Stories from 7 November 2009
Pakistan: Devoted To Pomegranate
Owais Mughal at All Things Pakistan celebrates Pakistan's important fruit species pomegranate and its influence on art, literature, language and poetry.
Algeria: 50 Top Algerians
Looking for the 50 top Algerians? “Jeune Afrique has run an nice special on the 50 people who make Algeria what it is — politicians, policemen, generals, business people, cultural luminaries, and others,” writes Alle, at the Maghreb Politics Review.
Peru: One Hundred Years of Writer Ciro Alegría
Peruvian writer Ciro Alegía was born 100 years ago, and his best-known novel "Broad and Alien is the World" focuses on the struggles of an indigenous community in the northern highlands.
Morocco: Clinton in Morocco
“Annouss has been keeping track of Hillary Clinton’s visit in Morocco,” notes Alle, from the Maghreb Politics Review.
Bangladesh: Mobile Phone And The Teenagers
An Ordinary Citizen argues that mobile phones are changing the lifestyles of the younger generation in Bangladesh. This is affecting the students, who “are more interested to be unnecessary indulged in useless gossip/chat for hours together, keep themselves aloof from the family and immediate surroundings”.
Cuba: Yoani Sanchez & Other Bloggers Seized
Yoaní Sánchez, Cuba's most famous blogger, who has received countless international awards for her activism, was detained briefly and beaten by Cuban authorities on November 6, along with fellow bloggers, Claudia Cadelo (a Global Voices contributor) and Orlando Luís Pardo Lazo. Bloggers make their feelings known about the incident.
Bahrain: For the fear of dogs
From Bahrain, Suhail Algosaibi posts a vlog on how he helped his son get over his fear of dogs – and how he made his own fear of dogs worse.
MENA: H1N1, Vaccines and Conspiracy Theories
Many countries have introduced vaccinations to help combat the spread of H1N1, or swine flu. As the sickness toll increases, so does the buzz online.
Bahrain: A New Old Love
Alia Almoayed, from Bahrain, has reconnected with her new old love. Click on the link to find out what it is.
Egypt: Praise for Threatened Voices
Egyptian Ibn Al Dunya, who writes at Fustat, praises a new Global Voices Online project – Threatened Voices, which tracks the suppression of online free speech.
Bahrain: An American Soldier
A picture speaks a thousand words. Mahmood Al Yousif, from Bahrain, is full of praise for the series of An American Solider, which follows in the footsteps of a soldier for 27 months from induction to training to combat and back home.
Libya: Islamists Rising
At the Maghreb Politics Review, Alle takes a look at Libya's internal politics and the emerging role of Islamists.
Cuba: Details of the Sánchez detention emerge
The detention, beating and subsequent release of bloggers Yoaní Sánchez, Claudia Cadelo and Orlando Luis Pardo by Cuban state security on November 6, is receiving widespread coverage in both the mainstream media and the blogosphere and twittersphere. Yoaní has written (es) about the incident on Generación Y, her blog, and...
Egypt: Max's thoughs on Azaan
Max Strasser, a journalist living in Cairo, wrote his thoughts on government plans to sync the call to prayer in every Cairo mosque to a radio broadcast.
Azerbaijan: Traditions
Sheki, Azerbaijan makes two posts on specific traditions practiced in her home country. In the first post, the blog explains how the shoes of visitors to homes are paired outside the front door, and in the second it looks at pickling white cucumbers.
Azerbaijan: Chess victory
Sheki, Azerbaijan comments on Azerbaijan's recent victory in the European Team Chess Championship. The blog says that it is proud of the achievement and hopes for more victories.
Azerbaijan: Reaction to yesterday's blogger trial
As the trial of video blogging youth activists Adnan Hajizade and Emin Milli continues in Baku, two English-language bloggers from Azerbaijan react to yesterday's aborted court hearing.
Tunisia: Blogger Fatma Arabicca Detained
Tunisian blogger Fatma Riahi, who blogs as Fatma Arabicca, has been charged with defamation on her own blog and is now being detained. A group has been formed on Facebook in support of the 34-year-old blogger, who is also being accused of blogging on Debat Tunise (Tunisia Debate).
Yoaní Sanchez & other Cuban bloggers detained, beaten
On the evening of November 6, Babalú blog linked to a post by Penultimos Dias (es) reporting that a number of prominent Cuban bloggers, including Yoaní Sánchez and Global Voices contributor Claudia Cadelo, were detained by state security forces. An update from Penultimos Días reported that Sanchez and Orlando Luis Pardo...
Ukraine: Flu and Politics
Jamestown Foundation Blog and Ukrainiana – on the politics around the flu situation in Ukraine.
