17 November 2009

Stories from 17 November 2009

Bermuda: Crossing the Rubicon

  17 November 2009

Following news of a gang-related shooting in Bermuda, Vexed Bermoothes says: “The public lawlessness is so depressing that I am at a loss for words.”

Barbados, Jamaica: The Politics of Homosexuality

  17 November 2009

“In Barbados we have a long way to go regarding how as a country we want to deal with the issue of homosexuality”: Barbados Underground says “it would be unfortunate for some if we wait until the next general election” to start discussing…the societal changes to accept this group of...

Guyana: Autobiographical

  17 November 2009

“I've always thought of autobiography as an attempt to leave behind–forever in memoriam–something more or less truthful about one's existence”: Signifyin’ Guyana wonders what the first lines of your autobiography would be.

Africa: Allah is not obliged

  17 November 2009

Sokari reviews Ahmadou Kourouma's novel, Allah is not obliged: “There are three sets of interwoven stories. The story of Birahima and his many wanderings with different militias across the region which makes a mockery of the artificial boundaries created by colonial rulers – only tribes not countries have meaning in...

Malawi: No guts, No Glory

  17 November 2009

No Guts, No Glory is a story from Lilongwe Writers Circle: “First disappointment – no booze. Secondly, it was full of young, enthusiastic, teetotallers – us alcoholic grannies didn’t know anyone. Thirdly, since when was spirituality a requirement for humanitarian interest?”

India, Pakistan: The Sky Below

  17 November 2009

Kamla Bhatt reviews a documentary of Sarah Singh (New York), The Sky Below, which looks at the partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947 and “how it impacted the people and communities on both sides of the border: India and Pakistan.”

Ukraine: News and Views Roundup

  17 November 2009

Ukraine roundup: flu and politics – at What's Up, Ukraine? and at Jamestown Foundation Blog, here and here; the latest on the tense relationship between the Ukrainian president and PM – at Ukrainiana, as well as two posts – here and here – on one of the 18 presidential candidates,...

Russia: Medvedev's Speech and IT; Twitter and the Police

RuNet Echo  17 November 2009

Profy writes about the IT dimension of president Medvedev's annual address: “The draft speech was initially published online as a lengthy article by the president and he invited all the citizens to voice their opinions out via the Kremlin official website – and people were definitely very willing to participate...

Russia: Forbes Website

RuNet Echo  17 November 2009

Profy writes about the newly-launched ForbesRussia.ru website and “their obvious lack of interest in anything local and specific to the Russian market, in particular in the field of social media and social networking.”