July, 2009
Stories from July, 2009
30 July 2009
Hijablogging: On Burqas and Bans
Although the practice of wearing hijab has been around since pre-Islamic times, the debate surrounding it has increased in recent years. Whereas in some countries, hijab is mandated, in others, it has been banned in schools, workplaces, and sometimes altogether. But whether required or forbidden, Muslim women's dress is almost always a topic of hot debate.
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29 July 2009
Belarus, Russia: Bloggers React to Graphic Chechen War Video
On July 3, Belarusian blogger Tatsiana Elavaya posted a provocative video showing the assassination of captive Russian soldiers by Chechen guerrillas during the 1999 war in Chechnya. The video had been available elsewhere before, but when Tatsiana posted it on her blog, the reaction of the Cyrillic blogosphere was unprecedented.
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Kenya: Fibreglass Lions to go ‘Wild' in Nairobi
As Kenya's lions continue to face persecution and the population continues to dwindle, a campaign to raise funds and awareness about the lions was launched on 17 June 2009 in Nairobi.
Taiwan: Racist cartoon causes controversy
Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs published a booklet featuring two cartoon characters to inform the public about the proposed free trade agreement between Taiwan and China, commonly referred to as ECFA. The cartoons quickly attracted criticism as they were considered derogatory to certain ethnic groups.
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Africa: New dates for African Bloggers Conference announced
New dates for African Bloggers Conference, Kelele ‘09, have been announced. Kelele ‘09 was scheduled for August 13th-16th, 2009. The conference, which will bring together African bloggers for the first time, will now take place from 29th October - 1st November 2009 in Nairobi, Kenya.
Philippines: Reactions to the 9th State of the Nation Address
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo gave her 9th State of the Nation Address last Monday, July 27, 2009. This post is a sample of the varied responses to the speech in the Philippine blogosphere.
Cuba: Interview with Blogger Lizabal Mónica
Cuban writer Lizabel Mónica has been blogging since 2007 and has been using her blogs to "build bridges between literature and national and international art, as well as to explore the relationship between art and life." Claudia Cadelo interviews her about her Project Desliz and her project to bring more artists online.
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Nice post Aparna. Good to see that Kolkata men and women are organizing against street sexual harassment. Kathmandu organized its...