SOUTH ASIA:
Photo: “Cheapest Commuter” by Karachiblog.

Kiruba reports on the Nth Chennai bloggers’ meeting. SelectiveAmnesia has pictures.

MIDDLE EAST:
Iran's Guardian Council has released its approved list of presidential candidates and the reformist blogging candidate Mostafa Moeen is not among them. Some blogger reaction:
– Mr. Behi says the Guardian Council is the “gangrene of democracy.”
– Hossein Derakhshan (Hoder) accuses conservative candidate Moshen Rezai of shameless campaigning.

Iranian Truth discusses the rise of militarism.

The Kurdistan Bloggers Union posts photos of a demonstration by 50,000 Kurds in Syria to protest the disappearance of Kurdish cleric Sheikh Mohammad Mashouk al-Khaznawi. (More photos on www.qamislo.info)

On ChristianIraq.com, blogger Dahr Jamail describes the angst of an Iraqi man in Amman Jordan fretting about the safety of his family in Baghdad: “Abu Talat was talking via IM with his wife as she nearly fainted because bombs and gunfire were so near their home.”

Mohammed at Iraq the Model thinks talk of civil war is overblown.

Omar thinks the photo of Saddam in his underwear isn't such a big deal.

Raed in the Middle (with a long comments thread) discusses the parallels between Star Wars III and the Iraq situation. (see my separate post for more Star Wars links!)

Ali at Free Iraqi reports on a bovine suicide bomber.
..more seriously, he also reports on a rally to honor an Iraqi police officer who was killed after stopping a suicide attack.

David at Israelly Cool has his first podcast.

Isam Bayazidi believes this year will go down in history as “Blog year of Arabia.”

At Syriancomment.com, Syria-watcher Joshua Landis asks: ” Would it be Better for Syria to have Regime-Change Now or in 5 Years?”

SOUTHEAST ASIA:
Various Singaporean bloggers got interviewed by Singapore's Sunday Times. Mr Brown is annoyed at being called an “online diarist.” He links to the newspapers raw interview so that you can compare them with the final newspaper report.

Still in Singapore, Wannabe Lawyer and Singasingapore are Google-bombing the Singapore Democratic Party.

Jacob at Omeka na huria recommends a book on internet surveillance & intimidation in Singapore.

Bloggers in the Philippines are outraged that “a Google search for the word “Filipina” throws back a slew of sites on dating and mail order brides. It’s even worse for Google Image Search.” But the “Pinoy Bloggers” – as they call themselves – aren't just going to sit back and let this state of affairs continue. They've got a plan to link the word “Filipina” to URL's and permalinks to each others’ blog posts that describe women of the Philippines as “excellent, smart and tenacious.”

Jeff Ooi has beautiful photos from a Buddhist ceremony.

AFRICA:
In Zimbabwe, Bulawayo on the Sokwanele blog has been driving his car around on “empty” because he doesn't have six free hours to wait in line.

Subzero Blue has a detailed report on the latest Tunisian Bloggers’ Meetup.

CENTRAL ASIA:
Nathan at Registan.net says Typepad blogs are now blocked [CORRECTION: appear to be blocked] in Uzbekistan.

EAST ASIA:
Isaac Mao announces the Adopt a Chinese blog program through which bloggers in other countries can help Chinese bloggers avoid censorship by hosting their blogs.

The Shanghai-based Dutch journalist Fons Tuinstra has started Radio Shanghai, a podcasting group.

ESWN links and translates a story from the Chinese press about a village requiring virginity tests in land compensation cases. Yikes!!