Mohamed Nasheed reacts to the news that Maldives would renew ties with Israel posing this question: “how does renewing relations with Israel serve our national interest?”

Pakistan: The way we are treated at US airports

  28 September 2009

“As a friend of progressive forces, and as an American who is proud to be an American, I urge the United States government to re-consider this policy of secondary searches and questioning when someone tries to enter America,” comments Pakistani American Bilal Qureshi at Pak Tea House.

Aruba: Election Results

  28 September 2009

“It's still sinking in. It was an incredible night. I'm fairly sure that this government is, at one point going to disappoint me, but today I'm very happy”: Arubagirl reports on the outcome of elections in her country.

Philippines: Helping flood victims through social media

  28 September 2009

A tropical storm hit many parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the Philippines last Saturday. Social networking sites were flooded with personal stories, photos and videos of the typhoon's aftermath. The stream of information soon became a “hub” for coordinating rescue and relief efforts for those who had access to the internet

Japan: Lessons in Communication from the Hatoyama Essay

  28 September 2009

When an online Op-Ed piece by current Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama appeared in the New York Times just days before the Lower House elections last month, national reaction ranged from surprise to consternation to pure mortification. “A New Path for Japan” was an abridged and translated version of “My Political...