9 September 2008

Stories from 9 September 2008

Angola: Chaos and hopes mark first election in 16 years

  9 September 2008

"I waited for this day with great anxiety and curiosity because I knew it was a special day for Angola and Angolans. For many years our daily lives had been marked by the sadness of war. A war that claimed lives, destroyed property and consumed much of our resources and energy. At last we face a historic event", says a blogger about his first vote.

Caribbean: Ike Strikes

  9 September 2008

The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season is not letting up. Beleaguered Caribbean islands like Cuba and Haiti barely had time to recover from the ravages of Hurricanes Gustav and Hanna when Mother Nature struck once again, this time in the form of Ike. Tensions were high with bloggers Caribbean-wide.

Morocco: Understanding Mohammed Raji's Sentence

  9 September 2008

Less than a year ago, Global Voices noted Morocco as the “liveliest free speech zone in Muslim North Africa.” And yet, journalists are all too frequently fined or arrested, and yesterday a blogger, Mohammed Raji, joined their ranks. The blogger was arrested yesterday afternoon for insulting the king, and was immediately tried and sentenced to two years in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000 (about $625). The Moroccan blogosphere, lively as ever, has rallied around Raji.

North Cyprus: The Opera Comes to Town

  9 September 2008

“One thing that's definitely in short supply here in North Cyprus is opera, so I'm thrilled that no less than 21 opera stars are performing in Kyrenia on September 14th,” writes Kathy from North Cyprus Blogs. Opera singers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Northern Cyprus, Bashkor-tostan and Tatarstan will...

China: Communication Style

  9 September 2008

Joel from Fool's mountain is collecting feedback from Chinese readers on this description a typical Chinese communication style. The blogger has posted a list of assumptions for further discussion.

China: The Mummy 3

  9 September 2008

Many Chinese are angry about the Mummy3 and find the movie insulting Chinese people. More from Chinasmack.

Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica: Olympic Party

  9 September 2008

“September is the month for celebration as athletes from Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica return home from the Beijing Olympics”: Caribbean Beat Blog wants to get the party started!

Trinidad & Tobago: Ole Time Wedding

  9 September 2008

Onika Henry at Discover T&T Blog attends the Tobago Heritage Festival and writes an interesting post on the re-enactment of the Tobago Ole Time Wedding. Photos make you feel as if you were there.

Barbados: Oil Prices

  9 September 2008

As world oil prices fall, Barbados Undergound wonders why the reduction is not reflected in prices at the pump.

Saudi Arabia: Human rights on the syllabus

  9 September 2008

Crossroads Arabia comments on a report that Saudi Arabia may introduce human rights on the syllabus for law students: “As well as teaching what are deemed to be the ‘Universal Islamic Rights of Man’, it is also important to teach the ‘Universal Rights of Man’ as put forth by the...

Jamaica, Guyana: New Publishing House?

  9 September 2008

Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp reports that “as publishing opportunities for Caribbean writers continue to shrink…Derek Walcott, David Dabydeen, and Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo have agreed to pursue the development of a Caribbean publishing house located in Guyana.”

Africa: Real Nominations at Big Brother Africa III

  9 September 2008

Wanjiku discusses Big Brother Africa III: “Shock of all shocks Morris nominated Thami! One would think there was some sort of eviction brotherhood when they found themselves played together by Big Brother. Now you know and have proved it ain’t family Morris.”

Colombia: Documentary of Massacre by Paramilitary Groups

  9 September 2008

La Guayabita [es] transcribes a documentary on the murder of 40 people in February 2000 in El Salado, in the region of Bolívar, Colombia, by the paramilitary groups. In the film, a survivor tells of how after the horrifying massacre, her calls for help to the National and International Red...

Japan: Bloggers debate Uesugi's Collapse of Journalism

  9 September 2008

In his new book “The Collapse of Journalism”, released in July, freelance journalist Takashi Uesugi strips down the murky Japanese media system and offers a glimpse inside. A former New York Times journalist and currently a contributor to numerous Japanese magazines and TV programs, Uesugi points out anomalies in Japanese journalism when compared with other democratic countries. Read responses from Japanese journalists and bloggers, translated in this post.