Stories from Quick Reads from January, 2006
Ethiopia: internet reporter held
Meskel Square reports from Ethiopia on the three headline news items…Ethiopia indefinitely bans exports of four kinds of food crops ; Internet reporter held without charge in Ethiopia; Court orders death sentence for police officer in killing of students
Africa: Contributions to civilisation
Afrikan Eye publishes an article on the Africa's contribution to civilisation…..“Contributions to astronomy”
Trinidad & Tobago: Carnival
Nicholas Laughlin is finally embracing Carnival, the national festival of his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. Caribbean Free Radio, on the other hand, may just have seen a few too many.
Ivory Coasts: French interests
Watch France writes that France is only concerned with advancing French interests….”Anything that advances French interests is acceptable. Murder, corruption, the buying off of African leaders, disinformation and the list is endless. A look at what is happening on the Continent bears me out.”
Burkina Faso: Gold mining
Keith of under the acacias writes on gold mining in Burkina Faso and asks if they are a blessing and for who?…..Mining has been a controversial subject in Burkina Faso and elsewhere in Africa. Events in Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone, and other places have highlighted common problems in...
Japan: Jellyfish vs. Whale
Mutant Frog Travelogue suggests that rather than hunt whales, Japan ought to focus on snaring jellyfish which have been multiplying in its waters.
Japan, Korea: Grateful Colonies
Oranckay rebuts an article in the Japan Times that argues, among other things, that Japanese colonial rule benefited Korea. “It’s one thing to know that mentioning “Japan’s contribution to Korea’s modernization… only creates anger in Korea,” but it’s another to understand that one of the reasons it angers Koreans so...
Philippines: Rent Control
Another Hundred Years Hence, a blog by an urban planner, blames artificially low rents for the degeneration of the Philippines’ capital city: “Want to know why Metro Manila is in a state of disrepair? Five decades of rent control. Want to know why we have squatter colonies? Rent control. Want...
Taiwan: What's in a Name?
Pinyin News puzzles over — at length — the mystery of the ‘g’ in famous Taiwan director Ang Lee's name, which seems to be properly romanized as “An.” A commenter provides one answer: An Li or Li An sounded too feminine to him.
Mozambique: floods
African Water Journal blog reports on the floods in Mozambique which is presently affecting some 12,000 people….”Water levels in the Zambezi River Basin were still precariously high”
Plan Colombia and Beyond: Notes on a Senate staff trip to Colombia
Adam Isacson has a typically meticulous post documenting the visit by Senator Richard Lugar's assistant, Carl Meacham to Colombia where he released a report calling for the continuation of US aid in its present form.
Bolivia: “Washington Week in Review”
Democracy Center director, Jim Shultz spent last week in Washington D.C. where he spoke on U.S. – Bolivian relations after the inauguration of leftist president, Evo Morales. In his notes on the visit Shultz calls Bolivia's new Ambassador-Designate, Sasha Lorenti, “a super pick for this job” who is “well-respected on...
Argentina: Little Press Coverage of Chinese New Yeaer
SaltShaker has a difficult time finding information about the Chinese New Year festivities in Buenos Aires’ Chinatown.
Caucasus: YoungCaucasus
Week one of the Young Caucasus Women Project is underway with posts from Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Armenia: Notes
Onnik Krikorian has more notes from the Armenian blogosphere–a roundup of posts on Armenian blogs over the past week.
Kyrgyzstan: Nepotism
T-Moor discusses the Kyrgyz president's response to criticism over his appointment of his brother to a government post.
Georgia: Powerless
Ben Wheeler says that Tbilisi is making due with energy shortages but that despite government claims to the contrary, the burdens are not evenly distributed between rich and poor.
Turkmenistan: Rukhnama in Space
Peter of neweurasia reports that Turkmenistan has sent more national paraphernalia into space.
Poland: Tragedy at Katowice
the beatroot reports on the tragic collapse of a roof in Katowice, Poland in which over 60 people have died. Their reporting continues with a look at whether or not negligence is to blame for the disaster.
El Salvador: Outpouring of Tributes for Handal
Both Tim's El Salvador Blog and Leftside comment on the outpouring of support at the funeral of former leftist political leader, Schafik Handal. The U.S. – El Salvador Sister Cities blog has an economic and socio-political review of El Salvador during 2005 along with some predictions for this year.
Trinidad & Tobago: The sacred and the profane
CaribPundit notes with delight that Trinidadian Carnival designer Peter Minshall is back after a two-year absence with a Carnival band called “The Sacred Heart”, reporting in the same post on an incident in southern Trinidad where police attempted to quell a demonstration over poor road conditions using tear gas, mace...
