Stories from Quick Reads from December, 2006
Estonia: A New Republic Piece
Itching for Eestimaa reviews a travel piece on Estonia in the latest New Republic.
Russia: Kalmyk Deportation
Yet another sad anniversary from J. Otto Pohl: “Sixty-three years ago the Stalin regime deported the vast majority of the Kalmyk population from their historic homeland to Siberia.”
Iran:Who is the best Iranian of the year
Thanks to Aroosak Kooki blog, I have discovered a link to Iranian.com where 860 people voted for “the best Iranian of the year.” There are very interesting people on the list such as students who protested President Ahmadinejad's visit to Amir Kabir Technical University or Anousheh Ansari, the first Iranian...
Iran:Remember Bam
Several bloggers remember in their blogs about Bam earthquake,three years after disaster. Shamgahan has published a couple of photos of earthquake . The blogger asks what has been done for Bam population with all the foreign help that government received.The blogger adds, 72 hours after earthquake, government got 8 million...
Iran:Kianoosh Sanjari is Out of Jail
Sos Sanjari blog says “Kianoosh Sanjari,a young blogger and reporter who had been in prison for more than 70 days, is finally out of prison[Fa].”
Guyana: Living Guyana Media Awards 2006
MediaCritic announces the results of the Living Guyana Media Awards 2006. GV favourite GuyanaGyal wins the Blog of the Year title.
Tahiti: A New President for Christmas
Blogger Jiriki says (Fr) Tahiti got a special present for Christmas: a new President, Gaston Tong Sang. The blogger links to a profile of the new President indicating that he is an engineer who has held various minister posts in the Tahitian government since 1986. He was born in Bora...
Rep. of Congo: Allegations of Illegal Arrests
Le Pangolin posts a letter explaining (Fr) that Sargeant Mouele and two other members of the military have been arrested and detained in the Republic of Congo without the due process mandated by the Congolese constitution of 2002. The letter alleges many violations of due process including: actions by authorities...
Senegal: Irregularities in Voter Registration Records
In anticipation of the upcoming presidential election, Blog Politique du Senegal takes (Fr) a closer look at official voter registration numbers and finds that if the current numbers are to be believed, every single person of voting age in Senegal is registered. Says the blog: “It is hard to believe...
Tanzania: president is a servant
Jaduong Metty writes a letter to the president of Tanzania, Jakaya Kikwete, “Given your recent comments during an exclusive interview with the Guardian, in which you gave the following comment: “ British Prime Minister Tony Blair has invited me on January 16 to visit London. Should I say I am...
Nigeria: who is to blame?
Chxta's World discusses the tragedy that claimed more that 200 lives in Nigeria, “Concerning the avoidable tragedy that played out in Abule-Egba, it is pertinent to note that there are many factors involved, and all of them are/were totally avoidable. I will like to point some of these factors out...
Afghanistan:Snow in Kabul
Thanks to Cheragh blog,we can see several photos of Kabul and its heavy snow.
Argentines: Books of 2006
Jeff Barry lists the recommended 2006 foreign and Argentine books according to Ñ magazine.
Venezuela: Elizabeth Schön and God
Guillermo Parra translates a piece by Ana María Hernández G. about the latest book by Venezuelan poet Elizabeth Schön.
Argentina: Last.FM en español
Argentine blogger Mariano Amartino celebrates the Spanish-language launch of last.FM, a music-focused social networking site.
Mexico: Five Best Viral Videos
Eduardo Arcos highlights the five best “viral videos” of the year.
Venezuela: The best Christmas music you've never heard of
“There were two very notable things about Christmas in Zulia that I immediately became aware of: the temperature (around 90 degrees) and La Gaita Zuliana,” writes Jennifer Woodard Maderazo about the Christmas protest songs of Venezuela's Zulia state.
Turkmenistan: Transition
Sean Roberts says that there is still quite a bit of uncertainty in the post-Turkmenbashi transition in Turkmenistan.
Uzbekistan: Religious Restrictions
Alisher reports that the new governor of the Andijon province, the site of the 2005 protests and massacre, has imposed new restrictions on Islamic religious practice, including requirements that all restaurants serve alcohol and that children and teenagers not be admitted to mosques for public prayers.
India: Going back to Cochin
Pooja Malpani goes home to Kerala after a year and a half, and already, things are a little difference. “The whole scenario seems so chaotic with a 2 laner being used as a 1-5 laner and I’d feel really scared in a car when a bus was next to us...
Turkmenistan: Weak Constitution
At neweurasia, Peter reports on constitutional amendments in Turkmenistan that both pave the way for acting President Berdymuhammedov to continue in the role and sweep aside any hope that Turkmenbashi's death would usher in openness and democracy.
