Stories from 20 December 2008
Cuba: Best Books of 2008
Penúltimos Días [es] provides a list of the best Cuban books of 2008.
Brazil: Against Illegal Abortion or Against Women?
Abortion is a very complex issue in Brazil, just like almost everywhere else in Latin America, where it is considered a crime. Despite this, over 1,000,000 clandestine abortions take place in Brazil and over 70,000 women die of complications from clandestine abortion attempts every year. Daniel Duende takes a look at the new moves in the clash between pro-life and pro-choice movements.
Former Tunisian Diplomat Sentenced To 8 Years By French Court
Khaled Ben Said, an ex-vice-consul in Strasbourg, was convicted of having ordered acts of torture and barbary upon fellow countrywoman Zulaikha Gharbi when a police superintendent in the Tunisian city of Jendouba 12 years ago, and sentenced to 8 years imprisonment by a criminal court in this same Strasbourg, by the way the seat of the European Court of Human Rights.
Israel/Palestine: Violence Hurts Both Peoples
“The region has been slowly but surely moving back into instability. With Qassam rockets and mortars being targeting Israeli communities and Israeli helicopters and tanks targeting Palestinian locations. Several Palestinians have been killed. Several Israelis injured, All people in the region are in fear of further escalation,” observes Hope Man,...
Israel: LivniBoy Gives ObamaGirl a Run For Her Money
Check out LivniBoy, Israel's answer to ObamaGirl. His YouTube video, “Love Song to Tzipi Livni,” has received over 6,350 views this week alone. Tzipi Livni is the Kadima Party candidate for prime minister in the upcoming winter elections. You'll be able to enjoy the feel of the video even if...
Israel: Decking the Halls in the Holy Land
“We ended up doing the ultimate Christmas thing in the Holy Land,” muses Anglosaxy. “Eating felafel, made by Israeli Arabs, sat next to a hungry pack of street cats…the kids enjoyed themselves anyway!”
Israel: Celebrating Hanukkah with YouTube
Every year at this time, Jews look forward to Hanukkah, the festival of lights. Jacob Richman posts a list of 70 Hanukkah videos on YouTube, among them is an old favorite: Adam Sandler's “Hanukkah Song.”
Israel: Kibbutz Features Argentinean Murals
Israeli Mom describes her visit to Kibbutz Or HaNer, which is special for its large scale murals created by Argentinean artists Daniela Almeida and Jose Kura. “During 2007, Kura and Almeida were invited to the kibbutz (founded by Jewish immigrants from Argentina), to create a collection of murals that will...
Egyptian Spinsters
The outcasts of the Egyptian society – the spinsters – are raising their voices in an attempt to change how society views them. Khokha – the anonymous author of The daily diaries of a sinister spinister - says: انا عشت حبة كل ما اقول رأى ولا كلمة … يردوا فى...
Egypt: Gamal Eid detained and deported from Jordan
The Jordanian intelligence prevents Gamal Eid, the General Manager of the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), from entering Jordan because of his criticism of freedom of expression in Jordan two years ago,The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, The Skeptic reports the details.
Looking at Egypt's First Female Mayor
Eva Habil, a 53 year-old Christian lawyer, became Egypt’s first female mayor on December 14, representing Komboha, a rural town in conservative Upper Egypt with a Coptic majority community. Yusra of Muslimah Media Watch wrote: Habil, whose father was mayor of Komboha, beat out five male candidates, including her younger...
Japan, Brazil: A centenary of Japanese Immigration to Brazil.
In June 1908, the Japanese ship Kasato Maru docked in the Port of Santos after a 52-day voyage, bringing the first Japanese families to Brazil. A hundred years later and after a hard period of adaptation, Japanese and Japanese-Brazilians reflect on the history and cultural heritage of this cross ocean cultural mix.
South Africa: World’s First Locative Documentary for Mobile
World's first locative documentary for mobile phones is about youth culture in Soweto: “Today is a big day on the Grid – we’ve just launched a 25-episode documentary about youth culture in Soweto, the famous South African township. The documentary, called Mobikasi, is the first to be delivered exclusively by...
Adgator: Africa's First Advertising Network for Bloggers
Adgator is the first ad network for African bloggers created by Afrigator, a social media search engine and blog directory. The network is currently being tested in South Africa. Plans are underway to launch the network in Kenya and Nigeria next year.
Video: Costa Rican Artist takes on the Fine Art Classics
Francisco Munguía, a Costa Rican cartoonist and artist has interpreted the Fine Arts classics and is currently doing a show in the Costa Rican Children's Museum. However, you don´t need to travel to Costa Rica to see his work: it is uploaded on YouTube in a gallery style presentation.
Madagascar: France responds to alleged censorship of “47” play
Pierre Maury reports that French authorities have responded to the accusation of censorhip of “47” a historic independence play created by Jean-Luc Raharimanana and Thierry Bedard. Victoire Bidegain Di Rosa, advisor to the French ministry of Culture explains that the subject of the play is not necessarily of interest to...
Armenia: LGBT News
Unzipped: Gay Armenia is pleased to inform its readers that following the recent UN statement in support of LGBT rights, World Focus has quoted the blog in its report on the move which Armenia endorsed. In related news, the same blog also details the contents of a new issue of...
Iran: A blogger was sentenced to five months in prison
According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and several iran based blogs Esmail Jafari, an Iranian blogger and journalist based in the southwestern city of Bushehr, was sentenced to five months in prison on 6 December on charges of “anti-government publicity” and “disseminating information abroad.” He is still free pending the...
Pakistan: A beauty queen's slip
In a recent CNN interview, the 24 year old Natasha Paracha, Miss Pakistan World, was heard saying “…as Pakistanis we have to stand up and condone what has happened in the country of India and through these Mumbai attacks” . What she probably meant to say was “condemn”. Five Rupees...
Korea: Teenage Rape and Parents’ Responsibility
A teenager who has suffered from attention deficit disorder raped a seven year old girl. Having a previous record, the 18 year old was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the court. An interesting decision that the court made this time was to make his parents responsible for not...
Serbia: Sveti Nikola
A Yankee-in-Belgrade writes about celebration of St. Nicholas Day in Serbia.
