Stories from 16 May 2007
Kurdistance: The Honor Killing of Dua
This may seem like old news....but it isn't. Even though the tragic honor killing of a young girl in Northern Iraq/Southern Kurdistan took place in early April, sometimes the meaning of these sad stories take a while to surface. There are conflicting reports about how 17-year-old Dua died, some say that she was lynched, some stoned to death, others say both. What we do know was that Dua was a young girl in love, who left her Yezidi faith to live her life with a man that she loved. She was brave and idealistic; and she died horribly because of it. A mob of Yezidi men dragged her into the street, tore her clothes to shame her, and then the mob killed her...the final blow being a large rock taken to her head. And someone filmed this horror, which is floating around the internet somewhere if you truly wish to see it. What is important, is that this tragedy not only is sad in the individual sense of this girl's death, it is also sad in what it signifies for a culture and society eager to change, but unable to, as the Kurdish bloggers point out.
Iran: Police Officer Kicks Woman
Iranian authorities are fighting against women on at least two fronts. On one side, women activists protesting for equal rights are sent to prison and persecuted. On the other side, Iranian police officers continue with a nationwide crackdown aimed at making women abide by Iran's Islamic dress code. Although the...
Czech Rebublic: Exact Change
“In the Czech Republic, paying by cash can be a complicated business,” writes My Czech Republic Blog, inspired by what another blogger – NvB: Bored in Brno – wrote last year.
Belarus: The Opposition, One Year On
TOL's Belarus sums up the sorry state of the country's opposition: “So one year since the Spring 2006 protests is officially over with his release, a year which Kazulin has spent in prison, hundreds more people went through arrests or other forms of persections, and the rest of the Unified...
Poland: Lustration Law Unconstitutional
The beatroot comments on the verdict of the Constitutional Tribunal on Poland's Lustration Law.
Poland: Fear of “Homoagitacja”
The beatroot writes about yet another form of homophobia in Poland: fear of “homoagitacja.”
Hungary: Partial Renovation
Pestcentric posts a wonderful picture of a Budapest building and writes about it: “Why should you suffer if your neighbors are too cheap to chip in the money to renovate the house your flat is in? Fix up your own part, and show the rest of the city what cheap...
Serbia: Pictures of Belgrade
Prishtine: Independence and Kanun posts pictures of Belgrade.
Europe: Still Some More on Eurovision
Another mini-roundup of entries on last Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest: Anegdote encourages readers to rejoice – because they “accomplished something too by watching” Serbia's winning entry on TV; Belgrade 2.0 thinks Western Europeans should set up a bloc of their own next year, to counter the votes of the existing...
Russia: Cars ABC
The Turkish Invasion reproduces a hilarious Russian ABC (in Russian) and writes: “It is now a fact that there are more foreign automobiles on Moscow roads than Lada…no wonder why kids are now learning the Alphabet by auto brands.”
Ukraine: High-Risk Politics
LEvko of Foreign Notes writes on the most recent accidents involving Ukrainian politicians. “One thing is certain – participation in top-level politics in Ukraine carries risks,” he concludes.
Russia, Ukraine: T-Shirts
Vilhelm Konnander reports on how a bit of Russian xenophobic propaganda has slipped into Britain via this message printed on Burton menswear store's t-shirt: “We will cleanse Russia of all non-Russians!” Carpetblogger displays “some fun t-shirts” of her own.
Europe: The Problem With Eurovision
Carpetblogger writes about the Eurovision Song Contest: “The problem with Eurovision is that not that it's tacky and frequently trite — all of us appreciate that. It's that it's taken so dead seriously. When people are arguing about and voting for ‘the best song’ they seriously mean ‘the best song,’...
French Annexation of Tunisia: How to Remember History?
Tunisien Doctor explains why it is important [Fr] that Tunisians remember May 12, 1881, the day France annexed Tunisia, and asks why so many have forgotten. At least one reader thinks it's time to “turn the page on that brief chapter of our long history and move on to other...
Palestine: Life in Gaza
Palestinian blogger Dr Mona El Farra describes her life in Gaza here. “In the last 4 days, situation has deteriorated in Gaza, clashes between Fath and Hamas restarted, I am staying at home, my daughter could not go to school…I cannot go to my work; I have patchy power, and...
Chirac More Bumbling Than Malevolent
As Jacques Chirac leaves office, Le Blog de [Moi] remembers the former French president [Fr] as “more bumbling than malevolent.”
Tunisia: No Ethical Training for Doctors
Zizou from Djerba explains that there is no ethical training in Tunisia for doctors [Fr] and other professionals. Although Zizou received a medical degree, he was never taught medical ethics. He wonders if there is a connection between weak ethics and corruption in Tunisia.
Syria: Term-end Exams Are Postponed for “Spontaneous” Celebrations
The Ministry of Education in Syria has apparently decided to postpone the exams that happen to coincide with the celebrations of the next presidential referendum. So that the students can take part in the “spontaneous” show of support for the president. ‘The Ministry, guided by the Baath Party, has declared...
India: Plagiarism and MSM
Offstumped on plagiarism and how easily it comes to Indian MSM. “For long now Journalists in the mainstream media have derided blogs as banal and bloggers as plagiarists. Offstumped had challenged these attacks in the past with very charitable rejoinders , but this Sunday marks a new low in the...
India: Tasteless Advertising?
Sudeep's Diary points to advertising that appears to be offensive to certain communities. “How is it that such a blatant mockery of people belonging to scheduled castes and backward classes passing off without a resistance? Or has everyone taken the tagline too seriously?”
Nepal: Child Labour
Kathmandu Speaks on the vulnerability of children, as they are forced to work, or turn to addiction. “By ‘ketaharu’ or boys, the owner surely meant for minors and not others. I was shocked to see such an advertisement. It is illegal to hire minors, but the courage of this owner...
