Stories from 19 March 2008
Iraq at Five: The World Reacts
Today, March 19, marks five years of "Operation Iraqi Freedom." Initially a plan to oust Saddam Hussein and "end the war before it started," the war in Iraq continues to this day, much to the dismay of many ordinary citizens around the globe. In that vein, Global Voices Online will post reactions today from bloggers in Iraq, the Middle East and North Africa, and elsewhere.
Czech Republic: Erratic Boulder Awards
The Reference Frame writes about the Erratic Boulder “anti-prizes” awarded by Sisyfos, the Czech scientific skeptics’ club, for “confusing the Czech public and for contributions to the development of muddy thinking.”
Czech Republic: Ex-PM Fails Bar Exam
The Czech Daily Word reports that former Czech PM has failed his bar exam and will not be able to get his attorney license.
Croatia: Zagreb's New Synagogue
Balkan Baby writes about the opening of a new synagogue in Zagreb.
Albania: Eagle Mobile
Albanian Blogger comments on the arrival of Albania's “much-awaited” third mobile operator.
Yemen: No Women Abuse
Omar Barsawad discusses reports on abuse and violence against women in Yemen and asks: “I visit relatives and friends in other parts of Yemen – I do not see or notice the kind of general abuse that those articles reported. … I wonder, which parts of Yemen those articles were...
Egypt: Face of the Future
“If you want to know the future of humanity, don’t look someplace new. Look someplace old: someplace where dynasties and empires have risen and fallen for thousands of years, someplace where scant land has sustained swelling populations for millennia. Look to Egypt. Look to Iraq,” writes Elijah Zarwan, from Egypt.
Libya: Internet Grooming
Anglolibyan, from Libya, draws our attention to Internet grooming – which is slowly finding its way to his country.
Saudi Arabia: Two Killed in Religious Police Chase
“A boy and a girl have died in a horrific car accident after being chased by a patrol that belongs to the Commission for Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the northern city of Tabuk,” reports Saudi Jeans.
Jordan: Lots of Dust
Jordan was shrouded with a cloud of dust, says Tololy, who posts a picture.
Israel: Secret Service Creates New Blog
Shin Bet, the Israeli secret service joins the blogosphere this week, causing Molly of Israeli blog The Big Felafel to ask: “Can you really imagine a Shin Bet techie cracking top secret codes and then writing a blog about how neat it is to work underground?”
Israel: Worldwide Virtual Solidarity Rally, March 20th
Join the worldwide solidarity rally for Israel as it celebrates Purim tomorrow (March 20th). Dave Weinberg of Jewneric has the details for timezones around the world.
Israel: Israel or Palestine? Facebook Can't Decide
Can't quite figure out politics and geography in the Middle East? You're not the only one. Facebook seems confused as well. Israeli bloggers Dion Nissenbaum of Checkpoint Jerusalem and Carl of Israel Matzav noticed that Jewish settlements in the West Bank had been repatriated to Israel after Facebook previously labeled...
UAE: Death and Destruction in 200-Car Crash
Driving standards in the Middle East have come under the scrutiny of bloggers after several people were killed and 350 injured in a 200-car pile up in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. While one blogger compared the carnage to what we see in the news about Iraq, others said that it was inevitable.
Sri Lanka: Remembering Arthur C Clarke
The death of Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 2008) has many people - some who are ardent enthusiasts of science fiction, and others who know of him blogging about their reflections on the man. From a fleeting glimpse, to an incidental conversation, Clarke is remembered fondly by many Sri Lankan bloggers as a visionary and a futurist. The British author moved to Sri Lanka in 1956 and lived there ever since.
Ethiopian painters campaign to end early marriage
Lova writes about Ethiopian painters campaigning to end early marriage, through art.
France: Malagasy nightclub in Marseille
harinjaka writes about a new Malagasy night club [Fr] in Marseille: “I know from personal experience that it's not easy to enter a club here (in France), especially if you are black or berber…It's not the Queen but it's a club where Malagasy people are VIP.”
India: Standardization and Sri Lanka
Reality Check India takes a closer look at the “standardization system” instituted in Sri Lanka in the 1970s and warns of its hidden dangers.
India: Shariah and the West
Indian Muslims Blog comments on the idea of Shariah laws in the West.
Christians in Iraq
French-Lebanese blogger Frencheagle writes about the assassination of the Bishop of Mosul and the plight of Christians in Iraq [Fr].
