The blogosphere responds to Jamaica's first woman Prime Minister

On March 30, Jamaica's first (and the anglophone Caribbean's second the anglophone Caribbean's third, after Dominica's Eugenia Charles and Bermuda's Jennifer Smith) female Prime Minister was sworn into office. Portia Simpson-Miller is a long-standing member of Jamaica's ruling People's National Party (PNP) who won the party's internal vote to elect...

Czech Republic: Making Brno Cleaner

Jesse of Bored in Brno writes about the city authorities’ somewhat irrational attempts to make the city cleaner and shares his own ideas.

Belarus: Ignore What Seems Like a New “Gas War”

VW at TOL's Belarus Blog advises on how to react to what seems like the beginning of a new “gas war,” this time between Russia and Belarus: “Simply pay no attention. Think about those who suffered these weeks.”

Korea: Crime prevention

Robert in The Marmot's Hole questions whether Korea is as dangerous as the Korean National Police Agency's new crime prevention guide for foreigners makes it out to be. “The National Police Agency said it made the pamphlet because crimes against foreigners have been on the rise recently (funny, I didn’t...

DRC: Malu Malu Announces Delay in Communal Elections

UDPS Liege blogger ngstephane comments (FR) on electoral council President Appolinaire Malu Malu's appearance on a Belgian talk show yesterday. Blogger is especially disappointed with Malu Malu's announcement that communal elections will have to take place later than the constitutionally mandated June 30, 2006 deadline and predicts that Malu Malu...

Poland: Singer Turned Politician Tired of Politics

The beatroot writes about a 56-year-old Polish rock musician turned politician and the problems he's facing. “After making a lot of money over the years, he must have got bored – like ageing rock stars do – and thought that he would represent the very un-rock and roll Law and...

Russia: Xenophobia and Racism

Sean Guillory guestblogs at Publius Pundit on racism and xenophobia in today's Russia.

DR: No to “sexual liberty”

Andrés Duque reports that language referring to “sexual liberty” will be removed from a current draft amendment to the Dominican Republic's Civil Code. One of the fears among critics of the phrase is that it could pave the way for same-sex marriage legislation. Duque quotes the the interim attorney general...

Caribbean, US: US-Caricom meeting

Larry Smith discusses the recent US-Caricom meeting in the Bahamas in the context of both recent US foreign policy and Condolezza Rice's career. He quotes a Bahamian diplomat, who says: “The policies of the US are not producing the results that it desires, and therefore how should friends of the...

DRC: UDPS’ Latest Demands

Doubting that elections can and will take place June 30 as planned, UDPS Liege posts(FR) the UDPS’ latest demands to the international community and the Congolese government. Demands include the reopening of voter and candidate registration, a realistic electoral calendar, the inclusion of the Congolese diaspora in the electoral process...

Power – from youth to the sun – in Nigerian blogs this week

Musings from Nigerian Bloggers this Week

Pulse of the Saudi Blogosphere

Mohsen Al-Awaji was freed after 11 days of detention, and Aya thinks this action by the government is a tangible lesson for Saudis: “Don’t you dare to criticize the government because we are capable, at any time, of stripping you from your freedom and dignity.” Riyadhwai seemed happy about the...

Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

This week bloggers in Iraq are saying the same thing in different ways – the security situation is becoming unbearable. Also, in my bag today, a winning blogger gets another award; Chikitita negotiates Iraqi bureaucracy – Lara Croft-style; Meemo has a party; Caeser has a chance meeting with a girl...

Belarus: Lukashenko's Missing

Andrei Khrapavitski translates an entry by LJ user wolny on the mysterious public absense of the Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko.

Trinidad & Tobago: 6 year-0ld's brutal murder

Francomenz and Caribbean Free Radio express outrage at the news of the brutal buggering and murder of a six year-old boy. Francomenz reminds us of the other unsolved cases involving the murder and buggery of children, and Caribbean Free Radio, looking at the television news, brings up the issue of...

Thailand: People's Constitution

Tom Vanvanij reflects on the current Thai constitution — now that it looks like the kingdom will be getting a new one.

Mikaila makes her debut at the pan collective with a bit of commentary on the inaguration of Jamaica's first female Prime Minister, the Honorable Portia Simpson, which takes place on Thursday 30 March, and her two cents’ on the Commonwealth Games.

Poland: Parliamentary Crises

The beatroot writes on Poland's inability to come up with a coalition government and the not too efficient attempts to fix the situation: “Many normal people here argue, however, that it is not the system […] that is to blame for Poland’s political instability, but – and here’s a radical...

North Korea: Official defects

Joshua from The Korea Liberator compares the recent defection of a North Korean man rumored to be a diplomat with the 2003 defection of senior North Korean weapons official Bok Ku Lee.

Taiwan: Teaching English

Scott Sommers provides some context in response to recent comments on websites frequented by English teachers regarding government restrictions on private language schools in “The Continued Crackdown on Commercial Education.”

China: Convenient humanitarianism

In his post “Arab Leaders Ignore Chinese,” lordgenius at China Intel mentions an upcoming meeting between the Arab League and the Chinese Communist Party in Sudan which will focus on Iraq, the Palestinian-Israeli peace process and the ongoing civil strife in western Sudan's Darfur region. “Isn't there something missing here?...