Stories from 4 September 2010
Middle East: Arab Attitudes on Freeing Gilad Shalit
Last Saturday, August 28th, Gilad Shalit turned 24 - his fifth birthday in captivity since June 25th, 2006. Each year there are renewed calls for his release. This year has been no different. This post shares the perceptions of some Arab bloggers towards this case.
Egypt: Wanna be a Bride; From Blog to TV
An Egyptian blog featuring humorous short stories about a girl's endless quest to find a suitable husband was published into a book more than two years ago. This year it was turned into a television series, which is being shown across the Arab world this Ramadan.
Saudi Arabia: Call for Obama to Free Humeidan Al-Turki
The Saudi nation has just released a campaign addressed to US President Barack Obama, asking him to release the Saudi prisoner Humeidan Al-Turki. The video has gone viral and supporters hope it achieves its goal.
Chile: First Country to Legislate Net Neutrality
After nearly three years of discussions, Chile approved the commonly named Net Neutrality Law, but not all users agree that this law represents a good piece of legislation.
India: Mob Mentality Here And There
A retired army officer was recently mob lynched to death in west Bengal state of India because he slapped a woman. Bellicose Bengali compares this incident with the recent mob incident in Waziristan, Pakistan.
South Korea:Public Enraged At Minister's Rigging Of The Hiring Process
South Korean Foreign Minister, Yu Myung-hwan resigned over a controversial hiring of his daughter for a mid-level post at his own foreign ministry. Bloggers are having heated discussions, mostly harsh criticisms on officials’ nepotism. South Korea's Donga Ilbo has more on this.
Brazil: Primetime Prejudice Against Atheists Triggers Mass Response
"Atheists are people without boundaries, criminals, evil because they think they are their own God" this statement, made live on TV, has triggered a controversy in Brazil, a country where "being an Atheists is like being a Catholic in hell".
Zimbabwe/South Africa: Mugabe in chicken to change song
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe is the subject of a new music video, Chicken to change, by South African Afro-pop sensation group FRESHLYGROUND and the internet satirical show ZA NEWS.
Nigeria: Online Nigerian Literary Magazine
Sokari writes about Saraba, an online literary magazine created and published by Emmanuel Iduma and Damilola Ajayi, two Nigerian students of the University of Ife.
Kenya: Emergency: Pre-Independence Miniseries
Bobby reviews Emergency, a miniseries written and illustrated by Chief Nyamweya based on pre-independence Kenya as seen through the eyes Chege Karobia and Kim (Dedan Kimathi).
Kenya: David vs. Goliath and Goliath
Mzalendo Contributor describes Kenya 2012 election as “David vs. Goliath and Goliath: “Voters in Kenya can be forgiven for feeling like a captive audience, watching a play whose script we cannot follow, directed by forces we cannot understand, performed by actors who fall in and out of place…”
Mozambique: Realtime results for Maputo
Check out Twitter realtime results regarding the crisis in Maputo, Mozambique.
Africa: Homophobe Tourism
Africa needs a new category of tourism: Homophobe Tourism. “Come to Uganda, watch Martin Ssempa talk about “poo-poo!” Come to Nigeria, watch the legislature restrict touching! Come to Malawi, watch the judge sentence the gay and the transgender!”
Russia: Beslan School Siege Survivor's Account
Agunda Vataeva was a 13-year-old girl about to begin her ninth-grade studies on Sept. 1, 2004, the day when she, her mother and more than 1,100 others were taken hostage at School #1 in the North Ossetian town of Beslan. Now 19, Agunda has posted her recollections of Sept. 1-3, 2004, on her LiveJournal and Radio Echo of Moscow blogs.
China: Tax case against Xu Zhiyong dismissed
Chinese Law Prof Blog translated a brief post by Xu Zhiyong on the dismissal of the tax evasion charge against Gongmeng Company – an institution for advocating citizen rights.
Belarus: Charter97.org's Editor Found Dead
Aleh Byabenin, a Belarusian journalist, founder and editor of the leading oppositional website Charter97.org, was found dead Friday. He was 36 years old. This short Charter97 item announcing his death already has 193 comments, mainly with words of condolence.
