29 April 2011

Stories from 29 April 2011

Serbia: Bloggers Discuss Plans to Erect Monument to Late Azeri President

  29 April 2011

One of Belgrade's nicest parks has recently got renovated - thanks, partially, to a donation of 2 million euros by the Azerbaijani government. The news that has been stirring controversy these past few weeks among Serbian bloggers is the condition for this gift: in return for the donation, a monument to Heydar Aliyev, the former president of Azerbaijan, will have to be erected in the park.

Cuba: Silvio and Pablo

  29 April 2011

In Juan sin nada [es], Juan Orlando Pérez analyzes the state of affairs in Cuba through the politics of famous nueva trova musicians and composers Silvio Rodríguez and Pablo Milanés.

Cuba: Reflection on the Communist Party Congress

  29 April 2011

Blogger and journalist Elaine Díaz reflects [es]on the VI Congress of the Communist Party: “[…] The future Cuba should be built ‘by all and for the good of all’ from a horizontal and open relationship between the historical avant-garde that made ​​possible the 1959 triumph and the new generation of...

Barbados: Barrow's Beach

  29 April 2011

Mullins Bay Blog wonders how one of the country's national heroes “would…have graded his heirs and successors, …who sat idly by and did nothing as the sand disappeared and coconut trees were unearthed and toppled at Kings Beach.”

Syria: The Revolution Continues (Video)

It's the Friday of Rage in Syria, with tens of thousands of people taking to the streets of different cities to call for the overthrow of the Al Assad regime, and show solidarity with Daraa, which is facing a ruthless crackdown for being the nucleus the Syrian protests.

Colombia on Red Alert After Heavy Rains

  29 April 2011

Colombia is on red alert due to heavy rains. Residents of 28 departments suffer extreme hardship: flooding, landslides and sudden increase in rivers and streams have left more than three million five hundred thousand victims.

Zambia: President's Son Threatens Journalist

  29 April 2011

A senior Zambia journalist recently received threats from the son of the Zambian president Rupiah Banda, James, following a story that appeared on the Zambian Watchdog, a leading investigative journalism website, alleging that James was a thief and was involved in major government deals and also State House officials are drunks and start drinking as early as 15.00 hours during working days.

China: Poem Dedicated to Lobsang Tsepak

  29 April 2011

High Peaks Pure Earth has translated a poem by Woeser dedicated to Lobsang Tsepak, a monk of Kirti Monastery, Ngaba, who was studying at Beijing's Central University for Nationalities and was arrested on March 25, 2011 for unclear reasons.

North Korea: Rumors and Superstitions Surrounding Former US President Carter

  29 April 2011

Former US President Carter visited the North Korea to resolve the country's nuclear issues, but failed to meet North Korea's reclusive leader, Kim Jong-il. A North Korean insider report, Open Radio for North Korea wrote about superstitions surrounding Carter and how he gained “an inauspicious individual” status in the North.

Execution Tunnels in North Korea

  29 April 2011

There are strong claims that tunnels in North Korea have been adapted for mass-executions of political prisoners if the regime ever be threatened, according to local reports. Alec Macph shared links to North Korea's human rights violation cases in the Harry's Place blog .

Nepal: No Country For Old Men

  29 April 2011

Nepali blogger opines that Nepali youth should come forward and take the charge of the Nepali politics rather than depending on the failing old leaders. There is actually a movement in Facebook against the old politicians called Retire the Netas.