Stories from 24 April 2006
Colombia: Extraditing Gabriel Puerta Parra
Adam Isacson emphasizes the sensitive consequences of extraditing longtime narcotrafficker, paramilitary associate, and ex-government security agent, Gabriel Puerta Parra (alias “The Doctor”) to the United States. Included is a translation of an intriguing and recent interview with Parra by the news magazing Semana.
Brazil: Islam
Comings Communiqué, a weblog by a Christian missionary, is dismayed by the rise of Islam in Brazil.
Bolivia: Bloggers Radio Show
Blogs de Bolivia announces (ES) that blogger Sebastian (ES), his wife Anne (ES), and Sergio Mier have launched a weekly radio show on FM 92.3 Santa Cruz, which will cover happenings in the Bolivian blogosphere each Monday night from 8 to 9.
Brazil, Mexico: Landless Workers Movement and Zapatistas
The Western Hemisphere Policy Watch blog cites a meeting between the Brazilian NGO, Landless Workers Movement (MST) and the Zapatistas in Southern Mexico as proof “that the international left's designs on the Americas are quite real and very much alive.”
El Salvador: Ban Against Gay Marriage and Adoption
Andrés Duque says that backing by El Salvador's two largest parties probably means that an amendment prohibiting marriage and adoption by gay couples will soon be passed.
AddisFerengi returns as Ethiopia's blogosphere explodes
AddisFerengi, one of Ethiopia's most controversial bloggers, was back in business this week with a load of back-dated posts, after temporarily shutting herself down and leaving the country amid claims of threats and warnings over her safety. The French citizen and now former resident of Addis Ababa told her whole...
Writings from the Kenyan Sphere
Kenyans mourned the passing of several people. There was a tragic plane crash where 14 people lost their lives, including several members of parliament and government officials, who were on a peace mission. Many kenyan bloggers had tributes, one of them was by Ntwiga who observed The death of these...
DRC: Cardinal Asks Congolese to Protect DRC From Foreigners
Archbishop of Kinshasa, Cardinal Etsou, asked Congolese to protect their country from foreigners, reports (FR)Renouveau Congolais. “You have left this beautiful country to foreigners who are carving it out” said the Cardinal to local political actors.
Nepal: Who is to blame?
Even as the revolution in Nepal unfolds, Bahas> asks if this is the time for reconciliation or confrontation – “Nepalese political parties are equally responsible as the king Gyanendra for the present state of Nepal. After 1990, the political parties badly misgoverned the country, forced Maoists to abandon the present...
Pakistan: The Bin Laden Story
The various sides of the Bin Laden story. Why various stories still float around and who benefits from them on A Journey To The End Of Time.
Latvia: More On Aivars Lemberg
All About Latvia posts an update on Aivars Lembergs, the man who might rule Latvia after the election in October.
Czech Republic: Radio Transmitting Tower to Become a UNESCO Site
Jesse of Bored in Brno is wondering why “a Czech radio broadcasting tower might be added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.”
Czech Republic: Unie Svobody and the June Election
Douglas Arellanes writes about the unlikely “first moves in the relaunch of the Unie Svobody (Freedom Union), the right of center party that is still in the governing coalition along with the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats”: their posters, their slogans and their site, as well as potential problems...
Ukraine: One Man's Chernobyl 20 Years On
Stefan at Dykun writes about a Ukrainian relative who was sent to work in Chernobyl 20 years ago: he's in his 40s now but walks with a cane. “Mykhajlo wears what must count as the thickest glasses ever worn by a human being–they should definitely find a place in a...
Serbia & Montenegro: Kosovar Schoolgirl Battling Dutch Immigration Officials
CafeDA writes about Kosovar schoolgirl Taida Pasic's battle with the Dutch immigration authorities: “Pasic's family fled from Kosovo to the Netherlands when she was 12. The IND decided the family could not stay and they were given money to leave voluntarily. Taida said she returned to complete her schooling in...
DRC: Informal vs. Official World Order
UDPS Liege contrasts (FR) the official world order (UN and other international bodies) to the informal world order (multinational corporations and secret service agencies). According to the informal world order, the DRC is not a sovereign nation, continues the blogger.
Trinidad & Tobago: Opposition Leader sentenced
Caribbean Free Radio links to a newsflash from a Trinidad & Tobago daily stating that Basdeo Panday, the country's Opposition Leader has been found guilty of “deliberately failing to disclose a London bank account.” According to the news item, Mr. Panday “has to pay 1.5 million TT Dollars to the...
Yemen: The chewers of Hadhramout
Yemenis are well known for chewing Qat. However, Omar does not seem to be one of them. Discover what is Qat, what it taste like, why do they chew it, and all what you need to know about it, and why Omar does not like it?
Brutal murder of Guyanese government minister sends shockwaves
“The news that the Guyanese Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, Satyadeow Sawh, was brutally gunned down at his home along with his brother, sister and bodyguard early Saturday morning is sending shockwaves around the Caribbean,” wrote Trinidadian blogger Jonathan Ali on April 23. Jonathan noted that “the Express article...
Bangladesh: Plagiarism
Deshcalling on how plagiarism in Bangladesh seems to be prevalent – “When plagiarism becomes rife as it has in Bangladesh educational institutions it devalues the degrees or diplomas awarded by those institutions and also undermines the intellectual potential of the country.”
Nepal: As Monarchy dies a death
Amardeep does a great job of collating links on the fate of Nepal even as Monarchy seems destined to end.
