Stories from 24 August 2010
Chile: Thermoelectric Plant is Approved Despite President's Promise
Today, the Regional Environmental Commission of Coquimbo (in Spanish, Comisión Regional del Medio Ambiente de Coquimbo) approved a project to build a thermoelectric power plant in Marine reserve Punta de Choros. Pablo Astudillo writes in his blog, Astu's Science Blog, about the project and its environmental implications; he also posts...
Pakistan: Muslim Women And Non-Muslim Men
Wajahat Ali at GoatMilk started a debate whether “Muslim women should be able to marry non-Muslim men” and the post drew a lot of comments.
India: Do Politicians Deserve Pay Hikes?
Reacting on the recent increase in salary of the lawmakers in India, Being Cynical at Desicritics debates whether or not politicians deserve pay hikes.
Puerto Rico: When Legalizing Abortion is not Enough
“Legalization has not been enough for poor women who, despite the formal right they have, don't have the means or the access to the clinics to carry out procedures in a safe and risk-free way,” writes [es] Érika Fontánez, as she comments on a recent screening of a documentary about...
Lebanon: Giving Palestinian Refugees the Right to Work
Lebanon is home to over 400,000 Palestinian refugees, who are not allowed to own property, cannot access the health care system, and need a special permit to leave their refugee camps. On August 17, the Lebanese parliament passed a law granting Palestinian refugees the same employment rights as other foreigners. Bloggers and tweeps react to this development.
India: Onathallu Festival
Maddy writes about the Onathallu or Kayyankali festival which is celebrated by the Nairs of Pallassana Desham in the Chittur Thaluk in Palakkad district, in the southernmost state of Kerala, India.
Russia: LiveJournal Communities as a Transparency Tool
Alexey Sidorenko explores how LiveJournal communities are being used to promote transparency and accountability in Russia.
Pakistan: Netizens In Action Helping Flood Victims
The floods in Pakistan have so far claimed more than 1600 lives and affected about 20 million people who are in dire need of relief and aid. Pakistani young netizens are traveling across Pakistan to distribute relief and they are making their actions visible though live blogs, Twitter, images and videos.
Bermuda: Facts of Life?
“Our community is more divided- and ANGRY – than in decades…Our economy is a mess…”: Vexed Bermoothes thinks that “no spin can override these facts. In my opinion, Dr. Brown is a failed leader whose tenure has been a disaster for Bermuda.”
Jamaica, U.S.A.: Remembering Andrew
Eighteen years after Hurricane Andrew wreaked havoc on Florida, diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp posts a poem he wrote about the experience.
Cuba: Blogger Arrested
Uncommon Sense and Blog for Cuba report on the arrest of blogger Luis Felipe Rojas Rosabal, with the former saying that the authorities are “especially persistent with its repression towards the more accomplished chroniclers of the reality of life in Cuba today.”
Noam Chomsky in China
On 13 August, Noam Chomsky delivered a speech at the Peking University in Beijing. Chomsky, one of the leading public intellectuals of our age, is famous for his political activism and contributions to linguistic and philosophy. The talk, titled Contours of World Order: Continuities and Changes, was mostly about two...
Azerbaijan: Bloqosfer 2010
A site for Bloqosfer 2010 [AZ] to be held in Nabron, Azerbaijan, on 10-12 September has been launched at http://www.bloqosfer.com/2010. The hashtag #bloqosfer10 is used on Twitter.
Ghana: A plea for music education
Graham's plea for music education in Ghana: “Bedsides football, music is perhaps one of the most loved things in Ghana yet considered to be the most trivial when it comes to education or career choices.”
Benin: Traveler Recounts Experience at Porga Border
Toyin Ajao recounts his horrific experience at Porga border in Benin:”When it was my turn, the officer in charge asked me to pay 5,000cfa to get my passport stamped and I asked why it was so. He did not bother to answer me but commanded me to leave his sight...
Ghana: Sex Scenes in Ghanaian Movies
Nana Bosu notes that in an effort to appeal to African moviegoers and distinguish their films from Nigerian films, Ghanaian movie-makers include steamy sex scenes in their movies.
Mexico: Elementary Public Schools Connected to the Internet
Eduardo Zeind reports [es] that Secretary of Education, Mario Delgado Carrillo, announced that Mexico City is the first capital city in Latin America to connect all of its elementary school children to the Internet. Eduardo writes: “More than 6000 computers will be installed to cover 100% of elementary public schools...
Nigeria: Why Farin Ruwa is not on Word Waterfall Database?
Farin Ruwa in Nasarawa State is one of the highest waterfalls on the continent but according to Jeremy, “…Farin Ruwa is not even listed on the World Waterfall Database.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Unique Deal
Afra Raymond says that comparing the CL Financial bailout to the US situation is “nothing less than public mischief”: “The only resemblance to the US bailout is in name only. Real Trini-ting. Duprey and his cohorts negotiated a Blank-Cheque Bailout at zero interest, without losing any of their assets. That...
Malawi: Newest Edition of Chichewa Dictionary
Victor writes about the newest edition of Chichewa dictionary: “Foundation Heart for Malawi offers free access to the online Dictionary to everyone, though limited to 10 searches per day and to the first lines of an entry. “
Bolivia: Waste Management in El Alto
Mario R. Duran considers [es] waste management options for El Alto, Bolivia, and analyzes the possibility and consequences of installing a plant that would turn waste into diesel fuel.
