Stories about Development from October, 2008
Armenia: Peace Corps Volunteer Blogs
While the number of blogs on or based in the South Caucasus is often put in the tens of thousands, the actual number of bloggers is significantly lower. Moreover, the vast majority based on the ground are usually situated in the capital cities of the three republics making up the...
Jordan: We are ‘Backward’ Because …
“Instead of spending our time on improving our lives, economy, well being and living standards we spend time watching people and what they do and say,” writes Ali, about life in Jordan and the Arab world.
Seychelles: Seychelles Joins Pan-African e-Network
“Seychelles is the second African country, after Senegal to join the $1 billion pan-African e-network project initiated by the Indian government,” writes Gervais from Seychelles.
Trinidad & Tobago: Cricket & Culture
Review of the Indigenous Caribbean Center examines “the relevance of a West Indian culture forged by cricket.”
Bangladesh: An IT feat
Back to Bangladesh reports that the Custom House Automation Project of Chittagong port, the largest port in Bangladesh was successfully completed with local skills (no foreign consultants or companies were involved).
Jamaica: Complicity
“How did we get here? Where have these savages come from? Where is the Jamaica we once knew?”: Kadene Porter at Abeng News Magazine not only has the answers, she has a few solutions.
Afghanistan: Peace, and Trash
Joshua Foust notes the goings on in the Afghanistan blogosphere: ruminations on trash, reconciliation, and, of course, the messy problems posed by the Taliban. That is, if you can define "Taliban."
Africa: Social Media in Africa
Jonathan analyses advances in social media on the African continent: “Contrary to popular belief, Africa is not completely absent from the Internet. In fact, the continent at large is undergoing a connectivity revolution unlike anything it has ever seen.”
Hungary: Budapest's Colbert Bridge
Central Europe Activ writes about the urban development, environment and the Megyeri Bridge (aka Stephen Colbert Bridge) in Budapest.
Moldova: Notes on Foreign and Domestic Issues
The 8th Circle and Central Europe Activ write about domestic and international issues that Moldova is dealing with.
Cape Verde: On reaching the 3rd place in the Ibrahim Index
João Branco comments on Cape Verde's achievement going two points up to the respected 3rd place in the Ibrahim Index of African Governance. “This is an important piece of news, given the fairly rigorous and serious way – at least so it seems – that they come up with this...
Morocco: Fez to Host Ronaldinho and Zidane
The View from Fez reports that the city of Fez will host UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors and celebrity footballers Ronaldinho and Zinedine Zidane for a Match Against Poverty.
Trinidad & Tobago: Urban Farming
“Like most countries in the world we are victim to the growing global food crisis. As an oil-producing nation our agricultural sector has been neglected and scorned for so long, that we now find ourselves unable to provide adequately for ourselves, even though we have the land, resources and know-how”:...
Uzbekistan: Cotton Harvest
Michael Hancock reports that Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, will soon play host once again to the 4th International Uzbek Cotton Fair amidst continuing accusations of the child-labor issue.
Blogger of the week: Rezwan
Global Voices new South Asia editor, Rezwan, from Bangladesh has been with Global Voices as a volunteer author since 2005. Memorable posts by Rezwan include a report on Twittering' an earthquake in Bangladesh, and a story of colorful but expensive Bangladeshi weddings. He replaces the illustrious Neha Viswanathan as South Asia editor.
Japan: GLOCOM report on new JICA president Sadako Ogata
The GLOCOM blog has a report (in both English and Japanese) on new JICA president Sadako Ogata's [緒方貞子] presentation Oct. 2nd at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ), which follows on the Oct. 1st consolidation of much of Japan's Official Developmental Assistance (ODA) through the merging of JICA and...
China: Giving a hand to rescue U.S?
Now, the financial crisis originated from U.S is going to sweep the globe. As the closest trade partner of U.S, China is struggling over the question: should it give a hand to help America out of the abyss? Or are we able to? But some netizens are thinking even further.
Bahamas: Straw Market Budget
Rick Lowe at Weblog Bahamas thinks that the 5 million dollars that the government is allocating to rebuild the Nassau Straw Market “is over the top. This matter deserves clearer thinking.”
Hong Kong: Banned Halloween Ads
Every year, the Ocean Park in Hong Kong would organize Halloween party for attracting visitors. However, its advertisements faced a lot of complaints from the public. This year, some of its clips were banned. But one of the the banned clip is now circulated via youtube and has attracted a...
Japan: Who can you call about Google Street View?
Blogger Hiromitsu Takagi [高木浩光] takes up the story [ja] of Google vice president Kent Walker's Q&A at a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 29th, highlighting statements [ja] by Google Japan director Kōichirō Tsujino [辻野晃一郎] claiming that people who would like images from the company's Street View service to be...
Brazil: Do deforestation and elections mix?
What is the link between recent deforestation rate increases in the Amazon and the upcoming Brazilian municipal elections in October 5?