Stories about English from October, 2008
India: World Champion in Chess
Baithak reports that the Indian master chess player Viswanathan Anand retained his FIDE World Chess Championship title in 2008.
Pakistan: Baluchistan Quake
On Wednesday morning an earthquake shook the eastern section of Pakistan tipping the Richter Scale at a massive 6.5. The most devastated region was Ziarat, a remote location in Baluchistan. It resulted in more than 300 deaths, hundreds were injured and thousands were left homeless out in the open in...
Frightful Facts or Fantastical Fictions?
This third part of the "Lore, ghosts, demons and frights" series has arrived, and we are looking this time a bit beyond the Latin American borders. With this last installment, we seek out the Chupacabras, stick our heads into Voudou rites, observe examples of exorcism and inquire after a cannibal murderer who has become a Venezuelan legend.
Sri Lanka: Tea industry in crisis
Serendipity reports that the Sri Lankan tea industry is in crisis because the international buyers of tea have stayed away from the auctions due to credit crunch.
Georgia: McCain Endorsement
Ahead of next week's presidential election in the United States, This Is Tbilisi Calling says that while most people would prefer a Obama victory, Georgia is firmly behind McCain and posts a photograph of the country's Minister for Refugees to prove it.
Zambia: Allegations of Vote Rigging
Was there rigging in yesterday's Presidential election in Zambia?: “Meanwhile, allegations of vote rigging and administrative chaos have dominated Zambia's presidential by-election. Concerns of vote rigging reached fever pitch with opposition candidate Michael Sata pointing a finger at the police and the army.”
Zambia: Photo of Main Opposition Candidate Voting
Flickr photo of the main opposition candidate in the Presidential election in Zambia, Michael Satta, voting on October 30, 2008.
South Africa: The Impact of Mobile Active '08
A video podcast shot at Mobile Active Conference in South Africa: “In the first interview, David Barnard, Executive Director of the Southern African Non-Governmental Organisation Network (SANGONeT) and organizer of MobileActive08, talks about the event and how it will impact activities at SANGONet.”
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Online Info
“I always tell my friends to be careful what they write in cyberspace. One rule of thumb I use is to ask myself if what I post online I would tell to the world at large. If the answer is no, then I refrain from posting it”: Blogging from St....
Trinidad & Tobago: Building Walls
As the government of Trinidad and Tobago begins construction on a wall they say is part of a beautification project, but which many view as a tactic for hiding the squalor of a disadvantaged community, Attillah Springer says: “Build walls because, yes, this is what the nation needs. More division....
Bermuda: National Pride
FreshieBlog lists a number of reasons he is proud to be Bermudian.
Zambia: Zambia Election Website
Cho posts a link to a website with election results in Zambia: “All the latest “unoffical” results can be found on the Zambia Election Results website.”
China: Blog is Outdated?
The 4th Chinese Blogger Conference will be held November 15-16th, 2008, in Guangzhou, China. However, in the past year, there is a continuing discussion in the Chinese blogosphere on whether blog culture is dying down. Moreover, recently bokee.com and blogchina.com, the two earliest BSPs founded by Fang dong-xing (nickname blogfather)...
Bangladesh: Rickshawpuller as pop idol
Mark Dummett reports that Omar Ali, a rickshaw puller from an impoverished village became Bangladesh’s new music star.
D.R. of Congo: Blogging From the War Zone
The following are eye-witness accounts from bloggers based in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo about the situation in the area following fresh clashes between rebels, government and UN forces.
U.S and South Korea: Currency Crisis and Korean Students in the US
Yoon Jeong Kim writes on how the currency crisis affects Korean students life in the U.S at Ohmynews!
U.S and South Korea: Currency Swapping Plan
Andy Jackson from the Marmot's hole blogs about the U.S and South Korea currency swapping plan. The blogger finds it a win-win deal.
China and U.S: World of Warcraft
China Beat blogs an interview with UCI Professor of Informatics Bonnie Nardi on her research founding on WoW players in China and the U.S.
D.R. Congo: Confusion Reigns in Goma
Two months ago fighting resumed in the DR Congo's Eastern province of North Kivu between the rebel group led by Laurent Nkunda and government forces, in violation of a peace accord signed in January. The fighting has intensified during the last 6 days and, although a cease-fire was announced, the situation remains uncertain in Goma. Here are a few impressions from bloggers on the ground.
Japan: Thoughts on Itochu trading scam
On October 10th, Itochu Corporation announced that it had paid close to one hundred billion yen in false transactions valued at nearly 100 billion yen to Mongolian suppliers for construction machinery and materials. One blogger and chartered accountant offers their thoughts on what happened inside Itochu.
Japan: Response to Obama “Put down the Wii Remote” Ad
Comments from Japanese net users respond [ja] to an ad by U.S. presidential nominee Obama in which viewers are told to “put down the remote and go vote“. “Why Wii?” one asks. Another writes: “Anti-Japan policies before even becoming president?” And one person wonders: “Does Obama despise Japan?”