Stories from 12 December 2009
Argentina: The Pomar Family Tragedy
The tragedy of the Pomar family, a family of 4 which "disappeared" near the city of Pergamino on November 14 and was found dead almost a month after, has drawn critizicism from the Argentinean community, who discuss the incompetence of the police work and the lack of quality of the media coverage.
Iran: Men in Hijab to Support Jailed Student
Hundreds of Iranian men have dressed as women in Hijab to support Majid Tavakoli, a student activist who was arrested on December 7. A YouTube video collects some of the new FaceBook profile photos.
Colombia: About the Gothic Scene in Medellín
Henryelsucio (Dirty Henry) from La Bitácora Mutante writes a comprehensive article about the gothic scene in Medellín, Colombia, illustrated with photos and videos.
Russia: Two Travellers To Reach Pole Of Cold On Motorcycle
Two Krasnoyarsk [ENG] adventurers will travel to Oymyakon village [ENG] (known as the Northern Pole of Cold with winter temperature -78°C) on a home-made motorcycle in January 2010, says their...
China: Pessimism, skepticism and concern over Copenhagen
A number of Chinese media and environmental groups have sent people to Copenhagen to cover the climate talks as well as protest; bloggers back home, meanwhile, don't seem too hopeful that leaders there will commit to meaningful action toward reducing carbon emissions.
Brazil: Police violence on National Anti-Corruption Day
Violence broke out during a demonstration against the latest bribery scandal. Meanwhile, in the run up to Christmas, Panettones have become the iconic image of anti-corruption protests in the country.
Constitution building for a new Nepal
Blogger Raktim Nepali hopes that a participatory dialogue will help build a better and more inclusive constitution, thereby fulfilling the promise of a better future for Nepal.
Why does homosexuality need an etiology?
Pakistani blogger buttersisonlymyname pens her thoughts at Bazm-e-Rindaan, on the various ongoing discussions trying to explain homosexuality. According to her, ‘trying to ‘explain’ homosexuality is a heteronormative, and even sometimes...
It's time to change the symbol of good health
In India, we've always believed that kids from well-to-do homes should look it by being chubby and plump. That was the sign of good health. Arundhuti Thapar at Just a...
The fight against plagiarism continues
What do you do when a leading MSM daily lifts content from your blog without your permission, snips off your name and the copyright mark, publishes it as their own...
Russian Constitutional Court Ready For Internet
The Chairman of the Russian Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin announced that the Court was ready to broadcast all its public hearings via the Internet, Russian news agency Prime-Tass reported [RUS].
For that acre of green grass
There is no short-cut to a greener planet, writes Masud Karim at Muktangan. He reflects on Bangladesh's need for balancing industrialization with environment protection to preserve that acre of green...
Russia: Soviet Handout on How to Behave in Afghanistan
English Russia posted a translated handout [ENG] for a Soviet “soldier-internationalist,” a.k.a. Soviet soldier fighting in Afghanistan, outlining the basic rules of engagement for USSR troops in the foreign country.
Ukraine: Bureaucracy and Incompetence at Defense Ministry
Sergei Maximishin, an award-winning Russian photographer, has recently tried to get the Ukrainian defense ministry's assistance in doing a photo story on the Ukrainian navy and army for a German magazine. He ended up defeated by the Ukrainian bureaucratic monster, but posted a detailed account of the ordeal on his blog.
Nicaragua: Knowing Gestures and Body Language
Typical hand expressions, gestures and body language from Nicaragua are throughly explained on Los hijos de septiembre [es].
