18 May 2006

Stories from 18 May 2006

China: Beijing's new facelift

  18 May 2006

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

  18 May 2006

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

  18 May 2006

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

  18 May 2006

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

  18 May 2006

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.

Sudan: No religious freedom

  18 May 2006

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”

Zimbabwe: WOZA trial

  18 May 2006

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

  18 May 2006

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.

Zimbabwe: Questions on Mutambara

  18 May 2006

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

  18 May 2006

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...