Stories from 13 May 2009
Ukraine: Victory Day 2009
Lots of photos and video from the celebration of Victory Day in Kyiv – at Ukrainiana.
India: Live Results of Indian Elections Via Crowd Sourcing
Offstumped has launched a crowd sourcing initiative to inform the world readers about the results of the Indian Elections 2009 live.
Sri Lanka: Satellite Image Proves Shelling Of Civilians
ICT For Peacebuilding (ICT4PEACE) posts an image from a commercial satellite and quotes a Human Rights Watch report, which claims that indiscriminate shelling of civilians is going on in the North of Sri Lanka. The blog comments: “Unless the argument is made that commercial satellite imagery is also pro-LTTE, this...
Pakistan: Information About IDPs
A new website has been launched documenting reliable information, including pictures and videos about the Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from FATA, Swat, Dir and Buner in Pakistan.
Pakistan: Swat Crisis Via Live Blog
The Swat Plea is a platform to support the Internally Displaced Persons [IDP's] of northern Pakistan. It has launched a live blog to collate all the buzz from blogs and twitter accounts monitoring the Swat crisis.
Pakistan: Prachinar, The Valley Of Death
Parachinar is the capital of Kurram Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. The scenic valley dubbed as Pakistan’s heaven has been transferred into the valley of death due to sectarian clashes. Pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants are persecuting Shias in the region to drive them out.
Maldives: Surprise Results
According to the provisional results of the recently concluded parliamentary elections the opposition party DRP won 2 seats more than the ruling MDP. Mohamed Bushry calculates how the MDP can still get a majority and comments that the ruling party should take a lesson from this results.
Japan: Akihabara Aftermath
Almost one year after the Akihabara massacre (covered by GV here, here, and here), Fumi Yamazaki at “What's Happening in Japan Right Now?” gives a comprehensive recap[EN] of the happenings, coverage, and aftermath of the terrible tragedy.
Saudi Arabia: Thoughts from a London Trip
Saudi blogger Prometheus [Ar] is just back from the UK and shares his impressions from his visit and the people he saw there in this post. During his visit, he tells us about the books which are banned in our countries and are available in London, and the open heated debates between the media and politicians which are beamed on television screens. Read to the end to see his final conclusion.
Korea: Previous President and Money
Previous president Roh Moo Hyun who is famous as the ‘president for citizens’ and still keeps his popularity after his retirement due to his humble life in his hometown and to citizens’ dissatisfaction with the current government has been involved with bribe scandal in May. Sudden but exhaustive investigation regarding...
St. Lucia: Walcott Withdraws
Repeating Islands reports that St. Lucian Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott “has withdrawn his candidacy for the post of Oxford Professor of Poetry citing a smear campaign designed to sully his reputation.”
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Police Power
As “charges of police brutality have again taken centre stage with more public protests” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Abeni says: “It is important for them to work towards fostering a better relationship and not operate as being above the law.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Progress & Social Media
Trinidadian blogger KnowProSE.com shares his thoughts on ways in which people do not help the world progress via social media.
Jamaica: Screwed?
While Life, Unscripted, on the Rock is “fully aware that everything is certainly not copacetic here in Jamaica”, she takes issue with an international mainstream media article that she describes as “a totally skewed portrayal” of the island.
Guyana: Telling Tales
“If flu does spread from animal to people and kill people…we better look out for mini-bus drivers flu starting in Guyana”: Guyana-Gyal has a tale worthy of the Grimm Brothers.
Morocco: How to use Twitter
Moroccan blogger Mohammed Saeed Hjiouij [Ar] discusses different ways in which Twitter can be used for his Arabic language readers.
Bahrain: Thoughts on Activism
“Activism isn't just about justice. It's an effort to provide the freedom necessary to build a sustainable civilization,” writes Esra'a at Mideast Youth. Read more of the young Bahraini activist's thoughts on activism in this post.
UAE: Susan's in Saudi Arabia
Susan, a Dubai-based blogger, visits Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on a business trip. Read her impressions and watch her video at amazingwomenrock.com.
Kazakhstan: Kazakh bloggers against online censorship
The Kazakh Internet regulation amendments which were sent to the Parliament last week have woken up the Kazakh language bloggers’ activism. A lot of posts in Kazakh language tried to analyze the influence of the draft law on the future of Kazakhstani segment of the Internet. Some are full of...
Japan: Marriage Hunting!
Since autumn of last year, in Japan, a new term has been floating in the air. It is konkatsu 婚活 (an abbreviation of kekkon katsudô 結婚活動), based on the popular phrase shûkatsu (就活 job hunting), it may be roughly translated as ‘marriage hunting’. Konkatsu is not merely a new word,...
Azerbaijan: Shameful…
Fighting windmills? Take a pill, a recent addition to the English-language Azeri blogosphere, comments on the notion of “Ayibdi,” or “shameful.” The blog wonders why the word is used in connection with limiting individual freedoms but not to decry corruption or the lack of democracy in the country.
