Wednesday World Blog Roundup · Global Voices
Rebecca MacKinnon

Central Asia & the Caucuses:
The Farsi blog Shared Pains (winner of the 2005 RSF Freedom Blog award) has a post in English on freedom of expression in Afghanistan (hat-tip to Afghan Lord).
Registan points to an interview with the leader of Uzbekistan's opposition coalition.  On the 40th day of mourning after the Andijan crackdown, Nathan has some harsh words for Russia's blind eye.
Blogrel discusses America's influence on democratization in the Caucasus.
Southeast Asia:
Webbed Feet has a big list of people blogging about Cambodia.
As Vietnam's prime minister tours the U.S., the new Vietnamjournalism blog, run by a Vietnamese journalist, reports that the Vietnamese president wants journalists to help “encourage the nation's citizens to flay enemy fabrication.”
Brandmalaysia's Mack Zulkifli talks about media reaction to the Singaporean blogger who bared most of herself on her blog… and about the larger issue of blogging as a lifestyle.
Economist/columnist Paul Krugman visited Bangkok, and Sarasonteh has the fallout.
East Asia:
In China, Typepad blogs are now confirmed to be blocked. Asiapundit has started a campaign to shame companies whose technology enables the Chinese government to do this.  (There's a big argument going on about this in the comments section of my blog.)
Meanwhile, the Chinese adopt-a-blog project is getting lots of buzz in the English language blogosphere.
Chinadigitaltimes points to an article in Singapore's Straits Times: CHINA: Hackers hit website of firm trying to control Internet use.  I guess we know where at least some of China's hackers stand on the censorship issue…
ESWN describes how information is kept out of newspapers in China.
South Asia:
Reporters Without Borders is hosting a new blog from Nepal, Nepal Info (in Nepalese).
In Bangladesh, Futurebanglanetwork is cynical about the World Bank's motivations when it comes to lobbying against a SIM card tax.
Chiens Sans Frontieres brings us a link to Gujarati rap.
In India, the Mumbai bloggers are planning another blog meetup on Sunday.  If you're in town be sure to join them.
Africa:
Ma-Schamba in Mozambique is looking forward to an upcoming exhibit of Mozambican contemporary art [Portugese]. (Poster for the exhibit at left.)
Sokwanele is concerned that Zimbabwe is turning into a Chinese colony.
Vilho's World has some thoughts about the issue of transparency in Namibia.
Middle East:
At the Lebanese Political Journal, “Cedar-Guardian” has some views on Lebanon's post-election political future, and “Lebanon.Profile” is resigned to political asassinations. (Click on their names to hear podcast interviews with these two bloggers in Beiruit.)
Brooding Persian explains why he chooses not to vote in Iran’ s election run-off on Friday.
Under Underground will vote but is bitter about it.
In Egypt, Manal and Alaa describe how they organized a protest and how blogs played a part.
Spark Armada‘s Nir Ofir wants to start an August 31st World Blog Day tradition. Why that date? Because he thinks the date 3108 kind of looks like the word “blog” if you write it a certain way…  His idea: “in this is day every blogger will post a recommendation of 5 new blogs (in the same time). In this day all Blog web surfers will find themselves leaping and discovering new, unknown blogs.” (He has even created the graphic at right.)
Europe:
Bonjour L'Estonie describes Estonia's native religion.
Finland for Thought has a short quiz about his nation's leader…
Pestiside has some dirt on Hungary's highway wars.
Latin America:
Coming soon. Check this post later for today's Latam links courtesy El Oso.