Stories from 16 May 2010
Russia: Russian Women & the Future of the US
Mark Adomanis stumbles upon an atypical “women seeking men” ad on moscow.craigslist.org and writes on True/Slant about “the apparent inability of many Russians to distinguish between plans (or other future activity) and reality.”
Russia: Driving News
Russian driving news: Keith Gessen posts a Tver resident's video of a ride across a recently reconstructed bridge over the Volga river – which, supposedly, “is now fully open to traffic in both directions”; Julia Ioffe writes at True/Slant about an impatient Russian MP who kept trying to get past...
Pakistan: Reactions To The Time Square Bomber
Earlier this month an attempted Bomb attack at the Time Square in New York City raised security alerts across USA. A Pakistani-American man was detained in this connection which raised much speculations and triggered a debate on US-Pakistan relations. Pakistani bloggers discuss about stereotypes and how to find a sustainable solution.
Sri Lanka: Drainage Problem In Colombo
Kanishka Ratnapriya at GroundViews posts some pictures showing the inundations in different parts of Colombo after two hours of rain, and questions the faulty drainage system of the capital of Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh: The Zamindars
Bangladesh Unlocked shares the history of the Zamindars in the Indian Sub-continent, who were officials employed by the Mughals and the British colonial rulers to collect taxes from peasants.
Egypt: Reflections from the Global Voices Summit
Egyptian Tarek Amr writes about the people he met at the Global Voices Citizen Media Summit, held in Chile last week.
Russia: Pictures of Zombie Mob
Tons of fake blood, zombies, undead and other scary creatures invaded the main street of Moscow. Photos from the event called “Zombie Mob” can be found here, here and here.
Maldives: Forgetting The Other Maldivians
Rehendhi notes that after one and a half year of the new democratic government's rule, the other Maldivians (women) are still being left behind.
Bangladesh: Fashion Show By Acid Attack Survivors
Photoblogger Monirul Alam highlights a fashion show by acid attack survivors in Bangladesh which aims to fight the stigma against them.
Qatar: NYT's article draws fire from locals and residents alike
Shabina Khatri reports on rising tensions between locals and expats as Doha residents extol, protest New York Times depiction of Qataris as coddled, self-indulgent creatures, hated by the foreigners who live amongst them.
Lebanon: Support the Water Taxi Project
The Beirut Water Taxi Project is a new idea to help reduce congestion on Beirut's busy roads. It is currently being studied by the Lebanese government. Show your support for the idea by joining the Facebook group.
Russia: Coal Miners Block the Railroad
Desperate coal miners in Mezhdurechensk [EN] (Kemerovo region, Siberia) blocked the Transsiberian Railroad and were suppressed by the police (video here [RUS] and here [RUS]). Miners claim that the official data on the casualties in the May 9 Raspadskaya mine explosion [EN] were underestimated. Their official appeal is here [RUS]....
Egypt: Journalists Protest at Qatar Embassy
Mohamed Hashem, journalist of Islamonline, reports on the protest held at the Qatar Embassy, Cairo, on May 9. The protest comprised 150 journalists and writers, and addressed the issue of the sacking of 250 Islamonline employees in March.
Bangkok clashes: Pictures, Videos and Twitter reports
Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will not back down as he ordered the military to continue the operations against Red Shirt protesters in Bangkok. Abhisit insists the violent dispersal of protesters is justified to bring back stability in the capital.
Mexico: Revelations of Crimes by Father Maciel
In Mexico, nearly 2 years after the death of Roman Catholic priest, Father Marcial Maciel, who founded the order the Legion of Christ, additional details of the crimes of abuse have been made public, which has been difficult for the victims left behind.
Philippines: Broadcaster survives assassination attempt
Fellow journalists condemn the attempted assassination of Jerome Tabanganay, a broadcaster from the northern Philippine province of Kalinga known for his regular criticism of government corruption.
Philippines: The jejemon craze
As millions of Filipinos closely followed the recently concluded elections, another phenomenon by the name “jejemon” is stealing the spotlight for other Filipinos, especially online where jejemon enthusiasts and haters compete for attention