Stories from 19 August 2011
Bangladesh, India: Comparison Of The Two Bengals
Jyoti Rahman attempts to compare the performance of erstwhile East and West Bengal and opines that the physical division of Bengal is not necessarily a bad thing.
India: Should Telangana Be A Separate State?
Tanushree Krishna at Youth Ki Awaaz asks whether Telangana should be made a separate state.
Sri Lanka: The Return Of The Grease Devils
In many rural areas of Sri Lanka the mythical figure of the Grease Yaka (Grease Devil) is being blamed for nighttime assaults on women and thefts/robberies. A number of suspects have been arrested and a few of them even mob-lynched by villagers. Rezwan investigates.
Uganda: Ugandans Take Fight to Save a Rainforest to Internet
The Mabira Forest is found in central Uganda near the capital Kampala. It’s one of the few natural rain forests that remain after years of degradation. Ugandans are fighting their government's move to sell the land off to a sugar corporation.
U.S.V.I.: Saying “No” to Plastic Bags
“Plastic bags too often find their way into the waters of the island and end up wrapped around coral reefs”, says News of St. John, which is why “members of the St. John Rotary are planning to talk with the island's largest grocery stores” about replacing them with a more...
Trinidad & Tobago: Honouring Andre Tanker
Lisa Allen-Agostini is thrilled “that a group of artists has been drawn together to do a tribute concert to the late, great Andre Tanker,” a musician who “played the soundtrack to [her] life.”
Barbados: New CJ Appointed
Two different takes on the appointment of Barbados’ new Chief Justice, here and here.
Jamaica: Technology & Business
“Smartphones have truly revolutionised the way we interact”: Pray, laugh, grow! wonders whether “a BlackBerry pin [is] the new business card.”
Curaçao: “The re-enslavement of Tula”
Controversy is brewing over a film about Curaçao's “liberation warrior Tula” – read why, here.
History of China in 3½ Minutes
A rap video rounding up history of China from prehistoric times to present day by 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors in Youtube.
Russia: Bloggers Remember 20th Anniversary of August Coup
On August 19, Russians commemorate 20 years since the "August Putsch," a failed coup d'etat conducted by a number of KGB officers and military units who were opposed to Gorbachev's reform program and decentralisation of power to the Soviet republics. Citizens took to the streets to defend democracy, and bloggers are remembering their efforts.
Japan: Web, Social Games, and Mobile
Serkan Toto from Asiajin has made available his presentation on The Web, Social Games And Mobile In Japan.
Kyrgyzstan: Bloggers Take a Stand Against Manas-pulation
As Kyrgyzstan prepares for its 20th anniversary of independence and subsequent presidential elections, its legendary warrior king Manas is becoming more and more real by the day. Bloggers discuss the phenomenon.
Costa Rica: Slut Walk Reactions, Religion and Women's Rights
Last Sunday 14 August, 2011, the Costa Rican Slut Walk took place in the capital city of San Jose causing both a media and religious backlash due to allegedly violent anti-church chants and performances. The ongoing debate has been covered on both citizen and mass media outlets as people react to the Costa Rican version of this worldwide protest.
Ukraine: Sergiy Tigipko to Become PM in 2012-14?
Odessablog predicts that Ukraine's Vice PM Sergiy Tigipko “will become Prime Minister of Ukraine sometime between October 2012 and January 2014. Probably sooner rather than later.”
Russia: Ex-UK Ambassador's Diary of 5 Days in August 1991
OpenDemocracy.net publishes – here, here and here – excerpts from the August 1991 diary of Rodric Braithwaite, who was the British Ambassador in the Soviet Union back then.
