Stories from Quick Reads from December, 2010
Hungary: Relations With China
Hungarian Spectrum writes about Hungary's economic and financial relations with China.
Russia: Politics and Justice
At OpenDemocracy.net, Dmitry Travin writes about politics and justice in Russia.
Russia: Media Coverage of Khodorkovsky Verdict
Overview of media reactions to the verdict and sentence in the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev – by Robert Amsterdam, Global Chaos, and Sublime Oblivion.
Maldives: The Tsunami Monument
Photoblog //Sub/Corpus Photos posts a picture of “the Tsunami Monument, perhaps one the most photographed structure in Malé, built in memory of the Maldivians who lost their lives in the Indian Ocean Tsunami, December 26th, 2004″.
Pakistan: Recognition For BRAC Bangladesh
Bangladeshi non-profit BRAC's humanitarian efforts in Pakistan received recognition in the form of an award and a public display of appreciation by the people of Mohibanda village in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Sri Lanka: The Story Of The Wife Of An Army Personnel
Cerno from Sri Lanka posts an inspiring story of the wife of an army sergeant who was delighted to see her husband coming home intact after the war.
Kazakhstan: President For Life, Or At Least Until 2020
KZBlog writes about a movement to keep N. Nazarbayev as President until 2020 that is underway currently in Kazakhstan.
Afghanistan: UN Secretary General outlines worsening security situation
A report to the UN Security Council by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, covering the period since mid-September paints yet another grim picture of the political and military situation in Afghanistan, Nick Fielding says in his fresh review.
Turkmenistan: New Muslims sewing the threads
Islam is on the rise among Turkmenistan’s young and the government has been responding with more Soviet-style oppression. But how long can this situation last? neweurasia’s Annasoltan interviews Forum 18’s John Kinahan for his perspective.
Kyrgyzstan: Still An Island of Democracy?
According to the recent report of the Economist Intelligence Unit, Kyrgyzstan seems to remain an “island of democracy” in Central Asia, murzaki informs.
Afghanistan: Afghan Radio Wars
Sanjar writes about continuing war between the insurgents and the Afghan government – both on the battlefields and on the information field – and says that Taliban-sponsored radio stations seemingly get wider audience due to better technical accessibility.
Lebanon: Stop Honking
Lebanese drivers are renowned for ‘honking.’ Cal Perry tweets: “Dear #Beirut … honk more. Seriously … lay on that car horn more. I can't hear you.”
Africa: Formal education is not advancing Africa
Nana argues that formal education is not advancing Africa: “Let’s admit it – formal education in Ghana and much of Africa is structured to teach young people to read and write, no more.”
Algeria: What is Happening in Tunisia?
Algerian-American The Moor Next Door comments on the protests taking place in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia. “Police have attempted to block media coverage of the riots (and that the rioting is isolated and being exaggerated by the opposition), but bloggers and activists have posted pictures and video of the disturbances on the Internet,”...
Algeria: Wikileaks and Israel
Khaled Mimoune, from Algeria, tweets (Ar): “Isn't it fishy that there are no Wikileaks documents exposing Israel's scandals?”
Ghana: Who cares about District Assembly Elections?
Who cares about District Assembly Elections in Ghana?: “So is anyone worried about the District Assemble Elections??? Because no one seems to care and still government preaches that it allocates monies for development projects at that level. The public toilets remain same in Osu, a cosmopolitan suburb of Accra.”
Saudi Arabia: The Kingdom in One Sentence
From Saudi Arabia, Mustafa Hussain tweets (Ar): “Unemployment, corruption, tribalism, weak education curricula, state-owned media, full prisons, bad government services, oil which is not its own – all this and more in Saudi Arabia.”
Africa: 15 African Breakout Artists of the Year
Ladybrille's 15 African breakout artists of the year: “2010 has been a terrific year for African music and its music industry. As a quick recap, the first World Cup held on African soil put African music center stage in the homes of millions…”
Nigeria: The Nigerian “eating” class
Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye blogs about the Nigerian “eating” class: “I wanted to make money fast and live big. As I saw on television and newspapers these mostly thirty-something olds and early or mid-forty emergency billionaires who I was so certain I was more intelligent and more hardworking…”
Somalia: How do you solve a problem like Somalia?
Daniel Kalinaki discusses ways to solve a problem like Somalia in global politics: “Somalia is not a new conflict; the country ‘failed’ in 1991 and has since then been a collection of tribes and clans struggling to control the territory and the people.”
Uganda: Why I am not my tribe
UgandanInsoniac explains why she is not her tribe: “They say I am trying to be a mzungu by asserting that I have no tribe. They accuse me of denying my heritage and have called me pretentious, arrogant and stupid. Some have even gone as far as to say I am...
