16 February 2009

Stories from 16 February 2009

Thailand: Scholar charged with Lese Majeste

  16 February 2009

Accused of violating Thailand's lese-majeste law, Bangkok-based professor Giles Ji Ungpakorn fled to the United Kingdom to avoid prosecution. FACT writes that “Thailand seems intent on sending its best and brightest into exile. If no free-thinker stays to fight lese majeste repression in Thailand, only tyranny remains.”

Arab World: Gasping for Air!

  16 February 2009

A massive dust storm engulfed the entire Arabian peninsula, leaving the people of Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates, gasping for air. Here are some videos, photographs and blog entries on the crazy weather, which was unusual for this time of the year.

Ukraine: The Plight of Irina Gavrisheva

  16 February 2009

Jeff Mowatt draws attention to the plight of wheelchair-bound Irina Gavrisheva, who “writes and publishes website appeals and articles about helping sick children of Zaporozhye, on behalf of the Happy Child fund” – and needs money for a surgery herself.

Jamaica: Explicit music banned

  16 February 2009

The long-standing controversy over the appropriateness of certain music for public airplay has once again reared its head in Jamaica. Bloggers make their voices heard.

Global: Appointment of Saudi Arabia's First Female Deputy Minister Makes Waves

  16 February 2009

As millions of women the world over marked Valentine’s Day with gifts from their loved ones, one woman - in a country that has banned the holiday and labels it a ‘sin’ - has good reason to never forget February 14, 2009. Meet Noura Al Fayez, teacher extraordinaire, a product of the US education system, who last Saturday became the first ever woman deputy minister in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Eunice del Rosario round up local and international reactions to the appointment.

Zimbabwe: Why Arrest Roy Bennett?

  16 February 2009

“Why arrest Roy Bennett?,” reads the headline at My Heart's in Accra about the MDC Treasurer General and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, Roy Bennett, who was arrested Friday in Harare. He was charged with treason before these charges were dropped and replaced with attempt to commit terrorism, banditry and sabotage. Zimbabwean bloggers and others have not been silent about his arrest. Many bloggers consider the charges against Bennett to be false. One bloggers links his arrest to Mugabe's hatred for white farmers.

Cuba: Interview with Blogger Reinaldo Escobar

  16 February 2009

Cuban blogger Reinaldo Escobar is one of the few bloggers that has worked professionally as a journalist with official Cuban media. Now he is an independent journalist and runs the portal Desde Cuba, which is also where his blog Desde Aquí is hosted. He is also very active in the Cuban blogosphere and is part of the team that will launch the project Cuban Voices. In this interview, Claudia Cadelo asks about his start with blogging and his thoughts on a blogosphere that is often polarized.

Mexico: Breaking the Kissing Record

  16 February 2009

Nearly 40,000 Mexicans broke the Guinness World Record for the most people kissing at the same time writes Jessica Uribe of Vivir México [es]. They assembled in Mexico City's zocalo to participate in the event and she adds, “there were all types of kisses, between couples, mothers with their children,...

El Salvador: A New Archbishop in San Salvador

  16 February 2009

The new Archbishop José Luís Escobar Alas recently took possession of his archdiocese of the capital city of El Salvador writes Carlos X. Colorado in a guest blog post at Tim's El Salvador Blog, where he also writes that the new Archbishops offers, “a striking contrast both in style and...

Paraguay: Visit to Planetarium in Sajonia

  16 February 2009

Mirtha González of Cuerpo y Alma [es] recommends readers to visit the planetarium in the Sajonia area of Asunción, Paraguay. As a trip with her son, she listened to an interesting talk given by the director, Professor Blas Servín.