Stories from 6 January 2011
Mexico: Red Cross Unable to Treat All Victims of Shootings in Ciudad Juárez
The Red Cross in Ciudad Juárez has asked that victims of shootings be taken to hospitals and not to their facilities because they do not have the capacity to treat so many victims of organized crime, as Pepe Flores reports for Vivir México.
Pakistan: There Is No Justification For Murder
Sana Saleem slams the people who are uttering words of sympathy for the killer of the Punjab governor Salman Taseer. She says: “there’s no justification for his murder, and every single one who instigated violence, has blood on their hands.”
Tunisia: Activists Arrested at #SidiBouzid Protests on January 6
In Tunisia, a popular lawyers-led strike took place today, January 6. The list of the protesters arrested in the town of Thala as a result was published on facebook (ar) and three arrests were posted on twitter and confirmed later. Azyz Amamyma, Slim Amamou and rapper El General, who famously...
Featured Translator: Sarah Standish
Sarah Standish is a young American teacher and blogger with a mission. In addition to teaching Arabic to high school students in the US, the Arabic Lingua member hopes to bridge the gap between the East and West and create more understanding of the Arab way of life and thinking. Shams Ahmad interviews her in this post.
Saudi Arabia: Human Rights Activists Asked to Shut Up on Twitter
Saudi Arabia's human rights activists, who have been pushing their cause on mico-blogging site, Twitter, have been asked to shut up. The insult came from a Saudi Consultative (Shura) Council member, and was met with anger, humor and sarcasm.
Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe's model constitution now online
Zimbabwe's model constitution is now online: “We have just included all the content from the Model Constitution compiled by the Law Society of Zimbabwe into our indexed online constitution resource. Visitors to our site are now able to browse through this lengthy document…”
Egypt: New Year's Eve Church Bombing Draws Condemnation
Egyptian bloggers react to the worst church bombing in over a decade, where 21 people were killed, and another 79 injured during a New Year’s mass in a Coptic cathedral in Alexandria in this post by Tarek Amr.
COP 16: Agreement on Form But Without the Funds
The 16th Conference of the Parties (COP 16) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ended in Cancun last December 11 with the adoption of a host of decisions. Bloggers in Bolivia, Mexico, and Togo give a lukewarm reception to the decisions, which don't seem to have a clearly defined roadmap for their financing.
Nigeria: Attacks in Northern Nigeria are ethno-religious
Yomi Ogunsanya argues that attacks in Northern Nigeria are mostly ethno-religious: “My concern is with the deliberate denial, by Nigerian leaders and theocratic elite, that most, if not all the violence we have seen in, particularly, Northern Nigeria, are attributable to religion or ethnicity or both.”
Togo: The Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission reports results
Gabriel Adonou, quoting Monsignor Nicodème Barrigah-Benissan, Bishop of Atakpamé and president of the Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (CVJR) in Togo, writes [fr] in his blog,”I blog for life” [fr]: “By the 17th of last December, the commission had received a total of 18,571 depositions […] According to evaluations performed...
D.R.of Congo: Mobutu's ex-Presidential Guards arrested
71 Mobutu's ex-Presidential guards have been arrested in Bas-Congo in the Democractic Republic of Congo: “In announcing the arrest of the 71 DSP [Division Spéciale Présidentielle] elements earlier this week, Lambert Mende, DRC Communication Minister, warned that if Congolese exiles want to return home with good intentions, they would be...
D.R. of Congo: Controversy as Kabila Tries to Change the Constitution
Why does President Kabila want to change the constitution in the Democratic Republic of Congo?: “President Kabila has long said that he wanted to change the way representatives are elected. In particular, he and his associates have complained that it is difficult to push through the necessary reforms with 70...
Myanmar: Lawyers’ Network to support activists
The Democratic Voice of Burma reported that a lawyers’ network was recently formed by the political opposition in Myanmar to assist dissidents and political prisoners. Despite the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, there are more than 2,000 political prisoners in Myanmar.
Uganda: Court Victory for Ugandan Homosexuals
A Ugandan court has ruled against Rolling Stone - Uganda from publishing the identities and place of residence of gays, lesbians and transgendered people arguing that the action by the magazine will threaten and endanger their lives. Bloggers react to the historic ruling.
Myanmar: Traditional calendar
Welcoming the new year, Melody Maung blogs about the traditional Burmese calendar
Zimbabwe: Is Wikileaks bad for Zimbabwe?
Is Wikileaks bad for Zimbabwe?: “In this particular case, the argument that (A) because the cable hurts Tsvangirai and helps Mugabe, (B) Wikileaks is therefore bad for democracy, and therefore (C) bad for Zimbabweans, is a set of propositions linked together by a lot of un-argued claims.”
Mexico: The Three King's Cake Celebration
On January 6th, Mexican families get together and eat a special cake called "Rosca de Reyes" (translated as "King's Cake"). Several bloggers have written about this tradition, what it means and how it is celebrated.
Trinidad & Tobago: Taxi Strike
“If Warner succeeds in legitimizing the illegal off shoot of public transport at the demise of law abiding members, how long before we are a completely lawless State?”: Plain Talk blogs about the first day of the Maxi Taxi strike.
Cuba: Three Kings Day
“In Cuba and possibly most Hispanic countries, the children would be getting up and opening gifts this morning. The gifts were delivered by the Three Kings”: My Big Fat Cuban Family blogs about The Day of the Three Kings.
Cuba: Eleven More
As 11 political prisoners remain in jail, The Cuban Triangle says: “In political terms, completion of the process would have several impacts…”
Jamaica: New Date for Banton?
Jamaican bloggers are waiting to see what happens with reggae icon Buju Banton's new trial date.
