Stories from 5 April 2007
China: Timely Sand Storm
Rosu blogs photos of a sand storm interrupting the speech of the vice minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) during a tree planting event.
Japan: Ponyo on the Cliffs
Adamu reports that Hayao Miyazaki's new animation, “Ponyo on the Chiffs” is scheduled to be released in summer 2008. The production is completely hand-drawn, with no computers used whatsoever.
Japan: Oil Dream
Hisane Masaki from Ohmynews reports on the recent merge of two oil companies into Inpex Holdings to prepare for entering the global market.
Japan: Kickboxing Geishas
Marie Mockett from Japundit introduces a new book, Kickboxing Geishas, about contemporary Japanese women's role in changing the society.
Zimbabwe: another Dambudzo Marechera?
Poet Tinashe Mushakavanhu has been compared to Dambudzo Marechera. eshuneutics disagrees: The gaps are more to do with a poet learning a visual syntax whereas the breaks in Marechera are a psychological terrain that has to be crossed with a struggle, with effort, with full engagement by the reader. I...
Kenya: two anti-Kikuyu constitutional amendments
Kumekucha reveals what he calls “two anti-Kikuyu” constitutional amendments in Kenya, “Moi and his cronies introduced the constitutional amendment requiring a president to garner at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in 5 provinces out of the total of 8 as an extra safety valve and precaution against...
Somaliland: sign of order and normalcy
A sign of order and normalcy in Hargeysa, the capital of the Republic of Somaliland.
DRC: Recent Attacks on Bemba
Le Blog du Congolais posts an article by Freddy Lokolongo stating [Fr]: “The events of Bas-Congo and more recently attacks on the homes of ex-Vice President Bemba … with the complicity of [United Nations Mission to the Congo] MONUC, do not even begin to display the extent of the plot...
Haiti: GEDIMEX and the Expired Food Scandal
Commenting on a news story about GEDIMEX, a food distributor who refuses to halt its alleged sale of rotten rice, Collectif Haiti de Provence writes [Fr]: “One wonders how one can store food to its rotting while thousands starve … No investigation by authorities will uproot GEDIMEX. Favors here, resounding...
Kenya: voting dilemma
My Voting Dilemma – A poem by Kenyanpoet: This paradox of how a piece of paper With X and ticks marks like an exam paper To examine my literacy and disarm my prayers Malcolm X and Nike labels Tick no and X or cancel yes No I don’t want yes...
Bahrain: GCC oversight
Bahraini blogger Mahmood's Den discusses the ills of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and their inability to implement important monetary policy.
Saudi Arabia: Phone Stalkers
Saudi blogger Nzingha's Soapbox tells the story of dealing with a potential stalker: “Now that freaked me out, it sounds like he is calling from his car and he is asking me if I'm alone. I hung up called security let them know if this guy shows up to have...
Palestine: Religion of Peace Website
Palestinian blog Oranges and Olives notes the hypocrisy of the website Islam the Religion of Peace: “It is supposed to be a sarcastic name, based on the origin of the word Islam. The website has the most despicable news analysis, and op-eds which should all direct you to one conclusion,...
Bangladesh: In Conversation with Ravinder Randhawa
black and gray in conversation with novelist Ravinder Randhawa. “British-Asian writers may traverse all the territory from fantasy to reality, chick-lit to crime novels, but, in general, if a novel is by a British Asian author and has Asian characters it is immediately placed in the category of British-Asian novel....
Jordan: Perceived Anti-Semitism
Jordanian blogger The Black Iris of Jordan points out how using the term “Jew” can feel like it is Anti-Semitic; as well as words like Judaism and Israel. “It is the strangest feeling but it’s like there is an anti-Semitic radar in my head that starts to beep wildly whenever...
Sri Lanka: The gripping game
Chaar~Max on the extremely exciting game of cricket – SL vs Eng. “Not letting down his captain Dilo held his nerves to bring down the target to 3 runs in the last ball, and when some thought there might be a Draw in the cards the bugger manages to bowl...
Sri Lanka: Cricket's Appeal
Indi.ca on the appeal of cricket. “I’ve watched whole games, but it’s hard to stay up till 3 am on a work day. However, the game courses through multiple mediums – the web (CricInfo), the security guard’s radio, casual phone conversations with friends, and the cheers of the people next...
Egypt: Venetian Ties with the Middle East
The Arabist explains the ties between Venice and the Middle East: “Did you know the first Koran was printed in Venice in 1537? Or that Venetians learned the art of glass-blowing from the Arab world, Syria in particular?”
Bangladesh: Mohiuddin's Trial
Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying on the fairness of trials. “The Bangladesh desk of Amnesty International responded to an enquiry from Drishtipat, a Bangladeshi Human Rights organization, regarding their position on the deportation of convicted terrorist Mohiuddin AKM Ahmed to Bangladesh.”
India: Solo across the Atlantic
Rowing solo across the atlantic, Bhavik writes “Cleaning the bilge pump and the space under the bilge board is always a bit of a treasure hunt, turning up wrappers, paper, nuts, bolts, screws, bits of plastic, hair and dropped food. Finally, storing the sea anchor away and clearing the last...
India: Inside the head of Chappell
A funny (and macabre) take on Greg Chappell's personal diary at Mostly Thoughtless. “Anyway, the Bangladesh team is not very good at all. After we thrash them tomorrow, we will then play some team called Bermuda on Monday. I wonder why they have named themselves after loose shorts. They have...
