Stories from 18 May 2006
China: Beijing's new facelift
From Will at Imagethief: The original painting of the retouched version currently hanging from the gate to the Forbidden City is going up for auction, and while old Beijing's bird whistles are increasingly being replaced with the sound of jackhammers, a recording of hutong sounds has been put online for...
China: Typhoon averted
Six hundred thousand people were evacuated, blogs Brian Schwarz at China Challenges, in preparation for Typhoon Chanchu, which swept through southern China this week. More thorough coverage from the GZ Expat blogger writing from Guangzhou, just north of Hong Kong.
Japan: Questionable new laws
Riding Sun‘s GaijinBiker pokes some big holes first in the Japanese government's new law requiring all foreigners entering the country to have their fingerprints scanned followed by another new law which will see a gradual decrease in the number of free parking spaces for bicycles, scooters and motorcycles in Tokyo.
China: To hell with the Vatican
Simon at Simon World looks at the Chinese government's decision this week to spurn the Vatican and appoint their own Bishops: “Naturally, this debate boils right down to control over Chinese civil society, and whether the Chinese government will tolerate any form of civil pluralism or alternate authority hierarchies in...
Senegal: Tiff with France over “Chosen Immigration”
Commenting on a recent tiff between French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy and Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade over France's new policy of “choosing its immigration,” Forum Realisance says (Fr): “Wade is dead on because it is evident that France wants its pick of the best of African elites and takes for...
Zimbabwe: Repression continues
The Bearded man has various reports of more repression by the Zimbabwean government – the arrest of a Mugabe critic; the ban of public prayers and marches; journalists barred from visiting victims of clean up exercise.
Zambia: Internet Security
Zambian blog Real Life of a Journalist posts some tips on internet security
Nigeria: BBC documentary award
Grandiose Parlor points to an award for a BBC documentary : This World: Bad Medicine, produced by Olenka Frenkiel in 2005. The documentary has won the Peabody award.
Sudan: No religious freedom
Sudanese Thinker reports on the arrest of a priest for “kidnapping” a Muslim apostate who went to see him on her own. He comments that religious freedom is supposedly enshrined in the constitution – “enshrined my foot”
Uganda: LRA offered peace deal
Uganda-CAN reports that President Museveni has given LRA leader Joseph Kony until the end of July to end fighting and offers him a peace deal.
Zimbabwe: WOZA trial
This is Zimbabwe reports on the trial of 63 members of WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) which started on Monday.….”Their crime was to protest deteriorating human rights conditions in Zimbabwe, and to publically march for food and love”
Nigeria: UK & the NHS
African Shirts reports on the story of a Nigerian woman who fell ill in London and needed a new heart. Unfortuantely she was unable to receive free treatment under the National Health Service and died.
Kenya: Parliament Watch
Kenyan Pundit and Thinkers Room have put together a new blog, Mzalendo whose mission is to keep an eye on the Kenyan parliament.
Zimbabwe: Questions on Mutambara
Enough is Enough tries to work out what exactly MDC breakaway Arthur Mutambara is standing for. He asks “So what alternative is he for the people of Zimbabwe if he espouses the principles and values from both sides of Zimbabwe’s political divide?”
Global Voices Podcast: An interview with Eduardo Avila
Eduardo Avila is an Bolivian American who lives in Washington DC and covers Bolivia for Global Voices. Kamla Bhatt spoke with Eduardo at the recently concluded WeMedia conference in London about his work, blogging and Bolivia. You can download or listen to the interview by clicking here or on the...
Belarus: Athletes and Fans For the White-Red-White Flag
TOL's Belarus Blog writes about Belarusian athletes speaking up for the outcast white-red-white flag – and Belarusian fans promoting it abroad: “There is one embarassment, though: Lukashenka cannot prevent waving of the banned flag abroad, and wave they do! Every away game, any hockey championship, etc. becomes an opportunity for...
Poland: Gay Activist and Homophobia
rod 2.0:beta writes about Krystian Legierski, “a Polish-born black gay activist. He is 27 years old and the owner of Le Madame, the influential Warsaw club that was recently shut down by the government.” The beatroot cites the U.S. State Department's annual human rights report, which places Poland as the...
Poland: Revolution Needed to Fight Red Tape
Kinuk thinks a revolution is needed in Poland, at the local government level: “In the 21st century, I am waiting for the wheels of 19th century-style bureaucracy to turn so that I can get my 20th century piece of plastic. In the age of digital masterfulness, my piece of plastic...
Ukraine: Obstacles in the Foreign Adoption Process
Cristin of the Ukraine Adoption blog reports that many American families willing to adopt Ukrainian children are losing patience after many months of waiting for the Ukrainian government agency to start issuing paperwork needed to finalize the adoptions. To fight red tape, Cristin suggests writing letters to the president of...
Ukraine: Vote for Tina Karol
Oleksandr of Messages From Canada calls to his non-Ukrainian readers to vote for Tina Karol, a Ukrainian contester in today's semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens.
Ukraine: New Government Likely to Emerge Soon
Vilhelm Konnander thinks Ukraine is about to get its government, at long last: “Seven weeks after the March parliamentary elections, Timoshenko again declares that she stands as victor and new Prime Minister.”