Stories from 11 May 2010
Kyrgyzstan: 17/05/10 – Come what May….
A ‘slow news’ week in Kyrgyzstan last week was disturbed only by increasingly loudly-whispered rumours of a possible ‘counter-revolution’ on May 17th. Edil Baisalov, Chief of Staff for provisional government Chairwoman Rosa Otunbaeva, has dismissed [eng/ru] the reports of planned gatherings as merely that – rumours. However, whilst Baisalov's statement...
Colombia: The Displaced People of Ituango
Due to paramilitary and guerrilla hostilities, the people in the surrounding areas of the Colombian town of Ituango have had to abandon their lands and seek shelter in the town. Bloggers from the town write about the situation.
Trinidad & Tobago: Domestic Violence Laws
Upon learning of news of the death of a Trinidadian woman as a result of domestic violence, diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch admonishes the government: “Amend those laws now!”
Haiti: Walking the Talk
For Inside Disaster, Emmanuel Midi covers two walks that recently took place in Port-au-Prince.
Cuba: Higher Calling
Commenting on Cardinal Jaime Ortega Alamino's recent work as a mediator for the Ladies in White, Iván's File Cabinet says that religious leaders “should not speak just in the name of God. He should also speak out in the voice of those who don’t have one.”
Djibouti: Food insecurity in Djibouti
A blogger based in Djibouti writes about food insecurity in the country: “Food instability is about to hit Djibouti. The rainy season ends in a month and there hasn’t been much rain this year. Meaning, an estimated 120,000 people will need food assistance through December. Meanwhile the lazy overweight woman...
Ghana: What happens when lights go off in Accra?
What happens when lights go off in Accra?: “Even when you have alternative arrangements to obtaining power, the point is not lost on you on the astronomical amounts you expend to get your fridge and other electrical gadgets working through a generator.”
Zimbabwe: Technology and the end of dictatorship
On technology and the end of dictatorship in Zimbabwe: “But China or no China, ZANU or no ZANU, the Internet has arrived and it will sooner or later cause havoc to dictatorships…In Zimbabwe we are teaching ordinary people how powerful that little mobile phone in your hand can be. Freedom...
Eritrea: Put Eritrea back on the map
Put Eritrea back on the map, please!: “In the April 29 Travel section (European edition), the article titled “Lots to sample in South Africa” was accompanied by a map of Africa that is closely accurate — except for one flaw: It fails to depict Eritrea.”
Niger: Niger's paper eating goats
Do you know the paper-eating goats of Niger?: “I noticed that inhabitants of Niamey ate a lot of grilled goat or sheep meat. A friend invited me to one of these joints where I savoured African-style barbecued goat. Since I was in Niamey to cover the food crisis which also...
Belgium: Comic Strip “Tintin in the Congo” Faces Ban Over Racism
Tintin in the Congo, the second of The Adventures of Tintin, a series of classic comic-strip albums, written and illustrated by Belgian writer and illustrator Hergé and featuring young reporter Tintin as a hero, faces ban over racism. On his blog Alain Mabanckou thinks that «Tintin must remain as a proof...
Ghana: Is Fufu a suitable topic for the Internet?
Gamelmag discusses Ghanaian local content on the web: “Imagine you're on a trip to Koforidua, Ghana, and you want to visit the best local fufu bar. How would you find out the best bar without asking someone? How would you get there? Just as the above scenario is difficult to...
Haiti: Sign Online
Haitianalysis.com blogs about “an online petition to demand that U.S., international and NGO officials provide more transparency and efficiency in the distribution of millions of dollars of international aid to Haiti.”
Bermuda: Whenever
Vexed Bermoothes suggests that Bermuda “may have public access to information when the PLP Government feels like granting it.”
Saudi Arabia: Streets closed to women joggers
A street in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia, where many women liked to exercise has recently been shut off to female joggers, as it has been deemed unsafe by the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Katharine Ganly takes a look at some of the blogger reactions to this development.
Morocco: Leishmaniasis outbreak
An outbreak of Leishmaniasis in Rachidya is met with shock by Lamia, who is outraged by the lack of movement in treatment by the Moroccan Ministry of Health. Read more in this post.
India: The Influence Of Rabindranath Tagore
Supriyo Chaudhuri at Sunday Posts commemorates the 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore by remembering how the literary works and music of the Nobel laureate influenced him and many Bengalis.
Monitoring Philippine Elections through Social Media
The May 10 Philippine election was historic because it was the first time the country implemented an automated election system. Filipinos used various social media platforms to monitor the conduct of the elections.
Ukraine: Victory, Defeat, and Reconciliation
Steve Bandera of Kyiv Scoop writes that “WWII continues in Ukraine to this day, fuelled not by the veterans, but by politicians and demagogues […]. They are the ones preventing veterans’ grandchildren from turning the page. They are most interested in keeping Ukraine divided and thus more easily ruled from...
