Stories from 14 March 2010
Georgia: Mock news report causes panic
A mock news program broadcast on television reporting that Russia had once again invaded and that the president was dead caused panic in Georgia this weekend. Bloggers react.
Egypt: RIP Fouad Zakariyya
On The Arabist, Issandr El Amrani marks the death of Fouad Zakariyya, a leading Egyptian philosopher and sophisticated critic of Islamist thought, in this post.
Egypt: Happy Mother's Day!
Mother's Day is celebrated on March 21 across all Arab countries. Nermeena, from Egypt, celebrates early with this post.
U.K.: Fight to Keep Children Out of Immigration Detention Centres
Late last year a group of U.K. citizens launched a campaign to end the detention of children and babies by immigration authorities. Now they're sharing the stories of two of the detained youth.
Bahrain: New Mobile Phone Operator
A new mobile phone operator is in the market. Bahraini emoodz explains why he is dissatisfied with his current operator and why he won't jump ship.. just not yet.
Bahrain: F1 Missionaries
Bahraini Mahmood Al Yousif took this “really interesting and clashing shot” during the Formula One weekend. Click on the link to check it out.
Algeria: The Cabinet in Numbers
Algerian American blogger The Moor Next Door takes a closer look at the composition of the Algerian government here.
Israel: Shin Bet “Detains” Reporter
Jewish blogger Richard Silverstein claims that the Shin Bet has secretly detained a reporter for leaking top-secret memos on targetted assassinations.
Bahrain: Ferrari Fans Rejoice as Alonso Wins Bahrain Grand Prix
The first race of the 2010 Formula One season is over and the dust may have settled on the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir desert but the buzz continues online.
Colombian: March 13 Elections
Sebastian Chaskel of the Americas Quarterly Blog provides his thoughts on how Colombians will vote in the March 13th legislative elections.
Russia: Mapping Broadband Internet Prices
Russia has experienced an enormous growth of Internet penetration during the last 10 years. But the quality, price and accessibility of the broadband Internet differ a lot throughout the country with some territories still being beyond the digital divide.
Russia: Video of Directed Voting
Political analyst Alexander Kynev posted a video where students of a local college vote preliminarily in the city of Ivanovo. The video shows one of the most popular fraud techniques in modern Russia: directed preliminary vote that gives 10-15% for the ruling party. The students are either forced or paid...
India: Wither Hockey?
Amreekan Desi writes about the dismal performance of the Indian hockey team in the ongoing world cup.
Year After Coup, Madagascar's Leaders Face Sanctions
On the anniversary of last year's coup d'etat, the international community is set to impose sanctions on the current leaders of Madagascar for failing to respect the resolutions of Maputo. These sanctions would result in a freeze of financial assets and possible arrest if they travel outside Madagascar.
Taiwan: Rally for Tibet
Photoblogger Jameson posts many photos taken from “Free Tibet Rally” in Taipei on March 14, in memorial of the sad incident happened on the same date two years ago.
South Africa: Julius Malema's Reverse Racism
While the antics of President Zuma have always generated intense and lively debate in the South African blogosphere, this time it is the controversial politician and the president of the African National Congress Youth League, Julius Malema, who's making headlines. Recently, Malema led students in singing an old Anti-Apartheid struggle song called Kill the Boer.
Serbia: Belgrade's Trees Fall Victim to “Chain Saw Massacre”
Belgrade city authorities are in the process of cutting down some 400 plane trees that were planted on Belgrade's longest street in the 19th century. Sinisa Boljanovic reports on the ongoing protest against what is now known as the "Belgrade Chain Saw Massacre."
Russia: Thoughts on March 8, Feminism
Thoughts on March 8 and feminism in Russia and Ukraine – at Poemless, Global Comment, and Sean's Russia Blog.
The Balkans: Ejup Ganić's Arrest
Updates on the arrest of Ejup Ganić in London on March 1: Amila Bosnae – here and here; Gray Falcon – here, here, and here; Greater Surbiton – here and here; Samaha – here; CAFÉ TURCO – here;
Bulgaria: Delivery of Some Cancer Drugs Stopped?
European Union Law reports that “the Bulgarian National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has stopped the delivery of some drugs against cancer for children under 18 years”: “A very simple question arises: what sort of a European Union Member State is Bulgaria, really??? How is it possible to leave the children...
