Stories from 13 November 2009
Cambodia: Journalist charged with defamation
Ros Sokhet, a journalist well known in Cambodia for his contribution to the English language media, was arrested on October 30th and charged with defamation. The arrest generated a debate on alleged corruption in the media industry
Egypt: Celebrities sans Diplomacy
Bikya Masr reported two stories a couple of days apart about celebrity blunders and lack of tact. Beyonce was targeted in the first and Salma Hayek spoke out in the second. Marwa Rahka has the story.
Morocco: Aicha Ech Chenna Wins Opus Prize
In Morocco, women who get pregnant out of wedlock are often shunned from their communities. Activist and social worker Aicha Ech Chenna has been working for almost 25 years to help such mothers and their children. Now, her efforts are being rewarded.
Trinidad & Tobago: “Axe the Tax”!
From Trinidad and Tobago, This Beach Called Life clears the air on “the not-so-new property tax that has angered homeowners into an angry fireball. Citizens, despite cursing and more cursing,...
Trinidad & Tobago: Art or Ego?
“One thing that seems to me to distinguish good governance from bad is an understanding that cities and countries are built on communities, not on buildings”: Club Soda and Salt...
Liberia: Too Late for Flowers
Too Late for Flowers is a short story by Liberian writer Saah Millimono: “Theresa was in her seventies, lean, gray-headed, with a wrinkled face and almost toothless mouth when I...
Liberia: Photography workshop in Monrovia
Ruthie writes about photography workshop in Monrovia, Liberia, which trained Liberian journalists on editing, picture taking skills, and street photography.
Liberia: From guns to notebooks
From bullets and guns to notebooks and pens in Liberia: “Waking up in the morning…with my uniforms…on my way to school, sitting in the classroom taking notes – is something...
Africa: PayPal alternatives for African entrepreneurs
Theresa lists PayPal alternatives for African entrepreneurs: “Although PayPal is ubiquitous in the States and Europe, there are many alternatives available online, most with far more relaxed policies about where...
Liberia: Arrests made in Liberia's gruesome murder
Ceasefire Liberia reports: “Police sources in Monrovia say it has made some arrests in the murder of the late Keith Jubah. Immediately after the incidence police arrested Abel Bondo and...
South Africa: Bookmark Awards was a world class event
Mike writes about The Bookmark Awards in South Africa: “From the high quality of the judging panel, to the evening’s entertainment (1st Project and the Dirty Skirts) to the really...
Qatar: No one is above the law – really?
Doha bloggers bemused, incredulous and wistful by official remarks that no one in Qatar is above the law. A debate over the merits of that statement quickly evolves into a discussion on press freedom, as more clamor for a new law press law, free from any imprisonment penalties against journalists.
Egypt: One day before playing Algeria
Tension is building up over the decisive football match between Egypt and Algeria due to take place in Cairo on November 14. The encounter will determine which of the two teams will qualify to next year's FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Some Egyptian bloggers enjoy a game with a twist.
Africa: Obaasema: lifestyle magazine for the African women
Check out a video about Obaasema magazine, a premier lifestyle magazine for the modern African woman.
Japan: I want my husband dead
Hideki Sakamoto (坂本 英樹)comments on the topic of the week: the bizarre results of the predictive search function of some Japanese search engines. “If you enter the word otto (夫, husband)...
India: The State Of Mumbai Airport
“Mumbai airport has to be the worst that exists in any major city in the world. With two runways that crisscross each other, arrivals and departures are severely constrained,” comments...
Japan: A message to Tatsuya Ichihashi
Naoki Motoyama (本山直樹), guest professor at Tokyo University of Agriculture, addresses [ja] a post to Tatsuya Ichihashi （市橋達也）, the alleged murderer of Lindsay Hawker captured on Tuesday after having been on...
Japan: Hitler's “Mein Kampf”, the manga version
After more than 80 years since its first publication, Hitler's Mein Kampf has become a Manga comic. The 190 page volume, which sold some 45,000 copies in the first printing,...
China: Interview with Lu Guang, the photographer of “Pollution in China”
China Hush has translated local online media Netease's interview with Lu Guang, who won this year W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography with a set of photos featuring “Pollution...
Hungary: Flu Vaccination as “the Great Hungarian Experiment”
The vaccination campaign of the Hungarian National Public Health and Medical Officer Service has inspired a public debate among the institution itself, doctors, politicians and ordinary people who are just not sure whether the Hungarian-made swine flu vaccine is good or not.
