Stories from 2 March 2010
French Muslims: From Colonisation to Citizenship
As Francophone Africa is celebrates the 50th anniversary of its independence from France or Belgium, and with the still rumbling "National Identity" debate as a backdrop, a new generation of French documentary makers have decided to tackle themselves, as Muslims and French citizens, what it means to be both in secular France.
Uruguay: José Mujica Sworn in as President
Under high expectations and continuing the left-leaning rule by the coalition party Frente Amplio (Broad Front), José Mujica was sworn in on March 1st as the new president of Uruguay.
Pakistan: Gawalmandi Food Street
Shirazi at Doodh Patti talks about the Gowalmandi Food and Heritage Street in Lahore.
India: The Battle Between Rin And Tide
Aastha Jain at Add2Ad blog discusses the ethics behind the recent advertising battle between two detergent brands Rin and Tide in India.
Bangladesh: Some Unanswered Questions On The BDR Mutiny and Massacre
Habib Siddiqui raises some unanswered questions while commemorating the first anniversary of the tragic incidents of BDR Mutiny and Massacre in Dhaka.
India: The Taslima Nasrin ‘article’ that cost two lives
Sans Serif discusses about the controversial article on the burqa by Taslima Nasrin, the exiled Bangladeshi author. After the article was published in the weekly magazine section of a Kannada daily, protests erupted and two persons had died.
Is India Intolerant To MF Hussain?
“Does MF Husain accepting Qatari citizenship mean India is intolerant?” Rabble Rousing Random Ramblings says a resounding no to that.
Chile: Army Deployed to Streets of Concepción
The situation in Concepción, Chile’s second largest city, has worsened considerably after the earthquake. Confirmed reports of uncontrolled looting, building collapses, violence, and even in some cases, arson led to the deployment of a strong contingent of 4,500 soldiers to the city.
Bahamas: International Women's Day
“I'm sure not one civic leader, not one business leader, not one religious leader, will give IWD a thought, much less a word. Bahamian women will be silent too”: Still, Womanish Words holds out hope “that we'll hear the voices of some good writers…speaking up with me in celebration and...
Trinidad & Tobago: Holi
Repeating Islands reports on the celebration of Holi in Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad & Tobago: Choosing the Road March
“Do people wine in a trance brought about by alcohol or are they gyrating on strings manipulated by the whims and fancies of deejays ‘pre-lured’ with blue notes?” Underground Trini Artiste has a few questions about the process of selecting the Road March.
St. Lucia: Bonding Over Books
From St. Lucia, Caribbean Book Blog profiles “a new online community designed for fans of West Indian literature [which] aims to leverage Caribbean commonality across the power of the internet to…strengthen bonds between readers, writers, publishers and book clubs in the Caribbean and its Diaspora.”
Russia: Political Party Launches Social Network
Pro-Kremlin party “Just Russia” announced the launch of the social network “Soratniki” (“Companions (-in-arms)”), lenta.ru reported. It is the second “Party-network” launched in Russia, after “Berloga” [RUS] (“Bear's Den”), a social network of “United Russia,” the country's ruling party.
Guyana: Ethical Debate
Signifyin’ Guyana considers the pros and cons of a code of ethics for bloggers.
Cambodia's Great Internet Firewall?
To protect internet users against pornography, fraud and cyber theft, Cambodia's government has authorized a private company to control all local internet service providers. But bloggers are worried that the state-run internet exchange point is an attempt to censor the cyber critics of the government.
South Africa: 2010 Soccer World Cup – 100 Days and counting…
Ladies and gentlemen it’s here! The countdown is on and we are about to cross the psychological number of 100 days left to go. FIFA Soccer World Cup has become the most awaited sports event in recent history not just because of its magnitude but because it comes to the world’s most colourful continent – Africa!
Azerbaijan: Prominent blogger on the BBC
Flying Carpets and Broken Pipelines posts a video recorded for the BBC's Blogworld. The blogger, Arzu Geybullayeva, speaks about her own blog, the situation in Azerbaijan, and how blogging has changed her life. Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor also interviewed Geybullayeva here, here, and here.
Azerbaijan: Eastern Europe Free Press award
Recently honored with the European Free Press prize, ANTV [AZ/EN/RU], an online citizen journalism site co-founded by now imprisoned video blogging youth activist Emin Milli, has published details of the award in English. The ZEIT-Stiftung Foundation is reported as saying ANTV “is the only independent Internet-TV channel in Azerbaijan show[ing]...
Myanmar: Privatization of Public Schools
Nyi Min Thu contributed on Irrawaddy his opinion about the privatization of public schools in Myanmar.
Thailand: Guilty verdict for Thaksin
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of Thailand was recently found guilty by the Supreme Court of 4 out of 5 counts of policy corruption. New Mandala uploads a summary and analysis of the guilty verdict.
Cambodia-Thailand land dispute and Google
Google was dragged into the Cambodia-Thailand border row when the Cambodian government sent a letter of complaint over a “radically misleading” google map of the disputed Preah Vihear territory.
