Stories from 15 July 2009
Russia: Reflections on Estemirova's murder
Sean's Russia Blog further reflects upon today's murder of Russian Human Rights’ activist Natalya Estemirova, and puts the case into wider perspective as for the general situation for freedom of speech and human rights in Russia.
Russia: Infringing on constitutional rights
LJ user srmt argues [RUS] that new regulations concerning correspondence is an infringement on the right of privacy regulated by the Russian constitution and the UN Declaration on Human Rights.
Russia: From Reykavik to Reset
Russian Life Blog publishes an interesting and initiated exposé of US-Russian relations from Reagan to Obama.
Russia: Medvedev, Obama, and the lot…
Windows to Russia! ironises over Obama's visit to Russia and Medvedev's visit to South Ossetia.
Russia: Politkovskaya laureate murdered
Just another death, just another obituary. That seems to be the general sentiment as news of today's murder of Russian Human Rights activist, Natalya Estemirova, broke. However, there are still people out there, in the Russian blogosphere, who challenge disillusion as yet another voice of conscience and tolerance is silenced by violent death.
Turkey: Kurdish Freedom Movement Extend Ceasefire
Kurdish blogger Hevallo writes that “Kurdish political leadership Koma Civaken Kurdistan, (KCK) has announced that the ceasefire called by the Kurdish Freedom Movement to give the opportunity for solving the Kurdish Question in Turkey by political and peaceful means has been extended.” The original deadline was July 14th; it has...
Turkey: Tick Encounter
“Did you know that for a couple of years now, there has been an invasion of infectious ticks in Turkey? They carry a disease that causes death after a couple of days of being bitten who’s origins have been traced back to Africa” writes Ignore Me If You Can as...
Armenia: ‘Bloggers’ call for foreign minister's resignation
Following a July 10, 2009 statement by the U.S., Russian, and French presidents calling for Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the longstanding conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, some bloggers in Armenia have launched a campaign demanding the resignation of the country's foreign minister.
Taiwan: Who Cares About Neihu Line? Not Ex-Mayor Ma
Neihu Line, the latest line that just joined Taipei MRT system and open to the public since July 1st is having malfuctioning troubles. While the current Mayor Hau is the one mainly criticized by the media and public, blogger elysii 幕容理深 provided his analysis (zh) on what exactly the former...
Egypt: The Egyptian Apostate
Egyptian progressive thinker, Dr. Sayed El Qemany was granted the State Award for Social Sciences. Egyptian liberals and seculars hailed the award while Wahabis and conservatives declared war on the “Egyptian Apostate”. Marwa Rakha reports from the Egyptian blogosphere.
Jamaica: Time for Arbitration?
From Jamaica, Girl With a Purpose thinks that the conflict between the West Indies Players Association and the West Indies Cricket Board “needs to go to arbitration…the West Indian public needs to know the truth behind this current impasse.”
Bahamas: Writers on Blogging
Nicolette Bethel blogs about The Bahamas Writers Summer Institute, at which one discussion focused on “the value of blogging” and “the radical power of blogs and bloggers” – Womanish Words, who attended the workshop, adds: “I'm still in love with the personal freedom and empowerment that writing and publishing blogs...
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Hypocritical
Michael Jackson's death gets Vincentian blogger Abeni thinking about hypocrisy in the Caribbean: “Look at the Man in the Mirror people. We may be closer to the persons we dislike than we think.”
Zambia: Discrimination case postponed until October
HIV discrimination case in Zambia has been moved to October: “This morning we learned that the judge in the case has decided to attend an international conference and thus has chosen to postpone the case until October. This decision to postpone for an international conference comes amid a battle between...
Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Crime Approach
“The idea that we are in CARICOM and a one size fits all is not possible. What is suitable for Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica might not be necessarily so for Barbados”: Barbados Underground suggests that one nation's approach to tackling crime may not be necessarily right for another.
Malaysia: Prime Minister marks 100 days in office
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak of Malaysia celebrated his 100th day in office last week. Malaysian bloggers share their reactions as the government announced several economic and administrative reforms to mark the occasion.
Bermuda: Political Issues
Bermudian bloggers The Devil Island, 21 Square and Bermuda Jewel weigh in on different political issues that are on their minds.
Ghana: Global discussion of Obama's visit to Ghana
The diversity of voices participating in the global discussion concerning President Obama’s visit to Ghana and the speech made on Saturday 11th of July in Accra almost universally share a common thread irrespective of the arguments, views and opinions otherwise expressed: sincere hope for Africa and Africans. And bloggers have been asking: Why Ghana? Why not Kenya, the President’s ancestral home, or Nigeria, the self-professed “super-power”? And why now? Is it about oil or democracy?
Arab World: Trouble for Gay Travels in the Muslim World
The first gay book to have been ever translated into Arabic after being originally printed in English has run into problems straight off the press. Katharine Ganly reports on blogger reactions to the book Gay Travels in the Muslim World, whose translation has spurred a heated debate.
Morocco: Free Speech Call to the King
Allal El Alaoui, a Moroccan blogger based in Rabat, reports and links [ar] to the open letter written by Khalid Jamai, 65 – a Moroccan veteran journalist known for his positions on freedom of speech. According to El Alaoui: “The main topic of his letter deals with coercive measures that...
Ghana: Hope and candour float in Ghana following Obama's visit
In anticipation of the coming of US president Barack Obama to Ghana from 10-11th July, the ghanablogging.com community—established in 2008 to promote the work of Ghanaian bloggersand bloggers writing about Ghana—set a theme entitled “Obama’s visit: A View from Ghana”. Below are some of the highlights of the blog entries.
