Stories from 4 April 2006
South Korea: North Korea
Orackay looks at North Korean apologist voices in the South Korean media in “just say no to workers’ rights.” “Even if one assumes that publicly taking issue with the gulags can only be motivated by selfish political motive (and that certainly seems to be the motive with some people),” writes...
Cuba: Castro scrutinized
Pondblog finds two interesting items on Fidel Castro: an online newspaper report citing excerpts from a forthcoming book on the Cuban leader, and an article by a Canadian journalist which opens, “By so many measures, Fidel Castro has been the modern world's most transparent leader.”
Hong Kong: Mainland development
Simon World blogger HK Dave sees some meaning in a photo which, although admittedly doctored, came away with the top prize in this year's China International Press Photo Contest．
Taiwan: TV debate
Rank‘s Beginner blogger finds humor in a television debate between two of Taiwan's top politicians, Ma Ying-jeou and Chen Shuibian. “This may be the first time I've seen Chen in a conversational context and it's the first time I've understood his appeal. He makes me laugh. The most amusing part...
Hong Kong: Labor strife
The EastSouthWestNorth blogger translates a report on a recent protest in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen and finds some missing details in corresponding English-language coverage.
Bermuda: How to encourage tourism
A new campaign advertising Bermuda as a tourist destination prompts Sean to offer his own list of recommendations for promoting tourism in the island.
Bahamas: Brokeback banned
Sir Arthur Foulkes discusses the banning of the film “Brokeback Mountain” in the Bahamas, comparing the incident with another film banned back in 1950: “No Way Out”, starring Bahamian-born Sidney Poitier.
Bangladesh: Unholy hospitals
While the notion of foreign hospitals in Bangladesh may have economic or even populist reasons, imperfect world 2006 muses on why the word ‘unholy’ is used in conjunction with these hospitals.
Bangladesh: On The Times
Bangladesh was on the cover of the Times, and that had quite a few bloggers reading into the text. Salam Dhaka on some of the comments made by the Prime Minister.
India: Female politicians
Female politicians in India end up playing roles of sacrificial or raving ones. More than their ideology, their behaviour seems to indicate their acceptance and standing. More on this at Nikita's GenderBenders.
India: Changing face of Afghanistan
Ashok, an Indian design director in Kabul has a photo post on the changing face of Kabul.
Nepal: Curfew time
With political dissent being the dominant theme in the public discourse in Nepal – Democracy For Nepal on beating the curfew.
US Dollars, Human Rights & War
Mehrangize Kar US based human rights activist, lawyer & blogger discusses a hot issue: US 75 million dollar help to promote democracy in Iran. She does not believe that US dollars can be helpful for Iranian human rights activists. She says: “Not only the present government but also the judgment...
Troll causes Sri Lankan blog riot
Troll causes Sri Lankan blog riot
Asking the Blogosphere: Is the media telling the real story on Iraq?
Is the media telling the truth about Iraq? Do you have an opinion on this issue? How does the nature, quality, and content of media coverage of the Iraq war ultimately impact the lives of people in Iraq, the Middle East and around the planet? In your country, how does the media’s...
Water, pipe and bridge
Ktemoc says the destruction of the causeway that carries the pipeline with which Malaysia supplies 50% of Singapore's water needs is not a coincidence to Malaysia's proposal to build a bridge where the causeway is. He says it is related to the unrealistic price that Singapore pays for the water...
First generation of Filipino kids on the net
Noemi, whose daughter Lauren is the first Filipino blogger, reminisces about a 1997 meeting of some of the earliest Filipino kids on the internet–a time when parents were concerned about the (possible) negative impact of the internet on children's intellectual growth and social skills. Today, she views the internet as...
Indonesian media's attitude towards blogs
A. Fatih Syuhud laments that mainstream media still fails to appreciate blogs apart from the context of technology and as a playing field for the young.
Fuel, Singapore and Malaysia
Fuel is more expensive in Singapore than in Malaysia and, according to H J Angus of MalaysiaWatch, it is not uncommon for Singaporeans to drive to Malaysia to fill up their gasoline tanks. But Malaysia is now considering imposing a fee on all foreign cars entering Malaysia to effectively prevent...
Elections in Thailand
Thai bloggers Bangkok Pundit and Bookish are still discussing the turnout in the parliamentary elections. Bookish thinks that the legal status of the spoiled ballots will probably end up in court. Meanwhile, caretaker PM Thaksin Shinawatra has gone on national television–what Bookish calls the first mover’s advantage to announce that...
DRC: Public Transportation and Free Speech Tribulations
Daily links don't do all discussions justice. Here are translations of eloquent quotes posted in the last two weeks on two such issues by D.R of Congo blogger Tony Katombe. Public Transportation in Kinshasa: a Workout Before Work Tony Katombe treated us (FR) to a funny illustrated account of his...
