Stories from 22 December 2010
Macedonia: Scholarships for African Students
Ivana Dimitrovska published online her letter [MKD] to the editor of Utrinski vesnik daily, objecting discriminatory overtones in an article [MKD] about several scholarships for African students provided by the Macedonian government, blaming this program for a lack of scholarships for locals.
India: Travel tales from Ooty
Blogger and travel writer Charukesi visited Ooty recently and tells a tale of a not-much widely-known Ootea festival through her camera lenses.
India: Judging a Book by its Cover
Chandrachoodan Gopalakrishnan of Selective Amnesia wonders why different books often have very similar looking jackets.
Bhutan: Memories of Kolkata
Dorji Wangchuk from Bhutan visits Kolkata with a sense of nostalgic anticipation since he had first visited the city in 1977 with his father.
Pakistan: Being Smart About the Blasphemy Law
Teeth Maestro feels that Pakistan needs to be smart about its Blasphemy Law and that what is required now is to improve the law and, more so, to make its implementation more effective and impartial.
Sudan: Happy holidays and a peaceful referendum
Here's a roundup of latest blog posts about Southern Sudan Independence Referendum 2011. According to the 2005 Naivasha Agreement between the central government in Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Southern Movement, South Sudan will hold a referendum on whether or not to remain part of Sudan on 9 January 2011.
Colombia: During a Harsh Winter, President Santos Proposes Creation of New Cities
“President Juan Manuel Santos proposes the creation of new cities for that population that lives under risk, as we have seen this 2010 winter in Colombia. It is a great proposal and a very expensive project, of course, but it is more expensive to continue like we are: every raining...
Haiti: Post-Election Update
“Two weeks after the preliminary results were announced, the streets of Port-au-Prince are calm, but the situation is just as confusing and worrying”: prophet N gives an update.
Uruguay: Gay Rights in Uruguay
In the blog for Ola Uruguay, Jane McDevitt writes about Gay rights in Uruguay: “The current president’s much publicised liberal political ideology is being put to the test, as pressure increases from gay rights activists and human rights groups to legalize gay marriage, in a country where church influence on...
Cuba: “The Year of Zapata”
Uncommon Sense has declared 2010 “The Year of Zapata”. Read the blogger's full Top 10 List of Cubans who made a difference this year, here.
Bermuda: Government Inspiration?
Vexed Bermoothes suspects that the government has sent him an inspirational postcard, saying: “Sending a post card won’t change the tone of Bermuda politics, halt the gang warfare, and or make us nicer people.”
China: Gold farming couple handed down heavy sentence
The verdict this month of a fine of USD 450,000 and several years in prison for one couple who ran a gold farm throughout 2007 has left those following the trial shocked, angered and wondering how something so common in China could suddenly be punished so heavily.
Haiti: Behind Cholera
“Cholera is a disease of the poor, of the disenfranchised. Poor people in poor countries. Cholera thrives where there is no clean water, where there is inadequate sanitation, where there are poor health systems”: Haiti Grassroots Watch takes an in-depth look behind the cholera epidemic.
Russia: Newspaper Announces Its Partnership with Wikileaks
Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta known for its critical stance toward Russian authorities announced today its official partnership with notorious Wikileaks. This came as a punch toward less-known magazine Russian Reporter that, until now, claimed to be the official partner of Wikileaks.
Azerbaijan: Let them eat cake…
As the birthday of the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, approaches, the Önər Blog [AZ] reminds readers of how residents in the country's second largest city of Ganja marked it last year. The blog sarcastically says that while the city is indeed famous for its giant pastries, baking a 48-metre...
UAE: Sensational Fountains
Do not miss the sensational fountains of Dubai which bristolg shared with us in the following video.
Yemen: Idyllic Perspectives
kemo898989 shares with us a completely different perspective of an idyllic Yemen in the following slideshow.
Egypt: Sacred Sinai Peninsula
The following narrative on the Sinai Peninsula by Nick still exhibits people's eternal interest and curiosity in sacred places.
Saudi Arabia: Tips for Expatriates
American Bedu, an American living in Saudi Arabia, shares with us her tips on what makes a good expatriate in Saudi Arabia.
Bahrain: A Bloody Ashura!
chowderchunk shares with us a video of bloody Ashura processions in Bahrain. [Warning: Video contains graphic images.]
Azerbaijan: Children and Peace
Sheki, Azerbaijan looks forward to 2011 and says that it hopes the New Year will bring peace. Every child has a right to such an environment, the blog notes, while also reminding readers that lives were lost despite a ceasefire agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan in their conflict over the...
