Stories from 5 May 2010
Russia: Bus with Stalin's Portrait Leads to Heated Online Debates
A bus with a portrait on Joseph Stalin in the city of St. Petersburg upset some and cheered the others. Russian Internet is filled with thousands of blogs discussing the issue.
Tunisia: A Black Day for Bloggers
Several Tunisian blogs, even those which have been inactive for months, have been blocked by the authorities for "no reason." Lina Ben Mhenni brings us the story.
Iran: Who steals bronze statues?
Eleven bronze statues of Iranian national heroes have been stolen from public parks, leaving Iranian bloggers scratching their heads as to the motive behind the act. Hamid Tehrani sums up their reactions in this post.
Lebanon: Lebanese Bloggers Convention
“Discussing the impact of blogging on the freedom of speech in Lebanon and the effect of blogging on the Lebanese society and culture” is one of the topics on the agenda of The First Annual Lebanese Bloggers Convention that is planned to take place at the American University of Beirut...
Lebanon: Questionable flag
Beirut Chronicles travels to the village of Bteghrine, north of Beirut, to follow up on rumours of a German flag bearing a swastika hung in the main square. The blog shows us a picture of the building from which the flag is hung, and discusses the issue in this post[Fr].
Haiti: For Sale?
The Haitian Blogger draws attention to “the plan [by an energy company] to ‘buy’ the island of La Gonave…yet a public disclosure of the status of any agreements is unknown outside of the principles involved.”
Trinidad & Tobago: All That Jazz
MEP Caribbean Publishers reviews the recently-concluded 2010 Tobago Jazz Festival.
Trinidad & Tobago: On Volney
Trinidadian diaspora blogger Jumbie's Watch questions former Justice-turned-political candidate Herbert Volney's decision in a case while B.C. Pires says: “It’s difficult to say which is harder to understand: Herbie’s stunned reaction that people should be protesting today when he attempts to speak at election platforms; or the UNC’s decision to...
Bahrain: London and Bank Holidays
Bahraini Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Al Khalifa tweets: “Never liked being in London on a bank holiday .. Most noteworthy places (food, shops)are closed.”
Jordan: Basketball Practice for Young Hashem
Queen Rania of Jordan tweets: “My Hashem just back from basketball practice.. Not Michael Jordan, but from Jordan! http://twitpic.com/1kcham”
Bahrain: Goodbye Al Waqt
Bahraini newspaper Al Waqt shut down on World Press Freedom Day following financial troubles. Fans formed a Facebook event – and visited the newspaper premises to bid it farewell.
Saudi Arabia: The Best of Riyadh Rain
Stranger in this Dunya sums up reactions to a freak storm which hit Saudi capital Riyadh in this post.
Saudi Arabia: The Power of Prayer
Tara Umm Omar, from Saudi Arabia, shares her experiences when the skies poured in Riyadh, using prayer to ward off the evils of the storm.
Bermuda: Isn't it Ironic?
Vexed Bermoothes points out some ironies about his island, one of which is that “the Bermuda Department of Tourism personnel never seem to wear Bermuda shorts”; fellow blogger Beach Lime calls it a missed opportunity.
Guyana: Searching for Freedom
“I learn that within freedom we must have discipline. I don’t think of that discipline as censorship. I think of it as putting brain into action before switching on motor-mouth”: The closing of Google China gets Guyana-Gyal thinking about freedom and responsibility.
Nigeria: Petition against Senator's marriage to 14 year old girl
Jeremy posts a link to a petition against Senator Ahmed Yerima and his ‘marriage’ to a 14 year old girl.
Iran: Tennis Competition in Tehran
Zohre has published several photos from a Tennis competition in Tehran. You can see players and different hair style.
Sri Lanka: Lately In The Lankanosphere
London, Lanka And Drums posts the latest roundup of Sri Lankan blogosphere.
Mexico: Citizen Journalism in the Middle of Drug-Trafficking Violence
Monterrey and the Mexican State of Nuevo León is currently caught up a wave of drugtrafficking-related violence that is affecting the daily lives of the residents, who are using citizen media to write about this situation.
The Republic of Niger ain't sexy enough for headlines
Is Niger making headlines following reports of food crisis in the country? One blogger, Global Nomad, does not think so. He writes, “Niger isn’t in the headlines. It’s barely ever been in the headlines.” Why? He says, "It just ain't sexy."
Technology for Transparency in China
Some recent online projects promoting greater civic engagement and government accountability reflect the emerging power of the middle class and the democratic influence from outside of China. However, while the country undergoes a fundamental shift in how information is spread and controlled, the power of Chinese authorities in regulating communication and participation should never be under-estimated.
