Stories from 16 February 2011
Russia: Photos From Coal Miners’ Towns in Perm Region
Alexander Belenkiy (LJ user macos) posts photos (RUS) taken in the neglected – but not yet fully deserted – coal miners’ towns in Perm region, where the first mine appeared in 1797 and the last one closed in 2000: “All this resembles today's Abkhazia or wartime Grozny.”
Bahrain: Safe Day for Protesters
It was a safe day for protesters in Bahrain today, with the police forces staying at bay, and allowing the protests to go unhampered. The day marks a total change to the police brutality protesters faced on the first and second day of the demonstrations, which saw the death of two protesters.
Russia: Recreating a Traditional Village Hospital
Mikhail Shlyapnikov (LJ user michael-077) writes in detail (RUS) about plans to set up a communal village hospital – old-style, but functional – in Kolionovo, Moscow region: “This, perhaps, is a rare case in contemporary history of rural Russia when, contrary to the general tendency, a village hospital is not...
Bhutan: Amend The Tobacco Control Act
Tshering Tobgay calls all the concerned Bhutanese citizens to lead a movement to amend the draconian Tobacco Control Act, which can penalize 23 year old Sonam Tshering, a jail-term for minimum 3 years for smuggling Rs. 96 (approx US$2) worth of chewing tobacco.
Croatia: Google Flees Red Tape
Viktor Markovic/@Belgrade reports: “Google fled Croatia because of red tape http://www.croatiantimes.com/index.php?id=17021.”
Bhutan: Arrested Development And Obsession With Tobacco Law
I am Drukpa is irked by the fact that Bhutan is obsessed with the newly introduced tobacco ban law and is ignoring the other facets of development.
Cuba: Cyberwar? Video Sparks Debate, Anger, Skepticism
A video posted February 1st on Vimeo features a 52-minute presentation on new information technologies and a “ciberguerra” allegedly being waged on Cuba by the United States government and US-based NGOs. Initial reports called this a classified government video that had been leaked, but some bloggers (on and off the island) are questioning this assertion.
Caucasus: The Vagina Monologues
Georgia On My Mind provides its readers with a comprehensive review of The Vagina Monologues held earlier this week in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. Controversial as it was bound to be in a region more renowned for its patriarchal values, the event, which included performances from women from Armenia, Azerbaijan,...
Bolivia: 10 Reasons Why You Should Visit La Paz
In Citizen of La Paz [es], Luis Ramos lists 10 reasons why you should visit La Paz, Bolivia, including: its nightlife, its surroundings, El Alto, Lake Titicaca, and more.
Colombia: Interview with director of English magazine “La Arepa”
Albeiro Rodas from Colombia Passport interviewed Robin Finley, director of La Arepa –an English print magazine that can also be found online, on Twitter and on Facebook.
Mexico: Journalist Carmen Aristegui to Return to MVS Radio
Aguachile reports: “In a joint communique, MVS Radio and Carmen Aristegui announced that the journalist will be back at the radio station the coming Jan. 21″ and wonders “if we'll ever know more about what led to her dismissal: Was any pressure coming from the presidential office of Felipe Calderón,...
Macedonia: Reactions to Kale Incident and Hate Speech
After Sunday's mass fighting between ethnic Macedonian and ethnic Albanian groups on Skopje Fortress - Kale, social media frequented by inhabitants of Macedonia buzzed with hate speech and reactions to it.
Azerbaijan: The Sinner and The Saint
As irreverent as ever, Scary Azeri comments on Azerbaijan's entry into this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Contrasting the angelic look of the male singer with the seductive maturer attributes of the female, the blog sarcastically concludes that Eldar and Nigar might be absurd enough a duo to stand a good...
Malawi: Muza Gondwe: Malawian Science Blogger
Meet Muza Gondwe, a female science blogger from Malawi who talks to our author, Victor Kaonga, about her science blog, Afrisciheroes.
Uganda: Follow Uganda elections on Twitter
As Ugandans are getting ready for presidential and parliamentary elections, follow election related tweets here.
Cuba: Dissidents Arrested?
Babalu is concerned about two missing Cuban dissidents; Uncommon Sense re-posts the message, saying: “I'm afraid we will see a lot of this in coming days, with next week's one-year anniversary of the death of Orlando Zapata Tamayo and the Internet-based call for an Egypt-style uprising on the island.”
Trinidad & Tobago: “Arima” in Kiddies Carnival
“Arima — which means both ‘place of the beginning’ and ‘water’ — is an indigenous Amerindian place name for what is now a large town in eastern Trinidad”: Alice Yard blogs about its children’s Carnival masquerade band, which “attempts to bring these two definitions together”.
Guyana: Mashramani Festival
“On February 23, people from the ten regions of Guyana converge on the country’s capital to participate in the grand, massive carnival-like event, with costumed bands and a float parade”: Repeating Islands blogs about the Mashramani festival.
Trinidad & Tobago: Same Sex Marriage
Lisa Allen-Agostini thinks “it’s great that we have begun to think about the question of same-sex marriage in Trinidad and Tobago…[but] we have a long way to go–legally as well as socially–before we can make it an option for our people.”
Bahrain: Pro-Government, Pro-King Voices Emerge
As the third day of protests in Bahrain continues this Wednesday 16 February, 2011, numerous voices have stepped up to show support for King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa and the Bahraini government.
Rwanda: Blogging From Inside Rwanda: A Conversation With Graham Holiday
Etienne Mashuli speaks with Graham Holliday, an award winning blogger, a freelance media trainer and foreign correspondent. Graham runs Kigali Wire, a news wire, photojournalism site and blog.
