21 March 2008

Stories from 21 March 2008

Iraq: Five long years … most of them in tears

For me the whole story of the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war can be summed up one post. One post that says nothing about the past five years but implies everything as well. We can talk about the lack of security, the number of deaths, the failure of the occupation, but all this talk has become as meaningless as glib phrases like "Collateral Damage." What really matters is how the war is affecting people's lives, writes Salam Adil.

El Salvador: Accidents on the Roadways

  21 March 2008

Holidays are often deadly places on the roads of El Salvador. It is no different during Easter Week writes Hunnapuh [es] and much of it can be attributed to drinking and driving, and a poor control by the police.

Cuba: Limitations on an Internet Cafe

  21 March 2008

Potro Salvaje [es] provides details on an internet cafe in Havana, Cuba with plenty of limitations such as, “It is not possible to use any item to store or transport data (CDs, diskettes, flash memory), the line to use a PC can take more than two hours, there is no...

Bahrain: Kindest People Ever

Sous, a Swedish woman living in Bahrain, wonders about the impact of development on Bahrainis. “Bahrainis … are the most kind people I have ever met. They are polite, educated, funny and friendly. There is no pretend and they are really down to earth which I appreciate. I hope this...

Iran: A New Year Begins

Yesterday, marked the first day of spring and the Iranian New Year. Nowruz or Norouz is celebrated in Iran and several other countries such as Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Several bloggers celebrated the day and shared their wishes and ideas on this occasion. Some, like Raze No (meaning “new secret”) added...

Peru: Inflation Affecting Consumers

  21 March 2008

Inflation is beginning to affect the pockets of Peruvian more and more. Silvio Rendon of Gran Combo Club [es] writes about the rise in prices and whether president Alan Garcia “does not want to see this reality.”

Bolivia: Maradona on the Pitch

  21 March 2008

Diego Maradona was in Bolivia for a football match to raise funds for the flood victims, as well as to protest the veto of games played at a certain altitude. Boris Miranda of Ventarrón [es], a self-professed fan of the Argentine star, was on the field as a member of...

Colombia: Reward for FARC Guerrilla for Killing His Commander

  21 March 2008

Shortly after the death of FARC leader Raúl Reyes, it was revealed that another high ranking member of the guerrilla forces, Iván Ríos was also killed. It was assumed that the Colombian army also was responsible, but Ríos' bodyguard carried out the killing and sought to claim the reward promised by the government. Colombian bloggers present arguments for and against these rewards. Some are pleased that another criminal has been eliminated, while others think that this reward should only serve for tip-offs and that any criminal should be tried in court.

Japan: Rokkasho nuclear reprocessing plant fuels debate

  21 March 2008

The village of Rokkasho, situated Aomori prefecture in the north of Japan's main island Honshū, hosts a nuclear facility for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel, the first of its kind in Japan. While the scale of this reprocessing plant dwarfs standard nuclear plants, most Japanese citizens have up to recently known little to nothing of its existence. This has started to change recently with demonstrations held in various parts of the country by citizen groups. Bloggers have also picked up this debate, offering varying perspectives on the costs and benefits of the latest development of Japan's nuclear industry.

Barbados: Atlantic Storm

  21 March 2008

Notes From The Margin reports that Barbados has had one fatality because of “huge waves generated by an Atlantic storm.”

Bermuda: Race Therapy

  21 March 2008

“Bonds grow through community, not through confrontation,” writes Vexed Bermoothes, as he administers some group therapy for Bermuda.