· April, 2011

Stories from Quick Reads from April, 2011

East Timor: Tourism potential

  30 April 2011

EngageMedia uploads a video which features the tourism potential of Dili, East Timor and the problems of the tourism sector in the country.

Italy: Initiative in Support of Ai Weiwei

  30 April 2011

While the event itself initially seemed to have passed without comment [it] by traditional media and bloggers in Italy, something is finally happening [it] to call for the release of the Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei [it], who has been presumed imprisoned by the Chinese authorities since April 3. The Pulitzer Association has issued an appeal [it]...

Argentina: Writer Ernesto Sabato Dies at Age 99

  30 April 2011

Argentine writer Ernesto Sabato passed away on April 30 at age 99. Buenos Aires Herald describes him as “one of the most influential writers in Argentine literature and author of the trilogy of novels, ‘The Tunnel’ (1948), ‘Of Heroes and Graves’ (1961) and ‘Abadon, the Exterminator’ (1974).” His readers are...

Zambia: Live Updates of FAZ AGM

  30 April 2011

Follow live updates of the long awaited Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Annual General Meeting:”Kalusha [FAZ President] is calling for security now as Livingstone based Mr Kasoka is leading the petitioners. Its total confusion…. Zambia Police officers are now in.”

Chad: White Gold Opens Income Stream For Women

  30 April 2011

Franseca writes about white gold in Chad: “Shea nuts are indigenous to southern Chad, and have been traditionally pressed into a black oil to add to foods. While nutritious, it has an odor that many find unpleasant. Processing the Shea nuts into a white butter gives it all kinds of...

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.”

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.