The Middle East
Regime Change Iran has a story about the difficulties that US-based Iranians have in voting [1].
Mr. Behi has running coverage of election day [2]. Highlights: “This [extension of voting hours] is always happens regardless the number of voters so make it look big.”
Hoder can’t believe that the western press is ignoring Dr. Moin’s rapid rise in popularity [3].
Free Thoughts on Iran says the voting situation reminds him of a old Lone Ranger joke [4].
Under Underground explains why he voted for Dr. Moin, despite some misgivings [5].
Nema at Iranian Truth has some advice for President Bush: “My advice to Bush, keep your mouth shut. You pick the worst times to talk.” [6].
Is Iran nearing a tipping point? Nasrin Alavi at IranScan seems to think so [7].
Responsibility for least some of the bombings in Iran earlier this week have been claimed by Arab seperatists [8], reports the Arabist Network. However, this does not address the issue of the bombings in Tehran, which appear to remain unsolved.
Silly Bahranini Girl attends a “massive rally” for constitutional reform. [9] Apparently the government had ruled that the previous constitutional reform rally was, in fact, unconstitutional…
South-East Asia
[10]ThaRum’s Web has been keeping close watch on the kindergarten hostage situation in western Cambodia [11].
Jeff Ooi looks at a New Straits Times article about blogging in Malaysiaand notices that a certain prominent, award-winning Malaysian blogger is missing from the roundup… [12]
Brand New Malaysian point to an article about a new proposed regional ASEAN airline [13]. I’m guessing the model is similar to American regional carriers or European discount airlines like EasyJet or RyanAir.
Commentary Singapore notes that the CEO of NTUC Income, Singapore’s biggest insurance company [14], has started blogging [15].
Photography by KatieW [16]
Europe
Babblogue Blog announces the time and date of the next Galway blog meet [17].
Latin America
VCrisis has notes on the story that Citgo, the Venezuelan state oil company, managed to lose—as in misplace, as in cannot account for—more than $700 million [18].
Central Asia
In a post titled “The Last Soviet Generation”, Katy at Blogrel notes that the kids who are eligble to vote this year have never really known the Soviet Union [19].
Peace Corps Kyrgyzstan goes for a field trip into the country: “Although the curtain never fully closed on the genetic memory of the Kyrgyz during last century’s Sovietization, the re-emergence of their own culture plays out on an eerie stage…” [20]
Africa
Meskel Square has the full text of the press conference the UK’s secretary for international development gave in Addis Ababa [21] earlier this week. The highlight is that the UK is suspending a 20 million pound increase in aid to Ethiopia after recent post-election violence.
This Is Zimbabwe has a copy of Pope Benedict XVI’s address to the Zimbabwean envoy to the Holy See [22]. It’s loaded stuff, particularly if you ignore the diplomatic boilerplate.
East Asia
ESWN has a post about contemporary versions of the famous “No Chinese Or Dogs Allowed” sign [23].