9 February 2010

Stories from 9 February 2010

Mozambique: Have African people been ‘Cursed'?

  9 February 2010

Custódio Duma wonders whether Africans have been ‘cursed’, leading to servitude of black people worldwide. He mentions biblical perspectives and says [pt]: “It's from Africa that most resources that keep the capitalism machine working comes from. Yet, Africans almost do not profit from them. […] But who has cursed Africans?”

Sri Lanka: Another Blunder

  9 February 2010

A Voice In Colombo thinks that the victorious Mahinda Rajapaksa's government had “created another chance for opposition to gain public sympathy” by arresting general Sarath Fonseka.

India: The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Blog

  9 February 2010

An interesting panel discussion on the delicious variety of ‘Food Writing’ took place at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai, India. Read this and much more in The Kala Ghoda Gazette, the official blog of the festival.

Trinidad & Tobago: Parenting & Carnival

  9 February 2010

“Yes carnival is here, the greatest show on earth. The music, the [mas], the freedom and…babies at fetes”: Media Callaloo is appalled at the irresponsibility of some of the parents in Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad & Tobago: Blood Test vs. Breathalyzer

  9 February 2010

KnowTnT.com takes issue with a point in the recent amendment to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act: “Nowhere does it state that someone accused of being drunk can volunteer to take a blood alcohol test. When you fail a blood test for alcohol, you're nailed. There's no way out...

Trinidad & Tobago: Working for the Tourist Dollar?

  9 February 2010

The Liming House is incensed by a campaign from Virgin Atlantic designed to “help the Caribbean”: “Both Virgin and the Travel Foundation appear to think that the only opportunities for ‘disadvantaged youth’ in the Caribbean are in ‘craft making, beekeeping and fishing.’ Gosh, development has just passed those backward-but-smiling natives...

China: Let Feng Zhenghu come home, to jail time

  9 February 2010

After 92 days in Narita Airport, activist Feng Zhenghu has returned to Japan and is preparing for his ninth attempt to return home to China. Should he go? Illiberal members of Anti-CNN.com think jail time for leaders in China's exiled democracy movement could give it a fresh start.

China: #Tanzuoren – to be human

  9 February 2010

Chinese activist Tan Zuoren was sentenced to 5 year imprisonment and 3 year deprivation of political rights this morning (Feb 9) under the charge of inciting subversion of state power. Tan was involved in the investigation of the relation between bean dregs school buildings and the death of school children...

Arab World: Should the New York Times Reassign Ethan Bronner?

  9 February 2010

Over the past couple of weeks, a much-discussed topic in the broader Arab blogosphere has been a news story that broken by a member of the blogosphere itself. On January 25, the Electronic Intifada (EI) reported that the son of Ethan Bronner, New York Times' Jerusalem bureau chief, had recently been inducted into the Israeli Defense Forces. Arab bloggers discuss the case.

Taiwan: Dark Marketing on Facebook

  9 February 2010

Mr. Friday on mmdays.com discusses how some people create fraudulent facebook fan page using photos of beautiful girls or logos of famous companies like MSN and Google(zh). The amount of fans can thus be sold to other businesses for promotion and marketing purpose. Mr. Friday asks Facebook to look into...

Venezuela: The Interrupted Hunger Strike of Franklin Brito

  9 February 2010

Venezuelan farmer Franklin Brito had been on a hunger strike, when he was taken to a military hospital against his will, while the government is questioning his mental state. His family is calling for his release and say that the label was placed on him because of his opposition to the government.

Sri Lanka: On Fonseka's Arrest

  9 February 2010

Libertad blog reacts to the hammering of “the final nail in the coffin of democracy” of Sri Lanka – the arrest of General Sarath Fonseka: “adieu Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka and welcome the Totalitarian State of Sri Lanka for now.”