Stories from Quick Reads from April, 2010
Russia: The 2009 Killing of Umar Israilov
Robert Amsterdam writes about Ramzan Kadyrov's alleged involvement in the 2009 murder of Umar Israilov in Vienna, and links to C.J. Chivers’ New York Times investigative piece, whose opening paragraph has reminded him of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, a collection of Vietnam War short stories.
Japan: Plastic duck race
Photoreporter Damoncoulter uploaded original pictures of the duck race held at the second Ashigara River festival in Matsuda city (south of Tokyo). Some hundred yellow, plastic ducks are emptied into the river and “the monies raised are plowed back into environmental organizations that clean up the river and Ashigara area.”
Hungary: Political and Economic News
Commentary on the recent developments in the Hungarian politics and the economy – at Hungarian Spectrum, here and here, and at A Fistful of Euros.
Russia: “Burnt By the Box Office”
Vadim Nikitin of Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog reviews the reactions to Nikita Mikhalkov's Burnt by the Sun 2, “Russia’s most expensive movie.”
Russia: More Commentary on Sex Video Scandal
A Good Treaty comments – here and here – on the sex video scandals involving members of the Russian opposition, notes an increase in blog traffic (“nothing brings visitors to a website like the promise of nudity”), and responds to Julia Ioffe‘s Foreign Policy piece on the scandal.
Laos: Rural food
Rambling Spoon, who spent nine days in Phongsali province in Laos, kept a diary of what they ate in Laos.
East Timor: Resignation through SMS
East Timor Foreign Minister Zacarias da Costa reportedly resigned his post through SMS.
Brunei: Salaries of hospital doctors
Brunei Doctors Mess Club writes about the salaries received by hospital doctors in Brunei.
Haiti: Getting it Wrong
Haitianalysis.com points out all the ways in which a British newspaper columnist gets it wrong about Haiti.
Bahamas: Free Markets & the Environment
Bahama Pundit‘s Larry Smith blogs about Earth Day and free market environmentalism.
Trinidad & Tobago: Checking the Facts
KnowTnT.com‘s Edmund Gall thinks “it would be nice if a couple professional journalists in T&T could produce a weekly fact-check column for the duration of the elections.”
Cuba: It's the Economy
“You can count on one hand the number of foreign investors who have kept their businesses in Cuba”: Iván's File Cabinet thinks that the Cuban economy is sinking.
Bermuda: Lack of Governance
Vexed Bermoothes calls the extension of a hotel's lease to 120 years “stunning”, adding: “This is a failure in governance and in accountability.”
Sri Lanka: Google Transliteration In Sinhalese Language.
Mayu Online informs that Google is supporting transliteration in Sinhalese language.
Pakistan: Ashamed Of National Dress?
MB criticizes Pakistan Prime Minister for not wearing national dress and failing to promote national culture at international levels.
Ghana: The Premier of Professor Azumah Nelson documentary
Ghanaian blogger Mac Jordan attended the the premiere of Professor Azumah Nelson‘s documentary, “ZOOM ZOOM – The Career of Azumah Nelson.” The documentar is written and directed Sam Kessie; a Ghanaian film-maker based in Atlanta, USA.
India, Pakistan: Please Discuss
Adil Najam at All Things Pakistan urges the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, who are in Bhutan to attend the SAARC Summit, to start bilateral talks and to keep talking.
Nigeria: Forced marriages and the age of consent
Sokari discusses forced marriages and the age of consent after the former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Sani Yerima marries a 13 year old Egyptian girl for whom he paid her family $100,000.
South Africa: The woes of a South African blogger
Project Me blogs about the woes of a South African blogger: “I know, it’s nearly half way through the day and still ni blog. Well that’s because I’m a South African blogger who has days when I wake up to no electricity or no internet connection.”
Africa: Good news for Internet users in East Africa
Codrin Arsene has good news for Internet users in East Africa: “The second major fiber optic cable linking East Africa to the rest of the world, and specifically to Europe, known as the East African Submarine Cable System, was completed on Tuesday.”
India: Crowdsourcing Advertising Ideas From Consumers
Bhatnaturally discusses about a recent effort by a multinational brand in India to crowdsource advertising ideas from consumers and wonders whether it will really work or not.
